Page 66 of Alpha Jax

“Fuck, Q, your back…”

“Huh?” I try to crane my neck to see over my shoulder, but I can’t.

“It’s all scratched up,” he grumbles, running his fingers along my shoulder blade. “Also, you fucking reek of that guy.”

That’s when it hits me that I’m not in the clear yet- not by a longshot. There’s evidence of our affair all over me.

I spin around to face Logan again, my pulse racing. “What am I gonna do?”

And then I’m reminded why Logan has always been my best friend and partner in crime. He doesn’t chastise me or judge me, just helps me devise a plan. Once we work one out, we make our way back to the swimming hole, staying quiet as we approach the treeline at the edge of the bank. I unbutton my jean shorts, letting them fall down my hips and into the dirt. Then I step out of them, glancing over at Logan. He gives me a little nod.

We push through the treeline onto the bank, sprinting toward the water side by side like we’re racing each other. I let out a little shriek when I reach the edge and the cold water first comes in contact with my skin, but I keep splashing forward, lunging once I’m waist deep to submerge myself underwater. Washing myself clean.

When I pop back up, I splash water toward Logan, laughing and putting on a show. “I totally beat you!”

“No way,” Logan scoffs, splashing back at me. “I was way ahead.”

“Quinn!” I whip my head around to see Theo storming down the bank toward me. His lips are drawn into a frown, and I can practically feel the agitation rolling off of him. “Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking for you…”

“Okay,Dad,” I tease, pushing wet strands of hair out of my face and rolling my eyes.

“We just went for a walk,” Logan provides, so nonchalant. Dude could’ve been an actor in another life. He throws a thumb in my direction, continuing. “Your sister’s a lightweight when it comes to keg beer, she needed to walk it off.”

Theo narrows his eyes, looking from Logan to me.

“Didn’t know I had to report back,” I say, ribbing him a little more to keep up the façade.

My brother steps closer to the edge of the swimming hole, lowering his voice. “I was just worried when I couldn’t find you, after what happened last weekend…”

I throw back my head in frustration, my hair dipping into the water behind me. “I’mfine, Theo. I’m not a little kid.”

Brooke comes up behind her mate, wrapping her arms around his waist. “C’mon, babe,” she coos. “Let’s just have fun.”

I’m not sure if it’s Brooke’s touch or her words, but she’s got an instant calming effect on my brother- his shoulders visibly relax, his scowl disappearing from his face as he twists around to take her in his arms. That mate bond must really be something.

In my peripheral vision, I see Jax amble out of the brush onto the far side of the bank- and I sure hope he had the aforethought to get my scent off of him somehow before returning. I look away quickly, so as to not draw any suspicion, but not before I notice that his return has piqued someone else’s curiosity.Reid’s.

Before I can look away, Reid glances toward me, and I get a sinking feeling. Because from just that brief glance, I know he knows.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Jax

“Hey stranger,” Quinn greets, closing her car door with a hip and flashing me a bright smile. “Where are you off to?”

I slow to a stop in front of her little blue car, twirling my truck keys around a finger and trailing my eyes down her body appreciatively. “Back home to Westfield. Sunday dinner with the fam.”

“Ah, how exciting.” She props an elbow on the roof of her car, leaning against it. “Does your family do that every week or something?”

“Oh yeah,” I chuckle. “Their way of checking in with me, I guess.”

“That’s nice,” Quinn says, and it’s not in a sarcastic way- there’s an earnestness in the way she says it, almost like she’s envious of my family’s weekly ritual. “Well, have fun.” She gives me a little wave, turning to head for the complex.

I don’t know if it’s the tinge of sadness in her voice or the fact that she’s become my drug of choice as of late and I need a fix- but before she can walk away, I find myself calling after her. “Hey, you wanna come?”

Quinn stops in her tracks, spinning back around. She arches a brow skeptically, studying me with those hazel eyes. “Home with you?”

“Yeah, why not?” I shrug, trying to play it cool. I don’t even know why I fucking asked- if Quinn comes home with me, we’re both sure to face a barrage of questions from my parents and sisters. I’ve never brought a girl home before, so they’re bound to read into it.

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