Page 9 of Fighting for His Life

“You know the rules. You don’t date your best friend, your best friend’s sister, your best friend’s ex, or your brother’s ex. The rules of common decency.”

“Those are the rules of common stupidity. Sisters and exes are not off-limits as long as there’s no sneaking around. If you’d chosen to sneak around with Zoey, I would’ve been pissed. The only chicks off-limits are the ones already taken.” I look at him in amazement because, every once in a while, his logic and level headedness astound me. “So, I ask one more damn time, and then I’m done. No more asking or bring it up. What are you going to do about it? Go after the girl or keep being a fucking goddamned pussy.”

“Fuck, man. I can’t be a pussy. Guess I’m going after the girl.”

Zoey

Sometimes I’m really thankful for the quiet. Those moments when no one is talking to you or waiting for you to say something. When you can be alone with your thoughts. Maybe even consider the meaning of the universe and all.

That was definitely not happening inside the house, on the patio, or near the pool. It was loud and crazy in there. Only getting crazier by the minute. Normally, I would enjoy spending time with everyone like that. Especially considering soon we’d all be going our separate way, starting the latest chapter in our lives.

I didn’t know where Jax had gone off to. Once Maddox was gone, we made our way back to the party. Or, at least, Zane and I did. Jax disappeared pretty quickly.

I wasn’t surprised. I knew he’d need time to really cool off. When he got worked up like that, he couldn’t handle much human interaction. He would get set off again too quickly with the slightest thing. I was always so impressed that he recognized that about himself and for the most part had a lot of control over his temper. But he had triggers just like anyone else.

Apparently, Maddox was a big one I didn’t see coming for some damn reason.

After a about an hour inside, my head was throbbing from the constant boom of the music and from the events that had taken place earlier. Zane vanished in search of Jax. I let him go alone. Jax needed him right now. Not me. I’d probably make it worse since I was technically the cause of the whole incident.

I needed to find my quiet. I found myself walking out onto the pier that was part of Cameron’s property. Looking out over the lake, feeling its calm soothed my frayed nerves. I don’t try to figure anything out. I just let the peacefulness of the moon’s glow cast over the lake wash over me.

I push out what Maddox said before he walked away. I don’t want to think too hard about it. I let everything Jax said to me fall away. It will only make my head hurt more.

I lean over the railing and enjoy the view in front of me away from the chaos.

That is what I try to do anyway. Try and fail miserably because everything that happened from the moment Maddox appeared at the party asking me to talk to Jax sending him sailing over the porch rails to Maddox walking away with strange parting words to Jax keep replaying in my mind. “It was stupid to come out here alone,” I mutter because I needed someone to talk to about all of this.

“Then why did you?” I deep raspy voice asks from behind me.

I yelp in surprise. Turning around, I find Jax leaned against the side railing with his arms crossed over his chest. The look in his eyes is indistinguishable and unnerving.

“You spying on me?” I ask half serious, half joking.

“I’d never spy on you,” he replies with a slight hint of worry. “I was just looking for you.”

I knew it wouldn’t take long for him or Zane to miss me. They never seem to let me get far. I often wonder if they take their self-appointed roles as my bodyguards too seriously. For some reason, at this moment, it’s really annoying. “You found me,” I snap.

Still leaning against the railing, I notice how tense he appears. I take in his long muscular frame - like I always do without being too obvious – seeing the stiffness in his shoulders and arms. The muscles in his neck and arms seems strained and stretched tight. He may be leaning against the railing, but his stance is rigid and wide. Not relaxed at all.

“Why did you come out here?” he asks in a stressed, worried tone. “Are you upset with me?”

I exhale loudly. Was I upset with him? That answer wasn’t a simple one because I was upset with him for keeping a secret from me. I just knew I didn’t have a right to be. I’d been keeping a secret from everyone for months now about Waterford. It’s not the same thing though.

Instead I choose to answer the easier question. “I thought I could come out here away from the chaos for some quiet.”

He drags his hands through his black hair. It looked like he’d done that a lot tonight. It was always a clear sign of stress and frustration for him. “Do you want me to leave?” he asks sadly.

I turn back to face the water. I watch its stillness from the lack of a breeze. With the moonlight reflecting across it, it almost appears as smooth as glass. Obsidian. Then a ripple appears breaking its spell.

“Don’t go,” I say when I hear him turn to walk off.

“Zoey, I don’t have to stay if you don’t want me here. I get it.” The defeat in his voice breaks my heart. He is truly worried that I’m angry at him. Maybe I should be, but I can’t stay that way. Not with Jax.

“I want you to stay, Jax,” I say before gesturing to the space beside me.

We stand there completely silent for a while. It probably should be an awkward silence considering everything that happen just a couple of hours ago, but it’s not. Nothing with Jax is ever awkward.

“I’m sorry, Angel,” he says softly. Every time he calls me that my heart zings. He’s called me that since I was fourteen. I know he doesn’t mean it the way I want. My heart just never seems to get the damned message.

---