Page 53 of Chaos

And throw myself back into the shadows of the slide.

I can’t stop the laughter that escapes as I fall away from him.

When my shoes hit the ground, I gather myself to run, but his powerful legs wrap around me from behind and we both tumble to the earth.

I get up before him and squeal as I run towards the shade of a pirate ship playhouse. The massive sails snap in the low breeze. They cover my gasp of surprise when I feel his hands surrounding my waist.

He picks me up, my feet dangling in the air, and sits me on a big concrete cannon so I straddle it.

Pushing his hips between my knees, his burning palm works to my throat and he tilts my face up to look at him.

“It seems I’ve found a pirate’s treasure.” His thumb traces my jaw as he stares at my lips.

Damn, I want him to kiss me.

A buzz interrupts us.

The hand on my neck stills as he pulls out his phone. His face darkens as he looks at the screen. “Fuck. I have to go.”

I cover his fingers with my palm. My pulse is so fast, I can feel it through his knuckle.

My teeth roll my lower lip between them. “Jax, I?—”

How do I tell him I don’t want him to go? That I like how much he wants me, but I worry it will change once he knows what I’m hiding.

“I like this game, sweetheart. Let’s see what happens when I catch you next time.” He flashes a mischievous grin before he takes off in a sprint.

A cool evening gust pushes my sweaty shirt against my skin, making me shiver.

“Just leave me here then, dickhead!” I call out after him.

What the hell just happened?

Doesn’t he know I was just about to give in?

Is there such a thing as a boxing emergency?

The more I think about it, the crankier I get as I stalk back to my car.

He left me panting and practically begging for more. Why did he just leave?

Maybe next time, I won’t let him catch me.

TWENTY-EIGHT

JAX

My fingers still ache, wanting to touch more of her.

But Nikolai’s text was urgent.

I should have kissed her. But I want the next time I claim her lips to not be a goodbye.

Mikhail’s office is packed when I get there.

Nikolai gives me a slight frown and points to the clock over his head.

Yeah, I know. Vegas streets are packed in the evenings. I had to take my motorcycle onto the sidewalk a couple of times to bypass lines of cars.

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