28. Spiraling Thoughts

Spiraling Thoughts

Macie

S itting on a bench outside the locker room, I wait for Jax to finish getting dressed.

With another win meant more reporters asking questions. So, I've been sitting here awhile, but the door finally opens, and I see Jax giving me that playful look, "Come on Angel, let's go get you all dolled up so I can take you out and spin you around."

I break into a laugh, hearing the tone he only carries when he has already had a beer or eight; Oh boy, this shall be a fun night.

I stand from the bench, and he steps in front of me, looking down with that playful look in his eyes.

"You better slow down, or you'll be face down in a bed again." I tease.

He barks a laugh, my attention getting drawn to Koda and Sully exiting the locker room, stopping as soon as they see me, trying to tame their smiles.

"Well, this is just perfect, all three of you are already lit up. It's a good damn thing we don't have to go far." I giggle, now seeing Wes and Mason walkout of the locker room, well Mason kind of falls out of the door.

"Jesus, what did you guys have in there, a fucking party?" I snap.

"Sort of." Wes slurs out.

Oh boy. "Don't you guys have dinner to go to? "

"Yes, but it's nothing showers can't fix." Wes jokes and I snort as I nod my head, "Right."

I look up to Jax and he chuckles, "Come on, let's go get ready." He slides his hand over my hip before it reaches the dip in my back, and we walk up to our room.

Of course, the guys making one hell of ruckus, laughing and carrying on about the game, and I just giggle with it all. Taking it all in and enjoying the fact I get to share this with them all.

When we get up to our room, Jax and Wes were talking about something, so I just did my own thing and got myself ready for dinner.

Deciding what to wear, I hear the shower kick on, knowing Jax has finally made his way in there.

I'm glad they are enjoying this the way they should. Celebrating their wins how they want. This is their game and I'm along for the ride, but I also want Jax to experience all of this, and not have to worry about dragging me along; You know, sometimes he just needs guy time.

After tonight, and how worried he was about me being alone, a part of me feels he won't experience those guys nights because of me. He would leave me home alone, or in a hotel. And that's okay, and he needs to know that.

Which is why I would be thrilled to have Keri live with us and start this club with her. We would have each other like we did when I lived at home. But I don't know if I want to be tied down to a club.

It's such a big decision and it's something that has been stirring around in my head.

When I get home I'm going to call Keri and talk to her. See where she is on this. She may not want it at all. I have a few more days to think about it, but tonight I'm not going to anymore.

Jax makes his way to the closet I'm in. His towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still wet and the beads of water cling to his chest .

"Damn Angel, you look amazing." He growls as his eyes scan my body.

"Thank you; For once, I'm ready before you."

He chuckles as he starts getting himself dressed, and I watch.

I watch the towel drop to the floor, that firm ass gleaming in the light, and the muscles in his legs, back, arms, all bulge with each movement he makes.

"We're not going out later." He says in a whisper and I furrow my brows, "What?"

"We're only doing dinner; the guys can go have their fun after."

"You don't want to go with them?" I ask, he normally enjoys a night out. He finally looks over as he slides his pants up his legs.

"No. Tonight, I want to spend with you, without all of them around."

That smile curls, "Are you sure?"

"Of course, I'm sure. Plus, they all forget, we get on a plane early tomorrow, and right back to practice."

"Alright, as long as, you're sure; But Jax…" I trail off, waiting for him to look at me and he when he does, he meets my gaze and my brows scrunch, "Promise me you are going to still do your guy nights and experience what this is all about."

He nods, "I will, when the time is right."

I lift a brow in a question and he huffs his smile, "I see it a little different than them."

"How so?"

"Every win deserves a celebration, but the one that matters is the one we are chasing; That's the one where I will celebrate big."

I giggle, "Yeah, drunk for a week acting like kings. "

"Essentially." We both laugh, my head going back and all.

Getting his shirt on, I stand from the chair I had sat in, and make my way to him. Reaching up, I fix the collar on his shirt as he buttons it.

"I want to spend what time I can alone with you, it's not that easy at home." Jax says softly.

"No, but it's kind of a busy time too, practice, games, travel."

"Yeah. Have you thought anymore about Kenny's offer?"

"I have been yes. When we get home I'm going to call Keri and see how she feels about it all too. She may not want it at all."

"It would be nice for her to be with you though."

"Yeah, it would, but I don't want us both to be unhappy so we can be close again."

"I get that." He says as he leans down and plants a kiss to my cheek, finishing with buttoning his shirt.

"Let's go have a little fun, then, I'm bringing you back here."

