Page 48 of Chaos

“I called in a favor.” He gives me a crooked smile and leans closer so his lips nearly brush my ear. “Well? Gonna get ready?”

Maeve cries from Anna’s room.

Jax’s eyebrows raise as he glances past me.

Fear courses through me. I’m not ready.

“I’m babysitting, Jax. I can’t go.” I rest my hand on his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“We could stay in?” His finger runs lightly across my shoulder and down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. “I like kids. My friends back in New York are popping them out so fast it’s like a daycare when I visit.”

God, he’s making this hard.

There’s a part of me that wants to pull him to show him Maeve.

But I also know that guys always say things they don’t necessarily believe. It’s one of the biggest things I learned at the strip club and my ex-husband. Empty words to fulfill their own fantasies for the night.

I can’t play with my daughter that way. I need to be sure.

“I don’t think so.” My palm tingles where it rests against him. So, I push him back a step. “You can’t just show up at my house like a stalker, Jax. Trust is to be earned, not taken.”

It’s funny, I don’t want to stop touching him.

But I do.

He catches my hand and brings my fingers to his mouth, lightly kissing the tip of each before letting go. “You can trust me. I’ll prove it. I can even follow the rules, if I have to.” His teeth flash in a wide grin before he skips off of the concrete step and heads back to his motorcycle.

Straddling the racing bike, he pauses with his helmet above his head.

“I will get that date, tigritsa. I’ll give you some time to get used to the idea that you’re going to be mine.”

His beard disappears beneath the dark visor. The rumble of his exhaust barely reaches me before he speeds away.

Pushing the door shut, I hug the flowers to my chest and fall onto the overstuffed couch.

Why does he have to be so damn perfect?

TWENTY-SIX

JAX

Today is an easy day. I just have two protection payments to pick up, then I’ll be able to hound Sofia for that date.

She didn’t scream and try to stab me in the hand, so I’ll call that a win.

“You’re early.” The owner wipes sweat from his bald forehead when he sees me. “I have my wife coming back from the bank. I swear I’ll have your money in just a few minutes.” He paces behind his bar nervously. “Here, have a drink on me while you wait.”

I haven’t had to threaten him. He’s always complied with our rules.

But he’s also never been late before.

“Fine, next time plan ahead, huh?” I hate having to strong-arm on people.

Mikhail was clear, though. Everyone in this city is on the take. If they want to stay safe, they need to hire someone.

It might as well be us.

His lower lip trembles as he slides my tequila out. “I just, well, I didn’t expect I’d have to make a double this week.” He shifts his beady gaze towards the tables near a bank of big screen TVs.

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