17. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
Jax
What do four grown men do in a hotel room on a Saturday night?
Play Call of Duty with the TV loud enough to piss off their babysitter—that’s what.
Casey and I have been at it for the last three hours , and I haven’t had the heart to tell the poor guy that I don’t want to anymore. I stopped wanting to well over an hour ago, but it somehow felt like we finally started… bonding?
Honestly though, I just want out of this freaking hotel room. The stuffy, claustrophobia-inducing walls feel like they’re closing in the longer I sit here, glancing from the TV to my phone and back again.
Hanging out with Allie and her friends cracked something open in me.
It gave me a taste of freedom I didn’t know I missed.
It’s definitely a weird feeling since before, I could sit for hours doing absolutely nothing and not give a shit.
But now? Now I can’t stomach the idea of just sitting here, withering away.
I’m lining up a perfect headshot when a sticky bomb slaps the wall beside me and blows me to hell.
“Well, that would have been perfect,” I say with a chuckle, dropping the controller onto the coffee table. I lean back into the couch, stretching my legs out, and glance at the clock glowing under the TV.
9:06 PM.
Not even ten o’clock on a Saturday, and I’m already thinking about just going to bed.
I need something, anything, to occupy my mind. To stop myself from reaching for my phone and sending Allie a message just to ask how her day was.
My eyes linger a little too long on the screen, making my fingers twitch at the thought of grabbing it.
It should be easy, right? Just a quick “How are you?” A simple text. But a weight settles in my chest like a bloody boulder, instantly pushing the idea back down where it belongs.
After all, she’s a mum. A nurse. She’s got her life in order, her priorities straight. She doesn’t need a guy like me—someone who’s always gone, living out of hotel rooms, never in one place long enough to build anything real.
She deserves stability, not uncertainty.
And I won’t do that to her.
So a distraction is absolutely necessary right now.
“Anyone up for a drink downstairs?” I blurt, not really directing it at anyone in particular.
Casey doesn’t even look up, just shakes his head with his eyes still locked on the screen. James doesn’t answer since his nose is buried deep in his phone, again . And Gareth just shrugs like he couldn’t care less.
I slap my palms against my knees and push myself up with a sigh. “Okay then.” I breathe, already stepping over Casey’s outstretched legs.
I’m halfway to the door when James suddenly jumps up, nearly making me trip on my own feet.
“Wait,” he says, holding out a hand like he’s stopping traffic. “Ana just texted. They’re at a bar across town.” He jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “Why don’t we just head there instead?”
The hopeful glint in his eyes almost makes me want to say yes, but that weight shoves its way down even further.
I wonder if Allie’s playing a part in the plan this time, but knowing how yesterday went, I’m willing to bet no. Sure, she looked happy to see me, but that didn’t stop the awkward twist in my stomach when I realized she didn’t even know I’d be there.
I glance at Gareth, trying to read his reaction before I commit to anything.
Truth is, I don’t even know how I feel about going. On one hand, I would absolutely love to see her again. Even though we just saw each other yesterday, it already feels like it’s been too long.
Then, on the other hand, I don’t want to keep forcing my way into her life.
So it’s a toss-up.
Gareth shrugs, then glances over at me. “I don’t see why not,” he says casually. “Doesn’t matter where we drink, as long as we drink.”
James fires off a quick text, thumbs rapidly moving across his screen, then jams his phone back into his pocket. He looks up at me with a knowing smirk, like he sees right through my shit, then waits for Gareth to make his way over to the door before stepping in closer.
“I already told Ana you’re coming,” James says with a shrug. “Too late to back out now.”
Great. So much for options.
It’s probably for the best. If I thought about it much longer, I’d be back on that sofa, sinking into it for the rest of the night listening to Casey grunt every time he died.
I turn my attention to Casey, his controller still held tightly in his hands.
“Case, you coming?”
“No way. You guys have fun,” he replies, eyes never leaving the screen.
I take a few steps toward him.
“You sure? We’re probably just grabbing a few drinks and coming right back.”
His eyes flick to me, just for a second, then back to the game.
“You know me, man,” he says with a shrug. “I don’t like going out. I’ll keep Donny boy out of your hair.”
I chuckle under my breath. “Alright. If you need anything, just shoot me a text.”
“I won’t. But thanks.”
I give him a final glance, then turn to the door. Swallowing every bit of anxiety that tries to creep its way in.
