36. Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Six
Jax
You wouldn’t know it just by looking at her, but Allie can fucking squeeze .
She’s gripping my hand so hard her knuckles are glowing white while Dr. O’Neil presses her abdomen and checks her incision. It’s only been three days since her surgery, but even I can tell it’s healing beautifully. Her stomach isn’t as swollen, and the redness has gone down a lot.
When he’s finished, he lowers her gown gently and snaps his gloves off.
“How do you feel about going home today, Allie?” he asks with a smile.
Whoa, wait. She was just squeezing my hand like she was trying to check my bone density, and he’s talking about sending her home? Is that even logical?
She immediately drops my hand like nothing happened and pulls herself up in the bed. My eyes dart between her and the doctor like they’ve both lost their minds.
“Is she ready for that?” I ask nervously.
He chuckles and nods. “I don’t see why not. The swelling has gone down, her blood counts are within normal limits, and her vitals are perfect.”
“No offense, Doc, but I’d love to get out of here,” Allie says with a light laugh.
My head whips toward her. I scan her face, trying to figure out how to say what I need to say without sounding…
“Are you crazy?”
Yup. Of course that’s what flies out.
She looks at me, and thankfully, she laughs.
“What do you mean?” she asks.
“I’m sorry, I just… don’t understand. You were squeezing the life out of my hand, but—” I soften my tone, not wanting to seem like I’m trying to tell her what to do. Of course, I’d love to see her get out of here, when she’s ready.
Then Dr. O’Neil chuckles, breaking my spiral. “Your husband’s a keeper, Allie,” he says, waving his clipboard at me.
Right. Totally forgot they think we’re married.
“I’m just worried, that’s all,” I say softly.
“I’d be concerned if you weren’t,” she says, placing her warm hand against my cheek. “But I’m fine. I was just”—she shrugs—“nervous.”
My eyes widen. “ That was a nervous squeeze?”
“I’ll let you two get ready,” Dr. O’Neil says, backing toward the door. “It might be a few more hours, but I’ll have the nurse bring the discharge papers after lunch.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Allie replies just as the door clicks shut behind him.
Then she slowly turns her attention back to me, her eyes softening. I bring my forehead to hers, inhaling deeply while my eyes meet hers.
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “I didn’t mean you were crazy . It’s just… it’s only been a couple of days.”
She nods, giving me a small smile. “I know you weren’t calling me crazy. And I know it seems like such a short stay, but honestly, Jax? If I stayed any longer, I’d sign myself out.”
“But why?”
“When women have their tubes done, do you know how long they stay in the hospital?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. A week?”
She lets out a soft, short laugh. “No.” She shakes her head. “Not even a full day.”
My eyes widen, and I lean back a little to get a better look at her face, trying to figure out if she’s messing with me, but she’s totally serious.
“I got a few extra days because I was in an accident. But he’s right, I am ready. It still hurts, obviously, but I’d be a lot more comfortable, in an actual bed,” she says, tipping her head back like she’s already dreaming about it.
“Alright, well, if you’re going home today, I should probably go and pack some clothes for the night,” I tell her, starting to lift myself from the bed until she grabs my arm and gently pulls me back down beside her.
She shakes her head. “You really don’t have to do that.
Ana and Nora will be there. You don’t have to stay with me.
You’ve already been here the last three nights.
” She gestures toward the stretcher that the nurses set up for me.
“Plus, we’re only at the house for one more day before we have to head home. ”
“I’m set to go back on Monday,” I say with a shrug.?“That way I can drive you all home.”
She throws her arms around my neck, pulling me close before pressing her lips softly to mine.
“I love you, Jax,” she whispers.
“I love you, Allie,” I say with a smile, then slowly pull away from her.
When I get to my feet, I cross the room and grab my rucksack, slinging it over one shoulder, adjusting the strap.
“I’m gonna grab a few things, chat with the guys a bit, and be back to pick you up. If you need anything, call me,” I say over my shoulder.
She presses her lips together and nods before murmuring, “Okay. I’ll be here.”
The anxiety simmers for the entire drive, making me want to say fuck it and turn around at least four different times. Not knowing how this conversation’s going to go eats away at every nerve in my body, leaving them open and exposed.
