[06] Slade

by Teresa Gabelman

  Envy heated her chest, but Caroline pushed it away. She was happy like that once, but that had all changed in the face of Rod’s lies. Her family was everything to her, but Rod never took to her sister or their gift. It scared him, so Caroline had pushed it down, telling everyone that her gift frightened her. In truth, it did frighten her, but she had learned to deal with it. Her phone went off, making her jump. Glancing at it quickly, she frowned, clicking the ignore button. She had blocked Rod’s number, but he would borrow someone’s phone and call from a different number. She knew it was him because she never received unknown numbers on her cell phone before.

  “Hey!” Lana walked up behind her. “Was that Mom?”

  Startled, she dropped her bag. “Ah, no.” Caroline hoped to get out of there before her sister could interrogate her further, knowing Lana she would go hunting for her ex. “Why? You need to me to tell her anything?”

  “Yeah.” Lana stared at her for a few seconds. “Tell her we can do dinner Wednesday.”

  “Will do.” Caroline smiled, giving Lana a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing toward the door. “Thanks for the movie.”

  “Caroline,” Lana stopped her, “is Rod bothering you?”

  “I’ve got it under control, Lana.” Caroline finger-waved to Sid who gave her a wink from across the room where he was talking to Damon and Nicole. Ignoring Lana’s frown, she didn’t even look her way as she headed out of the room calling out over her shoulder, “Now, I gotta go. See ya Wednesday.”

  Once out of the room, Caroline let out a long breath. Almost making it to the door, she heard the beautiful, soothing, but faint sound of a guitar. Tilting her head, she looked up the steps that led to the living quarters. Taking a glance around, she looked back up the steps to see Jax’s sister on the stairs looking down at her. Knowing now who was playing, she made her way to the steps and began to climb. His sister faded from sight as Caroline made it down a few mazes of hallways and doors before the music became louder. Standing outside the door, Caroline leaned quietly against the wall, listening to the beautiful strumming, wondering how in the world she had heard it from downstairs, but she was glad she did. She could actually feel her nerves ease, making her feel light and slightly sleepy, almost to the point she jumped a mile high when a deep male voice boomed from behind the door, “Are you going to stand outside my door all night or knock?”

  Caroline glared at the door before rolling her eyes. She didn’t really want to knock, but if it would get him to play again, she would do it. Raising her hand, she started to knock, but the door flew open before her hand made contact.

  “What?” Jax’s tone was not pleasant as he looked down at her. He stuck his head out the door, looking up and down the hallway.

  She didn’t expect a shirtless Jax to open his door, but there he was. Beautiful tattoos covered his upper body. Her eyes followed the patterns. Holy wow, he was a sexy specimen. She wondered briefly what each tattoo meant, because, knowing the intense Warrior, he didn’t do things without a lot of deep thought.

  “More messages from my dead sister?” he asked, his tone taunting as he looked down at her. “Or are you just going to stare?”

  Color bloomed across her cheeks as a lie built inside her head and almost made it out of her mouth, but she pulled it back. She had to understand that most people were not going to be so accepting of her gifts, especially if it was painful. As she looked into his golden eyes, she saw a glimpse of pain brought on by the words he spoke of his sister. “Listen, I’m sorry about that,” Caroline, who rarely apologized, apologized. “I shouldn’t have blurted out in front of everyone about your sister. I should have warned you first.”

  “Yes, you should have,” Jax agreed. “Not that I believe in all that bullshit.”

  Caroline glared at him before turning away from his door. “Whatever.” She headed down the hall. “I apologized and I couldn’t care less if you believe it or not.”

  “Wait a minute,” Jax called out. “Is that the only reason you came up here?” There was suspicion in his tone.

  Being a teacher who faced a room full of kids ready to call you out on anything and everything, nothing much fazed Caroline, but this man’s attitude did, and not in a good way. “You know what,” Caroline turned around and walked back toward him, “actually, that wasn’t the reason I came up here at all. I heard the guitar and thought it was beautiful.”

