Morning couldn’t come fast enough after hours of restlessness. With my body begging for a snooze button, I sat up and found two missed calls and three texts from Logan.
So sorry! Jax is a dumb ass that will apologize next time he sees you. Call me.
I'm guessing you’re either asleep or too pissed to answer the phone. I love you and will call you in the morning.
The next text was received only a few minutes previous, at barely seven a.m.
I love you Cassandra X
With groggy eyes, I replied.
Love u too XO
I stopped by his house right after school later that day. It was Jax who opened the door again, smug as always.
“Come to claim something? I’m all yours.” He leaned in as I entered, walking past him. “Perfect timing, too.”
“What part of ‘ewww’ are you having trouble with, exactly?” I drawled, smiling at the way he chuckled. The guy was harmless. I unbuttoned my coat and opened the closet to hang it up. “Is Logan home? Please say yes.”
“Yes.”
I sighed with relief. “Great, where is he?”
“Not here.”
My brows pinched together. “Wait, but you just said—”
“I said what you told me to say. And in case you’re wondering, I don’t mind taking orders in the bedroom from time to time either.”
I slugged him in the shoulder. “Smart ass.”
“Always.” He winked.
I reached back into the closet to retrieve my coat. “Is he at Haven?”
“Nah, he picked Oliver up from school and left from there.”
“Left?” I reared back, surprised.
Jax shrugged. “You might wanna give him a shout. Kinda shocked he didn’t call you. Guess all this murder bullshit is taking up more headspace than your pussy. Sorry.”
“Are you ever not crude?” I tugged my coat back on, frustrated.
“Not really, no.” I watched him walk away to the kitchen as I dialed Logan, hoping everything was all right.
He answered on the second ring.
“Cassandra.” He spoke my name as though he needed it to breathe. “You have no idea how much I miss you.”
“Well, I’m standing in your foyer if you want to come home and show me.”
He exhaled loudly. He wasn’t going to be showing me anything.
“I miss you too,” I continued, giving him an out. “Jax said you left. Couldn’t at least call me?”
“Long story, but I’m heading to the city. I was going to call, but it’s been one thing after another and I’m trying to end it as fast as possible. My lawyer wants to sit down and get started on a better game plan, in case things get pursued.”
“Pursued?” I repeated, cutting him off.
“Just want to be prepared, and since my mother’s a mess worrying over everything that's happened, I figured a few days with her would help her see everything is okay.”
“Okay, so a few days?” I walked over to his steps across from the foyer and sat, silently chanting to myself not to punish him for leaving without so much as a text.
“Yeah, we should be back Sunday. I promise I’m going to make up for this week and last night. You have no idea how disappoi—”
“I know. Don’t even think about it. We’ll get through this, and then we’ll have all the time in the world to spend together. Just focus on what needs to be done. And give Oliver a hug for me, okay?”
“You’re too good for me, you know that? I don’t know how I got so lucky to convince you to stick around.”
“Ditto. Now drive safe, and let me know when you get there so I don’t worry.”
“I will, and I swear the minute I’m home I’m coming for you and not letting you go till I’ve had my fill. Which will never happen, so consider yourself warned.” He sounded relaxed. That was all I needed to hear.
“Mmm, I look forward to it. “ I smiled to myself, closing my legs tightly.
“I gotta go. Try to relax this weekend. Get lots of sleep to prepare that body for me.”
“That, I can do. Oh, wait, have you heard from Caleb?” I asked quickly.
“He called a few hours ago to check in. He found her last night.”
“What!? Why didn’t you tell me?” I shot up from the steps and began to pace. She was safe—or safe enough, depending on how pissed Caleb was.
“Sorry, slipped my mind with everything going on.”
How could I complain, given the circumstances? But still, it only added to my brewing irritation. “Is she okay at least? Is he…what did he do?”
“From what he said, she called him but chickened out and hung up when he answered the phone. He used some connections to track the call.”