James? He’s like a golden retriever in human form. If I said we should move here, he’d probably just start packing.
Gareth? He’s having a whole baby with Nora. Did he even consider staying here for them?
Then there’s Casey.
Two years, and I still barely know the guy. Just that he’s quiet, keeps to himself, and spends most of his time glued to Call of Duty . That’s about it.
I find the nearest parking spot, kill the engine, and rip the keys out of the ignition. I let out a long breath, trying to exhale the nerves, but they’re not going anywhere.
I run my hands down my face, get out, and slam the door behind me harder than I mean to. The second my boots hit the hotel lobby floor, it feels like I’ve got a hundred-pound weight strapped to my ankle, trying to drag me back to the car. Back to Allie.
Everything starts to blur once I hit the lift. Each floor lights up like a countdown, bringing me closer to what feels less like a conversation and more like the lion’s den.
I swipe my keycard along the lock, listening for the soft click when it disengages, then slowly push the door open. My heart lodges in my throat, making it hard to swallow when I step inside.
“Hey! How’s Allie?” James calls from the breakfast bar, wearing just a T-shirt and boxers.
“She’s good. Getting discharged this afternoon,” I say, stepping farther into the kitchenette and dropping onto one of the barstools.
James takes a sip of coffee, then pauses mid-drink when his eyes go wide. A huge grin spreads across his face, and he sets the mug down with a quiet clink .
“I’m glad she pulled through,” he says, resting a hand on my shoulder. “I can see how much she means to you.”
“That’s actually why I came by,” I say, keeping my voice low. I don’t want the others to hear—not yet.
James’s eyebrows pull together, and after a moment, his expression softens, like he’s already putting two and two together. Then, a slow smile spreads across his lips.
“You know I’ve got your back, no matter what,” he says gently.
I nod. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.”
Sliding off the stool, I head into the sitting room where Gareth and Casey are planted on the sofa. I stop in the doorway, leaning one shoulder against the frame, trying to find the right words.
Gareth looks up and sets his phone facedown on the cushion next to him. “Hey, man.”
Casey glances away from the TV and gives a quick nod. “Hey. Glad to hear Allie’s doing okay.”
I press my lips together and take a slow, steadying breath before finally stepping deeper into the room.
“Thanks, Case,” I say, easing down into the armchair next to them.
“So… how was recording yesterday?” I ask, leaning back and folding my arms across my chest like I’m not about to drop a bomb.
Casey takes a sip from his mug, then sets it down on the coffee table. “It was good. We didn’t get much actual recording done. Mostly just ran through the new stuff,” he says, glancing at his phone before slipping it back into his pocket.
“Yeah,” Gareth chimes in. “We didn’t wanna do too much without you. Figured we’d just pick it back up Monday. Gerald’s cool with it.”
It’s now or never.
“There’s something I wanted to run by you guys,” I say just as James walks in and drops onto the sofa beside Gareth.
Now all three of them are looking at me. My heart lurches into my throat. Heat creeps up my neck, and suddenly I feel like I’m about to give a speech I didn’t prepare for.
“When Allie goes back home I was thinking I’d drive them up. She’s still pretty shaken, and I just—” I rub the back of my neck, searching for the right words. “I just want to make sure she gets there okay. I don’t think she’s ready to get behind the wheel yet.”
Gareth nods. “Yeah, man. That makes sense. I was thinking of asking Nora to hang back an extra day or two so we can figure out our game plan.”
Casey nods absently while he pulls out his phone again, already scrolling. “Yeah, sounds good,” he mutters.
I shift in my seat, nerves crawling under my skin. “There’s, uh, one other thing,” I say, eyes dropping to the floor, my face flooding with heat.
I take a deep breath, then let it all out in one go. “I’ve been thinking about maybe relocating. Here.”
The room goes still.
“I mean, I’d be down to travel back and forth when needed. Most of our stuff can happen over video call now anyway, and touring doesn’t really change,” I add when nobody says anything.
Silence.
Casey lets out a loud scoff, the sound echoing in the room. He shakes his head in disbelief while he leans back against the sofa.
