Damn it. His fingers closed into fists, and he launched himself down the quiet street toward the west, knowing he was being unreasonable but unable to stop himself.
He and Sami were about to come to an understanding neither of them was ready for.
So be it.
Chapter Fourteen
I’ve found that a punch to the face works better thanreason more often than not.
—Sami Steel
Sami noted the quiet apartment building surrounded by more crumbling apartment buildings. The moon glittered down and made the scouting job easy, for once showing that the Pure church had finally listened to reason. “They took the fence down,” she murmured. Her chest ached like she’d been kicked by a horse, and her voice was still weak.
“Wetook the fence down,” Jax said, turning and facing the silent brick structure. “Well now. That makes me unhappy.”
Sami crooked her head to see a guard at the front door holding an automatic weapon. Moonlight glinted off the polished barrel. “Me too.” She straightened, and pain shot through her breastbone. The Pure church had fenced the western blocks inside Vanguard territory, and their leader had taken Lynne hostage the previous week after fencing their perimeter. He was dead, but a new leader had stepped up. “I thought the new guy was more reasonable than the first one.”
“Reasonable doesn’t include a guy with a gun at the front door,” Jax said. “Stay here.”
Sami drew her weapon.
“Put that back.” Jax eyed her. “We’re not having a shootout.”
“You’re not walking right up to a guy holding a gun without backup behind you and pointed at the asshole,” Sami wheezed.
Jax grasped her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“Fuck no, she’s not all right.” Tace Justice stomped into sight. “Are you fucking kidding me? Your entire chest is probably the color of shit-pukin’ purple goblins right now.”
Jax slowly turned his head. “That’s quite an image, Texas.”
“You both should know better.” Tace crossed his arms and glanced beyond them. He stood taller. “Why is there an armed guard at that door?”
“I was just going to find out,” Jax said.
Tace flashed his teeth. “I’ll come with you. Sami, get your bruised self back to bed.”
Her mouth gaped open. Oh, he did not. She bit back a stream of raw heat before it could bellow forth in curse words way more creative than his goblin image. She swallowed several times and tried to look like her body wasn’t about to collapse into itself. “I am perfectly capable of being here, Medic. In fact, if I remember right, I’m the fucking soldier between the two of us.” Her very strong words might’ve been abated a little since she wheezed the last sentence. But she remained standing.
His stance widened. “If you were anybody else in the world, you stubborn little shit, I’d tap you in the upper chest right now and say prove it.”
If he tried it, she’d freaking pass out. Even the thought of somebody smacking her bruise made her ribs ache all the way down to her waist. “My chest is fine.”
His eyes gleamed, and she took a step back.
Jax crossed his arms. “What in the hell is going on between you two?”
“Nothing,” Sami snapped.
“Excuse me, men.” Joe Bentley, the new leader of the Pure, strode past the armed guard and out of the building while shoving his glasses up his nose. The church leader wore khaki pants and a white golf shirt. He stepped across the cracked parking area. “Oh, I’m sorry. I mean men and miss.” He smiled with even teeth as he approached.
“Bentley. Why the fuck is there a guy with a gun at the doorway?” Jax wasn’t one to mince words.
Bentley’s glasses reflected the moon. “Master-Sergeant Mercury, please be courteous.” He wiped thin-boned hands down his trim hips. “Our congregation sleeps better knowing there’s protection at the doors. Surely you can understand.”
Jax towered over Bentley, his hard body one long line of danger. “The armed guards are all around the perimeter of Vanguard. I do not like armed guards covering buildings against other Vanguard citizens. It is unacceptable.”
“We have uninfected children and pregnant women inside, Jax.” Bentley took a step back. “We must assure their safety.”
