Irons (Norfolk #1)

by Mj Fields

  “Sure, let me know when and I’ll see if I’m free.”

  “You free now?”

  “I guess I am.”

  We decided to meet at a Mexican restaurant on Hampton. As I drove, I thought about the fact that Jax and I hadn’t even talked and I regretted what had happened between us. I knew how I felt about him but I’m sure it was compelled by how much I wanted Will back. Jax and Will were a team. Will rarely came home without Jax. I knew at some point I needed to talk to him because losing him completely was not an option for me, but what had happened between us was wrong.

  I parked and sat in the car to return a message from my parents. They wanted to do dinner soon and hear about how things were going. I looked up and Ace was standing by the restaurant door.

  He was a very attractive man. Tall, built, blonde spikey hair, and piercing blue eyes. Yes, Ace was very nice looking and I wasn’t sure what this was about but I wasn’t interested in another one night stand with a friend of Will’s.

  He pulled my chair out and I sat.

  “The steak enchiladas are the best here.”

  “Have you had the chicken enchiladas?”

  “No, but the way you say it, sounds much better that I do. Maybe I’ll have to give them a try for that reason alone.”

  I looked up and he was smiling at me.

  “I think you’d like them.”

  “I think I would, too.”

  He sat back and continued staring at me.

  “Look, I was under the impression you wanted to discuss something.”

  “Right. I just wanted to eat lunch before. Is that all right with you?”

  “No, not really.”

  “Fine. What I am going to tell you is understandably going to make you angry.”

  “Okay, look, I think we should just cut through the pleasantries and get to it, shall we?”

  “As you wish.” He sat back and ran his hands through his hair. He shook his head and then leaned forward looking me straight in his eyes. “I blamed Will for Bobbie’s death. I told Irons it was Wills fault. I was pissed, I started a fight—”

  “You were grieving.”

  He stopped and sat back. No words were exchanged.

  I looked down trying to gather my thoughts when the waitress came to take our order.

  “Francesca?”

  I looked up at him and then at the waitress. “Chicken enchiladas.”

  “Make that two orders, please,” he picked up the menus and handed them to her.

  When she walked away he leaned forward. “You’re pretty damn amazing you know that?”

  “I understand grieving. It’s not all that amazing.”

  “Yeah, well, your brother’s best friend didn’t.”

  “Jax?”

  “Who else?” He took a drink and sat back, “The guys a loose cannon. He heard me and my boys venting and then broke my nose.”

  I didn’t mean to laugh but I did. He didn’t look angry he just shook his head back and forth.

  “Jax loved Will. He’s a good guy.”

  “I’ll take your word for it. So what happened when he dragged you out of Tuna’s the other night? You do know that was all about me. He and I, well we will never be close.”

  “That’s too bad. Will thought an awful lot of him.”

  “So what’s Irons to you now, your protector?”

  “Well Jax does whatever Jax wants to do, so I guess if that’s his chosen role there isn’t much I can do about it.”

  “So, if I wanna take you out again, I have to go through him?”

  “I didn’t say that. Nor did I know that this was ‘taking me out’.”

  “Okay, that’s fair.”

  He sat back and stared at me then smiled, “You’re a very beautiful girl, Francesca. I will absolutely want to take you out. If I have to make nice with Irons, then that’s what I will do.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that,” I laughed, because I knew damn well Jax would have a problem with it. Not because of what took place between him and me but because of Will. I could forgive, I just wasn’t sure Jaxson Irons was built the same.

  When we left the restaurant Ace tried to kiss me, I turned so he caught my cheek, “A lady, huh?”

  “Of course.” I smiled and waved as I walked away.

  * * *

  I PULLED UP in front of my apartment and grabbed my bags. I wanted to do some more work before meeting the people chosen to be on the committee to help set restrictions on the use of energy drinks for pilots and soldiers. Aside from school, this is what was most important to me. I couldn’t change what happened but I could hopefully stop it from happening again.

  I was walking up the stairs when I heard my name. I turned around and saw Jax walking towards me.

  He stopped abruptly, about two feet in front of me. He looked angry, and I would not be intimidated by Jax. I stood taller and rolled my eyes.

  “Can I help you?”

  “No, but you can answer four questions for me.”

  I turned and started walking up the stairs, “Make it quick, I have work to do.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Tell you what, Jax?” I unlocked the door and walked in.

  “How Will died. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  I sat my bag down and turned around and looked into his eyes.

  “I thought you knew. I thought—”

  “I didn’t. Family did and the Navy did, but I didn’t,” he poked himself in the chest. “I didn’t fucking know!”

  His hands were trembling and he fisted them.

  “Have a seat, Jax. I’ll get you a drink.”

  “Question two.” His bark caused me to stop and turn around.

  “Alright let’s hear it.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you would be doing an internship where I work?”

  “It didn’t come up, Jax.” I walked in and grabbed two bottles of water out of the fridge.

  “I think you should rethink it.” I walked in and sat down and handed him a water. “I don’t want it.”

  “Okay, well explain to me why I should rethink it.”

