10. Jax

Jax

I 've got one leg half way in the car when I see a piece of paper stuck under the windshield. I climb out and snatch it into my hands, hoping no one saw.

On the paper is a simple drawing of a dahlia. My hand shakes, and I swallow hard over and over, but my mouth just keeps salivating. I stumble towards the side of the road and put my head down and take a few deep breaths to calm the dizziness.

"Jax?"

I hold up one hand and spit before standing up straight and putting the paper in my pocket.

The brand on my hip, with almost the exact same design, throbs painfully. I rub it absently, and then force myself to stop.

"Psychosomatic," I growl to myself and put my hand on the door again.

"Jax!"

I let out a small, surprised noise and meet Dane's scowling face in the car before I realise it wasn't him that spoke. I turn nervously and relax when I realise it's Mason.

"Mase. Fuck, you scared the shit outta me."

He comes over, moving into my space, and presses a kiss to my cheek, ignoring the way I stiffen and shift slightly away. What the hell is he doing? My head is throbbing. Dane's door opens, and then he and Rafael are standing with me sandwiched between them. Mason looks at them with his cold amber eyes and grunts.

"What's up, Mason?" I ask with exhaustion in my voice. How did he find me?

"Who are these guys?" Mason bites out, his glare landing first on Rafe, then on Dane.

"Friends," I snap back as my hackles rise. Since when does Mason think he owns me?

"Who are you?" Dane shoots back and stands to his full height. He and Mason are about the same size, both with thick shoulders padded with muscle, but somehow, Dane seems bigger, deadlier.

I roll my eyes at the pair of them.

"A friend," Mason snaps, and then he looks at me and pouts. I clench my hand, and Rafael covers it. He squeezes lightly, and I feel myself relax. I glance at him in surprise, and he winks at me.

"Wanted to know if you wanted to go to a party at the Red Shard," Mason grumbles.

I shake my head. "Not my scene. You know I don't fuck with the gangs. I know River's filled you in on me."

He doesn't even have the decency to look ashamed. "Andy and Stevie are there."

I freeze, those five words destroying my last shreds of cool. "What the fuck are you doing here if they're there?" I bellow at him. A sick, slimy feeling grips my insides, and a tiny voice in my head whines.

He winces and frowns. "I work for the Harmon family, not vice versa. I don't decide where the girls drink."

"Fucking idiots," I mutter. I turn to Rafael. "Can we please meet up tomorrow? My friend's sisters are being absolute morons, and he'd never forgive me if I left them there," I snap my head in Mason's direction. "Ring River, Eddie, and Richard."

Mason flinches but pulls out his phone and does as I order.

I turn to Dane. He's rubbing a finger up and down his jaw and watching me with a very thoughtful expression.

I raise my eyebrows. "What?"

"You're driven by a need to protect and help people."

"So? I'm allowed to be altruistic."

"Sure, I'm just trying to work out if everything I've read about you is wrong or if you changed out of guilt."

He may as well have slapped me. Guilt? Guilt!

I spin away, ignoring Rafe, who tries to catch my eye. "Meet me here at dawn." I don't say anything else as I stomp over to Mason and climb into his SUV. I even ignore the superior smirk he flashes Dane and Rafael.

For a minute, I'd forgotten about the note, but it comes back into my mind, sending me into a cold sweat. Who is this stalker? How does he know about my brand? Has he seen me naked? When? The thought is nauseating.

The drive to Red Shard is short, and Mason parks in the car park behind the club. I climb out of the car and march towards the road. The building looks like nothing on the outside. A dirty brick building with no signs or anything to indicate what it really is. A huge bouncer with bulging biceps grins at me.

"Long time, Jax."

"Too long, Astaire." I grin back and throw myself into his arms. "Far too long."

He doesn't have much of a neck, and his nose has been broken too many times to call him handsome, but Astaire has a quiet, calm intensity about him that has always made me feel safe.

"Going in?"

"Yeah, I'm sent to monitor the Harmon sisters for the night. Oh, the things we do for money, am I right? They in there?"

Astaire's face twitches slightly, and his mouth turns down. "Watch Titan tonight. Yeah, the boss has a hard on for those girls."

My face drains of blood, and I feel slightly dizzy. "Shit."

"Yeah. Tell me about it," Astaire growls. His voice is so deep and gruff, it literally sounds like a growl.

He pulls open the door, and I slip through just as Mason comes jogging around the corner. The hallway is covered in splatters. I walk straight down the middle, avoiding the walls at all costs. Some of those splatters are drinks, vomit, and food, but there are other rust-coloured ones I recognise as blood. The stink of cigarettes burns my nose and makes me cough.

I descend the stairs, ignoring the couples fucking up against the walls. They look and sound like animals, grunting and pawing, the stench of booze wafts off them. I resist the urge to wrinkle my nose. As soon as I reach the bottom level, the bass explodes into my body, disorientating me for a moment. It's so loud I can barely hear my own thoughts. I look around the dimly lit red room.

People dance in the centre of the room with tables full of empty glasses, and drunk people weave and laugh around them. I edge through the crowd and make my way to the bar.

It takes me a minute, but I get to the wood and dig into my spot, waving the woman who's working tonight over. She pauses, and her eyes widen. She's pretty with thick eyeliner and long fake lashes, but it's the v-neck top that covers half her breasts that draws the eyes of the men who grossly outnumber females here. Still, she's all right. I've had no problems with her in the past.

"Harmon sisters!" I shout when she gets close.

"Over there." She jerks her head towards the dance floor.

I slide a twenty across the bar to her, and she puts it in her bra and rushes off to serve the next customer.

