Chapter 11
SAYLOR
She didn’t like to think about how she and Leon connected. Not because it was some shocking story, but because now she wondered what warning signs she missed. Still, she was willing to tell Jax what he wanted to know if it helped them all figure out how to get this bastard, and whoever else was after her, off her ass.
“I met him by accident,” she recounted. “I was walking down the street toward a coffee shop. I was tired of working in my apartment and needed to get out, so I headed there. He happened to be coming out, and we bumped into each other. He spilled his coffee, and I apologized. It’s almost too cliche,” she cringed.
“And you’d never seen or met him before that?” Jax asked curiously.
She shook her head. “Nope. I don’t go out to bars often, and most of my work I do at home. So other than when I go to the gym or the grocery store, I’m not really out and about. And he’s good looking, so I would have noticed if I ran into him before that.”
Jax nodded. “Alright, so we can probably rule out that he was targeting you. How did you go from bumping into him to dating him?”
“I offered to get him a new coffee, and he took me up on it. We chatted a bit, and he was actually pretty charming. He apologized for cursing at me, saying he was surprised, and since I probably did the same, I accepted. Anyway, he asked me out, and I was feeling lonely so I said yes. I hadn’t been on a date or in a relationship with anyone in over a year, so I think I just wanted to have some kind of connection. I probably would have said yes to pretty much anyone.” She didn’t bother keeping the self-condemning tone from her voice.
“Babe, don’t beat yourself up,” Jax warned her. “Now, did you go out right away or wait a few days?”
“We went out that night for dinner,” she recalled after a moment’s thought. “We went to a fancy restaurant downtown. Not my kind of scene, but I figured he was trying to impress me. That was when he told me that he was a banker. When I asked him which bank, he told me one that wasn’t far down the road, so I didn’t question it.” She frowned. “But whenever I asked him anything bank related afterwards, he would sidestep the questions or give me bullshit generic answers. He said that he didn’t handle those kinds of things, and was more in charge of large accounts. I don’t know enough about banking to really think that’s wrong, but now thinking about it, wouldn’t you have to work your way up to that? You’d have to go through all the other stuff before you’re promoted to that level.”
Jax shrugged. “I wouldn’t know either, but that makes sense. Either way, it’s not your fault he was being a shady prick. How often did you see each other?”
“Not as often as you would think. I should have known something was up when he kept postponing or cancelling our dates. He kept telling me he had an important client that needed his help figuring out some accounts or something, and I didn’t know enough to question him. I would have suspected that he was cheating, but I think I was just happy to have someone to pay attention to me. Fuck, that’s so fucking pathetic,” she groaned. “I have more self-respect than that. The first time he was shady I should have cut off all contact.”
Jax didn’t say anything for a moment, and then got up from his recliner and moved around to sit on the couch with her. Before she could protest, he was lifting her onto his lap and settling back against the arm of the couch. “Stop beating yourself up over it,” he ordered calmly, but firmly. She stiffened at that, narrowing her eyes at him. “No, don’t get all pissy,” he continued. “Look, you made a mistake, and the more you hate yourself for it, the more you continue to give him power over you. I’ve seen all my brothers’ Old Ladies battle their own demons, or blame themselves in some way, and they had to learn that same hard lesson. You keep doing that shit, and you’ll never move on. I’m not asking these questions to make you doubt yourself, either. Every little detail you remember could be helpful in figuring out how to catch this bastard. But with the unknown third man, we’re taking no chances. So, all of this is a necessary evil, but I’m not judging you. None of us are. No one thinks you’re weak or some kind of damsel looking for help to get out of distress.”
She regarded him quietly. She knew he was right, but it wasn’t easy to accept that at face value. To let the guilt and the anger toward herself go. Hell, if she noticed all this shit before now, she wouldn’t be on the run, and she wouldn’t have to worry about Mater or the gym being caught in the crossfire, even though she knew that Frank and Leon wouldn’t dare touch them. It was well known back home that you didn’t mess with Mater. Mater had friends far and wide, and connections that could cause trouble, even for a man like Frank and his operation.
Still, she was allowed to be pissed, even if she knew she had to let it go.
“I’m working on it,” she finally told him. “But I’m still not happy about the situation and how all of this could have been avoided.”
“But then you wouldn’t have met me and experienced all this,” Jax pointed out with a charming grin and a wave of his hand toward himself.
She rolled her eyes. “I have the magic pussy, you don’t have the magic dick, big guy,” she reminded him drily. “It’s really nice, don’t get me wrong. Definitely one of the better ones, but something tells me you don’t need the ego boost.”
His grin widened. “If I’m not the best, then that means we need to keep practicing until I am. Can’t have you telling anyone I don’t measure up, now can we?”
