Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Not much.” I let out a ragged sigh. “Not sure he remembers.”
“What’s the status on the investigation?” Hank asks Jax, concern etched in his features. “Do you have any new leads to follow up on?”
“Exploring many avenues,” Jax assures him. “He has visitors in at the moment, I’m afraid.”
“We can come back later,” Brandon states with a nod. “Just keep us updated.”
The door clicks open, both Zak and Cormac stepping out of the room.
“Brandon said Cormac found him,” Hank utters under his breath to Jax. “Have you questioned him? He’s sketchy as hell, man. I don’t trust that kid.”
The kid in question looks our way. His body tenses and he darts his gaze to his feet. Zak nudges Cormac and they walk our way.
“He ate a donut and then fell asleep,” Zak says, eyes darting over to Brandon and Hank. “Why are you guys here?”
I stiffen at his rudeness. “Checking in. Did he mention anything to you guys about what happened?”
“Nope.” Zak crosses his arms over his chest. “I’ll get it out of him eventually.”
The air crackles with tension. Zak, in this moment, reminds me of Jax. Thrumming with authority. Protective to a fault.
“As soon as he’s well—” Jax starts, but I cut him off.
“We’re leaving.”
Cormac and Zak snap their heads my way in unison, confusion written all over their faces.
“To go home?” Zak reiterates.
“New York,” I grit out, tearing my gaze from Zak’s furious glare. “If you all will excuse me now, I’m going to spend some time alone with my brother.”
“Dante,” Jax calls out. “Dante, wait.”
Ignoring him, I walk back into the room. Sure enough, Callan is fast asleep. A few seconds later, Jax slips into the room with me.
“Dante, don’t do this.”
I bury my face in my hands, unable to find the strength to fight him. He hugs me from behind and fuck if that isn’t exactly what I need right now.
“You can’t leave,” Jax whispers, his voice small and vulnerable. He kisses the back of my head before he rests his chin on my shoulder. “You can’t leave because I need you. I love you, Dante. Please don’t go.”
I love you, Dante.
Please don’t go.
An ache forms inside my chest. At first, it’s a tiny ball of hurt, but as each second passes by, it swells and throbs, growing hotter and bigger. I feel like I can’t breathe. As if a giant elephant is sitting on my chest, pushing all the air from my lungs. It isn’t until he releases me and comes around my front to pull my hands from my face that I realize they’re soaked with my tears. My body trembles violently.
“Give me a chance to make us right,” he pleads, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “Give me a chance to find the monster who did this. Don’t pull away from me.”
I lean my forehead against his. I want nothing more than to lean against him in this time of need. Jax provides me with a strength Toby never possessed. If I completely fall apart, I’m confident Jax would pick me up, throw me over his shoulder, and carry me to the finish line.
But, wanting my secret boyfriend to fix all my pain is selfish in the grand scheme of things. That doesn’t keep Callan safe. All it keeps safe are my feelings. Callan’s safety and well-being is more important than my love life.
“You know I have to leave,” I grit out. “To keep him safe.”
Jax slides his hands into my hair, tugging on the strands so I’m forced to look him in the eye. “I understand your need to keep him safe. I support that, baby.”
Baby.
I nearly lose it to uncontrollable tears right then, hoping like hell he’ll hold me through all this hurt and fix all my problems.
“But,” I choke out.
“But I can’t let you leave. At least not forever. If you need to get him back to the city to let him recover, I’m okay with that. I’m not okay with you walking out of my life forever, though. I can do a long-distance relationship, but I can’t lose you altogether.”
He pulls me into his arms, both of us clinging to one another. I don’t want to leave him, especially not now that I know he loves me like I love him.
My phone chooses that moment to ring. Tugging from Jax’s hold, I pull it out and answer it.
“How’s he doing?” Adrian asks. “Any better?”
“He will be. The doctor says he’ll recover. Callan was up earlier talking and eating.”
He lets out a rush of relieved air. “Good to hear. And how are you?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him I’m seconds from hopping on a plane with my siblings in tow to come crawling back to New York with my tail between my legs. One look at Jax’s handsome, caring face and the words don’t come to me. Because I can’t leave. No matter how much easier that would be, my heart won’t survive it. Jax embedded himself there and I know I’ll never get him out.