Page 139 of Succumbed

“Well, Jax, I do believe you’ve met my brother.”

“Once or twice,” he quips.

There’s some truth to the statement, and it makes me angry at Nate all over again.

“Have you ever met Reginald?”

“Can’t say I’ve had the misfortune.”

I laugh. “Good. Probably best to keep it that way.”

Jax looks down, and I curse internally.

“I’m sorry, Jax, I shouldn’t be so flippant. The way he ignores your existence is abhorrent and not something to joke about.”

He grins lazily. “Aw, Lexi, you’re sweet. I’m okay, promise. After what little I’ve heard from you and Mom, pretty sure I’m better off never meeting dear ol’ Grandpa. Did you see him in Paris?”

I grimace. “Unfortunately.”

He sighs. “I’ll never understand these people, will I?”

Huffing, I look up at the kitchen cabinets, my gaze unfocused. “I grew up with them for seventeen years and I still don’t understand them, Jax, so…no. Though I’m certain that’s not a bad thing. All they’ve given me is emotional trauma and thousands of dollars in therapy bills.”

He chuckles before his gaze goes pensive. “So you left home right around…”

Setting my pizza down, I grab a paper towel and wipe my hands, then squeeze his shoulder.

“Just before Nate found out about you. If I’d been there when it all happened…” I trail off, sighing. “Well, there’s no sense in postulating what might have been, but I’m sorry I wasn’t there to try and make it better.”

“Thanks, Lexi.” He leans into my side briefly, then goes back to his pizza. “Though, if what I’ve heard is true, I guess I should be glad Grandpa paid Mom off.”

I gasp, then cough, nearly choking on my pizza. “He did what?” I croak.

Jax reaches over and thumps my back. “Damn it, sorry. Thought you knew. Mom didn’t make it a secret.”

“I’ve never met your mother, Jax.”

“That’s a shame, too. She’s a peach.”

He smiles as I compose myself, taking a long pull of wine to wash everything down.

“Anyway, when she went to Dad to share the big news, she ran into Grandpa first. He scared her pretty good, made some threats, then offered her a million bucks to move to the west coast and never contact the family again.”

I stare, my lips parted, then blow out a harsh breath. That asshole. “Fuck, Jax. I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

“What was Dad’s story?”

“He said your mom wanted to move to LA and he couldn’t do anything about it, that Reginald kept him from seeing you until he moved out here.”

“Grandpa’s a wily one, eh? Spinning stories to get what he wants.”

I huff, downing more wine. “That’s an understatement.”

Jax eyes me as he takes a drink. “Why are you in your head about family tonight, Lexi?”

He may be nearly two decades younger than me, but Jax is wise beyond his years. His casual surfer dude persona puts those around him at ease, and he seems to genuinely care about people.

“You’ve probably gathered or guessed the gist of it.” I give him a gentle smirk.

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