  “I work there. That’s where I train, that’s where I—”

  “So what, Jax? So I should hide in my own little corner of the world so you can what? Avoid me, shun Ace for—”

  “Question three!”

  “No! Do you hear yourself, Jaxson Irons? It’s all about you, isn’t it? Every question is about what you want. Well, you know what, that’s not how the world works. I’m sorry you didn’t know what was found in the investigation of Will’s crash, Jax, but did you even ask anyone? And I’m sorry you don’t want me to work where you do, but that’s where Will worked too, you know.” I stood up and walked towards the door. I couldn’t even look at him. “It’s time for you to leave.”

  “The fuck it is,” he growled as he walked over and slammed the door shut. “Stay the fuck away from Ace. He’s a piece of shit and if you knew—”

  “I do know. He told me at lunch today. He was grieving too, Jax. He lost someone too.”

  “Question four.”

  “No, I don’t—”

  “Did you break up with—”

  “That is none of your business.”

  “I told you what I would do.”

  He was inches from me, and moving closer.

  “Jax—”

  “Break it off now. Right now, god damn it, Frankie. While I’m standing here so I know you did as you were told.”

  “As I was told? Really? How well do you think that’s gonna work?” I stepped back and was against the door.

  “It’ll work just fine.” He took another step towards me.

  “Jax—”

  His hands were on the door on each side of my head and he leaned in. “You gonna stay with him after you fucked me?”

  “I was drunk.”

  His eyes bore into mine trapping me in every possible way.

  He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “While I w
as eating your pussy the next morning you were sober, sweetheart.”

  I wouldn’t stand up to him while he was this close, I couldn’t move and I couldn’t stop desire’s flame from igniting. I closed my eyes, turned my head towards him and my lips touched his.

  He breathed out slowly against me face and then his tongue touched my lips, I tried not to move, not to make a sound but a whimper escaped.

  His lips crashed against mine and I grabbed the sides of his head. My tongue met his greedily,; ready to taste the sweetness of his mouth, a taste I had craved since our mouths last touched. His hands cupped my ass and squeezed hard as he lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he pushed me against the door. My hips rocked into his growing erection and he groaned into my mouth. I let go and reached down, pulling at his shirt like it was on fire and he needed to be freed of it. He pushed his leg between my knees as he lifted his arms, then I pulled his shirt over his head. He pulled mine off and then my bra. I pushed my rigid nipples against his chest, needing to feel his skin against mine. His mouth closed over mine as he held my hips and rocked them against his leg. I began unbuckling his belt as his hand pushed under my skirt. I continued rubbing myself against his leg as his finger circled my clit.

  I unbuttoned and unzipped his pants and found he had nothing on under them. I stroked him as I tried to guide him into me. His skilled fingers continued the pleasant torture and tease until finally, “I’m gonna come, Jax. I’m gonna come.”

  I tried to move, to adjust so that I could feel his massive length pounding into my core, filling me to the point than pain became pleasure but his fingers continued to move and his knee pushed up against me and I couldn’t hold back any longer.

  “Oh, God, oh, yes, oh,” I pushed my mouth against his chest, knowing I was not going to be able to stop until I came down from the intoxicating high that Jax brought me to. A height I had never reached before, a peak that I would never forget.

  As I panted, he pulled his hand out from under my skirt and lowered his knee allowing my feet to both touch the floor.

  I held onto his obliques and rested my head on his chest. Opening my eyes I saw his beautiful cock standing straight and I pushed him back and started kissing my way slowly down his chest and belly as his cock rubbed against me. I looked up into his hooded eyes and then took him in my hand.

  Break Up

  Jax

  I STEPPED BACK away from Frankie and lifted her up. She looked confused, but I wasn’t. Not at all.

  “When you’ve broken up with him, that’s all yours.” I pulled my pants up and adjusted myself as I buttoned and zipped. “Until then, you don’t get that part of me.”

  “Go to hell, Jax.” She turned and opened the door, “And get out.”

  “Stay away from Ace, and break up with your boyfriend. You have two days before I make a call.”

  “And say what, ‘Hey I’ve been banging your twenty one year old daughter and’—”

  “That’s not fair, Frankie.” I grabbed the back of her head, pulled her closer and kissed her hair.

  She pushed me away, “Do whatever it is you wanna do. You will, anyway.”

  Walking out was nearly as hard as it was coming there in the first place. But I did it.

  * * *

  WHEN I GOT home, I ordered take out and went for a run. I needed to clear my head. I needed to figure out what the hell I was gonna do, how I would tell her parents. How I could make things right or how I could walk away.

  Nothing was clear to me. Nothing in my life before this moment wasn’t a laid out plan. The only thing that had changed was everything that was fucking important to me. My best friend had been gone for three years; I had avoided any connection to him for that long, and then Frankie. Fuck!

  I was a man of my word and, by God, if she didn’t do as I said. Break up with a fucking boy who beats her because he can’t make her feel any other way. I was gonna do what I had to do.

  I grabbed my laptop and checked my email. Mother had sent me a list of events, or opportunities as she called them. I chose three that were close enough to Norfolk to drive and were close in date. I needed something to keep me occupied. I had no desire to go out and no desire to sit home.

