Chapter 7
SEVEN
JAX
The low hum of conversation and the occasional clatter of pool balls fill Perdition as I lean back in my chair, sipping on my beer. Rev and Blade are arguing over whether it’s the cue stick or Rev’s bad aim that’s ruining his game, but my attention is somewhere else.
I keep glancing at the door, waiting. I don’t know what I was expecting when I invited Bella and her sisters. Maybe I thought she’d shrug me off and call it a night after bowling. But when the door swings open and I see her walk in, surrounded by her sisters, it’s like the air gets knocked clean out of my chest.
She’s stunning. Casual, laid-back, but still turning heads as she steps inside. Her hair catches the dim light, and she’s got that same warm energy I noticed the first time we met. The kind that draws you in before you realize what’s happening.
Her sisters flank her, talking animatedly as they scan the room. It’s obvious they’re looking for someone. Me.
I push up from my chair, setting my beer down. “Be right back,” I tell Rev and Blade, who barely notice as they keep bickering.
Crossing the room, I weave through the tables and chairs until I’m standing in front of them. Bella spots me first, her eyes lighting up with recognition.
“Jax,” she says, her lips curving into a smile that hits me harder than it should.
“Bella,” I reply, nodding. Then I glance at her sisters, taking them in. The older one has a sharpness in her eyes, protective but curious, and the younger one’s already grinning like she knows something I don’t.
“You must be her sisters,” I say, offering a smile. “I’m Jax.”
Brooke steps forward, crossing her arms. “And you’re the guy who invited us to a bar. Bold move.”
“It’s a good bar,” I reply evenly, meeting her gaze. “Figured you’d want to see it for yourselves.”
Brianna pipes up, her grin widening. “Oh, we wanted to see more than the bar. We wanted to meet you.”
“Brianna,” Bella hisses, nudging her.
“What?” Brianna says, feigning innocence.
I laugh, shaking my head. “Well, now you’ve met me. Come on, I’ll show you where we’re sitting.”
Turning, I lead them toward the back corner where Rev and Blade are still going at it. Rev’s lining up a shot, muttering something under his breath, while Blade watches like he’s waiting for him to screw it up.
“Guys,” I call out as we approach. Both of them glance up, and Blade’s face breaks into a grin when he sees the three women trailing behind me.
“Well, well,” Blade says, setting down his beer. “Didn’t know you were bringing company, Jax.”
Rev straightens, giving a nod of acknowledgment. “Ladies.”
I ignore the smirk on Blade’s face as I grab a couple of chairs from a nearby table and gesture for Bella and her sisters to sit. “You want a drink?” I ask, looking at Bella.
“Sure,” she says, then glances at her sisters.
“Beers all around,” Brooke says, leaning back in her chair like she owns the place.
I nod, heading toward the bar. As I grab the beers, I catch myself glancing back at them. Bella’s laughing at something Brianna said, her smile bright enough to light up the dim room.
Carrying the drinks back, I set them on the table and take my seat, the easy rhythm of the club and the noise around us fading into the background.
A half hour later, I’m leaning against the edge of the pool table, chalking my cue. Rev lines up a shot, squinting dramatically like he’s trying to calculate some kind of rocket trajectory. Blade’s cracking jokes, as usual, and the sisters—well, they’re already running their mouths about how they’re going to wipe the floor with us.
“You boys sure you’re ready for this?” Brooke teases, spinning a cue stick in her hand like she’s in a trick-shot competition.
“We’ve been ready,” Blade fires back, grinning. “Question is, can you handle losing gracefully?”
“Oh, we don’t lose,” Brianna pipes up, winking as she leans over the table for a practice shot. “You might want to take a picture when this is over—it’ll be the last time you see us let you win.”
Bella, quieter than her sisters but with a sly smile, steps up beside me. “They talk big, don’t they?”
I smirk. “They’ve got to. It’s their only chance to psych us out.”
“Game on, boys!” Brooke announces, pointing her cue stick at me. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
The game starts, and it’s chaos from the first break. Rev, who claims to be a “precision shooter,” somehow scratches on his first shot, earning him a round of groans from Blade and me.
“Really, Rev?” I say, shaking my head. “You practicing for a trick shot or trying to lose on purpose?”
“Shut up, Jax,” he grumbles, brushing chalk onto his cue. “Just warming up.”
“Yeah, well, warm up faster,” Blade says, laughing. “We’re not losing to the Pin Sisters.”