  A small grin played at the corner of Jax’s full mouth. “So your apology meant…?”

  “Absolutely nothing.” Caroline tilted her chin. “It’s what I do. It’s what my sister and I do. I fought it for a while and that got me into a world of trouble, changing my life. So yeah, I’m not sorry.”

  Jax leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. “School teachers shouldn’t lie.”

  Now that surprised her. “How did you know I was a school teacher?”

  “Not the fancy way you find out things about people like talking to the dead.” He cocked his eyebrow at her. “I asked Sid.”

  “Actually, you did do exactly what I do,” Caroline replied in her best teacher tone. “Sid is technically dead.”

  Jax’s laugh boomed through the hallway. “Not only beautiful and smart, but quick with humorous comebacks.”

  Caroline felt herself blushing, and then cursed at herself. She couldn’t afford being attracted to anyone right now, especially a gorgeous jackass like Jax Wheeler. “Just stating a fact.”

  Nodding, Jax stared at her with his intense golden gaze. “So was bringing my sister up just stating facts also?”

  Not really knowing what he meant by that, Caroline frowned. “No, actually, it was because you were being so hard on Jill.” Caroline leaned up against the wall across from him. “Whether you like it or not, Jill is not going to stop. Lana has told me a lot about the girl and it takes a lot to impress my sister, but Jill has. I know what happened with your sister, Jax, and it wasn’t your fault, but if you continue your campaign against Jill, which I think even you know is bullshit, it will be your fault if something happens to her. She needs your support.”

  Jax straightened away from the wall during her little speech and was leaning over her. He didn’t look happy. “First of all, teach, you don’t know shit about what happened in my past.” He slammed one hand on the wall next to her head, leaning in. “And Jill has plenty of support.”

  Not one to be intimidated, Caroline slammed her hand on his chest and pushed. When he stepped back, she knew it was his decision to do so because he was nothing but solid muscle and her small push wouldn’t have budged him unless he wanted to be budged. “Your sister was killed during initiation into the VC Warriors over 200 years ago. You also had a younger brother, but he didn’t go through with the initiation.” Caroline didn’t stop at the shocked look on his face. “There was nothing you could do. She made her choice to follow her big brother into the program. You did everything you could to help her.”

  “And it still wasn’t enough.” Jax frowned, and then glared at her. “Women do not belong in this program. They are liabilities.”

  Caroline really looked at Jax, seeing the man behind the anger. His dark Native American looks and badass attitude almost had her fooled, but she saw a glimpse into his past through his sister and this was a good man, whether he wanted to admit it or not. “No.” She took a step toward him. “The person, whether male or female, who doesn’t believe in someone is the liability, because that small feeling of doubt a person gets in themselves during a time of the tests comes not from themselves, but the doubts someone put in their mind.”

  Jax shook his head. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

  Tilting her head, she looked up at him, wondering which Indian tribe he came from. He was a damn handsome man and smart, so she knew he knew exactly what she was talking about. “The more you put Jill down, give her a hard time, the more you put doubts in her head. When it comes down to it, you are her liability. She is no one’s liability.”

 
Surprise flashed across his face, but soon disappeared. “What do you teach?”

  “History. And I sure would like to talk to you about your past.” Caroline smiled at deepening frown on his full lips. She decided since he was changing the subject, she would too. “Why didn’t your brother go through with the initiation? Alisha doesn’t talk about him much, but—”

  “My brother is dead to me.” Jax’s eyes turned dark with something Caroline figured was a deep anger. “Seems you know more than you should about my past as it is,” Jax grumbled.

  “Not even close.” Caroline’s smile turned into a full-blown grin. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask your sister anything and I haven’t. She has given me all this information voluntarily.”

  Her phone rang at that moment and the ring tone was unfamiliar, so she knew who it was. She did her best to ignore it.

  “You going to answer that?” Jax frowned down at her bag where the ringing was coming from.

  “No,” Caroline replied, hefting the bag further on her shoulder. The ringing stopped, only to start again. Rolling her eyes, she dug into her purse pulling out her phone. “It’s just my ex.”