“That’s a relief. I mean, he’ll bring her home, right?” I suddenly realized I had no clue what Caleb would do, but I knew she was better off with him than alone.
“I have no doubt, although she may not be able to walk by the time he’s done with her."
“What? Why?” I halted my steps, my eyes wide, voice higher than necessary.
“Sweetheart, that man is gonna—” He lowered his voice, reminding me Oliver was with him. “Put your headphones back on just for a moment longer, okay? Thank you.” He must have said the last bit to Oliver, because his voice was muffled. It made me giggle.
His normal voice finally returned. “Fill her up till she can’t stand it.”
“Oh.” That wasn’t the worst punishment in the world—especially since Hilary couldn’t get enough of Caleb anyway.
“That’s what I’d do to you. I’d remind you exactly why you’d never want to run again.”
“That would certainly work.” I felt my face flush.
“You have no idea how badly I wish I was…” His voice dropped again. “…filling you up right now.”
“Me too. But go take care of this Kurt stuff, and then come home to me.”
“I will. Love you,” he said, so sincerely the words cocooned my heart and planted themselves deep inside.
“Bye, Cassie!” Oliver yelled in the background. Logan chuckled.
“So much for the headphones, huh?” I teased.
Logan let out a playful grunt in response.
“Love you both. Bye.”
I hung up and slid the phone into my coat pocket. A weekend alone…it didn’t sound fun at all. No Logan, no Hilary. The thought of calling my mom reminded me of Kurt, so I thought better of that as well. It wasn’t fair to be upset, but it was still there, just under the surface. It seemed I wasn’t ranking very high on Logan’s list of priorities.
“What we drinkin’?”
Jax stood in the kitchen doorway, holding up a bottle of tequila in one hand and vodka in the other.
Looked like I was going to get my chance at deconstructing another West enigma.
“Both.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Frenemies
“I’m in so much trouble!” I spluttered, knocking back a shot with Jax. “You’re not even legal!”
“And your point?” he quipped back, refilling my glass.
“Your brother’s gonna kill me.”
“Nah, Logan has better things to do with you. Besides, he’s never said much about me drinking before—at least, not other than threatening to knock my teeth out if he ever caught me driving under the influence.”
“Really? Does he let them serve you at Haven?” I blurted out, appalled.
Jax’s forehead wrinkled. “Hell no. Sad, actually—Logan cares more about his businesses than letting me have any fun sometimes.” His mouth twisted into an impish pout.
“Aw, you poor baby.” I laughed, shaking my head.
It was official: I was drunk—and in Logan’s house, without him. It was totally not how I’d planned my night, but then again, after the week I’d had trying to pin Logan down, it was the first night I hadn’t sulked over his absence.
“You wanna make me feel better?” He wiggled his brows, and my elbow shot
into his gut.
“Your loss.” He chuckled. “Now lay down and try to stay still if we’re seriously going to do this.”
“Yes, we’re seriously going to do this!” I slurred. “But be gentle.”
“Gotta admit, considering the noises I hear you howl from Logan’s room, I wouldn’t have pegged gentle for your style.”
My face twisted up. “You’re a pig.”
“I know. Now, come on—lay down for me.”
“I am, jeez!” I giggled, situating myself to rest flat on my back. For the first time all night, Jax became silent, instantly enthralled with the idea I’d given him to sketch. Surprising, considering Oliver could’ve doodled it.
My eyes closed slowly as I enjoyed the alcohol-induced bliss, completely relaxed in Jax’s bedroom: a place I never thought I'd be lying in.
Jax sat beside me on a short stool while I began humming a melody my grandma used to play. He didn’t seem to pay me any mind.
“You think Logan misses me?” I mused.
“Oh, hell no! Don’t act like a sixteen-year-old bitch on me now. Total buzzkill, baby.”
“I’m serious.”
