Chapter 9

JAX

"Since when do you drink coffee?"Mac asks me.

He kicks at my feet to knock them off the table.

I sit up on the couch, then slowly stand up and stare him down.

"What?" I ask.

"Coffee. You had coffee."

"Mac… you feeling okay?"

"Don't fuck around, Jax," Mac says.

He pokes a finger at my chest.

I look left to right. I really don't want to get into it with Mac right now.

"Why are you asking him about coffee?" Villi asks.

"He knows what I mean. He's stirring up some shit that doesn't need to be stirred."

"Guy can't even enjoy an afternoon pick me up around here, huh?" I ask with a smirk.

"Oh, shit, Jax," Villi says. "Really?"

"What?" I ask.

"You're starting something," Mac says.

"What if I am?" I ask. "What does it have to do with your life? Huh?"

"It's just messy, that's all."

"Messy? As in you fucking around with a virgin? Huh?" I look at Villi. "Do I need to explain messy to you? Banging a professor?"

Villi points at me. "She wasn't a professor at that time. And she doesn't even work here anymore. Don't drag me into this."

"I'm not in the mood for more bullshit right now," Mac says. "Find someone else to fuck."

He pokes at my chest again.

I grab his forearm.

Villi gets right between us.

"Mac, you've said your part, right?" Villi whispers.

"Yeah. I have. I'm going to go for a walk. Clear my head."

Mac leaves the dorm.

"You know that wasn't personal, right?" Villi asks.

"Sure felt like it."

"He got some news about his father. That's all. He needed a target. You were the target."

"What's he doing defending Mila Patrick for?"

"So you knew exactly what he meant then…"

"What, are you going to ride my ass next here?"

"You know me, Jax, I'm not judging anyone for anything."

"I went for a cup of coffee."

"Be honest, when was the last time you went to the cafe."

Villi and I are tight. Close like brothers.

He can read me. I can read him.

Back and forth, blah blah…

"I'm broadening my horizon," I say. "It was nice to sit there. Think. Good to do."

"Bullshit. You really are stirring the pot."

"What pot? What are we, chefs now? Please."

"You looked at her ass."

I jump back. "Oh, no. I looked at someone's ass. Better lock me up for life."

"You're messing with her. And you're messing with Ward. Which do you want more?"

I laugh. "You're sounding like Mac now."

"I'm just curious. I'm not going to tell you what to do or get up in your face. You're a big boy, Jax. You can pick your fights however you want to."

"Then stay out of it."

"How about not lying though? Especially to me."

"I don't know what you think I'm lying about. I went to a cafe. I got some coffee. That's not a lie."

"You prick," Villi shakes his head.

"Hey, I would love to stand around here and get questioned about this nonsense, but I have to go."

"Where to? To get more coffee?"

"No. I have to go get tutored."

"You're really taking that seriously?"

"I have no choice, Villi. Coach Damon almost had a heart attack at that meeting. I don't want the man to die because of me."

"He's going to die from the drinking."

"No comment there."

"Your grades are really that bad?"

I shrug. "I don't actually need a tutor. I'm not an idiot. I just don't do the work. But I have to do the tutor thing now for a bit. It is what it is."

"You're a mystery sometimes, Jax. You're my best friend and I still don't get what makes you function."

"Neither do I, Villi. But I will say this. I don't need Mac up in my face. I'm sorry about his father and all. But I won't be his target."

"He just doesn't want any other bullshit going on right now. I can respect that."

"I don't have to respect a thing."

"Oh, it shows, Jax. Believe me, it fucking shows."

"See you later, man," I say. "I've got to go get tutored."

I make it to the door before Villi calls my name.

"You know, something is on my mind here," he says.

"What?"

"This tutor thing."

"Yeah?"

"Willow is your tutor. Her brother is Ward. Ward is dating Mila."

"Okay. You've connected all the dots. Now what?"

"It just confuses me a little. I can't figure out what your game is. Because in all reality you have something wild right in front of you."

"Is that so?"

"I just don't get… if you wanted to make Ward lose his mind… why not fuck his sister? She's your tutor. Forced proximity and all, right? Why does it have to be the pursuit of Ward's girlfriend?"

I have no intention of answering that kind of question.

So I do the classic Jax thing, shrug my shoulders and walk away.

I know that'll pissed Villi off, which makes me just a little bit happier in life.

Now to be fair, that is a valid question.

Why not fuck Willow? She's right there… right in front of me…

She has wild, innocent eyes about her too.

The thing is, this isn't about Ward.

Who the fuck cares about Ward? His name alone makes him irrelevant to anything.

What if I just have a wild desire for Mila?