Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
“Don’t even think about it,” Jax says, a cocky grin across his stupid face. “You’re not getting away from me this time.” Without another word, he grips the top of the fence and hauls himself up before swinging his legs over and jumping down on our side. He tears his shirt off and tosses it on the ground before throwing himself into the pool, something I’m sure he’ll regret later when that stab wound through his liver is giving him hell.
Chanel, Ilaria, and I watch with wide eyes as his head surfaces right in front of Arizona, his hands slamming against the edge of the pool, caging her between his arms and body. “We need to talk,” he tells her. “It’s been weeks, babe. I’m sick of you cutting and running the second I walk into a room.”
“Jax, don’t do this,” she begs, gently shaking her head, real fear in her eyes of being pushed too soon and having to face the haunting reality that he’ll never love her the way she needs. “I … I can’t—”
He moves in even closer, his strong body pressed right up against hers as their eyes lock and she becomes mesmerized by his stare. “You and Logan saved my life, Ari,” he mutters. “I know there are other things we need to talk about, and I’m not going to force you to do that, but I can’t go another fucking day without holding you. I saw the way you looked at me when I was down, the way you cried—”
Her hand falls to his chest, her fingers shaking. “You were dying in my arms. I thought I was going to lose you.”
Jax takes her waist and drops his forehead against hers, and just seeing the raw emotion in both of their eyes has tears welling in mine. “You know I love you, right? You’re my best friend.”
“But you’re not in love with me, Jax.”
“I can learn,” he tells her. “It’ll come. I promise, I just … I can’t stand to see you walk away from me.”
“It’s not enough,” she tells him. “I don’t want empty promises of a future you don’t know if you can give me.” Silence falls between them, and he pulls her into his chest, holding her close and refusing to let go. Though truth be told, I don’t think she wants him to. A moment passes before I see her tears splash against the water’s surface. “You broke my heart, Jax.”
Jax’s arms tighten around her, pulling her hard against his chest, and I watch with despair as she nuzzles her face into his chest. “God, Ari. You have to know that was never my intention. I’d never knowingly hurt you.”
Chanel glances toward me and Ilaria as Jax and Ari’s conversation falls quiet. “I feel like we’re intruding,” she says with a cringe. “Should we have like … disappeared already?”
Reaching for my glass, I slowly stand, trying to be discreet before slowly walking back toward the house. “I think yes.”
Ilaria and Chanel snicker before choking on their laughs and doing the same, making a point of not forgetting their drinks. We get through the back door when I walk straight into a hard body, his familiar scent wrapping around me.
Uh-oh.
His hand drops to my hip, steadying me before I make a complete ass of myself, and as Chanel and Ilaria turn around, their eyes go wide. “ABORT! ABORT!” Ilaria shouts, knowing damn well I haven’t spoken to Tanner in days.
Having just enough vodka in my system to make me stupid, I take off at a sprint, my feet slamming against the tiles as Chanel and Ilaria bolt too, only Tanner’s reflexes are like nothing I’ve ever encountered. “Not so fucking fast,” he says, his hand snapping out and catching me around my elbow before I’ve even gotten two steps away.
Chanel and Ilaria howl in laughter as they take off out the front door, most likely to go and bug Addison and Hudson, having no idea what kind of fresh hell they just left me to deal with. I mean, sure, they’re not blind. They know something has been going on and that it has to be big to drive a wedge between us. But there is no way in hell I’m about to betray his trust and tell them what’s truly going on.
Letting out a heavy sigh, I move back in front of Tanner and pull my elbow free of his strong grasp. “Tanner, I—”
“You swore you wouldn’t walk away from me,” he cuts in, the pain radiating from his dark gaze.
“And I meant that,” I tell him. “I’m not walking away, but that doesn’t mean I don’t reserve the right to want to strangle you.”
“Killer,” he begs, reaching for me again, only I evade his touch. “I can’t stand having you hating me like this. The way you’re looking at me right now … it’s like you don’t even know me … like you’re scared of me.”