Total pages in book: 213
Estimated words: 202770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1014(@200wpm)___ 811(@250wpm)___ 676(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 202770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1014(@200wpm)___ 811(@250wpm)___ 676(@300wpm)
Rejoining Jax, I find him checking his watch and I have a momentary flash of York doing the same thing. I hate that the damn watch brand reminds me of York again. I hate that he’s under my skin enough to distract me from Jax, who matters. York doesn’t matter. Well, the man doesn’t matter, but the hell he can put me through does. It’s what he might put my family through that does. It’s how he might lash out at Jax that does.
And deep in my gut, my fear is that Jax is right. York is in the middle of this thing with Jax’s brother, which will lead only one place: a war between York and Jax. But where does my brother fall in all of this? Where do I?
“Ready?” Jax asks, and I force myself back into the moment, and that’s not a challenge. Jax is an amazing man, gentle and yet confident, caring and yet dominant, striking combinations that apparently work for me. I’m going to the castle with him.
“Yes,” I say. “I’m ready.”
We exit the hotel room and he hands me a key. “Yours. It’s our room now.”
I have no idea why this warms me the way it does, but it does. I accept the key, and his hand closes around mine. “Soon you can share my real bed.”
The air thickens between us, that electric push and pull that is always present, jolting up a notch. “The king’s bed in his castle?”
“King of the north,” he jokes in a Game of Thrones jest that only endears me to him more. His humor is sexy, but if I’m honest with myself, so is the darkness he buries beneath that humor. He’s broken in some way. I’m broken in many ways. This draws us to each other. I know this. Death has been our mutual calling card, but for the first time, I wonder if that bond heals or destroys.
Chapter thirty-six
Emma
My worries are easily forgotten when my eyes meet Jax’s as laughter fades into heat, something that’s becoming familiar between us. I run my hand down the lapel of his jacket, and my God, his suit makes him look like walking sex. I have a momentary flashback of his lips on my belly, my fingers tangling in that dirty blond hair.
“If you keep looking at me like that,” he warns, “we’ll go back into the room.”
He takes my briefcase, slides his arm around me and the two of us start the walk to the elevator. Slowly. Like we both dread letting the rest of the world into our world. At least, I know I do. The Jax North playground is a good playground.
A few minutes later, we step off the car into the lobby and a tall, brutal-looking man with a scar down his cheek greets us. “Howdy there, ma’am,” he says, giving me a nod. “I’m Savage, Rick Savage, but everyone calls me Savage because I’m so nice and all that fun stuff.” His gaze shifts to Jax. “I have men following you both. You won’t see them unless you need them. I’ll be locked into them and you both.”
I don’t have to ask who Savage is. I know Jax hired protection. With York in town, I’m not fighting that idea either. “Do you know how York got into my apartment? I assume Jax told you what happened?”
“He did,” Savage says. “And whoever helped him was good enough to stay off our radar, and that’s really damn good.”
“That’s not comforting, but then, York has money. He’ll pay for the best.”
“Jax paid for the best,” he assures me. “Us.” He shifts his attention back to Jax. “There’s a black SUV waiting for you out front.” He looks at me. “Don’t leave your offices without our ride or our support.” He hands me a card. “Put my number in your phone.”
I accept the card. “Thank you, Savage.”
He narrows his eyes on me. “No pushback? I’m used to pushback from pretty ladies.”
“Not from me,” I say.
“Interesting,” he says. “Then you believe there’s real trouble.”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“What kind of trouble?” he challenges, and I don’t like the way his tone seems to spell guilt of some type. I’m not guilty of anything, but being in the middle and being stupid enough to stay with York as long as I did.
“The kind that has York Waters walking into my apartment and Jax hiring you to protect us both.” I turn and look at Jax. “I need to get to work.”
His eyes soften with understanding, not accusation, and when Jax waves Savage off, I allow him to pull me back under his arm and set us into motion once again. But Savage follows. I can feel his big bear of a presence behind us, pressing on my shoulders. He’s protecting us. He’s looking for answers, but he doesn’t trust me. It’s the kind of negativity I don’t need right now. We exit the hotel and just before I climb into the SUV, Savage is standing right there with us again.