Jax
The back seat of the SUV still smells like us.
Her body is soft and warm against mine, curled into my chest like she was made to fit there.
I keep one arm locked around her waist, my palm splayed over the curve of her hip, feeling the steady rise and fall of her breathing.
My cock is still half-hard inside her, our combined release slick between us, and every tiny shift of her hips sends another pulse of heat through my veins.
I must be fucking crazy.
The thought hammers in my skull as I stare out the fogged window at the dark pines swaying in the cold mountain wind.
What I’m planning is not just bending the rules.
It’s shattering them. Going rogue. It’s not like me.
I’ve never broken the rules before. One wrong move and I lose my badge, my freedom, maybe my life.
But with Ava pressed against me, her soft little sighs brushing my neck, none of that matters. She’s worth every risk.
“You okay, sweetheart?” I lean in and murmur against her hair, voice hushed in the quiet cab.
She tilts her face up, those blue eyes still hazy with pleasure, cheeks flushed pink even in the dim dashboard glow.
“More than okay. That was… wow. I think my brain just short-circuited in the best way possible.” A shy little smile curves her lips, and something fierce and protective surges in my chest.
I kiss her slowly and deeply, savoring the taste of her as I draw her back to me.
When I break the kiss, I rest my forehead against hers.
“I’m sure now, Ava. I love you. Not some fleeting thing.
Not just the heat between us. I love your random rambles about books, the way you light up when you talk about the library, how you face down cartel hitmen with that cute spark still shining.
I love you, and I’m not letting you go.”
Her breath catches, and she cups my jaw with her small hand. “I love you too, Jax. My big, growly, overprotective marshal. I’m terrified and excited and completely on board with whatever crazy plan you have.”
Hearing her say it settles something deep inside me.
The knot of tension in my gut loosens just enough.
She’s with me. We’re in this together. I feel lighter, stronger, like the devil himself just handed me the match.
I’d burn the world down to ash for her, reduce mountains and safe houses and every threat to nothing but smoke, all to keep Ava safe.
I ease us apart carefully, helping her back into her clothes while stealing touches that make her shiver. I pull her blouse closed as best I can over the missing buttons, my fingers lingering on her soft skin. She grabs a t-shirt from her bag and changes her top.
“Sorry,” I tell her, looking at the scrap of fabric I’ve ruined. “I’ll buy you a new one.”
She smiles. “It’s fine. You ripping my blouse open and the buttons flying was seriously a fantasy of mine.” She removes the blouse, grabbing a plain black tee from her bag. She slips it over her head.
We both head back to the front seats, and I start the engine.
“We’re going back the way we came,” I tell her, pulling a U-turn on the narrow shoulder.
Gravel crunches under the tires, and the headlights sweep across frost-covered pines that glitter like diamonds in the beams. “Back to the Alpha Pig. I need to make a call from somewhere with signal but not too exposed. Then the real fun begins.”
Ava buckles up and reaches over to rest her hand on my thigh, her touch warm through my jeans. “I trust you. Just tell me what I need to do.”
I cover her hand with mine, squeezing gently.
The road stretches ahead, winding down through the mountains.
The night’s deep and clear, stars sharp overhead between the towering trees.
Wind whistles past the SUV, rocking us slightly on the sharper turns.
I keep one eye on the rearview mirror out of habit, scanning for any lights that don’t belong. The cartel’s out there.
The drive back feels longer than it should. Every mile I put between us and that missed drop-off point buys us time, but it also ramps up the risk. My mind races through the plan I’ve been turning over since Mason’s call. It’s insane.
Crazy. But it has to work. For her. For us.
Ava’s fingers trace lazy circles on my thigh, grounding me. I glance over and catch her watching me with a mix of worry and trust. “You’re really doing this for me,” she says softly.
“For us,” I correct, my voice firm. “I meant what I said back there. You’re mine. I protect what’s mine. And I love you enough to rewrite the rules.”
The words hang heavy in the cab, mixing with the hum of the engine and the soft whoosh of tires on asphalt. My cock twitches at the memory of how she felt riding me, tight and wet and perfect, her little moans filling the SUV. I want her again already. But first I need to set this plan in motion.
Miles roll by. The mountain road narrows, pines closing in like silent guardians.
Frost sparkles on the shoulder where the headlights hit it.
An owl hoots somewhere in the darkness, its call cutting through the night.
Ava eventually dozes off again, her head against the seat, trusting me completely.
That trust fuels the fire in my veins. I love this woman.
Deep. Primal. The kind of love that turns a man into something unstoppable.
By the time the big wooden sign for the Alpha Pig BBQ comes into view again, the clock on the dash reads well past midnight.
The parking lot’s mostly empty now, just a couple of trucks left from the late crowd and the neon “Open Late” sign buzzing faintly above the door.
Smoke still curls from the big stone chimneys, carrying the rich aroma of hickory and slow-cooked meat on the cold breeze.
I pull around back, parking in the shadows near a line of dumpsters where the SUV blends with the night.
I kill the engine. The sudden silence is loud, broken only by the tick of cooling metal and the distant hoot of that owl again. Ava stirs beside me, blinking sleepily.
“We’re here,” I say, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “Stay in the SUV. Keep low. I’ll make the call and then we move.”
She nods, squeezing my hand. “Be careful.”
I step out into the cold. The night air hits like a slap, cutting through my jacket.
My boots crunch on the frozen slush as I walk a short distance away, keeping the SUV in sight.
My breath fogs in front of me. I pull out my burner phone, the one I grabbed from my go-bag earlier, and after a quick Google search, I dial the number for Mike Delaney.
The line rings twice before he picks up, voice groggy but alert. “Hello? Jesus, it’s late. You better have something good.”
“Mike. Ava Simpson’s ready to talk. Exclusive.
But on my terms.” My voice stays low, controlled, even as my heart pounds steady with purpose.
I pace slowly, boots leaving dark prints in the light frost. The smell of barbecue smoke wraps around me, reminding me of earlier when Ava moaned around that rib and looked at me like I hung the damn moon.
Delaney whistles low. “The library witness? What are we talking here?”
I lay it out for him. Every little detail. He eats it up, promising to run it big and loud.
By the time I end the call, my hands are numb from the cold but my mind is clear. The plan is rolling. Crazy as hell, but solid. I make one last call to my team to let them know what’s happening. I trust my brothers with my life, and with Ava’s too.
I head back to the SUV, the gravel crunching louder under my steps now. Ava’s face appears in the window, watching me with those wide, trusting eyes.
I climb back in, bringing the cold with me until the heater warms up again. I pull her close across the console, kissing her deep and slow, tasting love and heat and forever.
“I love you, Ava,” I growl against her mouth. “This is going to work. We’re going to build a life together where no one can touch you but me.”
She melts into the kiss, her little whimper vibrating through me.
Now we wait…