Jax
“Trust me, talking to you here isn’t what I wanted either. It just so happens this is where you are.” I stand firm, spreading my legs and crossing my arms over my chest.
“Then why the fuck are you here and what do you have to talk to me about? Last I knew, we had no business.” He glares at me with pure hatred, jaw clenched, as the corners of his mouth dip down.
“Because of Melissa,” I state firmly.
His face immediately pales as his eyes dart around, zeroing in on my truck as if he’s looking for her. “Where is she? Is she okay?”
“You tell me, especially because of how I found her after you left. What the fuck did you do to her?”
He charges at me, fire in his eyes, gripping my shirt so tightly his knuckles turn white. I have to step backward to keep my balance, but I don’t bow down to his thug antics.
“Is this what you did to her? Is that why I found her in a crumpled heap on the floor, unable to even form a sentence as Iheld and comforted her for almost thirty minutes?” Earl lets out a growl, my words hitting a nerve.
“You fuckin’ accusin’ me of hurtin’ her. You must have a fuckin’ death wish.” He snarls, spit spewing from his mouth, hitting me in the face.
“Dad, stop.” Ashlynn’s soft voice filters between us. “Let him go.”
“Sweetheart, please go back inside of the house.” The tone of his voice completely changes when he speaks to her. No longer the snarling rabid dog, but the sweet, loving teddy bear. What a fucking joke.
“No.” She stomps her foot, crossing her arms over her chest. “Let him go. I’m not going to have a fight in my front yard.”
Earl lets go of my shirt, making a huge production of smoothing it out. “We’re not fightin’, darlin’. Seems old Jax here has his signals crossed, makin’ up shit.” I roll my eyes as he lies, knocking his hand away from me.
“What I just walked up on and heard tells me something different.” She then turns her focus to me. “Jax, I really hope you’re not coming up to my home starting shit. My father would never hurt Melissa and if you’re insinuating that, then you need to get the hell off of my property before I call my men out here to handle your ass.”
Fuck me, Ashlynn is a fucking pistol.
“Ashlynn, this is between Jax and me. Please go inside.” She glares at him, but turns and storms inside. I know it’s not the end of it for her.
“Now, I don’t take kindly to bein’ accused of shit, especially violence to a woman. So I’m gonna forget you said that part this one time ‘cause I know Mel has a soft spot for you.” He steps closer and I can hear his teeth grinding. “But I don’t. If she was in the condition you found her in, then somethin’ else happened.”
The sound of feet pounding hits my ears, louder and faster the closer they get. Looking up, I see all four of Ashlynn’s men, Earl’s sons-in-law, heading right for us, expressions tense and nostrils flared.
Yep, Ashlynn has them all fired up.
“Jax, what brings you to our house?” Colin, the level-headed one, asks, placing his hand on Earl’s shoulder in solidarity as the others fan out around him, showing me exactly where their allegiance lies.
“Boys, we’re good.” Earl gives me a cocky smirk, and I want to kill him. But I’ll let him think he’s the big bad here, even though he isn’t. “Jax was just concerned about Mel and was stoppin’ by to share it with me.”
“Is that so? Is she okay?” Kaleb asks, stepping forward, closer to Earl’s side. I find it cute seeing how he’s who everyone expects to be voted in as the President of the Hellions when Earl steps down. He isn’t a spring chicken anymore.
“Not sure. She was pretty upset, but wouldn’t tell me what it was about. I just assumed since Earl was with her last, he might know. Seeing how he doesn't, I guess it was the guy on the phone.”
“What guy?” Earl blurts.
“Don’t know. He didn’t tell me, and I was too focused on other things to interrogate him. Just wanted to stop by and let you know.”
“Thanks for the information. Now you can leave.” Earl doesn’t even wait for me to respond before turning and heading back into the house. The others fall in step behind him except Kaleb. He remains.
He doesn’t speak. Just stands there, staring at me, filling me with uncertainty. When the others disappear inside and we hear the thump of the door closing and a faint clicking sound, he finally breaks the silence.
“Jax, I like you man, but comin’ to my house, where my wife and kid are to start shit with my Prez, my father-in-law, is a load of horseshit.”
“I’m sorry about that and trust me, it wasn’t going further than a conversation. But catching him here was better than the clubhouse, where his minions would try to gut me.”
Kaleb chuckles at my choice of words, but I know it pisses him off to be looped into that category as well.
