Page 14 of Jax

“Funny,” the pint-sized blonde scoffed. “Pipe’s out back cataloguing the stock that’s been delivered, moaning about being the only prospect to do shit since Mint got his patch.”

“Just tell the lazy bastard to work harder then.”

“You can only work so hard,” Anna chuckled, not disagreeing with me. Knowing her, she probably already told him that.

“I assure you,” I said, showing her my darkest smile, “harder is always better.”

Red lips frowned at me as she leaned over and gave my shoulder a sympathetic pat. “You talk a nice game, Cowboy, but—” She shrugged, letting her eyes peruse up and down what she knew, deep down inside, was her dream man’s body. “Anyway,” she sidestepped, “you gonna tell me about your mysterious piece of ass?”

“Ah, I was wondering when you’d get around to that.” I sighed, feeling my calm and somewhat lightened mood dissipate.

I thought back to Ronnie, how meek she was as she told me her story, and I could feel that irritation already burning hard in my chest.

Electric fences don’t just break.

I picked up my beer, put it to my lips and chugged it down in one, slamming it back down on the counter. “Another.”

She handed one over, rather easily seeing as though I didn’t say please, and she could be a bitch for respect and manners. All of which led to her having an ulterior motive.

“You’re getting old, Jax,” Anna said on a shrug. “An old lady might be good for you.”

And there it is. My second ambush of the day.

She picked up a cloth and began polishing the glasses, as if it was an unconscious habit. I’d only seen her behind the bar on the rare occasion, usually while she was interfering with things, or in this case, matchmaking.

“Old?” I screeched, offended. “I’m not old!”

Anna just shrugged her little shoulders.

“Besides,” I purred, leaning my face so close to hers I could almost kiss those red lips of hers. “I thought you liked older men?”

“That depends,” she said, bring her lips close to mine. “Maybe you’re not old enough for me?”

“You mean men Wolf’s age?” I countered.

“I don’t know.” Anna dropped back, giving me a thousand-watt smile and I felt my heart drop. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

“Oh shit,” I groaned.

“‘Oh shit,’ is right.” Wolf growled from behind me and only seconds later I felt the hard club of his hand smack up the backside of my head.

“Christ!” I hissed, grabbing my neck to stop it from being jerked off my shoulders. “You almost decapitated me, you bastard.”

The huge, bearded Russian chuckled, dropping into the stool next to me as a small, sleepy bundle of chub sat cradled in his arms. My godson slept like the dead and even the noise of the evening clubroom didn’t faze the boy.

Anna swapped my empty beer glass for a fresh one and set another in front of Wolf as he passed the sleeping mass into her tiny arms. She juggled him and grunted at his weight before he was comfortably pressed into the crook of her neck with her hand supporting his butt.

“I could check her out for you,” Anna offered, looking out the window to where the crushed Jeep still sat. It turned out the Jeep had been the new one Hunter bought a few months back, and now I had to pay him for all the damage which just added to my list of problems.

Why do my brothers have to be so tight?

“No thanks.” I shook my head, then passed a glance to the greying man staring a hole into the side of my head. Wolf didn’t say anything.

Anna crooked her pale eyebrow and I focused my attention on the immediate danger talking to me. “Not even the slightest bit curious what she’s been up to in the last few years?”

“Nope,” I popped, downing my fresh beer in one shot. I stood from my seat and stretched my arms above my head, my forearm stinging at the action. “I couldn’t care less.”

“Keep telling yourself that, big boy,” Anna called after me as I walked away.

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