Torn (7 page)

“Jesus, Jaxon, put her down,” Ashley shrieked
from the doorway. “You’re recovering from gunshot wounds and she’s
pregnant. She doesn’t need you swingin’ her about, dear.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I feel great. Better than
great.” He let me go, slipped his hands around my jawline, pulled
my face to his, and kissed me like it was the first time all over
again. He took my breath away and I was left standing there, eyes
closed, mouth still partially open, looking like a dork.

Ashley ahemmed. “Well, Dad is waitin’ for us
downstairs. He had to make some business calls.” Ashley lowered her
voice. “Is everything okay?”

“Yep, told her everything.” Answering his
mom, his eyes never left mine as he grinned at me.

Ashley turned to me with a meek smile and
remorse. “I’m sorry I had to be deceptive, dear. I hope you
understand why I couldn’t say anything.”

“It’s okay.” I nodded. “I get it. I’m not
sure it’s still really set in, but I understand your part in
this…uh, mess.”

Jaxon attempted to pull his jeans up under
the coverage of his oh-so-sexy hospital gown. Ashley immediately
rushed over to help him.

“Mom, I think I can manage.”

“Jaxon, you need to take it easy. Let us help
you.” I frowned at him.

“Fine,” he grumbled, smiling the whole
time.

A while later the nurse came in and went over
discharge instructions. She was about to remove the IV when she
noticed it was gone.

“Don’t look at me.” I feigned innocence and
pointed to Jax. “That was all him.”

“What? I couldn’t get my shirt on with it,”
he grunted.

The nurse rolled her eyes, chuckling as she
left the room. All of the nurses had become used to his caveman
antics. Of course, this did not dissuade their flirting or fawning
all over him. Who could blame them? Jaxon was sexy as hell.

“Jaxon.” He turned to acknowledge me with a
lift of his chin. “We still have to talk about us when we get
home.”

“You’re right, we do.”

“And Brody agreed to sit down with us to
clear the air and get on the same page. I’ll tell you what I told
him. Y’all need to get your shit together. I’m not going have you
two fighting like that in front of our daughter. You are grown-ass
men and need to start acting like it.”

“I agree.” He lifted his bag of clothes and
started toward the door.

“Oh, and you have to leave in a wheelchair.”
I smiled as big as I could without showing any teeth.

“No.”

“Hospital policy, honey.” I walked out to the
hallway and wheeled it in.

“You’ve gotta be shittin’ me. I’m not ridin’
in that, I can walk.” I could see he was getting aggravated and I
couldn’t help but giggle a little. “I’m glad you think this is
fuckin’ funny.”

“Jaxon. Language, son.” Ashley gave him the
evil eye. “Now sit in the chair so we can get out of here.”

“Yes, Mom.” He cut his eyes at me, scoffed
then sat. “But you’re not pushin’, get one of those other nurses.
You shouldn’t be strainin’ yourself, babe.”

“I have to agree with him, sweetie, but we
don’t need a nurse. I’ll push him out.”

“Thanks,, Mom,” Jaxon smirked.

“Anything for you, baby boy.”

Chapter Seven

Jaxon

Leaving the hospital in a car Brody provided
to my parents was less than thrilling. I couldn’t wait to get to
the bottom of things with him. While I appreciated him helping my
parents, it didn’t mean that he could continue to insert himself
into my relationship with Leila. This whole being there every time
I turned around was going to end, and fast.

Arriving home and seeing boxes and Lei’s
suitcase in the foyer was a game changer. It renewed my fight. I
knew that even though she was home, we had things to fix and work
on. My confession at the hospital only opened up more questions. I
needed to get with Viper and find out what was going down right
now.

Drill had thought he was in the clear since
the shootout, but the minute I had enough evidence I was pulling
the trigger, so to speak. Drill’s days were numbered. I had to make
sure he didn’t suspect that I knew what he was up to. Over the last
few weeks I’d seen just how lethal this fucker could be. He had to
fucking go.

Mark was another story. He and I had gotten
close over the last few years. And while I didn’t agree with or
condone his participation in the pipeline, I understood why he did
it. As president of the club, he inherited the prior president’s
fuck-ups. Mark inherited his predecessor’s agreement to protect
shipments from border to border for a Mexican cartel. These were
not the people you said, “I quit” to. It wasn’t that easy.