  “He giving you a hard time?” Jax eyed the phone, which she turned to silent.

  “Nothing I can’t handle.” She tossed it back into her purse, dismissing the phone and Rod without a second thought. “So are you going to stop giving Jill a hard time and start helping her?”

  “You’re pushy.” Jax glared down at her, leaning back against the doorframe.

  “Very,” she nodded in agreement, her eyes not leaving his. “She needs all of you behind her, Jax. And your sister is not going to leave me alone until you do.”

  Jax looked away from her, and then a small grin tipped his lips. “If you have dinner with me, I’ll think about it.”

  Caroline snorted, but her stomach dipped at the thought of having dinner with this man. “And you really think I would agree to have dinner with you for you just to think about it?”

  “Yes.” The tilted smirk Jax gave her was full of confidence that she would agree.

  “Well, obviously, you don’t know me very well,” Caroline countered back. Her phone, which she turned silent, started to buzz and vibrate. She watched his eyes move to her purse then back up to her.

  “You want me to answer that for you?” he asked, a look of irritation narrowed his eyes. “I’m sure I could help you with that problem.”

  “No, it’s fine,” Caroline lied, but there was no sense getting everyone involved in her issues with Rod. It was over and he would soon get tired of being ignored and go away. “But I do have a deal for you. If you stop harassing Jill—”

  “I am not harassing Jill,” Jax corrected her.

  Caroline rolled her eyes at him. “Oh, okay then. When you stop provoking Jill and start helping her, teach me how to play guitar and, then I will have dinner with you.” Biting her lip, she wondered what he thought about her second stipulation. She had always wanted to learn to play guitar. She actually had an old acoustic guitar in the back of her closet. Jax laughed. The deep timbre of his voice washed over her and she suddenly found herself wanting to see him laugh more often. She surprised herself when she realized she wanted it to be her who made him laugh.

  “I’m not provoking either,” Jax laughed again. “I’m being realistic.”

  “In your own mind maybe.” Caroline cocked her eyebrow at him. “You like her.”

  “And you know me so well that you know that as a fact,” Jax sparred with her some more, seeming to enjoy matching wits with her.

  “I do,” Caroline nodded, also liking their banter. “If you didn’t, you wouldn’t care whether she was a liability or not, which she’s not.”

  “No, I’m the liability.” His tone was disbelieving.

  “Yes, now you’re getting it,” Caroline grinned, and then frowned when her phone buzzed again. In one long stretch, Jax reached into her purse expertly locating her phone. Flipping it open, his eyes met hers.

  “Hello!” Jax’s tone was tolerant, not nasty, but definitely not nice. “You called this phone so why don’t we start out by you telling me who you are and why you are constantly ringing this phone.”

  Caroline threw her hands up in the air, looking at Jax in disbelief. She was actually amazed he found it so quickly when it usually took her minutes of searching through all her crap to find it. When he continued to stare at her while listening to the other end, her stomach knotted up. This wasn’t going to be good.

  “Rod? Did you say your name was Rod?” Jax made a face at Caroline as if saying ‘you dated a guy named Rod’. Then he snorted. “I bet you’re a muscle head. You go to the gym? Ah, that’s what I thought.” Jax looked proud of himself for calling that one.

  She could hear Rod’s voice through the phone and he didn’t sound happy. Damn, this probably just complicated her plan of ignoring him. Now, he was going to be more persistent. Shaking her head at Jax and reaching for the phone only caused Jax to turn slightly so she couldn’t reach it, unless she went into his room since that’s where he stuck his head. “Dammit.”

  “Well, listen, Rod. I don’t give two shits you and Caroline were engaged. She obviously doesn’t want to talk to you and I’ve taken it upon myself to warn you to stop calling her. If she wants to talk to you, she will call you.” Jax’s smile turned sinister. “Yes, I can back that warning up. Have no doubts about that.”

  Taking her phone back that Jax handed her, she put it in her purse then looked up at him. She cleared her throat, trying to think of what to say.

