Jagger cautiously asks, "Am I correct to guess that Jax wants Willow to be your agent?"
My gut twists. I bitterly confirm, "Yep. He's calling his favor in."
Jagger pumps his arm in the air. "Yes! I told you she'd do it."
Anger heats my blood. "This isn't anything to celebrate. She only agreed because she owes him and has no other choice."
He scoffs. "That's just semantics. This is great news. Stop being such a downer. You'll be back on top in no time with Willow as your agent and Jax coaching you."
"You aren't listening. She doesn't want to represent me. She's being forced to. And, honestly, I don't think it's a good idea for me to do this anyway. Jax and I are long past the point of anything we can fix."
Jagger crosses his arms. "Don't be stupid, bro."
"How am I being stupid?" I question.
He glances around and then lowers his voice. "I know you better than anyone else. You and I both know you're close to being out of options."
His words hang in the air. I look away, clenching my jaw, knowing he speaks the truth.
"Quit digging your heels in the dirt, and get it done," Jagger prods.
I glance back, restating, "I don't want to put Willow in that situation."
Jagger waves off my concern. "Willow will be fine. She's going to make a ton of money off you, so don't worry about her. And it'll be way more than that $60,000 she had to shell out last night."
The disappointment I felt after Willow had to bail me out of jail returns. I curse myself for starting the fight and destroying the bar so badly. It's the worst damage I've ever caused.
Jagger peers closer and pushes, "Something else wrong?"
I shake it off. "No."
He pats me on the shoulder. "Well, congratulations. You're back. I knew everything would turn out for you."
I point out, "I haven't agreed yet."
He groans. "But you will. So stop being a dramatic sissy. Let's talk about more important things. Where do you want to go to celebrate tonight?"
I arch my eyebrows. "Probably best if I cool it a bit."
He scowls. "Don't let one bad situation ruin our Saturday night."
"I didn't know we had agreed to go out," I say.
"Since when do I have to make plans with you?" he questions.
I stay silent.
"Is there something better you want to do?" he asks.
Willow's face flies into my mind the same way it used to when we were hiding our relationship. I always preferred to be with her, but the guilt about lying went hand in hand with my desire.
Yet things are different now. When we hit the town, we drink too much, women tend to swarm around us, and he gets laid, while I'm trying to fill the void his sister created.
But now she's in front of me again. There's no way I want any woman coming near me unless it's her.
"Be ready by eight o'clock," Jagger orders and then ducks out of the stall.
I spin. "Jagger?—"