He groaned, clearly agitated. I popped one eye open to catch him shaking his head. It was my turn to pout now, and I did without shame. Still, he said nothing, ignoring me as he leaned over the clipboard in his hands to sketch.
It was only a second later when he peeked back up, smiling. It was an annoyingly cute smile—one that made it clear he’d appease me, if only the tiniest bit.
“I like you drunk; you’re not as mean. So I’ll say one thing, and then we drop you moping about Logan. Deal?”
“Deal!” I grinned, my giddiness returning.
He rolled his eyes, still smiling when he muttered, “Girls.”
“Come on,” I probed.
“All right, listen up: Besides Oliver, you’re the best damn thing that’s ever happened to my brother. He adores the hell out of you. Believe me, he misses you. Probably jerking off right now thinking about you.”
My face turned up. “Doubtful. He hasn’t even texted to tell me he arrived safely.” A frown set in. What was wrong with me?
“If he didn’t make it there, my mother would be blowing up my phone by now. You’re good—he’s just got a lot on his mind. I mean, he’s dealing with this Kurt bullshit. Gotta cut him some slack.”
Kurt. He made my blood boil. Amazing how liquor could send one spiraling from one emotion to another without pause.
“I hate Kurt,” I spewed, my face tight, a new fury replacing my blues.
“Good.” Jax chuckled. He held up the sketch, and I gave him a thumbs up and giant grin.
“You sure you want it lopsided?” he asked.
My mood shifted yet again and I giggled, unable to help myself given the way his eyes squinted in disapproval. “Hm. Perfect!”
Jax winked. “I sure am. Now let’s get you out of those jeans.”
He placed his hands on my hips and I bucked them off, springing upright. “What? No way!”
He stood beside me. “Well, how else am I gonna do this?”
“Here.” I climbed off the table and turned my back to him, then opened my jeans and folded the waist over twice. The purple thong hiding underneath peeked out, but there was little I could do about that other than grab a towel he had folded beside him and tuck it slightly over the front of my jeans. It hid everything he didn’t need to see.
“How’s that?” I whirled back around and hopped up on the table, ready to lie back and cease the spinning in my head. Slow movements next time.
“Works for me, although it’s not as much fun.”
I narrowed my eyes at him and he shrugged his shoulders. “Just saying,” he said with a snicker.
He set the sketchpad on the tray beside him, pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, then wiped something cool between my bellybutton and hip. He’d explained earlier that the design I wanted was easy to freehand, so I went with it.
This would be my first and probably last tattoo—a live-in-the-moment idea I’d happened upon out of the blue. The liquor was to blame, and Jax wasn’t gentleman enough to talk me into waiting until I’d sobered up. On the contrary, he’d practically dragged me up to his room.
I wanted it somewhere special for only Logan to enjoy, and Jax had pointed out the best spot: low enough that no one could ever see it unless I wanted them to. Worked for me.
With my pants open, it hit me that this probably wasn’t the most appropriate thing to be doing with my boyfriend’s little brother. But again, with alcohol involved, it seemed like a stellar idea. Plus, Jax was all talk. He was a flirt, yes, but I knew he’d never do anything that truly made me uncomfortable. Weirdly, I trusted him.
“Can I tell you a secret?” I asked, my hands fidgeting.
“As long as it’s a juicy one.” He studied his drawing, then dipped the needle in the tiny bit of ink.
“Promise you won’t tell anyone?”
His hand rubbed over the canvas of my flesh. “Yeah yeah, spill it already.”
I leaned sideways, which seemed to annoy him, but I didn’t stop until I was beside his ear. I attempted to whisper, but in my drunken state, it was probably more of a mild shout.
“I’m glad he’s dead.”
Jax pulled back, his features lit with amusement. “Baby, that’s no secret. And we all feel the same way.”
That didn’t make me feel any better. “But he’s a human being. No one deserves to die.”
“We all die eventually, and Kurt…he made his own choices. Not smart ones. Horrible ones, actually, that got him what he had coming.”
