Because just then I looked up and saw Jax come through the sliding glass doors, and I stilled, feeling every hair on the back of my neck stand up.
He had just stepped through, his tall frame filling the space as Madoc hooked his neck and hollered over the music.
Both were smiling, and I noticed Jax’s friends—a small crowd—trailing him. Everyone had no doubt just finished at the Loop.
The heat outside escalated, making my white sundress stick to my body, and everything felt tight inside me. Watching him happy and talking to friends. Watching him carry on, not knowing I was here and falling apart because he was so close and yet too far away.
“Are you okay?” I heard Adam ask, and I blinked, coming to my senses.
Taking a deep breath, I gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry Madoc tried to set us up and wasted your time.” I stood up. “I don’t think I’m interested in seeing anyone for a while.”
“No relationship, then,” he shot out, shrugging. “Purely physical. It’ll be tough, but I can do that.”
I busted up laughing, shaking my head at him as he smiled.
“See you around, Adam.” I tipped my bottle at him and walked away.
I didn’t want to see Jax, and my friends were already drunk, so I just made my way back into the kitchen to grab a few things before I headed to my room.
Picking up my purse from the table, I dug out my phone and checked for any missed calls from my mom.
None. Hopefully she was still sleeping. I walked to the fridge for a bottle of water, thinking maybe I should’ve stayed the night with her. Maybe Madoc would let me take his car again.
“Adam,” the deep voice said, startling me. “He must be a good guy if Madoc is friends with him.”
I looked up, seeing Jax nod gently as he stood on the other side of the dark gray granite island with his T-shirt tossed over his shoulder.
I braced myself, turning away from his eyes as I slipped my phone back into my purse.
His slow footsteps fell behind me. “He looks like he comes from a good family.”
I focused on the cabinets ahead, speaking firmly. “What does someone who comes from a good family look like?”
Did he think he wasn’t good enough? Or that his baggage was too heavy? After everything he knew about me, that couldn’t be what he was worried about.
I felt him brush against my back, but he didn’t put his hands on me. His voice hovered everywhere, though. “Do you want him?” he asked in barely a whisper, and I winced.
Jesus.
“Yeah, I want him.” I swallowed the tears. “Five days ago I let you fuck me on a desk while I cried and told you I loved you, but I want him.”
Turning around, I locked eyes with him, unable to hide the pain I was feeling. He raised me up and then tore me down, and I knew it showed.
And then I dropped my eyes, noticing them. He’d pulled the T-shirt off his shoulder, and my composure broke. I let my stunned gaze wander over his naked chest, seeing the bite-mark tattoo on his neck and the script over his heart.
These violent delights have violent ends.
“Oh, my God,” I whispered, remembering the words from Romeo and Juliet.
“I don’t care about anything that much.” He’d said that when I asked why he didn’t have tattoos, and now he had three. He had my bite marks.
I reached up to touch his face, but he pulled away from me, backing up.
His face looked so childlike, confused, and sad as if he didn’t know what move to make next. Then his stunning blue eyes blinked, and he finally looked up at me.
“Everything was real,” he rasped, his usual stone expression gone. “But he’d be better for you, Juliet. Anyone else would but me.”
He backed away and finally turned, walking out the patio doors, while I just stood there staring after him.
My face ached, and everything hurt. Everything, all at the same time. And I brought my hand back to my chest, trying to soothe my heart.
No more.
I set my bottle down and left the room, walking toward the stairs without even one glance back. I was going to bed, and then I was going to rebuild my life.
Closing the door to my room, I felt my phone vibrate, and I shoved my hand into my purse, letting out a heavy sigh. This day needed to end.
Seeing a number I didn’t recognize, I answered anyway as I threw off my purse. “Hello?”
“Juliet Carter?”
“Yes?” I plopped down on the bed.
“Hi, this is First National. We’re calling to verify recent activity on your account?”
My bank? I sat up, wondering what recent activity they needed to verify. I hadn’t purchased more than a Diet Coke with my debit card in over a week.
“Um, okay,” I answered, giving her the go-ahead.
“We have a deposit made into your checking account yesterday,” she started, “in the amount of fifty thousand dollars …”
Fifty what?
“… and then a transfer out of your account,” she continued, “in the amount of twenty-nine thousand five hundred to Arizona State University.”
I felt my heart leap in my chest, and I shot off the bed, gritting my teeth. Twenty-nine thousand five hundred was exactly what my out-of-state tuition cost.
She spoke up again. “Do you verify this activity, ma’am?”
I jerked the phone away from my ear and clicked END.
“Motherfucker,” I snarled, shoving my feet back into my flip-fops and tossing my phone on the bed.
Running back downstairs, I rushed into the kitchen, seeing Jared sitting alone at the kitchen table, Three Doors Down’s “Here Without You” drifting in from outside.
“Where’s Jax?” I demanded.
“Just left,” he answered, resting his hand on his chin. “Need to borrow my car?”
And he slid his keys across the table, shocking me. No one drove Jared’s car.
But he was in a mood, Tate was drunk, and shit was wrong. And I couldn’t think about other people’s problems right at this moment, so I grabbed them and ran.
“Thanks,” I called.
Jamming out the front door, I climbed into Jared’s car, turned it on, and released the clutch as I pressed the gas.
And my angry shoulders sank when the car stalled.
New car, new sweet spot. I hate clutches!
Okay, not really. Turning the ignition again, I shifted my feet, feeling for it the way Jax had taught me, and finally took off. Accelerating quickly, I shot into second gear and then third, not stopping as I barreled onto the highway without even checking oncoming traffic.
Pushing in the gas, I shot into fourth and then fifth, barely noticing the trees flying by. Lord help any animal crossing the street, because the only thing lighting up the road were my headlights. There was no way I would be able to stop quickly.
I squinted, seeing the taillights of another car, and immediately recognized Jax’s NATIVE license plate.
Speeding up, I damn near climbed on his ass, letting him know loud and clear that I was here, before swerving around him and cutting in front of him on the road. He honked his horn and swerved, probably afraid I would hit him.
But I knew he had to recognize Jared’s car.
Jerking the wheel, I skidded to the side of the road, where I pulled to a stop.
I heard the gravel kick up under the tires and saw Jax had come in right behind me.
I pushed my hair behind my ears and turned off the car.
“What the hell are you doing?” I heard him shout from behind me, and I swung the door open, climbed out, and slammed it shut.
“You know what?” I shouted, charging up to him. “I had a clean-cut boyfriend from a good family. His mom made brownies, and his dad played golf with the mayor.” I shoved Jax in the chest. “He cheated on me!”
He stared at me wide-eyed as I pushed into his space again.
“And Shane dated the student class president,” I pointed out, advancing as he retreated. “He got straight A’s, wore cuff links to church, and his pants were always ironed.” I shoved Jax again, watching him stumble. “He was gay!” I yelled.