He laughs. “All of this for some whore who would eat up the attention. She’d get all the money once you proved he’s dead. Fucking idiots! She wanted it, loved it, ached for it.”
“D-did y-ou sa-ayy the same thing… ‘bout D-Daisy?” Jax asks.
Knox, Gauge, and I all look over. Hope is keeping pressure on the side of his head. His face is pale as fuck, one eye so swollen and covered in blood that it looks like it’s missing, part of his ear is gone, and there’s more blood. So much fucking blood.
Jaxon coughs. “I-it’s fine, sweetheart,” Jax says and blinks away the fuzz. “Gauge, he’s… is going to answer me.”
Gauge laughs. “Impossible to kill. You are something, aren’t you, brother?”
“You’re just a lou… lousy shot,” Jax bites back.
“Jax, please,” Hope whimpers.
Her face is smeared with blood too. He gently tips her chin and kisses her. “Grab the gun, for me.”
She swallows, then does exactly that. Jax can’t seem to find his feet, but Hope helps him to walk over. He gets paler, but his hand doesn’t shake as Hope helps him aim it at Gauge.
“Going to kill me with my own gun?” Gauge chuckles.
“What. W-what. Happened. To. Daisy?” He enunciates each word even though they come out wet and sticky.
“Baby, remember thatotherpresent Jax gave you?” Knox hints.
Hope gropes at her pocket and I know her hand closes around the knife as she nods.
“Why?” Gauge asks. “It’s not going to bring her back.”
Jaxon trembles. “Because you’re going to confess before I put this bullet through what’s left of your face.”
“Or you’ll pass out and your buddies will kill me. We’re not the only ones. Someone’s always watching. You might know him well—” Gauge starts to turn to me, but I punch him hard.
It’s one thing for me to know my father’s involved. It’s another for it to be said.
He sputters, maybe choking on a tooth, but I don’t care.
“Jax, hey. Hey…” Hope hums.
He’s shaking. “Adrenaline…”
“Now, baby,” Knox orders.
Hope pulls out the knife, but doesn’t even look at Gauge, even though he’s staring at her like she’s a ghost. Her arms are covered in blood, just like her face. Is he seeing Daisy too?
“You’re mine, and I’m yours,” Hope says to Jaxon. “Remember? I stay in sight. I stay close. I stay right…” she cuts through his shirt, from the neckline to where his heart is. “Right here.”
“Right there is yours alone,” Jax hums, his good eye blinking rapidly. “You know how I feel about you. Flirting or not. I’d die for you. I’d kill for you.”
“How b’out you live for me instead?” she asks, before carving her initials into his chest.
HOPE
The last thing he needs is more blood loss, and I know how messed up this is. But it’s us.
“I hope I don’t mess up your tattoos,” I whisper, knowing all too well he carried my initial with him.
“You saw,” he mutters.
I nod and swallow through my throat tightening. “I was always yours.”