An hour of my parents fussin’ at me, loading
groceries into the pantry, and making sure Leila’s things made it
up to our room exhausted the fuck outta me.

Sitting in the living room watching TV, deep
in thought, I didn’t notice Leila come in the room.

“Huh, what?” I asked.

“I said, are you hungry? Do you want me to
cook dinner now? I know it’s early but I thought you might like a
home-cooked meal. God only knows what you’ve been eating.” She
stood behind the couch with her hand on her hip, looking sexier
than ever.

“There’s only one thing I’m hungry for and I
don’t think you’re gonna give it to me.” My dick hardened, my veins
swirling with lust.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Jaxon. You’ve been
home less than two hours and are recovering from freakin’ multiple
GSWs. Keep it in your pants, big man, we got plenty of time for the
dirty things you want to do.” She rolled her eyes, shook her head,
and spun on her heel. I watched that tight, delectable ass sashay
all the way down the hall. “And stop staring at my ass. I can feel
you eye fucking me from here.”

“I wouldn’t be eye fuckin’ ya if you’d bring
that sweet ass in here.” I tried my best to provoke a response. I
knew I could get my way if she just let me try.

“Nice try,” she hollered from the kitchen. “I
know what you’re doing and it ain’t working.”

“We’ll see about that,” I muttered
confidently to myself.

*****

Leila

Jesus, that man is
incorrigible. Here, I just moved back in and he was already trying
to fuck me into next week. And truth be told, if he wasn’t
recovering from two gunshot wounds, I’d probably let
him.

My mouth watered at the thought of him
between my legs. I was so turned on by the thought of him and his
talented body, a soft moan escaped my lips.

“Is that so?” Jaxon leaned on the stainless
steel refrigerator.

Jumping, I dropped the knife in my hand and
clutched my chest. “Fuck, you scared me. Stop sneaking up on me. I
swear I’m going to put bells on you.”

“What was all that moanin’ about?” Grinning,
he came around the island toward me.

Quickly, I retrieved the chopping knife and
pretended to be ready defend myself. “Oh no, get back. You stay
away from me. I’m cooking dinner. Take you and your grabby hands
back to the living room. You’re up to no good.”

“Who me? Nah, I just thought I’d come see if
I could help you.” He pretended to want to be helpful, but I knew
better.

“I call bullshit. You wanted to come in here
and try to entice me into forgetting that Drake said to wait
another week before having sex or exerting yourself.” I cocked my
head and pursed my lips.

“I feel fine, maybe we should just try it out
and see.”

“No, you big hornball, go away so I can cook
dinner.”

“How about just the tip?”

I burst out laughing. “Get the hell out of
here.” Using the knife, I pointed to the hall.

“Fine, but first, what’s for dinner?” He
started looking around the kitchen as he stole a slice of the
pepper I had just finished chopping up before he came in to
tantalize me.

“Hey, get. We’re having beef stir-fry with
Pad Thai noodles.” I swatted his hand as he tried to grab another
piece of green pepper from the cutting board.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me to him.
Immediately everything I told him was out the window. I forgot the
restrictions placed upon him and that I was probably burning
dinner. Instead, I lost myself in his jade green eyes. They
mesmerized and entranced me. Capturing my lips, he dipped his
tongue in my mouth then slid his hand around the back of my neck,
deepening the kiss. His tongue swirled and caressed, and on cue, my
lioness perked up, clearly interested in the pursuit. But I pulled
back and planted my hand firmly on his chest.

“Why’d ya stop?” he growled.

“I’m cooking dinner. You’re not going to
distract me. Go sit down.” I spun toward the counter, trying not to
let him see his effect on me.

“Fine.” He practically stomped away like a
toddler, pouting the whole way, lip stuck out and all.

When we sat down to dinner at the breakfast
bar, I decided now was as good a time as any to have
the
discussion.

“So we should probably talk,” I said,
broaching the subject gingerly.

“Right, we should. Where do you wanna
start?”