She shook her head, even as her lips twitched. Still, she knew better than to engage in this conversation too long. “Do you want to discuss your sexual prowess, or are we going to get back to the details you want to know about Leon?”
“My sexual prowess doesn’t need discussion, it needs demonstration,” he corrected. “But sure, we can get back to that after we’re done talking about the prick.”
She felt like she had whiplash. He went from serious, to joking, now to just plain goofy. Jax was seriously a different breed of man, and she couldn’t seem to bring herself to hate it. If anything, it only made him more endearing. A dangerous combination, because she already liked him more than she should. “Alright. What other things do you need to know?”
He sobered and looked at her thoughtfully. “When you did see each other, what kind of mood was he in?”
“He always seemed on edge,” she recalled. “He seemed distracted, and the last few times he wore a brace on his right hand. I asked him about it, and he said that he had an old injury that was flaring up. I took that at face value, but I noticed once what I thought was a bandage or wrapping under it but then when I looked again the next time I saw him, I didn’t see it. I figured I was imagining things.”
“Probably his way of making sure you didn’t see the cuts or bruises on his hands from his line of work,” Jax agreed with a nod. “And you mentioned he gambled? How often did that come up?”
“He only brought it up toward the end. He mentioned in passing about buying lottery tickets or something, but that’s a normal thing that almost everyone does. But then he made comments about heading to the casino one night after he was done with work. I said it was a waste of time and money, but he ignored me. Since that was over text, I didn’t see his actual reaction. But then I noticed little things, about how he said he made money, or he was going to the track with some of his work colleagues. I don’t gamble, other than the occasional scratch ticket, but he was mentioning it more than I thought was normal. I made a point to say I didn’t gamble, and he told me I was missing out. I let it drop until that last night, but I think he knew I didn’t like it or approve of the amount of money he was spending. Honestly, it worried me that a bank manager would be wasting that kind of money, knowing the risks. I mean, if he was a banker, he would see that shit every day, right?”
“One would think. You said it was the talk about the gambling that set him off that final night. Before that, had he shown any signs of a temper?” Jax asked.
She shrugged. “I mean, he used to get annoyed, but not enough to set off alarm bells. Or he would snap at me, and I usually told him I didn’t appreciate it. He’s always apologized, and blamed it on a stressful day or whatever. But he never got in my face, never tried to intimidate me, nothing like that. That’s why it was a shock when he attacked me. And also why he caught me off guard enough that I didn’t get to fight back.”
Jax pursed his lips. “Some people are good at hiding who they are. And in his line of work, if he is the guy that beats on the people that don’t pay back on time, or to send a message, he’s probably used to hiding his anger until it’s too late. He’d be good at hiding who he really is.”
“If I’m honest, before that night I knew it wasn’t going to work out. I thought about breaking it off, but decided against it since it hadn’t been very long. Maybe he sensed that. And honestly, I was careful about how I approached the whole gambling thing. I’ve seen the devastation that can happen with that kind of lifestyle, and I don’t want it for myself. I thought I had been less antagonistic about it, suggesting other ideas, but clearly that wasn’t enough. Anyway, it set him off and here we are.”
Jax said nothing, turning away slightly, and she could see his mind working. She watched him quietly, while at the same time realizing she was still sitting in his lap. Damn, the man was good to make her forget that. And now that she was aware, she noticed things. She could feel his hand on the outside of her left thigh, rubbing soothingly every so often. Instead of making him stop or moving off his lap, she stayed right where she was, and she knew instantly she was in trouble.
Before she could do anything, Jax turned back to face her, and those green eyes collided with hers. “Could be that your ex was getting himself in trouble with his money, or with Frank even, and you saying you were done was the last straw for him. Fucker needs to be put down for even thinking it was acceptable to put his hands on you.”
“I made him regret it when I punched him out,” she reminded him. “I know you’re big on the whole overprotective biker thing, Jax, but I can take care of myself. I won’t let what happened with Leon happen again. I’ve learned my lesson.”
“I don’t doubt it.” He reached out and cupped her chin and added, “Just don’t be throwing throat punches my way. I have uses for that. Can’t be depriving the world of all this wisdom.” His lips twisted into a smirk.
She scoffed. “If that’s what you want to call it, then I won’t dissuade you,” she drawled.
“Something tells me that if anyone can, it’s you and that sharp tongue of yours.” He lifted his thumb and ran it along her lower lip. “It’s amazing how such a pretty mouth can be so dangerous,” he murmured.
“Is that what you thought earlier when your dick was in my mouth?” she asked lightly, but her entire body heated as his eyes flashed with desire. “Because something tells me that my mouth wasn’t all that dangerous to you. Especially not when I was…Umph.” That was the end of her talking, because his mouth was over hers, and she realized maybe she wasn’t the only one with a dangerous mouth.
