His entire body stills for a heartbeat, and then a low, animalistic sound rumbles from his chest. His hands cup my face, holding me tight, and he crushes his mouth to mine again, this time deeper, like he’s sealing the words against my lips.
My hands clutch at him as he drives us closer, every movement urgent and claiming. He rolls us, pinning me beneath him, and I arch against him, feeling the press of him, the heat, the release of the monster I’ve created.
“Again,” he demands.
“I love you,” I whisper, panting as he discards my shorts, eager to let him feel the entirety of my surrender.
His lips find my neck, trailing with a wildness I haven’t seen in him before as he undoes his zipper. He nips at my neck, my collarbone, my chest, and every touch burns me alive. My body arches, seeking and clinging and desperate, and he doesn’t hesitate to push inside me.
I let out a gasp of ecstasy as he fills me, stretching me around him. He groans and shudders as he buries himself to the hilt, but the way he slides out is slow and agonizing.
“Jax…” I whimper his name, digging my nails into his shoulders and rising up to meet him, needing every inch, needing him to know he has me completely.
His lips capture mine in a searing kiss, teeth and tongue claiming, sliding against mine as he moves with deliberate force. Every thrust, every grind, drives me higher until my vision blurs, my chest heaves, my mind screams in pleasure.
His hand grips my hip and he guides me up and down until the tension coils low in my belly and my desperation climbs until I’m clawing at him. His pace picks up, punishing and punctuated by fierce thrusts. I’m on the edge with every press of him against my clit until I’m calling out for mercy.
“Please,” I moan. “Please.”
“Again,” he pants.
“I love you.” I give him what he wants even though the words come out more of a plea.
He groans and his body tenses. “Take yours, baby.”
And I do. I wrap my legs around him and grind until I come undone. He spills into me in tandem, filling me up with pulses and twitches that match my rolling peak.
We slump against the sheets, the air humming with the aftershocks of us, and I realize I can’t remember ever feeling sosafe and satiated. My heart hammers against my ribs in rhythm with his, and I try to memorize how it feels—this perfect moment with Jax’s body against mine.
Because come tomorrow, the memory will be all I have.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Jax
Ireally don’t know what’s with these Noland girls, but the younger one seems to think she can barge into my room in my last hour of peace and start barking orders.
“This isn’t going to work,” she says, folding her arms behind me while I try to shave.
“Tell that to my brother.” I shake the cream off the blade and into the sink.
“Idid. He won’t listen.” She flips her long, raven hair over her shoulder, as if not getting her way is unheard of. And to be fair, it probably is unheard of when it comes to Caleb. I’m sure he’d get down on his knees and bark like a dog if she told him to.
“It’s only going to make it worse,” she continues. “I don’t know how you, of all people, can’t see that.”
I drag the blade along my jaw and try to ignore her reflection in the mirror and the truth in her words. Because somewhere in the last few hours, I’ve begun to feel hopeful about going to James. It’s hard not to when it’s that or despair. This has to work. If it doesn’t… the alternative is Kira goes to prison. And that makes me want to stick a gun in my mouth.
I already called James and told him there were matters to discuss about the girls. He didn’t ask questions, of course. He never does on the phone. He just gave me a time and a tone thatimplied I’d better show up grateful for the privilege. He’s on his way home now, expecting us at dinner again because that went so well last time.
“He isn’t going to help,” Nix says, not letting up. “Did you see the way he looked at us? Like we’re a scuff on his precious loafers. I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns us over himself. I love your brother, but he’s being naive in this. He’s too forgiving. His heart is too big. He still calls that scumbag ‘dad’ even when he’s icing a black eye. You’ve severed that connection, obviously. You know that man doesn’t have a sympathetic bone in his body. And yet, you’re willing to do this? Why? You know how James is. You know he would only help if it benefited him.”
“We’re going totry,” I snap at her, fed up. My patience only goes so far, and I use most of it up on the other Noland sister. Also, she talks like she knows him, but just because Caleb’s told her our entire life stories, that doesn’t mean she knows shit. She doesn’t think thatI, the bastard’s oldest son, knows what he’s like? That this is futile and probably going to blow up in our faces? I don’t need her to remind me. I need to keep putting one foot in front of the other and totrylike Caleb said, because there are no other options.
She doesn’t even flinch at the rise in my voice, just raises a brow and rolls her eyes.
Fucking Noland girls.
With a sigh, I dig deep for more patience. “I’m out of moves, Nix. James is the only one that can make this go away.” I rinse the blade and pull out my wallet, setting it on the counter next to my gun. “Unless you want your sister to get arrested for your crime, we’re doing this.”