I giggle and turn my head, meeting his lips as I press mine to his. We share our kiss for a minute, it's not sloppy, it's meaningful, the love story he likes to tell through his lips is being told as his hand slides over my hip to my back.

Pulling me into him, before his hand drops and cups my ass cheek, giving his hand full squeeze.

His lips hover mine, "What did Josh say to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"How did you end up in the box?"

My head kind of goes back with the slight annoyed tone he is carrying, "I ran into him in the hallway, he said that he figured something out about you. "

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"The closer I am to you, the better you play."

He huffs before his jaw clenches and I can see the irritation flaring in his eyes. So, I ask him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing you need to worry about Angel."

My brows scrunch, and now I take a step back, "Jax, don't do this. Tell me now."

"I think he's using you to get to me."

"Is it working?"

"He's not wrong, but I don't ever want you to think I want you here because of that Macie."

"I know that; I know why I'm here Jax, you don't need to defend yourself. I know how things work too, remember I've been around long enough to know, he thought me being in the box would benefit him."

Jax lifts a knowing brow, but I already knew, as soon as Josh said what he said and took me to the players box, he thought I would keep Jax on fire.

"They all need to realize; you are the player you are on your own. Not because of me."

He chuckles, "You make me better, there's no denying that, but I have also busted my ass to be where I am."

I nod, "I know Jax, I know you have, and that's why I want you to experience all this even if that means leaving me home for a night or two, or for all of them." I pause, "This is your show Jax, I have and will have mine too."

He nods, searching my eyes, before he drags a deep breath in, "Let's get going before we're late."

"Wouldn't be the first time." I tease as I turn and he chuckles, following behind me as we make our way to the lobby .

We meet Koda and Sully and the team, before we are taken to a restaurant.

It's a normal dinner, late as shit, but the food is always good, the drinks are always at a heavy flow. The guys talk, I chime in, I know how to bull shit with these guys.

The laughs are had, the jokes are thrown at each other for missing pucks, or the net. Always giving each other a hard time but, this is what drives them as a team.

"I'll be right back Angel, stay with Sully and Koda." Jax says as he stands from his chair and I nod looking up. He gives me that smile before I look over and see Wes and Josh waiting for him; Captain duties call again.

I watch Jax walk over to them, all carrying their winning smiles and I turn my gaze away from them.

Because I'm dying to know what Sully and Keri had to talk about, I ask him, "What did you and Keri talk about the other morning?"

"Nothing, just getting to know her."

"I don't know Sully, you may not be able to handle her." I tease with a giggle.

"Shitttt... who, me?" He jokes.

I giggle, "I'm just kidding, but she's not a game Sully."

"Do you know me to play games?"

I lift my brow as I tilt my head.

"Okay fair."

"I'm serious Sully, she's had her heart broken, don't be the one to do it again. I love you too much to hate you."

He laughs, "We're just talking, and she lives back home, it wouldn't work."

"It would if she moved here."

"And why would she do that?" He asks in suspicion.

I lean in and whisper into Sully's ear, not wanting Koda to know this yet, and I know Sully won't say anything, "Long story short, I might be the new owner of a club with Keri, if it's what we both want, I'm not sure yet."

He pulls his head back with his widened eyes and he points behind him to Koda and I shake my head. He nods to Jax, and I nod. Basically, quietly saying no Koda doesn't know, but Jax does. Code shit Sully and I've done for years.

"Damn girl."

"Yeah, I know. It's a big decision and I don't know what to do."

"Come on, let's go dance." He suggests as he stands from his chair.

"Oh shit, Sully going to break out some moves on me?"

He chuckles, holding his hand out and I take it as I stand.

He leads me to the dance floor before my one hand rests on his bicep, the other in his wrapped around mine, as our feet fall into the movement. I lay my head on his chest and my eyes fall closed, not wanting to think about this club thing, but now I am.

"Now tell me what's going on Macie."

"You can't tell anyone. Jax knows but Koda can't know this." I trust Sully, he has never told my secrets, he just never knew the worst ones .

"Spit it out Macie." He growls, knowing Sully is very impatient when you try to delay something.

"My dad helped Kenny a long time ago, and now Kenny is returning that favor to me. Keri wants something bigger, and he wants the two of us to run a club together." I blurt out.

"Damn."

"Yeah." I pull my head from his chest before I look up. He looks down meeting my gaze.

"I don't know what to do Sully. I want it, but I don't want to be tied down to a club. I want to be able to have that freedom still."

He nods, "I get that, can you have both?"

My head tilts to the side with my tight smile, "I could."

"You'll make the right choice Macie, you always do."