“Jax!” Allie shouts the second we approach the bar.
I turn around and watch her stagger to us in a zigzag. I instantly start walking toward her and hold out my arm for her to hang onto before she ends up falling.
Heat crawls up my neck the second her hand connects with my bicep. Her arm bends just right, pushing up her cleavage, leaving me practically droo—
Goddamn it.
She looks up at me, her eyes glossed over and bloodshot. “What arre you doin’ herre ?” she slurs, swaying us back and forth dangerously.
Holy shit—she’s plastered. She’s even worse than Nora was when we were at their place. And that means there’s only one person I can think of who would feed her shots like they were candy.
My eyes dart to Ana just as she finishes her shot. She gives me a subtle wink before she clinks her glass on the bar and walks over.
“Come on!” Allie cheers, linking her arm with mine. Then she literally drags me to the bar, parking me on a stool and sliding into the one opposite.
“You have a lottt of catching up to do,” she mumbles.
I have to hold back my laugh as it bubbles up in my throat, watching her sway like a buoy. The way her lips pucker with certain words she tries to get out—it’s almost addictive, watching her mouth move like she’s talking in slow motion.
A young bartender approaches, wipes down the counter, and then leans in. “What can I get you?” he shouts over the music with a thick Boston accent.
I point to Allie. “I’ll have whatever she’s been having,” I say with a chuckle.
The bartender smirks and quickly disappears beneath the bar. When he pops back up, he gently sets it on the counter, slowly pours the amber liquid to the brim, and nods when he slides it along the bar. “There ya go, bud.”
I press my lips together, nodding in thanks before raising the glass to my lips, and quickly throw it back in one go.
“Garrethhh, come dance with me,” Nora whines behind us.
I look over my shoulder and see she’s draped over his arm like a toddler, trying her hardest to pout, but she’s too drunk to pull it off.
Allie’s head snaps toward the commotion, rising from the stool so fast it nearly tips over. She staggers over to them, zigzagging across the floor until she reaches Nora and leans in to whisper something in her ear.
Nora throws her head back in laughter while Allie clings to her like her life depends on it.
My eyes stay locked on her, tracking every movement.
I’m honestly scared she’s going to fall and hurt herself.
She can barely manage the three feet from the bar to Nora without nearly face-planting.
So her and the dance floor right now? Yeah, not happening.
I quickly slide off the barstool and head straight for Ana.
“Hey, how many shots has she had?” I ask, keeping my eyes glued to Allie as she wobbles beside Nora.
She scrunches up her face, thinking for a moment before chuckling. “I think… like five or six?”
My eyes go wide before they snap to her. “In a row?”
She shakes her head. “No, no. I might’ve been feeding them to her, but I made her pace herself. Don’t worry.”
Relief washes over me, but not by a lot. The worry still lingers while I mentally weigh the pros and cons between taking her home or letting her be.
She’s here to have a good time, not be babysat.
I turn back to Allie just in time to see her stumble—then crash to the floor.
My feet move on instinct, rushing toward her. By the time I reach her, her face is buried in the palm of her hand, and my knees give out, dropping beside her. One hand slides to her back while the other gently brushes her hair out of her face.
“Are you alright?” I ask frantically. “Are you hurt?”
She lifts her head—and laughs .
Full-on cackles as she looks at me and clutches her ankle in her hand. I try to bite back my growing smirk, scanning her face and shaking my head.
I start rubbing small circles on her back and lean in closer. “You ready to head home?”
Her smile quickly fades, shoulders slumping.
She nods. “Yeah, prob-ally,” she says, her voice so small I almost don’t hear her.
I slip a hand under her, helping her up slowly. The second she puts any weight on her ankle, she winces.
My eyes scan over her face carefully.
“Do you need me to carry you?”
Her face reddens slightly, and she shakes her head. She pulls herself up, leaning most of her weight on me. I know deep down I should just say screw it and carry her out of here anyway, but I let her have her moment of independence. The second she winces again though? Game over.
On our way out the door, I search the room for any signs of Ana to tell at least someone what’s going on. But of course, I spot James chatting up a blonde in a thin, strapless dress first.
I roll my eyes. Why the hell couldn’t I have found Ana first? James caught on to the way I feel about Allie almost immediately, practically before I even knew. But thankfully, he knows enough not to say a word about it in front of Gareth.