“But that’s not—”
“Did you deserve to get attacked?” he interrupted, his voice strained. My mouth snapped shut as he continued. “He was going to rape you, Cassandra! Was that deserved?”
I shook my head, understanding and agreeing. “I know, but still, I feel bad. And now they think Logan did it…because of me.” My voice dropped from the weight of the guilt.
“Come on, don’t be a sad drunk. Stop worrying so much. My brother didn’t kill Kurt—not that he wouldn’t have, but this wasn’t him. Now sit still so I can get started.”
“It’s going to hurt, huh?”
“Are you going to start crying on me next? ’Cause I swear to God—”
“More tequila!” I shouted.
“Good call. “ He poured me a shot, and I sat up to take it. “Drink up, then lie down and stay there. No more talking unless it’s to praise my work or get a little handsy, got it?”
“Got it. But just to be clear: My hands aren’t going anywhere near you.”
“Yeah yeah, I know.” He threw me a playful wink and I smiled, relaxing.
When the needle hit my skin a few seconds later, I bolted upright. Jax muttered a few curses under his breath as he leaned back, glaring at me.
“For Christ’s sake, woman! Lie the hell back down or I’m done.”
My face pinched, full of an apology that he ignored. The man was serious about his work.
“Sorry. I’m ready now.” I fell back and closed my eyes, focusing on my breathing. As he started again, my mind went off to my happy place, fantasizing about Logan’s expression when I showed him the tattoo. And I would—the instant he returned home.
“All right, that’s it,” Jax said, setting the needle down and cracking his knuckles. “She’s a beauty, if I do say so myself.”
“I wanna see.”
I sat up on my elbows and took the handheld mirror he held out for me. “Jax, it’s…it’s gorgeous. I can’t believe you did this.”
It was exactly what I’d envisioned: simple, classic, clean, and meaningful to the only people who mattered.
“Still think it looks lopsided, but that’s on you,” Jax replied with a smile.
After he placed a bandage over his work, I handed the mirror back and swung my legs off the side of the table, grinning so widely my cheeks complained. I didn’t care. I felt ali
ve.
Jax’s phone pinged beside us. With one glance down at it, he hit the silence button, growling under his breath.
“Avoiding a clinging one-night stand?” I teased.
“I wish.” He snapped off his gloves and threw them in the trash. His frown left me curious.
“Who’s the buzzkill now, huh?” I giggled, crossing his room to snoop around the books on a small shelf in the corner. I held up a worn copy of Joe Hill’s Heart-Shaped Box.
“Horror fan, I take it?”
He snatched the book from me. “What, shocked I’m literate?”
“Maybe.” My laughter bubbled up.
Jax shook his head, his smile returning. As he pivoted toward the shelf to place the book back in its rightful spot, I sprinted forward and snatched his phone from the desk. He was pressed against my back a second later, reaching to steal the device, but it was too late. The name that highlighted the screen with eight new text messages was loud and clear.
Natasha.
He moved away, and my jaw dropped as I whirled around to face him.
“You hate her! Why is she sending you so many messages?”
Before he could answer, the phone pinged with another. I touched the screen and gasped, reading the newest one.
Call me now or Logan will hear everything!
I peered back up warily to find Jax sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. I scrolled up through the messages.
Seduce her if you have to!
I don’t care what it takes!
I mean it Jax, I want her out of his life.
Was she talking about me? I continued skimming until one message glared bright and alarming, sent the evening Hilary and I had gone to Haven with Natasha.
Natasha: I found my leverage. Seems Hilary has been keeping secrets.
Jax: Leave her out of this.
Natasha: What’s the fun in that?
Jax: Caleb will kill you if you do anything to hurt her!
Natasha: Caleb will be too distracted to do anything to me.
My anger was beyond anything I could control, emphasized by the tequila, but I couldn’t stop reading. The next message was sent the following day—the morning Caleb had showed up at Logan’s looking for Hilary.