The rest of us share a glance, eyebrows raised, all turning toward him at the same time, waiting for him to just say whatever he needs to.
He leans forward, elbows on his knees, eyes locked on me.
“Does this sound familiar to anyone else? ’Cause it’s giving big Emelia vibes,” he says, voice low and sharp.
“You moved, what, three hours away for her? And we all know how that ended. Now you’re talking about relocating to a whole other country ?
You really think that’s gonna go any better? ”
Just hearing her name makes my jaw clench and sends my blood pressure spiking.
The fact that he’s even comparing the two situations when he doesn’t know jack shit about what actually went down? That’s what really sets me off. He wasn’t there for half of it. James and Gareth were. They saw it firsthand. He didn’t.
Before I can fire back, Gareth holds up a hand. “Hey, man—”
“I get it, Case,” I say, cutting in, my voice calm but tight. I flash him a smile I know will piss him off. “Really. I understand the concern. But this? This isn’t the same.”
Casey barks out a laugh. “How is this any different?”
“Because I know it is,” I shoot back, louder now. My chest is tight, fists curled at my sides. “I can’t just walk away from this.”
“You kept saying how you and Emelia rushed into things,” Casey says, throwing a hand out like he’s tossing the words in my face. “But look at you now. Mate, you got your dick wet once, and you’re ready to move across the entire globe,” he sneers.
“Hey,” James mutters, teeth clenched. “Enough.”
Casey scoffs again. “No, this is ridiculous ,” he says with another laugh. “But I’ll tell you what. Since she was easy enough to give it up to you so quickly, maybe she can change my mind too,” he sneers.
I don’t think. I don’t see anything except red .
My body launches off the seat so fast it’s a blur before I’m suddenly in front of Casey and I cock my fist back, then drive it straight into his nose—feeling the bones crack beneath my knuckles.
His hands fly to cover his face, blood already dripping. “Are you fucking kidding me, Jax?” he shouts.
Suddenly, James and Gareth are on their feet, scrambling toward us but still keeping a safe distance, like they don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.
“Alright, how about we all just calm down and talk this out?” James pleads, his hands outstretched, trying to play mediator.
Casey pulls his hands away from his nose, his eyes locked on the blood that’s pooling in his palms. He’s breathing heavily, and I can see the shift in his eyes.
He slowly turns to look at me, his face twisted in fury. Without warning, he lunges.
In an instant, we’re crashing through the coffee table, the glass splintering beneath us.
Pain shoots through my back as the shards nip into my skin, but before I can process it, Casey’s arm swings back and his fist connects with my jaw.
The impact jolts through my entire face, and my vision blurs as a hot wave of pain spreads.
“What the fuck is going on?” Don’s voice booms through the room as the door slams behind him.
Before I can even process it, Gareth grabs Casey by both arms and throws him forcefully back onto the sofa. James is at my side in an instant, carefully pulling me away from the shattered glass.
And Don?
Don is fucking pissed .
“Get your shit and get the fuck out,” Gareth barks, pointing toward the door.
Casey sneers, wiping blood from his face. “Gladly,” he spits. “You guys are never gonna make it. Not with Jax constantly moving to chase tail.”
The second Casey disappears into the room he was using, my feet are already moving, instinctively guiding me toward the door. But before I can get far, a hand wraps around my arm, pulling me to a stop.
“Hey,” Don says, his voice softer than usual.
I yank my arm free and turn to face him. “You guys figure out what you want to do,” I snap before slipping out and slamming the door behind me.
Blood trickles down my upper lip, and I swipe it away with the sleeve of my leather jacket. My whole body shakes with the leftover adrenaline, and I stomp toward the lift.
My mind’s racing, and I jam my finger repeatedly into the call button. I had no idea what to expect out of this conversation, but I sure as shit didn’t think it was gonna end in that bullshit.
To sit there and compare it to Emelia? He might as well have kicked me in the balls.
Reaching into my pocket to text Allie and let her know I’m on my way, I pull out my phone, and of course, the screen’s got a spiderweb crack splintering along the rim, and the battery looks like it’s about to slip right out.
Perfect. Just fucking perfect.