15. Jax
Chapter fifteen
Jax
J ax stood by the rushing river, his fingers numb as he splashed his face with cold water. His heart raced, thoughts consumed by the message he had seen on his phone earlier that morning. He had checked it secretly, to make sure that Mia wasn’t being chased. After an incredible night together, Jax was desperate to take Mia back to Chicago, to meet Savannah, and to start a new life wherever she wanted without having to be on the run.
But his eyes had nearly popped out of his head when he saw the message. It was from an old hacking partner of his, Viper. Jax and Viper hadn’t been in touch for years. Viper had turned out to making a ton of money doing nefarious things and he and Jax had parted company on bad terms around ten years ago. Since then, Viper had clearly somehow gotten caught up in the trafficking industry. And now he had returned like a snake in the shadows.
"Give her back," the message from Viper read. Jax's mind had reeled at the idea that his former hacking partner-turned-enemy was responsible for Mia's kidnapping.
"Damn it, Viper," Jax muttered under his breath, his hands shaking as he rinsed them in the frigid water. "What do you want with her?"
He tried to clear his head, focusing on the soothing sound of the flowing water and the cool breeze against his face. But the image of Viper's message haunted him, a constant reminder of the danger waiting for them.
It sucked that Mia had caught him looking at his phone this morning. He’d only just dealt with Viper’s message, and answered a concerned text from his brother Nash, when she’d looked over his shoulder and seen what he was up to.
He should have told her the truth. Everything. But he was trying to protect her.
Jax shivered, goosebumps forming on his skin as he hastily finished washing in the frigid river water. The cold was biting, but it was the gnawing guilt that truly spurred him to hurry. He couldn't bear leaving Mia alone any longer. As water droplets clung to his muscular frame, he made a decision.
"Time to come clean," he muttered to himself, pulling on his clothes with haste. "She deserves the truth. About all of it."
He jogged back to their makeshift campsite, his heart racing with a mixture of anxiety and determination. He was going to tell her everything—but not until they’d packed up and moved on. He didn’t want to panic Mia, but they were going to have to leave this place pretty fast. Now that he’d checked his phone, Viper would be able to pinpoint this exact spot. They needed to get out of here within the hour.
“Damn, that water’s cold!” he called out as he headed for the tent, hoping that alerting her to his presence would mean she wouldn’t be startled when he entered.
The tent's entrance loomed before him, its flimsy fabric concealing secrets that threatened to unravel their fragile bond. Taking a deep breath, Jax unzipped the entrance and stepped inside.
"Hey, babygirl, we need to talk—" His words caught in his throat as he took in the tense figure sitting before him.
Mia glared at him, green eyes blazing with anger and mistrust. In her hands, she gripped a can of pineapple like a weapon, ready to swing at a moment's notice.
"Uh, Mia?" Jax stammered, taken aback by her defensive stance. "What's going on?"
"Cut the crap, Jax," she snapped, her voice tight with fury. "You're hiding something from me, and I'm not gonna stand for it anymore."
Jax sighed, his shoulders slumping with resignation. He had known this moment was coming, but it didn't make it any easier.
"Alright," he said, his voice low and steady. "I'll tell you everything, but please put down the pineapple. You're making me nervous."
Mia's hand remained raised, her eyes still blazing.
He took a tentative step closer, hazel eyes locked on hers, pleading for understanding. "I wanted to protect you, Mia. There's so much you don't know, but I want to tell you everything."
"Why aren’t you taking me to Savannah, Jax? Have you kidnapped me? What are you planning to do to me?" Mia snapped back, her gaze narrowing suspiciously.
"Like I said, I’ll tell you everything. But first, we need to get somewhere even more remote, where nobody will ever find us. We're not safe here."
"More remote than this?" Mia looked around at the dense forest surrounding them, her skepticism evident. She shook her head, her resolve hardening. "No way, Jax. I'm tired of running and hiding. It's time for the truth."
"Damn it, Mia," Jax cursed under his breath, his frustration mounting. He knew she had every right to be angry, but they couldn't keep playing this cat-and-mouse game. People were after them, dangerous people. If only she could understand that. "Please, just trust me one more time. I swear, I'll tell you everything. Just let’s find somewhere safe first. Somewhere as remote as we possibly can."
"More remote?!" Mia's voice cracked with panic as she took a step back, her green eyes wide with terror. "You expect me to believe that?! You're just going to take me out there and kill me!"
"Babygirl, no, that's not what this is about," Jax pleaded, reaching out for her, desperate to reassure her. He could feel the fragile trust between them threatening to shatter at any moment. "I would never hurt you."
Mia shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "No, I can't . . . I won't let you murder me, Jax!" And with that, she turned and sprinted away from him, her bare feet pounding against the forest floor as she disappeared into the thick foliage.
"Shit!" Jax cursed, his mind racing with fear and frustration. He knew he had to find her before she got too far, before Viper or anyone else found her first. He quickly set off in pursuit.
As he ran through the dense underbrush, dodging branches and leaping over fallen logs, Jax couldn't help but berate himself for how things had spiraled so out of control. How could he make her understand that everything he was doing was to protect her, not harm her?
"Damn it, Mia, where are you?" he muttered, scanning the forest for any sign of her. His hazel eyes were sharp, searching for the flash of movement or color amidst the sea of green and brown. Time was running out, and Jax knew he couldn't afford to lose her now.
He had to find her. And fast.