Chapter 15
Savannah
The booth felt smaller than it had an hour ago, though the reason behind that might just have been the walking red flag sitting beside me.
Walking temptation is more like it.
It was two in the morning, and I was packed into the corner beside Jaxon, leather warm beneath my legs, his arm draped casually along the back of the booth behind me. Nerissa and Benji sat across from us, our laughter rising and falling with the music.
“So does that always happen with Jesse?” I asked.
Nerissa took a long sip of her Corona while Benji sighed.
“Mercedes can be… difficult sometimes.”
Jaxon scoffed. “That's putting it lightly. Every time he brings her, they end up fighting over stupid shit.”
Across the club, Jesse and Mercedes were locked in a heated argument. She was shouting at him, fury tightening in her face and her arms moving animatedly. His jaw clenched. Five minutes later, they were gone—storming past the booth without so much as a glance.
“He has his reasons,” Benji muttered, watching them disappear as well.
My eye caught Ari on the dance floor with the two women, one on either side of him like bookends, as they enjoyed a little chaos of their own.
“And that's normal, too?” I laughed, pointing to Ari.
“Pretty much.”
“Unfortunately.”
“Yep.”
Shaking my head, I reached for one of the shots on the table, accidentally brushing my leg to Jaxon's as I leaned back.
Key word: accidentally. Something he clearly didn't understand when he brushed his knuckles against my shoulder.
It was a light, absent touch that sent a sharp pulse straight through me.
I stilled, fingers tightening around the glass.
“The races are heating up again,” Jaxon said casually, lifting his beer to his mouth. “Wolfe texted earlier. Says there’s one next week.”
“Really?”
Jaxon hummed, looking at Nerissa. “Yeah, he asked if we wanted in. Or at least to watch.”
“I'd be down.”
Benji rolled his eyes at Nerissa's immediate response. “I'll never understand why you like those races. I don't see the appeal.”
“That's because you're off on your private jet doing rich Asian things,” she teased.
“It's just some fun, bro.” Jaxon shrugged, chuckling. His fingers slid along the base of my neck and my breath hitched. His mouth curved as he pressed a thumb to my pulse. He felt it. Of course he did. “Fun and adrenaline.”
Benji snorted. “Until the cops show up and everyone scatters like rats.”
“Adds to the thrill,” Jaxon said lazily.
It was hard to focus on anything with his fingers. They drifted downward, tracing the subtle dip between my shoulder blades. My skin buzzed with anticipation, and I brought the shot glass to my lips. It was a poor attempt to quench the heat curling low in my stomach.
Focus.
Follow the conversation.
Be normal. Be calm.
“—and he just wouldn't go with me.” Nerissa turned to me. “Did you wanna come with us?”
“Uh…” I swallowed, pulse thudding loud in my ears, and blinked twice. “Sure.”
What did I just agree to?
I turned sharply, narrowing my eyes at Jaxon who had the nerve to stare back at me with pure innocence.
“Problem, trouble?”
“Stop doing that,” I hissed.
“Doing what?” he asked mildly.
“You know exactly what you’re doing.”
His lips twitched. Leaning in, close enough for the tip of his nose to brush against mine.
Those golden eyes pinned mine as his free hand moved and came to rest on my thigh.
“Oh, I'm sorry. Am I distracting you?” he murmured.
I huffed, refusing to answer—to give in to him and whatever this was.
But God, he was a constant distraction. A lingering thought of our kiss earlier came to mind.
My eyes betrayed me by flicking to his mouth for half a second—just a second—but from the way his gaze lit up, dark and satisfied, he noticed.
“We're still here, guys!”
I snapped my head up. Nerissa and Benji were both watching us now, identical, knowing smiles plastered on their faces.
“Your relationship must be going well from all the… moments I've seen you share tonight,” Nerissa said, dragging out the word.
Benji tilted his head at Nerissa.
“Can we not enjoy an evening together?” Jaxon drawled.
“Not like that, you can't.” Nerissa smirked, pointing at where Jaxon still had his hand on my thigh.
I brushed his hand away and sat forward, earning me an eye roll.
“They're getting quite… attached,” Benji added.
Nerissa looked his way with the same quizzical look he gave her before. “Wait a second…”
“Wait…” he said slowly. “Do you know something?”
“I don't know.” Nerissa reared back, staring at him. “Do you know something?”
They stared at each other.
Recognition dawned and they both gaped. “You know!”
Benji looked directly at Jaxon. “When did you tell Nerissa? You do understand that the point of fake dating is so that no one knows, right?”
