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)
“Just read it all, Jax. Do it now.”
“In the air,” I say. “I need to focus.”
A statement that makes more sense as the in flight food arrives and random crew activity takes place. We’re in the air another thirty minutes later, and I pull out our food from the delivery bags. “You don’t want to read what’s in that file or journal?” she asks, accepting her sandwich when I hand it to her.
My jaw clenches. “I do, but am I hesitating? Yes. The last place I want to be when I find out something brutal about my brother is in a box of metal in the sky. I’ll lose my fucking mind.” It’s out before I can stop it, raw and honest, and yes, brutal. It’s also not the entire truth. It’s true, I don’t want to be a prisoner while coming out of my own skin over my brother. But I’m also not sure I want Emma to see how I react to anything her family might have done to my brother.
Her eyes soften. “I understand. Let’s read it together at the castle then.”
“I think that might be a good idea.” I motion to her sandwich. “Let’s eat.”
And so we do, and we talk. We talk about everything but our families and York. She tells me about her favorite hotels she’s scouted and opened. I tell her about our whiskey, about boxing. About my love for UFC that spiraled from my love of boxing.
“I like UFC,” she says. “And Pac-Man.”
“You like boxing?”
“Just Pac-Man. Something about him just makes a fight exciting.”
It’s a good two hours before we lower our seats for the remainder of the long flight, and we lay there side by side staring at each other. “Have you ever been to Germany?”
“I haven’t,” I admit. “I’ve been to London, Scotland, Rome, Paris, and Australia. But no, to Germany.”
“I leave for Germany in two weeks.”
“Not without me, Emma,” I say, stroking her cheek.
“You want to come with me?”
“Yes. I do.”
“We barely know each other.”
“And yet you’re coming to Maine with me. Why can’t I go to Germany with you?”
“Yes,” she says, her lips curve, those beautiful green eyes of hers warm, her voice heavy with sleepiness. “Why can’t you?” Her lashes lower and I watch her features soften into slumber. I watch her sleep but I don’t sleep. That damn journal and folder call to me. After an hour, I can’t take it. I sit up and I reach for the folder.
Chapter forty-one
Jax
Two hours later, Emma’s still asleep when I shove everything I’ve been reading back into the seat pocket. I stand up and walk to the back of the plane and press my hands to the wall, fighting off demons, fighting off the need to punch the wall. There’s not only plenty in those documents to prove malice toward my brother, but there’s reason to believe that malice extends to me and Emma.
I force myself to rein in my anger. I don’t want to tell her what I learned until I have time to connect a few dots. I push off the wall and walk to the front of the plane, sitting down next to Savage who has a bottle of North Whiskey next to him. I pick it up and down a few swallows before I fill him in on everything I now know. He whistles and grabs his laptop. “I’ll talk to Blake. He’ll get us answers by the time we’re on the ground.”
I take another swig of whiskey but say nothing. I get up and return to my seat next to Emma. I’m exhausted from not sleeping last night, and clearly, she is, too. I need to be fresh when I deal with this hell I’ve unlocked. I lower my seat and roll to my side, facing her. I watch her sleep a few minutes, and damn it, she’s beautiful and sweet, and smart. She doesn’t deserve any of this while me, well, I’m like Eric. I’m not all that good of a man but damn if a woman like Emma makes me want to be.
I shut my eyes and Emma’s hand settles on my face. My lashes lift but hers are shut. I can’t even explain the emotion that pumps through me in that moment but I need this woman in my life. I shut my eyes and pull her hand to me. I’m not letting go and based on everything I just found out, that means war, but bring it on.
Emma
I wake to find Jax sitting up with coffee in his hand, and for a moment I just stare at him, because why wouldn’t I? He’s gorgeous. “Did you sleep?” I ask, sitting up, my gaze catching on his forearm where his sleeve is rolled up, that North tattoo meaning more to me now than ever. It’s pride. It’s family. It’s every reason he’s fighting for answers.