"Even if I don't want any part of it. I'm going to offer it to Keri. She deserves it too."

"She'd at least be here with you."

"Yeah, and you." I joke.

He chuckles, "I could work with that."

"I bet you could."

He pushes me out in a spin while he chuckles, before pulling me back into him.

"Whatever you decide Macie, make sure you do it for you, because you also deserve it."

"Thank you, Sully."

He kisses my forehead before my head falls back to his chest as we continue our dance and I catch a glimpse of Jax starring at me and I shoot him a wink. He returns that wink with his smile, while some guy talks his ear off; I giggle finding it comical.

His attention gets pulled back to Wes and I pull my gaze away, continuing to dance with Sully.

Jax

Talking with Wes and the coaches, I can't take my eyes off Macie.

I realized something tonight; I'm a lucky son of a bitch to have her.

She's always been there but for her to go to a game alone, not on home ice, not many will do that; Not alone they won't. Macie did, and she never turned away from it.

Josh bringing her to the box last period, I could keep a closer eye on her that way, but it rubbed me the wrong way, still kind of does.

I watch her dance and laugh with Sully, carrying that smile that makes my dick throb, but it does something else tonight. My chest tightens, and the pull I've always felt towards her, is even stronger than it ever has been before.

Sully spins her around, just how she likes it, and I can't be mad at it. Jealous as fuck it's not me dancing with my girl, but, not jealous of Sully. Macie doesn't just mean something to me, she does to him too, she keeps the memory of his sister alive as he says.

Holly's death almost killed Sully, but Macie was the only thing that kept him together knowing it would kill her to lose them both. And Koda, well she's his baby sister and has always been his biggest cheerleader.

Always has. And everyone wants to talk about Lisa and how much she supported Koda's hockey, Macie did more. I watched that girl slap pucks at Koda for three hours one day. She was 12. That's a lot for a little thing like her.

I know Sully and Macie are talking about something and my guess it's about this club situation. She trusts Sully. Sometimes I think a little more than me or Koda.

Being the guy Sully can be, I know, if he wanted Macie, he would have had her a long time ago. So, there is never a need to be jealous of their relationship. At least not yet.

"Jax?" I look over to Wes and he raises a brow, so I lift mine with my response, "Yeah?"

"You're going out with us. We're going to this bar right down the street, it's a hot spot apparently?"

He chuckles as I shake my head and look back over to Macie.

"Nah, I'm taking my girl home."

"That girl has got you wrapped around her finger, live a little Jax."

I look back to Wes, "I am, I'm living a fucking dream, especially when I've got her wrapped around my dick; You guys have a good night chasing pussy while I fill pussy." I chuckle before I walk away shaking my head.

Yeah, I may not be going out tonight, this isn't home, and why do I need to. I got all the pussy I need right here.

Macie

As Sully spins me out, he lets go of my hand and I spin into Jax.

"Well, hello." I playfully say as he catches my hand and he chuckles, sliding his hand to my back, as his other laces with mine.

"You have them laughing hard, what did you say?" I nod over to Wes and Mason who are staring right at us laughing.

"Nothing Angel, just some guy shit."

"Mhm mm." I give him the look.

As the music changes, our bodies relax into each other, but our gaze has not broken. I stare into those bright green eyes as my hips sway with his, our feet find the rhythm and before I know it, we are across the dance floor. Like the night of our first date really. A place I hope to visit again and make it something special between us.

Jax dips me back and my leg lifts, sliding up his thigh, his hand catching my upper thigh, balancing his dip. The heat from his touch against my skin through the slit in my dress causes my eyes to flutter as his lips dip to my neck.

Leaning back and taking me with him before he spins me again; God, I love this. And I love this man. I don't want to lose him, or anything we have.

Sully

Yeah, Macie shouldn't have told me about this shit with Kenny and her dad. But I won't ever tell her secrets.

I love that girl, like my sister.

Jax is lucky son of a bitch to have her, and I will fuck him up if he hurts her. But watching the two of them dance, I don't think you're going to get them apart.

Jax has always loved Macie, but Macie fears it, but that fear is gone from her eyes. I see that girl I did when my sister was alive. Running around terrorizing the fuck out of us, but always gave us laughs.

They were the cool sisters. The ones who would have a good time with us, but also kept our asses in check; Most of the time.

The shit they don't know won't hurt; they didn't need to know everything.

I'm not really sure what to think about this club thing, and if Jax is fully on board with it.

I'm shocked he hasn't said anything to me, but I have to respect, it's between them, and maybe he doesn't know how he feels about it.

I sure don't know how I feel about it.