“Don’t hate the name!” Brooke fires back, her eyes gleaming as she lines up a perfect shot. The solid ball rolls smoothly into the corner pocket.
“Damn,” Blade mutters. “I didn’t think she’d actually make that.”
“Oh, you’re in trouble now,” Brianna says, her turn up next. She circles the table, her gaze like a hawk. “What’s that sound? Oh yeah, it’s the sweet sound of victory.”
The sisters are good—better than I gave them credit for. Brooke sinks another shot, then Brianna gets two in a row, sending Blade into a spiral of fake excuses.
“That table’s slanted,” he says, gesturing dramatically.
“It’s regulation,” Bella points out, laughing.
“Yeah, regulation for cheaters,” Blade grumbles, though he’s smiling.
By the time Bella takes her turn, the room’s filled with the kind of easy laughter that makes it hard to care who’s winning. She leans over the table, her focus sharp, and taps the cue ball. It rolls cleanly, knocking one of their balls into the pocket.
“Nice shot,” I say, unable to keep the admiration out of my voice.
She looks up at me, a flicker of surprise in her eyes before she smiles. “Thanks. You might want to start taking notes.”
Blade lets out a loud laugh. “Oh, she’s got jokes!”
“Careful,” I say, stepping up to take my turn. “We don’t play nice when we’re cornered.”
“Oh, please,” Brooke says, rolling her eyes. “You’re already losing.”
“I’m about to turn this around,” I reply, leaning over the table. I line up a shot and sink two stripes in a row, drawing a low whistle from Brianna.
“Well, look at you,” Bella says, her voice teasing.
“Stick around,” I reply, grinning as I line up another shot.
The game stays neck-and-neck, every shot met with either groans or cheers. Brooke and Brianna are relentless, teasing Rev and Blade so hard that even Blade starts cracking under the pressure.
“Man, I’m trying!” he exclaims after missing an easy shot. “You guys are brutal.”
“We’re honest,” Brooke quips, tapping the table with her cue. “It’s not our fault you can’t keep up.”
“You’re ruthless,” Rev mutters, shaking his head as Brianna knocks another striped ball into the pocket.
“Damn right,” Brianna replies, blowing on her fingertips like she’s cooling them off.
By the time we’re down to the last ball, the energy around the table is electric. It’s Bella’s turn, and all eyes are on her as she lines up the shot. The eight ball is sitting just off-center, and I can tell she’s focused, her brows furrowed in concentration.
“You’ve got this,” Brooke says, clapping her on the back.
“No pressure,” Brianna adds with a wicked grin.
“Plenty of pressure,” Blade fires back. “Miss it. Miss it!”
Bella laughs, shaking her head as she leans down, her grip steady. She takes the shot, and the eight ball rolls smoothly into the pocket.
“Boom!” Brooke shouts, throwing her hands up in victory.
“We win!” Brianna adds, doing a little dance around the table.
Bella straightens, her cheeks flushed from laughing as she turns to me. “Told you we don’t lose.”
I grin, shaking my head. “I’ll admit, you’re better than I thought.”
“Better than you, you mean,” Brooke corrects, smirking.
“Don’t push it,” I say, though I can’t stop smiling.
As the sisters celebrate their win, Blade groans dramatically, leaning his forehead against the edge of the table.
“We just got hustled,” he mutters.
“By the Pin Sisters,” Rev adds, laughing as he walks to the bar to grab another beer.
I lean back, watching Bella laugh with her sisters, her whole face lit up with joy. We might’ve lost the game, but standing here with her, it doesn’t feel like losing at all.
The laughter around the pool table is still going strong when the music shifts to something faster, something with a beat that demands movement. Rev, who’s always been a sucker for a good dance floor moment, sets down his beer and turns to Brianna with a grin.
“Come on,” he says, holding out a hand. “Let’s see if you’ve got moves as good as your pool game.”
Brianna raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical, but then she laughs and takes his hand. “You better not embarrass me, Rev.”
“No promises,” he shoots back, already leading her toward the dance floor.
Blade isn’t far behind, nudging Brooke with his elbow. “Your turn. Let’s go.”
“Excuse me?” Brooke says, giving him a look.
“You’re not scared, are you?” Blade taunts, smirking.
“Scared?” Brooke scoffs, standing up and grabbing her drink. “Let’s see if you can keep up, big guy.”
They head off, leaving me alone at the table with Bella. She’s still smiling from all the banter, her cheeks flushed and her arms resting lightly on the table. For a moment, I just watch her, taking in the way she looks so at ease here, like she belongs, even though this place is nothing like where I imagine she usually spends her time.