“I’ve told Brody I haven’t changed my mind,
you and I are still together.” Raising my brow, I continued, “Even
though things got really messed up and you fucked up royally.” He
dipped his head. “I need to know that you’re done running every
time Brody comes around. Brody is always gonna be in our lives,
Jaxon. I need to know that if you have a problem you’re going to
talk to me.” I placed my fork on the plate and turned to look at
him. “I need to know that you’re here with me and never leaving.
That you won’t do that ever again…because I don’t know if I can
forgive that again. I understand that this whole thing started over
a misunderstanding. We both have to do a better job of
communicating and not assume things.”

“I agree, we need to talk to each other and
give each other a chance to explain before flippin’ the fuck out
and runnin’ away”

“You also have to promise no more whores
hanging all over you. I can’t take that.”

“Fine, but same goes for Brody. You have to
make him understand that you’re fuckin’ mine and he needs to back
the fuck off. He’s more than welcome to buy stuff for the baby, but
not for you. That’s my job, not his.” Jaxon’s chest puffed out like
a Neanderthal.

“Fine, he’s agreeable to sitting down and
discussing everything. He just wants to make up for what he
did.”

“Don’t defend him.” He dropped his fork and
shoved his plate forward.

“I’m not,” I said flatly. “I’m explaining why
he does the things he does. It’s out of guilt.”

“Bullshit. It’s because he wants you
back.”

“I’m not arguing with you about this, Jaxon.”
Getting down from the barstool, I cleared our dishes to the sink. I
leaned against the counter, watching as my man tried to cover
holding his side. Macho idiot. GSWs hurt. “Can we just agree that
we need to do a better job talking to each other, and running
things past each other first before we do them?”

“Deal.” He stood and walked over to me.
“Leave the dishes, let’s go to bed.”

“Jax…” I started to admonish him but he
stopped me by snaking his sexy tattooed arms around my back and
pulling me close.

“Lei, we are gettin’ in bed and I’m gonna
hold you and talk to our daughter. That’s all I wanna do right now.
I haven’t gotten to hold you in months.” He leaned forward and
kissed me quickly before turning and pulling me out of the
kitchen.

Just as we got halfway up the first set of
stairs there was a knock at the door.

“You expecting anyone?” I asked.

“Go upstairs and stay up there until I tell
you it’s okay.” Jaxon descended the stairs and grabbed the Beretta
nine millimeter he kept tucked away in the foyer closet. “Go,
Lei.”

My palms started to sweat as I reached the
second floor and decided to tuck myself near the bathroom, away
from view of the stairs. I heard knocking again then the door
opened.

“For fuck’s sake, what do you want?” Jaxon
asked the unexpected visitor.

“I tried to call Lei and tell her I was going
drop Ruger off, but she didn’t answer.” Brody’s voice calmed the
insanely ridiculous fears running through my mind. Coming down the
stairs, I saw both men in the foyer of the three-story Victorian
home Jaxon built for me. “Hey, Lei.”

“Hey, Brody, thanks for bringing him home.
Sorry I didn’t answer, my phone’s in my bag, probably on
vibrate.”

“Damn it, babe, I told you to stay upstairs.”
Clenching his jaw, Jaxon was not happy.

“Excuse me?” Brody misunderstood.

“Wait, Brody, it’s not what you think.” I
turned and looked at Jax. “We need to tell him.”

“No fuckin’ way in hell.”

“Jaxon, he knows you were shot. He knows some
less-than-savory characters are involved in your business. He
deserves to know that you’re worried someone in your club might be
up to no good.” Jaxon’s face relaxed when he realized I wasn’t
suggesting he disclose his undercover status.

“Ugh…fine. I’ll go take Ruger to the backyard
and leave you two to talk.” He emphasized “talk” a little too much
and glared at Brody on his way out the door.

“Thank you, dear.” Smiling sweetly, I batted
my eyes at him.

I got the glare.

“Okay, would you like to tell me what the
hell that was about?” Brody stepped inside the door and closed
it.

“Which part? The part where Jaxon thought you
were a lone gunman or the part where he willingly left us alone in
the same room without threatening you with the gun he’s got tucked
in his waistband?” Yep, sarcasm had come to play.

“Okay, smart-ass.” Brody looked put out.
“Both.”

“I told you, Jax is just worried about
someone from the club. This guy fucked up royally and Jax knows it.
He doesn’t think the guy knows that he knows. There is probably
nothing to worry about, he just wants to be cautious.”