The things this man could do with his should be illegal.
Within seconds, any hesitation or argument washed away and the only thing she could focus on was the way he tasted; how he expertly claimed her mouth in a way she had never felt before. How could one kiss be so all consuming? How could one man render her senseless with just a kiss? If she was smart, she would push him away, but instead she pulled him closer, wanting more. Starving for more.
That’s probably why she ended up with her clothes strewn around the room, her legs up and bent so her heels were pressed back against the sofa cushions, and completely open and bare to him. He dove on her like a starving man. It was wanton, and it was exactly what she needed.
Still wet from their earlier escapade in his room, she cried out the moment his mouth met her clit, her body bucking into his expert tongue. God, the man had serious talent, and she was not going to survive if he kept this up. He knew exactly how much pressure and suction she needed, and here she was, already on the edge. Her orgasm rose swiftly, and she didn’t even try to hold it back. She craved it; she needed it.
“Fuck, Jax,” she cried, her hand coming up into his hair, even as she bucked and ground into his face. But he didn’t stop. No, he lifted his eyes to hers, his tongue moved down to her still quivering entrance and thrust inside. She could have sworn that he was grinning, pleased with himself.
The sensation was almost overwhelming, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to pull him closer or push him away. She started to lower her legs, but he immediately pulled away and she gasped at the loss. “Keep those where they are, baby,” he ordered her huskily. “Lower them again and I stop.” Well, we can’t have that, now can we? She returned her legs to where they were, and he rewarded her with a sexy grin before he got back to work, this time bringing his fingers up and thrusting them inside as his tongue resumed its ministrations on her clit.
Between his fingers and his tongue, she was coming again very quickly, her entire body detonated with the sensations that this man wrung out of her. “Jax,” she sobbed, her fingers clawing at his head and anything else to help keep her stable. It felt like she wasn’t able to right herself, her entire body drowning in pleasure. It was new, and it was frightening. The way this man knew how to play her body should have her running. Instead, she was reaching for more, desperate for all he could give her.
Finally, he pulled away, using the back of his hand to wipe the wetness from his face. His eyes were stormy with pure, unadulterated desire as he ground out, “I wanted to give you more, but I don’t think I’ll last. You taste too fucking good, and my cock is going to burst if I don’t get inside you.” He quickly helped position her the way he wanted, with her bracing on the arm of the couch, ass out and back for him. “Fuck, I love your ass,” he rasped as she heard him moving and taking off his clothes. “I just want to bite it.”
Before she could reply to that, he was behind her, and she felt his teeth sinking into her flesh. “Shit!” she screeched, shocked at the pain, but that pain quickly subsided into pleasure. When he repeated the action the other side, all she could do was grip the sofa and moan, “Jax. I need you inside me. Now.”
Thankfully, he didn’t make her wait. His hands moved to her hips, and she felt the cushion give as he knelt behind her and lined himself up. She let out a sharp cry as he thrust inside her, not giving her much time to adjust. She was okay with that, though. She didn’t want slow. She wanted hard and fast, and thankfully he did exactly that.
The sound of their bodies moving together filled the apartment, and her fingers curled into the arm of the sofa as she pressed back into each thrust, the angle made him hit all the right spots inside her just the way she needed. With two orgasms already having made her slick and sensitive, she was hurtling toward another one. “Oh God,” she moaned as her entire body tensed and reached for it. “Jax. Fuck.”
“That’s it, baby,” he gasped out as he powered inside her. “Give it to me. I want to feel you squeeze my cock tight as you come.” He reached up and gripped her by the hair like he had done before, and they both groaned as she felt her muscles clench around him in reaction. “Fuck,” Jax hissed, and she felt him swell inside her, telling her how close he was. “You’re strangling my dick,” he rasped as he pulled her head back and leaned forward to say it in her ear, even as he pushed as deep as he possibly could. “Doesn’t it feel good, baby? My cock buried so deep inside you, making your sweet cunt so wet and needy for it.”
A keening cry fell from her lips at the dirty talk, but the final thing that sent her over the edge was him pulling her up against his chest as he powered into her, and then reaching around to rub at her clit. She detonated, and her scream filled the apartment, even as he grunted her name and pounded inside her as deep and hard as he could, his release consuming him.
After a long moment, they both slumped forward, her shaky hands bracing herself on the arm of the couch. Eventually, Jax slowly pulled out, drawing a low moan from her. She slowly turned so she could sit on the couch, and watched as Jax headed to the bathroom just down the short hallway. His ass flexed with each step, and even while sleepy and sated, she could appreciate the fine view.
She could also appreciate that she was in trouble, because this man was so much more than she bargained for.