“Did you enjoy the party?” she asks as she gathers cups and bottles, avoiding my eyes.
“I had no idea what to expect, but it exceeded all my expectations. How was your night?”
She smiles at my question and sways a little. Her pretty eyes are glassy, and that drunk smile makes her look adorable. “Everything went so well, and I had such a fantastic time getting to know more clients.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed your night.”
“Watching Nelly and Dom trying to act like they don’t want to bang was the highlight of my night. Did you notice Dom took her home after too many shots?”
“Dom loves to take care of her, but she’s too stubborn to admitthat they’re more than friends,” I explain as I empty a beer bottle in the sink.
“She truly is.”
“It’s funny how their cat-and-mouse game has lasted since her first day at King Tattoo.”
“I can see that.”
“Are we playing that same game, Kennedy?”
Silence descends as the question hits its mark. I just need to know if I'm imagining this thing between us. “Sophia, why did you hate me so much that you crashed my bike that night? I have tried to come up with a good enough reason, but nothing comes to mind. Help me understand.”
17
SOPH
Currently playing: 4ever by The Veronicas
Iopen my mouth, but no words come out. My entire body hums as he looks at me like Nelly once described—like he doesn’t know if he wants to strangle, kiss, or fuck me. I start to turn away from his stare that seems to see right through me, but the firm grip on my arm makes me stop in my tracks.
“Let me go, Jackson,” I say, my voice thick and unsteady, almost pleading.
Jax drops his hand and says in a stern tone, “Sit down, and let’s talk. I need answers. You’ve avoided me long enough.”
Silently counting to ten, I sink down on one of the black leather sofas, Jax following my movements. Like ripping off a band-aid, I should get this over with and put it all behind us. But how do I even start?
“I’m waiting,” he remarks as he moves closer, leaving little room between us.
Well, here it goes.
“You ghosted me and then acted like you had no fucking clue who I was at Warm’n’Cool. It hurt me, and I acted on that feeling without thinking too much.”
He looks at me with his mouth open. “That’s it? Are you fucking serious?”
“Do you have any idea how much it hurts to get ghosted after the connection we shared?” I ask in a broken whisper, turning my face away from him.
“Soph, you should know I didn’t ghost you on purpose. Please, look at me, so I can explain,” his lowered voice begs next to me.
“I can’t. Not yet. Give me a moment.”
After what feels like an eternity but is probably a maximum of sixty seconds, Jax moves his hand to take hold of my face and carefully lifts my gaze. When our eyes connect, his entire expression changes from hurt to understanding. “I’m sorry if I hurt you with my actions. But it still doesn’t explain everything.”
“We hit it off that night and I had such high hopes of more happening between us.” I play with the hem of my dress. “You see, all my exes have one thing in common: they’re assholes who hurt me in one way or another. So, when you did what they would have done, I got so mad at you. Like you were another name in the list of men who have screwed me over.”
A flicker of irritation and impatience shines in his eyes. “Let’s not forget that you stole from me! How does that have anything to do with me being like those dumbasses you’ve dated?”
I groan and drop my face on my hands. “Okay, so, honestly, I just wanted to take your bike for a ride that night. I didn’t even think how bad it would look. I didn’tthink.”
“No shit, Sherlock. That was some dumb shit, and that’s a lot coming from me.”