“See?” I say, leaning back in my chair. “Told you it wasn’t that bad.”
She gives me a pointed look, her smile softening but still there. “Don’t think I didn’t see the topless girl giving the lap dances. Or the other one…” She pauses, raising an eyebrow. “Giving that guy a blowjob in the corner.”
I can’t help but smirk, leaning forward a little. “I guess I hoped you didn’t see that.”
Her smile widens slightly, teasing but not judgmental. “Does it bother you?”
I shrug, resting my forearms on the table. “Does it bother you?”
She tilts her head, her expression thoughtful. “I feel like it’s supposed to…”
I lean in closer, lowering my voice just enough to make the moment feel more intimate. “But? It doesn’t, does it?”
Her eyes meet mine, something quiet and curious in them. “It must be something to be that free,” she says softly, almost to herself.
I study her for a second, the noise and movement around us fading into the background. There’s something in the way she says it—not envy, exactly, but wonder. Like she’s trying to picture herself in their shoes and doesn’t quite know how it would feel.
“It’s not always what it looks like,” I say, my tone even. “Freedom’s not just about what you can do. It’s about whether you’re okay with it after.”
She nods slowly, like she’s mulling that over. “Makes sense.”
“Does it?” I ask, tilting my head. “Or are you just saying that to humor me?”
Her smile turns into a small laugh, shaking her head. “No, it does. I just… don’t think I’m wired that way. Not completely.”
I lean back, giving her a grin. “Nothing wrong with that. Not everyone’s meant to throw their shirts off and dance on a table.”
“Thank God,” she quips, her smile lighting up her whole face.
The sound of Brooke laughing loudly draws her attention for a second, and we both glance toward the dance floor, where she and Blade are now locked in what looks like a heated competition to outdo each other.
“Your sister’s holding her own,” I say, chuckling.
“She always does,” Bella replies, shaking her head fondly. “She’s relentless.”
The music shifts again, and the noise in the bar seems to pick up, but at this table, with her, it’s like the world’s slowed down just enough to make me forget everything else.
Maybe that’s why I don’t want this moment to end.
The music slows down, the wild energy of the bar easing into something softer. I glance over at Bella, watching as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes following her sisters on the dance floor. She looks like she’s debating whether to stay or melt into the shadows again, content to watch.
I hold out my hand, palm up, catching her attention. “Let’s start small.”
She looks at me, her brow furrowing slightly. “What?”
“Dance with me,” I say, my voice low and steady.
She hesitates, her gaze flicking to my hand before meeting my eyes again. For a moment, I think she might say no. Then, slowly, she places her hand in mine, her fingers fitting against mine like they were made for it.
“Okay,” she says softly, her voice barely audible over the hum of the room.
I stand, pulling her gently toward the small space just off to the side of the table where there’s enough room to move without feeling like everyone is watching. As I draw her close, my arm wraps around her waist, steadying her. Her hands rests lightly on my shoulder, and the warmth of her touch spreads through me like fire.
Having her in my arms feels different than I expected—better. It’s something I’ve been thinking about since she wrapped her arms around me on the back of my bike, trusting me to get her home safe. And now, here she is, trusting me again.
“Don’t worry,” I murmur, looking down at her. “I’ve got you.”
Her lips twitch into a small smile, her fingers tightening slightly on my shoulder. “I’m not worried.”
But I can feel the tension in her, the way she holds herself like she’s waiting to make sure she won’t trip or look awkward. I adjust my grip, pulling her just a little closer, and start moving us slowly in time with the music.
“You’re doing fine,” I tell her, my voice soft but firm.
She glances up at me, her cheeks tinged pink. “I feel like I’m going to step on your toes.”
I grin. “If you do, I’ll survive. Promise.”
She laughs quietly, her shoulders relaxing as she leans into the rhythm.
The room around us seems to blur, the noise fading into the background as we move together. I can feel the curve of her body against mine, the soft brush of her sweater against my skin, and it takes everything in me to stay focused on dancing and not let my thoughts wander.
“You’ve got this,” I say after a moment, meeting her gaze.
Her smile widens, more confident now. “You’re a good teacher.”
“I don’t know about that,” I reply, smirking. “You make it easy.”
Her laugh is soft, almost shy, and it hits me harder than I expect.
As the song draws to a close, I can’t help but hold her just a little tighter, savoring the moment. She trusted me not to let her fall, and I didn’t.
And somewhere deep down, I know I’d never let her fall—not now, not ever.