“Don't blame me. These two had a girl bonding moment, and apparently, it came out.”
I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them and pointed between the two of them. “Yes, and you're the only ones who know. You say a word to anyone else, and I will personally destroy you.”
Benji laughed, lifting his water. “Relax, I won't say anything. And as sorry as I was about leaving, I'm almost relieved that I didn't take the deal. I couldn’t sell this half as well as you two are.”
My stomach dipped.
“It looks like you actually want each other,” he added.
Nerissa tsked and shook her head, tapping his forearm as if she was consoling him. “Oh, you poor, clueless soul. You have so much to learn.”
Before Benji could say anything else, Ari stumbled back to the booth, cheeks flushed, grin wide, arms still hooked around the two giggling women.
“Alright,” he slurred happily, “Which one of you lucky bastards”—hiccup—“is gonna get laid twice tonight? Oh wait, that's me.” One of the women in his arms giggled and he squinted around.
“Hey, where’s Jesse?”
“Left with Mercedes,” Benji replied.
“And he didn't say goodbye? Dick.” Ari grabbed a shot off the table, downed it without hesitation, and slapped the surface. “I need bed. Yes, bed is good.”
“Uh-huh,” Jaxon agreed as he stood, slapping Ari hard on the shoulder.
“Ah! Man, what the fuck? I”—hiccup—“didn't even flirt with your girl yet.”
Jaxon rolled his eyes, then his attention was mine again. He extended a hand to me, an offering to stand—and maybe an offering for something else with the dark tint of his eyes. I should’ve wanted to stay away from him, but my body craved the opposite.
Wanting the bad boy will be the death of me.
Against my better judgement, I took it and shimmied out the booth to stand with him. He laced our fingers together then wrapped both our arms behind my back, tugging me closer.
“I knew you'd warm up to me, trouble.”
His breath was on my lips and if I leaned in close enough, they'd connect. My free hand rested on his broad shoulder, gaze bouncing between his eyes and his lips.
God, kissing him again would be a mistake.
“Must be something in the air.”
Chuckling, he pulled back and led us behind Benji and Nerissa. Benji had the job of keeping Ari upward and heading in the right direction. When we got outside, the night air felt like a cool, gentle kiss on my skin.
Ari staggered ahead, spinning in a slow circle with both girls on his arm.
“Hey, where’s my car?” he yelled. “I know it's here somewhere…”
“I have your car, you dickhead,” Jaxon called back.
Benji just shook his head, shepherding Ari and the two women toward his car with practiced patience. Nerissa followed, laughing at Ari's drunken slurs. She opened the front door next then turned to Jaxon and I.
“See you at the house.” She winked.
And just like that, it was only Jaxon and me.
Alone.
The drive back was stiflingly silent. No music. No conversation. Just the hum of the engine and the awareness of him beside me. I forced myself to stare at the road ahead, but every move he made was impossible to ignore.
Every time the car stopped, I felt it. Every breath, every shift of his hand on the steering wheel. All of it played into the desire coursing through my veins. Damn Nerissa for putting that thought in my head.
I can't want Jaxon Cage.
The mantra sang in my head all drive long. By the time we pulled into the sandy drive, I was holding onto my restraint as if it were a lifeline and I was stranded at sea.
Once the car stopped, I was out.
Cool night air filled my lungs as I exhaled sharply, walking straight toward Benji’s car. I didn’t look back, not even when I heard Jaxon's door open and shut. I was too busy watching Benji haul Ari out, one girl laughing too loud, the other barely standing.
“You good?” Nerissa asked, eyes sharp, knowing.
“I'm great. Fantastic.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Your sarcasm isn't appreciated.”
“Neither is the sexual tension between you two.” She laughed when I threw a frosty glare her way before we both walked up the stairs.
I helped Benji with the door and he threw me a grateful smile. Then we watched as he logged Ari to the bedroom. Jaxon's gaze heated my neck, but I made a point to not look at him.
Seconds later, the door down the hall slammed shut.
“You'd think being blind drunk would make him pass out.” Benji shook his head. “They went straight to it the minute I put him on the bed.”
“Yep, that's Ariyo for you,” Jaxon said from behind me.
My spine straightened at the proximity of his voice, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
“He could at least wait till I close the door,” Benji responded, then yawned. “I'm calling it. See you in the morning.”
“Me too,” Nerissa added, walking down the hall after Benji, her hand on her own door.
“Sweet dreams, you two.”
The wink she threw my way was less conspicuous than a flashing neon sign on a starless night.