chapter 25
Jaxon
YOU ARE NOT GOING to hang out with the Wind Dragons,” I tell her, groaning when her face drops. I don’t want to tell her what to do—she’s had enough of that in her life. But how do I let her walk into a place filled with biker thugs who have no problem engaging in illegal shit? What if something happens to her and I’m not there to protect her? I didn’t get invited to this fucking MC expedition. I think I’m about to lose my shit. Men will be all over Scarlett, because, well, look at her, and I don’t know how she’d handle that.
Okay, maybe I don’t know how I’d handle that. “I’m not going to the clubhouse. I’m just meeting Valentina for a drink at a bar,” she says, sounding confident. Only Scarlett would make friends with her former husband’s mistress. Don’t get me wrong, Valentina seems like a nice woman, and I appreciate the kind things she’s said to Scarlett, but why can’t they just meet for a lunch or something? If they go to a bar, all the Wind Dragons are going to be there too—I know they don’t let their women wander around alone, there’s always someone making sure they’re safe and protected.
“Can you try to see this from my point of view though?” I ask her, trying to keep my tone even. I don’t want to get angry and raise my voice. I need to stay calm. “You’re going out partying with bikers. I don’t know what that entails exactly, but I don’t think it’s just cake and soda, Scarlett.”
“I was thinking of taking her to Riley’s, Jaxon. I’ll be fine. You talk about that place all the time, so I thought I’d check it out. And you don’t have to worry about me so much.” She pauses, looking down at her feet, and then right in my eye. “I’m stronger now. I can handle myself. It’s just Valentina, not the whole club.”
“I know you are,” I say, softening. Fuck, what do I say to that? “It’s not that, babe. You’re beautiful and you’re going to a bar with a biker chick who knows all the biker men in town. Do you get what I’m saying? They will be all over you, and I’ll be sitting here stressing out, wondering if you’re okay.”
She lifts her chin. “I’m going. I want to see Valentina. She wants to catch up, and you know I don’t have any friends. I’ll be fine, Jaxon. I promise.”
I grit my teeth. She’s looking at me like I’m the enemy all of a sudden, like I’m telling her what to do and being unreasonable about it when I don’t think that’s the case at all. Her defiant hazel eyes are watching me, waiting for me to say something to her declaration. I don’t know what she wants from me. I shouldn’t have to back down and not say what I want because of her past; at the same time it does play a big role in her actions and reactions. I get that she doesn’t have any female friends, and this is her opportunity to make some and be a little social, but fuck. I should introduce her to Kat and Yvonne, so she doesn’t have to hang around fiery-haired biker chicks and their friends.
“Okay, if that’s what you’ve decided,” I say, watching my words very carefully. I don’t want her to think that she can’t be open with me about things. Maybe she’ll be fine with Valentina, who maybe won’t bring the Wind Dragons to this little bar date. Maybe Valentina will take care of any situation that arises. But if she doesn’t? Maybe Scarlett just needs to learn the hard way; I don’t know.
“Really?” she says, eyes widening.
What, did she think I was going to argue? Put my foot down or some other shit like that? I’m not a controlling man at all. I’m protective though, so no, I don’t like his. And yes, I’m going to think of a way that I can protect her from this situation she’s put herself in. Right now though, I’m just going to let it go. There’s no other way without her getting defensive. I don’t want to become her enemy, or her keeper. She needs to be a woman who can take care of herself when I’m not around, and maybe these biker chicks will teach her a few things.
“You’re a grown woman, your decisions are your own,” I say, shrugging. “I hope you have a good time. If you want me to drop you off and pick you up, let me know.” I decide to change the subject until I figure out a way to handle the situation. All I know is that Scarlett and a bunch of big men, mixed with alcohol and drugs, isn’t my version of a good time. The thought alone makes me want to kill someone. Maybe I’ll be seeing Irish very soon after all. “Do you want to come for a jog along the beach with me? I don’t feel like going to the gym today.”
“Okay,” she says, sounding a little wary of me. “When do you want to go?”
“Whenever you’re ready,” I tell her, needing to work off my frustration.
