chapter 35
Jaxon
I OPEN MY FRONT DOOR and cringe, knowing that I’m not meant to be here right now. Scarlett is having a movie night with her friends—the biker chick, the stripper, and now Kat and Yvonne—and I was going to have a few after-work drinks with Tristan and Hunter. But I forgot my wallet today, so now I need to sneak inside and grab it before I head back to the bar. Acting like a special ops agent, I tiptoe into my bedroom undetected, then glance around frantically for my damn wallet. I look under the bed but it’s not there, so I try the pants I wore to work yesterday, which are still in the hamper.
Bingo.
I slide my wallet into my pocket and prepare to make a quick departure without being undetected. “Goosebumps,” by Travis Scott plays through the house, and I have to wonder what kind of party these women are having. I just step out of my bedroom when I walk into Valentina Sullivan.
“Jaxon Bentley,” she says slowly, narrowing her eyes on me.
“Valentina,” I say, glancing down the hallway. “I need to make a quick exit, so let’s pretend you never saw me.”
“Why?” she asks, arching a brow. “Don’t you like your woman’s friends? We’re a great bunch. You should spend some time with us.”
“I’m good, thanks,” I say quickly. Too quickly.
“Scarlett!” she yells, smirking at me. Fuck, the woman is pure evil.
“Shhhh,” I tell her, trying to hush her. “I just came to grab my wallet. Wouldn’t want to ruin your girls’ night. I’ll just be on my way.”
Scarlett comes down the hallway and smiles when she sees me. “Jaxon! What are you doing here?” She runs to me and jumps up into my arms. “I thought you’d be at the bar.”
“Forgot my wallet,” I say, kissing her quickly. “I’m just on my way there now.” I look into her eyes, which are glassy. “Are you drunk?”
“Nope,” she says, then starts laughing.
Fuck me.
I need out, now.
“Jaxon wants to meet everyone,” Valentina tells her with a straight face. “But he doesn’t want to ruin our night.”
In this moment, I feel no guilt for sending her boyfriend to prison.
“You could never ruin anything, Jaxon,” Scarlett says, threading her hand in mine. “Come on. I know Gwen’s been waiting to see you.”
I grit my teeth and head out into the living room where everyone is lingering about. The women are either dancing, chatting, or eating, and all of them are in their pajamas.
I feel like I’ve crossed enemy lines.
Scarlett even turns the music down. Jesus.
“Everyone this is Jaxon, Jaxon you know Valentina already, and this is Gwen and her friend Nina,” Scarlett introduces. “And you know Kat and Yvonne already, obviously.”
“Hello,” I say, smiling at them. “Nice to officially meet you all.” I look at Kat, who smirks at me.
When Scarlett had come to the office to bring me lunch this week, Kat and Yvonne cornered her. While I normally like to keep my professional life and personal life separate, I’m glad Scarlett has made friends.
“Do you want something to eat or drink?” Scarlett asks.
“No, baby, I’m good. I have to go meet the guys, they’re waiting for me,” I say, leaning over and giving her another quick kiss. “You guys have fun. Let me know if you want me to bring some food or anything back for everyone.”
I rush out of there like my ass is on fire.
RILEY’S IS PACKED TO the brim, but the atmosphere and the company is good so I can see why.
“Kat looked like she was having a good time,” I tell Tristan after Preston hands me my next beer.
“Good. She hardly goes out anymore,” he says, scanning the bar. “She deserves a night out. Woman is a workaholic.”
“We should all do dinner sometime this week,” I suggest to him.
“What about me?” Hunter interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do I need to find a woman to be invited to this?” He points to Riley. “How about her?”
Riley comes over to me, and I don’t like the smirk on her face. She slides me a beer. “For you, from the woman in red over there.”
I share a look with Tristan, who starts laughing. I’m almost too scared to look over to see who it is, but I do.
It’s Sharon.
Of course it is.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, then ask the men, “What exactly does one do in this situation? Sending it back seems rude, but I also don’t want to give her any fucking ideas right now.”
“I know what to do,” Hunter says, grabbing the beer, drinking half of it in one gulp, then blowing Sharon a kiss.
“If you want to take one for the team, now is your chance,” I tell him, trying not to laugh. But seriously? The woman is everywhere. I didn’t take her for a Riley’s kind of woman, but what do I know?
The doors open, and in walks Scarlett and her crew.
“Here comes trouble,” Tristan mutters, and I can hear the smile in his voice. Kat runs up to him and he pulls her into his arms. Scarlett approaches me with a smile playing on her pink lips, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Hello, handsome,” she says, letting go of me and turning to her girls. “I’m going to order us some drinks.”
“Who is this?” Sharon asks as she approaches, acting like a jealous girlfriend.
“Scarlett, this is my client, Sharon Beetle. Sharon this is my girlfriend, Scarlett,” I introduce, inwardly cringing.
“I see,” Sharon coos, taking Scarlett in from head to toe.
Scarlett steps closer to me and takes my hand into hers. “Nice to meet you, Sharon. However I need to steal Jaxon now.”
She pulls me away to the other side of the bar, as Sharon goes back to where she was sitting. Scarlett gets on her toes and kisses me, then asks. “What the hell is she doing here?”
“Maybe she has a tracker on me,” I grumble, kissing her lips. “You look amazing tonight.”
“Thank you,” she says, smiling. “I need to go get my drink.”
She walks back to the bar, where her group’s drinks are being made. When she greets Preston with a hug, I scowl. How the hell does she know this guy?
The women all head to the dance floor while I turn to Preston and eye him skeptically. “How do you know Scarlett?”
“Scarlett?” he asks, eyes going wide. “Fuck, you’re her man? You lucky bastard.”
I narrow my gaze on him. “Just remember that next time you touch her.”
“We’re friends,” he says, hands up. “Plus now that I know you’re her man”—he trails off—“and not that biker guy . . .”
He heads off to serve other customers, and a few minutes later, Riley comes over and sits next to me. “Having a good night?”
“Yeah,” I tell her, smiling as I watch Scarlett dance. She looks so free, a big smile on her lips.
“She’s beautiful,” Riley says to me. “And not just on the outside.”
“I know,” I say, then look to her. “What about you? Single?”
“No,” she shakes her head. “I’m married.”
She doesn’t say it like it’s a good thing. She says it in a sad, almost wistful way. I’m about to ask her more when I’m dragged to the dance floor by Scarlett, where we stay for the rest of the night.
She loves to dance, and I love seeing her do something she loves.
Even if I have to hang around her crew for the rest of the night.