  Luckily, I was doing flight rescue drills so I wouldn’t run into Frankie for the next couple days. But after that I would run into her and I prayed she’d do the right thing.

  * * *

  I SAT LOOKING at the clock and typed in Frankie’s number. I got it from a file in the training center. Wrong or right, it had to be done.

  I sent a message:

  Two hours, Frankie.

  I stood up and walked out the sliding glass doors and onto the deck. I stood staring at the ocean.

  I turned around when I heard the doors slide open.

  “Hi,” I leaned back against the railing and watched her pull her phone out of her pocket.

  She pushed a button and it rang a few times before I heard his voice.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey Joel.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Look, this thing we’ve been doing has to stop.”

  “I agree, wasn’t my idea to begin with. You’re the one who likes it dirty, girl.”

  Her eyes closed and her cheeks turned pink.

  “Joel I mean all of it. I’m breaking up—”

  “What the fuck ever, Frankie. Seriously, over the fucking phone, that’s a bitch move, you know. You ought to have your ass beat for that.”

  “Yeah, well, here’s the thing. I’m not calling you names, so you shouldn’t be—”

  “Who the fuck is he, who’s beating your ass now, or have you gotten into even more twisted shit?”

  “No one’s beating my ass, Joel. Look, I gotta go.”

  “No fucking problem, Frankie, and just so you know, I’ve gotten more head since starting college than you ever gave.”

  “Congratulations. Goodbye, Joel.”

  She hung up the phone and looked up at me. “You happy now?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know it’s not going to change a thing. I’ll find someone else to make me feel and you’ll have to wonder if this guy will stop once he starts. Joel knew the word no. So you sleep on that one.”

  “What makes you think I’m gonna let you sleep with anyone else?”

  “Fuck you, Jax.”

  “And only me. We do this my way.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? Me and you? Yeah, right. It lasted, what, two hours before you kicked me outta here to play cards? I have no desire to be fourth or fifth on someone’s to do list.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh and then she turned around and opened the door.

  I grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, “That’s why you walked out of here. That’s why you got all pissed off and crazy acting?”

  “Don’t laugh at me Jax. Don’t you fucking laugh at me!”

  Tears started pouring down her face, “Okay. Jesus, Frankie.”

  I pulled her into my arms and hugged her.

  “Let go, Jax.”

  “I can’t, Frankie. I wish I could but I can’t.”

  She was a mess. She was a mess and had been trying to hold it all together for three fucking years now.

  I stood back and held her biceps.

  “You’re beautiful when you cry, Frankie.”

  She looked at me like I was insane and fuck, maybe I was.

  “Look, I don’t wanna hurt you or be hurt by you. For three years now I’ve thought about you. And for three years it felt wrong to do that. I stayed away. After the other night,” I closed my eyes and shook my head, “I have no idea how that will ever happen. So no, you won’t be sleeping with anyone else. You don’t go to dinner with Ace. You can—”

  “Jax I can’t do this right now. I can’t—”

  I took her hand and walked inside. “You’re tired.”

  “I am. I want to go home and sleep.”

  “Sleep here.” She scowled at th
e floor. “I’ll make you dinner.”

  She didn’t say no and I walked her to my room. She laid down on my bed and I covered her up.

  * * *

  I GRILLED STEAK and roasted vegetables, then threw out the takeout I had ordered. When she walked out, she rubbed her eyes and looked at me.

  “You sleep well?”

  She rubbed her arms and yawned.

  “You still like steak?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Have a seat on the couch; I’ll bring dinner to you.”

  I was cutting up the veggies and steak when there was a knock on the door.

  “It’s open,” I yelled.

  “You still held up in here thinking about Little Will?”

  She cleared her throat and Shadows looked into the living room. “Jesus Jax, you could’ve told me.”

  “Hi, Shadows.”

  “Francesca how are you?”

  “Fine, thank you. I’m just gonna use the bathroom,” she said as she started walking down the hall.

  “What’s going on?” Shadows whispered.

  “I’m hopeful that things are moving in the right direction.”

  “Which is?”

  “I want her to be my girl.”

  “Your girl?”

  “Yes, Shadows, mine.”

  She walked out of the bathroom looking at us. I could tell she was a little uncomfortable, but, typical Frankie, she put on a big smile. “Did he invite you to dinner as well?”

  I raised my eyebrows and shook my head.

  “No, he actually didn’t. I just stopped over to let him know we may be getting called out in a few days.”

  “Really?”

  She sounded a little upset.

  “Frankie, when we train for a week straight you can safely assume something’s going on.” Shadows reached over to the platter I had prepared and grabbed a potato. “Alright see you both in the morning.”

  When he left, she walked up and sat on the barstool. “Do you know where you’ll be going?”

  I picked up the platter and two forks, “To the couch. I’m starving.”

  “I saw take out, you can’t be that hungry still.”

  I set the platter on the coffee table and went back to the kitchen, “Didn’t eat it.” I opened the fridge, “Wine or beer, Francesca?”

  “Beer is fine.” She sat on the couch with her legs under her and I handed her a Guinness.