  “So you can dish out advice, but dated a guy named Rod.” Jax saved her from saying anything at all.

  “He was my fiancé.” Caroline didn’t know why she threw that bit of information out there, but the way he was looking at her made her feel like one of her school kids.

  Raising both eyebrows, he nodded. “Well, it sounds like it’s not a big loss on your part.”

  “Yeah, he treated my sister pretty bad.” Caroline frowned, not proud of the fact she had no clue how much Rod had tried to run her life and separate her from her twin until it was almost too late. “It took me a while, but I figured it out, and well, just dealing with the end results of a failed relationship.”

  “It happens,” he replied, still staring at her with those intense eyes.

  “Yeah, it does,” she nodded with a frown. “And I have no idea why I’m talking to you about this.”

  Jax didn’t say a word, just stood in the same pose against the door looking relaxed, yet she had no doubt he was ready to take anything head-on in a minute flat. It was pretty intimidating, especially as he continued to stare at her.

  “Okay, well, I need to be going.” Caroline gave him a short smile before turning.

  “Dinner. Wednesday.” It wasn’t a question. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  “You’re going to be nice to Jill?” Caroline looked back at him, wanting to see his face when he answered.

  “A saint.” His grin was far from saintly.

  Caroline snorted. “Let’s not overdo it. I don’t think you’ve done saintly…ever and I’m warning you I will ask Jill, so you better be nice or the deal is off.” Caroline pointed at him like she would a student in trouble. She eyed him a few more minutes before adding, “My address is—”

  “I don’t need it.” Jax smiled at her shocked look.

  “Okay, that’s creepy.” She bit her lip in thought. She didn’t need another Rod.

  “I’m a Warrior, nothing creepy about it. I just have access to a lot of stuff, your address being one of them.” Jax grinned when she looked relieved. “You need to watch your back with him,” Jax warned, turning more serious.

  “He’s just annoying,” Caroline replied, heading down the hallway. “He’ll stop when I don’t respond and find someone else.”

  “Definitely his loss.” Jax’s words hit her as she made her way to the end of the hallway.

  Caroline stopped and turned, but Jax wa
s gone. Okay, maybe she hadn’t really heard that last part or maybe she just wished he felt that way and she heard the words in her subconscious mind. He was one hell of a man who she wouldn’t mind forgetting about Rod with. Taking off down the steps, she smiled then wiggled her eyebrows. Hell, men did it all the time, so what was wrong with her doing it with Jax Wheeler. Damn, she had to go shopping. One did not dress like a school teacher when going out with a man like him.

  Chapter 8

  Jill didn’t want to breathe as Slade enveloped her with his body. Her back to his front, he snaked his arm around her bare waist, pulling her tightly against him. His head bent as his other hand reached up to the side of her face, tilting her head so he could bring his lips against her temple, down her cheek to her jawline and finally to her neck where he nipped, then licked. Her body exploded with feelings of intense pleasure making her toes curl into the carpet. The deep moan coming from within her throat sounded foreign to her own ears. “Slade,” she whispered.

  His fingers brushed underneath her bra line, teasing her mercilessly. “What does a flashing yellow light mean?” he whispered in her ear before taking her lobe into his mouth.

  Jill tilted her head, giving him easier access. “What?” she replied in a breathless whisper, but then his words hit her, making her eyes pop open wide. “What?!” She tried to turn toward him, but he stopped her.

  “Stay where you are,” he demanded in a tone that meant business. His hand moved from under her breast, running slowly yet with pressured heat down her stomach, over the snap of her jeans and closer to the spot on her body that wanted this man most, and stopped. “What does a flashing yellow light mean?”

  “Are you kidding me?” Jill moaned, almost in tears. Dammit, he was so close, so damn close. When he didn’t answer, she started to panic. Oh, God, what did a flashing…what color did he say…ah, shit this was not happening. She finally had Slade where she wanted him, with his hands all over her, and he’s wanting to quiz her on driving. “Can we please finish that after?”