Jax

I read Raegan’s texts and chuckle, the action rumbling through my chest. The girl is relentless, and I have a feeling she will break down my walls and seep through the cracks.

There’s something about her that sucks me in, not wanting to let me go. Maybe it’s the way I can sense she’s been broken down and refuses to let that hold her back. Or maybe it’s the way she demands what she wants without apology.

Whatever it is, I know I’m in trouble because it will only be a matter of time before I let her infiltrate my life.

Have you ever met someone you knew instantly would be a force in your life even after only knowing them a few seconds?

That’s exactly how I feel about her, and it’s more than unsettling.

I toss my phone on the couch next to me as Walker rests his head on the cushion by my leg, begging for attention. I ruffle the fur on his head, and then he trots away, satisfied he got what he wanted.

“Dude, pay attention; we’re dying,” Trent barks as the controller in my hand vibrates, alerting me that I’m being torn to pieces.

I jab several buttons, shooting at the zombie clawing at my face, but his teeth sink into my head, effectively killing me. “Damn,” I mumble, dropping the controller on my leg.

Trent furiously tries to stay alive, but he doesn’t stand a chance with a swarm of zombies latching on to his shirt. His character dies, blood shooting across half of the television screen, as screams come through the speakers.

Trent groans in frustration as Graham and Luke holler in victory.

“Sorry, man,” I say to Trent as he pouts on the couch next to me.

“Too busy chasing tail to pay attention to the game?” he accuses.

I don’t bother correcting him. “You’ll be fine.”

Graham claps me on the shoulder, throwing me a smirk. “Your distraction is good for my game.”

“What do you say we play again? Maybe make it a little more interesting?” Luke wags his brows, leaning forward to look at me. “Losers shell out a hundred bucks to the winners.” His dimples deepen as he smiles.

“Game on,” Trent agrees without bothering to ask me if I want in.

Luke flips his brown hair out of his face as he turns back to the television to start a new game.

Luke’s always looking for an easy way to get his hands on cash. He says there isn’t a high in earning a paycheck, so instead, he makes bets with everyone.

One time, he bet Graham he could eat thirty extra hot wings faster than him. Luke won, but he spent the whole night in the bathroom with the shits.

Someone knocks at the front door before it swings open, and two girls I’ve never seen before come traipsing in.

“Speaking of distraction.” Graham’s eyebrows rise, his attention moving to the girls.

Standing from the couch, I throw the controller behind me. “I’m out.”

“Oh, come on,” Trent complains, throwing his hands up.

I wind around the girls with Walker behind me. “Next time.”

I’m not in the mood to deal with a girl crawling all over me tonight. There might be only two of them and four guys, but they will pick their way through Trent, Graham, and Luke, doting on whichever guy decides to give them what they want.

One of the girls blocks my path, but I don’t give her the time of day, not even bothering to give her a once-over. She trails her hand down my arm, and I shrug her off as I step around her.

Walker and I head upstairs to my room, the last door in the hallway, navigating the clothes strewed across the floor. I let out an irritated sigh, annoyed because they can’t keep their crap in their rooms instead of all over the house. I kick the clothes out of my path as I walk in my room, closing the door behind Walker.

I collapse on my bed, staring at the ceiling, as Walker jumps up, lying next to me. Dropping my hand on his body, I stroke his fur, either comforting him or me. I’m positive it’s the latter.

There are times I wish everything were different. That I didn’t need to use a girl to escape. I try to fill a void in my life, using girl after girl, but the vacant feeling is still there, nagging at my chest each time I walk away from them.

I really don’t have it that bad. I’m in college after all when some kids don’t even get the chance to finish high school because they’re head of their household.

But I feel like I should be more than I am, that I should be the one to save Sam from something she can’t come back from.

I’m going to try to be her hero.

I just hope I don’t fail.

I let Walker drag me out the front door of the house as I hang on to his leash. He runs toward the closest bush and pees like he hasn’t taken a leak in days instead of the few hours it’s been.

I woke up when it was pitch black outside to finish homework and straighten up my room, but now, the sky is bathed in orange and yellow as the sun ascends. I feel like I’ve already had a full day when most people are just waking up to the sound of their alarms.

Graham strolls up the walkway to the front door with a sated smile on his face and his eyes glazed over.

“Have a good night?” I ask, taking in his bare chest and boxer briefs.

“Yep.” He glances back at the car driving away. “A fantastic night, it was.”

The sprinklers in the front yard turn on, and Graham cusses, running into the house, hollering, “Bye,” as he rushes past me.

Walker takes it upon himself to move toward the water, but I yank him away.

We stroll down the sidewalk, and I bury my free hand in my jacket, protecting it from the cold air.

The rhythmic sound of feet pounding the pavement draws my attention along with the sweet smell of vanilla that invades my senses as the wind sweeps around me. My eyes meet the girl running across the street. The girl who has had me mesmerized since I first laid eyes on her.