I twist around, refusing to give up my spot just yet, and see Stevie on the stripper pole, twisting and spinning like a damn expert. Andy is laughing and leaning on one of her friends. They stand out from the rest of the crowd with their flawless makeup and designer clothes.

The men watch with leering, predatory gazes, and the women glower. I chew my lip and wonder how I'm going to get both of them out of here in one piece without any of the journalists finding out. Hurricane might be small, but Edward and Richard run a successful lumber business, and this kind of attention would hurt them.

I see Titan making a beeline towards the girls. He's a giant of a man with a long beard and a tight drum-like stomach. There is a meanness in his eyes that scares the shit out of me. When I used to work here, we ended up having one run in too many. I had to go. But Titan holds grudges, and I don't forget. I can't forget what happened that night. I move quickly and intercept Stevie as she dances towards a table and her drink.

"Stevie?"

Stevie stiffens and spins around. "Ah, the black sheep. I was wondering when you were going to show up."

"Right on time to ruin your life once again," I snap.

"At least let me get a drink. I'm thirsty."

"Nah, that's what nice friends do. I had plans tonight, things I need to be doing. Earning money. Working. You wouldn't understand any of that, would you?" I growl and grip her upper arm. She yanks hard and steps back into Mason, right where I wanted her to go.

"One down," I mutter.

Andy sees Mason and comes rushing over. "Macey. Macey, come dance with me."

"Take them home, Mason," I growl.

"I think that's a good idea, Mason. Take them home."

I stiffen as the gruff, amused voice speaks from right behind me. Too slow. Far too fucking slow.

"Titan," I say in a low voice.

His breath is on my neck, and I have to force myself not to shudder or move. He likes it when he sees fear. I can't hide my fear of him easily. It takes effort. He's disturbing to be around. Much the way you would tread cautiously around a venomous snake. Much the same way I have to tread with Sparrow. Both can end my life in a single moment. Both think they're entitled to things I don't want to give.

"I was just leaving," I say softly. His hand slithers up my spine and captures my nape.

"Come and have a drink with me." It's not a suggestion.

"I have to work."

"It wasn't a request, Miss Shade." His voice is firmer, more aggressive.

I glower at the table and notice Stevie staring at Titan with her mouth open and tears in her eyes. My heart skips a beat, and I want to howl in frustration. Would she never learn? Surely, she doesn't have a thing for him? What the hell is she even thinking?

"Fine." I spin on my heel and march past him to his usual booth. Lisha, a brunette with a see-through top and shorts that don't cover her buttcheeks, glares at me and tries to block my way. We've had this ongoing silent fight for the last three years, where she tries to stake her claim, and I try to get out.

I grab her wrist, twist it behind her back, and pass her off to the goon standing beside the booth. I slide into the seat and lean back, pretending I don't have a care in the world. Under the table, a hand crawls up my leg, instantly easing some of the tension.

Gideon. Oh, fuck, how is he here? I'm so happy to know I'm not alone.

Titan stops beside the table, and then grabs my wrist and yanks me out of the booth. "I changed my mind. Let's take a walk."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"Fine."

I walk in front of him, obeying the directions of his hand on my hip. He moves us to the hallway where the bathrooms are, and despite all my plans to stay calm and collected, I find my breathing picking up and my hands growing clammy. I look around wildly, but there is no way out. He keeps nudging me forward, past the men's, women's, and disabled bathrooms, and finally, to the fire exit. He pushes the door open and pushes me out into the car park.

The lights have been cut, and it's now so dark that everything has become just dark shadows in darkness.

Titan moves against me, forcing me up against the wall.

"I don't want this," I say through gritted teeth.

"I do. And I don't give a shit what you want. I missed you, Jax. Once wasn't enough," he whispers in my ear. He flips me around so I'm facing him and slams me back against the wall so hard my teeth snap together.

He gropes at my breasts, painfully digging into the skin, and slams his mouth on mine. I bite back instantly, fighting on instinct. He growls and pulls away, leaving a metallic taste in my mouth that makes little sense. He grunts and leans in again, forcing a thigh between my legs. I bring my hands up, curled into claws, and drag my nails down his face.

He screams, and then he's pulled backwards, sliding across the car park. My mouth parts, but it's like someone has his collar and has just pulled.

I hunch over and watch with wide eyes.

Titan gets up and looks around suspiciously. He makes to come for me again, but something comes down with a crack across his back. He screams and collapses to the ground.

The thuds go on for a while, but I can't see them properly in the shadows, and I'm too numb to go look. I don't know how long it takes until I realise who it is. Until I realise what is going on. My mind moves slowly, and though it doesn't really make sense, it does.

"Gideon?"

The arms wrap around me instantly. I lean back in his embrace and bite my lip hard to stop the convulsive shivers. I feel revolting. Memories and desperation. It doesn't matter how strong I make myself at the end of the day, it just takes a man bigger than me to strip it all away. I hate it.

A car pulls into the car park, and Gideon vanishes from sight. I let out a cry of protest and sag against the wall. Dane drives the car to my side and looks at me in silence. He jerks his head to the car, and I climb in. Rafe stares at the unconscious body of Titan, lying collapsed not even two dozen feet away.

"You forgot your bag," Dane says bluntly.

"I don't care," I whisper and pull the door closed. Rafael looks at me, and his expression flickers too fast for me to translate. He carefully edges closer and puts his arm around me. I flinch at his touch but lean into the soothing comfort of his arms.

"What happened?" Dane asks.

"I don't know…" I whisper. The sounds of flesh hitting flesh fill my ears. "I just don't know."

I stare out the window as dark shapes run around the street. Only one large human shape stares at me from the shadows, unmoving. A silent sentinel. A guardian who just broke all the rules of everything I've ever known.