“I’ll go get changed and put my sneakers on,” she says, disappearing from the living room. I sit there, wondering why Darren had to choose a future MC old lady. Couldn’t he have chosen a teacher, or a yoga instructor or something? I’m being ridiculous, I know, but so is Scarlett. I don’t think she’d like me going to hang out with a bunch of strippers, and yes it would be the same. I’ve heard Kat going on about how hot the men in the MC are, and now they might be around Scarlett.
Wait, am I jealous?
No.
No, I’m just concerned for her safety. They’re a fucking outlaw motorcycle gang, not some Cub Scouts or something.
Okay, maybe I’m a little jealous. I trust Scarlett, and I know she won’t do anything, but if I’m being honest with myself . . . I don’t fucking like it. I know she needs to do her own thing though, and I’d never stop her from doing what she wants. She is her own woman. Still, that caveman part of me seems to be raising its head. What if something happens to her, and she’s put in an unsafe situation? An idea pops into my head, and I wonder why I haven’t thought of it up until now. Demon. Demon can keep an eye on her, protect her, and make sure she’s safe. I’ve never been more thankful that my friend is undercover in a motorcycle gang.
Scarlett walks out in yoga pants and a tight top that shows a little of her stomach, and it’s hard to stay angry. The shape of her ass and thighs in those pants are making me want to work out my frustrations in another way. When she bends over to retie a shoelace, I grit my teeth and adjust my cock, which is growing harder by the second.
“I’m ready. I’ll just grab us two bottles of water,” she says, opening the fridge.
I’d like her to grab something else right now.
She closes the fridge door with a cock of her hip and faces me. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You just look really sexy right now,” I say, standing and wincing as my hard-on doesn’t make it easy for me.
She closes the space between us and smiles. “Does that mean you’re not angry at me?”
“No,” I say, reaching around her to grab her ass. “It means I think you’re sexy.”
“Jaxon.”
“Scarlett.”
She rolls her eyes, takes me by the hand, and leads me outside to my car. I open her door for her, which she smiles at. Did she think I wouldn’t because we had a small argument? Our first one, might I add. I’d open her door for her even if we weren’t together, never mind if I was a little angry at her. Did Darren punish her like that when she did something he didn’t like? The thought makes me mutter a curse under my breath before I slide into the driver’s side.
“Can I drive your car one day?” she asks, eyeing the steering wheel.
“You can drive it any time you like,” I reply as I put my seat belt on.
“Really?” she asks, sounding surprised. “It’s so expensive though. Don’t most men not want anyone else driving their cars? Their most prized item.”
“A car is a car, babe,” I say, pulling out onto the road. “It’s just a thing, and it can be replaced. You can drive any of my cars whenever you want.”
I can feel her eyes on me. She reaches her hand over, and rests it on my thigh. “There are much more important things, aren’t there?”
“Yes,” I agree, with her. “Does this mean you aren’t going to hang out with the biker chick?”
“No,” she says, smirking. “Nice try though.”
I sigh and drive us to the beach.
Nice try indeed.
WHEN I GET HOME, I give Demon a call.
“Jaxon?” he says into the line. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I tell him. “Everything is fine. Scarlett is going out with Valentina—does that mean all the Wind Dragons are going to be there too?”
He’s quiet for a second, and then he starts laughing like he finds this hilarious. “Are you jealous, brother? I assure you that your woman is safe around the Wind Dragons, you don’t need to worry about it if any of them show up.”
“That’s not what I asked,” I grumble.
He chuckles, then puts me out of my misery. “If Tina’s going, then yeah, one of the men will probably tag along to make sure she’s okay. Irish has been adamant on her protection while he’s not here.”
“And what if that one man tagging along was you?” I suggest in a casual tone.
“You want me to tag along with your woman and Tina and make sure they don’t get into any shit?” he asks, unable to hide the amusement in his tone.
“Yes,” I reply.
No point lying.
“You don’t think I have anything better to do on a Friday night?” he asks, and I can picture the bastard smirking.
“You owe me” is all I say.
“Oh fuck, here we go,” he groans. “What old shit are you going to bring up now?”
I smirk. “I don’t know, there are so many times I’ve taken one for you. Let me think. How about when you were in the academy, and you wanted to impress a girl, so you made me go on a date with her friend”—I pause—“who ended up being a man.”
“Fine,” he replies, then starts laughing to himself. “Fuck, that was a funny night.”
I’m glad he thinks so.