Raegan’s running in the opposite direction, moving toward my house, so I jerk Walker around and move in the same direction as her, walking faster than I was before.

Her leggings mold to every curve on her legs, showing off her hips and the curve of her ass. The first time I saw her running, she was wearing a sweatshirt but not this time. She’s wearing nothing but a sports bra, and I struggle to keep my jaw off the ground at the amount of exposed skin on her upper body.

The sun coats her in a soft glow as her blonde hair bounces around her shoulders, but even from across the street, I can see the slight shiver in her arms.

While in a daze, my grip on Walker’s leash loosens, and in no time, he’s running across the street, barreling into Raegan.

“Oh, shit,” I mutter, breaking out in a run, as she falls to the ground, tripping over the dog that ran her down. “Sorry about that.” I quickly pick up Walker’s leash and secure it around my hand, tighter than before.

She laughs as Walker licks her face. “It’s fine,” Raegan says, pushing herself to her knees.

I hold out my hand to her, and she takes it without glancing up at me, but I don’t miss the pause she makes when our hands collide, skin-to-skin, because it’s the same pause I make.

Stopping, nothing else existing.

Thumping, chests working overtime to calm down.

Breathing escalated.

Fighting to maintain control of the overwhelming desire coming from where our hands connect.

Her eyes meet mine, and she jerks away from me. A scowl replaces the shocked look on her face.

She stands and crosses her arms over her chest, causing her breasts to rise. I quickly avert my gaze, keeping my eyes trained on her face.

“Are you trying to kill me?” she growls.

Play it cool, Jax.

I smile. “It obviously didn’t work.”

Her scowl deepens, and I find it cute rather than intimidating.

“It’s not my fault.” I shrug. “Walker’s the one who made you fall.”

“You should have been keeping a closer eye on him.”

I was too busy keeping my eyes on you.

“Well, I can see that you’re fine.”

She mutters under her breath, something that I don’t catch, before she inhales a deep breath, attempting to calm herself down. “Are you ready to work together?”

“If you mean, our bodies working together, then I am more than ready,” I answer, knowing I’m pissing her off more with each second.

“You’re a pig. I’m not a slut like all the girls you know.”

I look her up and down, letting my eyes trail over her. I’d love nothing more than to have her sweet body under me while she moans my name, but I know that would do more harm than good—to both of us.

“That’s a shame,” I say, clicking my tongue.

Tugging on Walker’s leash, I walk away from Raegan, needing her out of my personal space before the cocky facade slips out of place and is replaced with kindness.

But, before I can make it two steps, I’m tackled to the ground, falling in the grass with a warm body on top of me. I grunt as a knee connects with my side, and I look up to see Walker staring at me with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Useless dog.

Fingers jab me in the back, and Raegan’s voice meets my ears. “You are working with me, damn it. I don’t know who you think you are, but I refuse to do all the work on this stupid project. I will live at your front door if you don’t help me.”

Her weight moves from on top of me, and I turn over, landing on my back.

“I will do everything in my power to make sure you don’t get laid until you decide to work with me.”

I don’t answer her, so she straddles my waist, resting her hands on either side of my head. I can see straight down her sports bra. That, combined with her weight above me, is creating a problem as my jeans start to tighten. I inhale, willing the problem to go away.

“Fine,” I say, merely because I need her to get off me.

She smiles in victory, hopping to her feet.

“But you have to do something for me,” I counter.

“I don’t think so.”

“Guess you don’t really need my help then,” I say, pushing off the ground and wiping the grass from my clothes.

She grunts. “What do you want?”

“There’s a Halloween party at my house in three weeks. Show up, and we can start working on our project this weekend.”

Her eyebrows knit together as she thinks about if she wants to give me this one thing, so I’ll cooperate.

I have no idea why it slipped out of my mouth, why I want her anywhere near me more than she needs to be, but I found the words slipping from my mouth before I could stop them.

I’m begging for a train wreck, for our worlds to come together, when I know it will end in disaster. Like I said before, a girl like Raegan deserves someone who can give her their whole heart. I don’t have anything to offer her, but I’m selfish, and I want to get to know every part of the girl who holds herself up the way I wish I could.

So, I asked her to come to a party to have another excuse to exist in the same space as her.

“Saturday. My house.” She shoves her finger into my chest, and I flinch away. “You’d better be there.”

“I can’t. I don’t know where you live,” I say, being a smart-ass.

She throws up her hands. “I’ll text you my address. Just be there, damn it.”

“Let’s do Sunday.”

Her eyes narrow like she wants to hurl the nearest object at my head. “Sunday at noon. Don’t be late.” She runs down the sidewalk away from me.

She disappears, and I stay in place, fighting the urge to chase after her and apologize for being a dick.