Her shoulders sag in relief as her eyes shut, wrapping her head around the revelation that the monster that haunted her the course of her entire life was snuffed out so easily. As much as I wish I could have been the one to do it, I lock eyes with Jax’s personal guard on the wall opposite me, tipping my head in silent respect. His nearly imperceptible nod is the only acknowledgment I get before both of our attentions return to the men at the table, eyeing them for the slightest indication that this meeting is a set up.
While the other bodyguard merely watches Julian and Elyse for signs of treachery, I need to watch all three. I don’t trust my boss not to make a move if he thinks he can take it, and it’ll fall on me to get both him and Elyse out of here alive despite him being a backstabbing motherfucker that deserves everything he might get.
Julian’s hand falls on her knee beneath the table and I bite the inside of my cheek, especially when I see her entire body lock up. As much as I’ve been pushing her to try and capitalize on her circumstance, that would be if she chose to take that route. But not only has she kept her distance this entire meeting, not so much as flirting with the boss, but what happened the other night…
‘I want Ev buried inside of me while you fuck me in the ass, and I want Maverick coming down my throat while you do it.’How the hell am I supposed to forget hearing something like that? Of watching her come apart to the thought, the way she looked flushed with desire, riding Ev’s cock with Grave’s face buried between her legs like they all thought they’d never see each other again?
How am I supposed to pretend that I haven’t been half in love with the girl since the day she stepped foot into our house? To watch Julian pawing at her for whatever power play he’s trying to pull in front of Jax? So here I am, avoiding meeting her eye so that I can keep myself in check, reminding myself a bullet between King’s eyes won’t actually help anyone.
Julian takes a sip of his drink. “Caused me one hell of a headache after I’d already been dealing with enough of one.”
Jax shrugs a single shoulder, unrepentant. “The other headaches are of your own making, nothing to do with me. Though after prior incidents, I’d say we’re still not even despite the latest snafu.”
Setting his glass down a bit too rough, it sloshes over the sides. “Let’s cut the formalities, shall we?” Julian declares. “Keeping a truce intact is in both of our best interests. I’m willing to consider this recent debacle a wash since you’ve dealt with Thomas Miller already and the case against my men is squared away. You?”
Jax cocks his head to the side, drawing things out as he always tends to in an attempt to test Julian’s patience, to toy with him. Just a pissing match between men with far too much money and time on their hands, when we all have better shit to do than be here any longer than necessary.
“No, I don’t think so. I’m still not content with how things have panned out since our original agreement five years ago and I think it’s the perfect opportunity to renegotiate.” He keeps his body loose, perfectly at ease antagonizing Julian.
Anyone else might not notice, but I guaran-damn-tee that he tightened his grip on Elyse’s knee with rage by the brief moment of fear that flashes across her face before she conceals it, donning a neutral mask and trying to remain as invisible as humanly possible. The girl deserves far better than resigning herself to the shadows like the rest of us, when she should be surrounding herself with as much light as she gives off. That infernal sense ofhopethat she radiates, like anything is possible with enough determination.
It’s absolutely maddening, that drive to preserve that part of her, to save her from falling as far as the rest of us have.
“I’ve kept to our terms,” Julian coolly states. “It’s you that’s broken them.”
Jax sits back, running a hand through his short-cropped, black hair before stretching. “What worked in the past doesn’t necessarily work forever. Change is natural in our line of work, and deals are made to be amended.”
Elysium is barely breathing. She hasn’t touched the food in front of her since it arrived, and goosebumps are prominent on her skin; whether they’re from the cold or fear. But the tight, black dress that Julian forced her to squeeze into does little to combat the chill in the air this time of year.
My eyes flick down to where he finally releases her leg, bright red marks left in his wake. As I glance up, I find the other guard followed my line of sight, his mouth pressed into a grim line, yet saying nothing. We aren’t here to be heard, and our opinions don’t matter. We’re here because we have to be, ready to get our hands dirty so that those in power can claim themselves righteous.
“What do you want?” Julian demands, lacing his fingers together and resting them on the tablecloth.
Jax contemplates it for a moment before grinning to himself. “I want her.”
My heart plummets to my stomach, adrenaline flooding my system and causing the nerves in my limbs to ache. I have to force past the dull roaring in my ears to concentrate on their conversation, to keep my face neutral and give nothing away. The only way I can even hope to protect her is to appear like I have no interest, that she can’t simply be used as another way to keep me in line. And if Jax thinks that her leaving would horrify not only Julian, but his subordinates? He’ll lap up that weakness, exploit it however he can.
“I don’t recall putting Elysium on the table,” Julian counters with a scoff.
Leaning back in his chair, Jax maintains that shit-eating grin. “Come now, King, you must’ve brought a pretty thing like her here for a reason. Was it to flaunt your future queen? No, you wouldn’t let her hear too much unless that was set in stone, and she’s far too easily spooked for that role. So it must’ve been because you needed a Hail Mary bargaining chip if things went south, because this all stemmed from her father trying to get her back to stick it to you then, yeah? Is there no honor amongst thieves anymore?” he asks with a sigh, though he hardly seems put out. “May as well cut to the chase and lay our cards out on the table.”
Julian’s silence raises the level of my disdain to utter loathing. If he didn’t immediately object to the idea, it means Jax is right and Julian was contemplating it. Being forced to watch her at his side is one thing, where it wouldn’t be suspicious to protect her. But to send her with the enemy? It isn’t sending her off for her safety, it’s guaranteeing that I won’t be able to do a goddamn thing to help her in any capacity, and not even be able to move on and forget she ever existed. Jax will flaunt her at every single meeting with Julian until the day he dies, simply out of spite.
“I don’t think so,” Julian finally declares and I internally sigh in relief. “The slight was on your end; if anything, I should be demanding you cover the legal fees to clean up your mess.”
Jax withdraws his wallet, tossing a small stack of hundreds onto the table as if they mean nothing. “To be fair, I was only in that position due to the girl at your side. We square now?”
With a nod, Julian pockets the money and I risk a quick glance at Elysium, seeing her face pinched in annoyance as people decide her fate in front of her without an ounce of remorse. She turns before I expect, meeting my eyes while a storm of fury rages within hers, holding me captive. Silently, I try and urge her not to do anything stupid.
“For this,” Jax agrees before continuing, his voice growing stern as his patience thins. “But I think a body for a body is more than fair, and I’ve grown tired of being the bigger person. Pick one.”
I uncross my arms from my chest the same time as the guard opposite me, the entire tone of the evening shifting with the threat. Every heartbeat seems like a clap of thunder in the otherwise silent room, the tension rising to insurmountable levels.
What body?
Julian shoves his chair back, bracing his palms on the table as he gets to his feet. Taking a step forward, I don’t draw my weapon yet, knowing the second that I do, all bets are off.
“We’re done here.” Julian grabs Elysium’s upper arm, tugging her to her feet.
