Page 11 of Executive Ink

The goons dropped Jax quickly, the knife sliding back into whatever pocket it had come out of. One day, the adrenaline might dissipate from his system, but Jax didn’t think that day would be anytime soon.

“We’re just talking to our old friend out here,” the main goon said smoothly.

“Seems like he doesn’t want to be talked to,” Sloane said just as simply. Jax’s three friends didn’t move, but they looked damn intimidating with all their ink and muscle. Things couldn’t escalate, though. Jax couldn’t let it because his friends weren’t armed, but he had a feeling all the guys from Atlanta were.

The main guy held up his hands. “We were just heading out.” He looked over at Jax. “Stay out of trouble.”

Jax gave them a tight nod, his body as tense as ever, but as the guys from his past walked away, he had an odd feeling that they might be leaving for good. They’d threatened him, sure, but they hadn’t actually hurt him like they could have. And, hell, they had to know by now that he didn’t have a damn thing for them. He’d never been part of that business and had made damn sure that everyone knew that. He just hoped that would be enough. As for Sammy? Well, Sammy had made his own mess and would have to deal with the consequences.

Jax was done. He held back a wince as he turned to Sloane, Austin, and Derek. Well, he hoped he wasn’t done completely because he hadn’t meant for anyone to know exactly what he’d gone through before he came to Denver.

“I have a friend I’m going to call to make sure they don’t come back,” Sloane said softly before heading back into the shop, and Jax’s eyes widened.

Austin shrugged. “We have friends in good places sometimes. Now get that damn notebook and come back inside. We’ll talk about what happened later with Maya because if she hears about this from anyone else, there’ll be hell to pay.”

Jax would have laughed, but he didn’t have it in him at the moment. Maya was a force to be reckoned with, and you did not mess with Austin’s sister. That was probably why Jax liked her so much.

“Okay.”

“We’ll stay out here with you,” Derek added. “Just in case.”

Jax blew out a breath. “Okay.” He cleared his throat. “Thank you.”

In answer, Austin raised his chin, and Jax moved quickly to his car, picking up his keys from the gravel on the way. He wasn’t shaking, but he was damned close. He could have died just then, and it wouldn’t have been his fault. Yet, in the end, it wouldn’t have mattered—not when it came to Sammy’s problems.

By the time he made it back inside the shop, he was ready to sit down and find something cool to drink to help his parched tongue. What he hadn’t been expecting to see was anyone in his booth.

He damn sure wasn’t expecting Ashlynn in her sexy-as-hell high heels and stone grey skirt and jacket.

“Ash?”

She turned at the sound of his voice and widened her eyes. “Jax. Are you okay?” She rushed to him and cupped his face. “You have a cut here.” Her other hand hovered over his jaw, and he winced. He hadn’t felt it until she pointed it out and now it stung, but he ignored it since she was here and touching him.

“I’ll be okay,” he whispered, aware that the others were staring at him, but Jax didn’t want to go outside to talk to her privately, not with what had just happened.

She bit her lip, looking unsure. “If you say so.”

“What are you doing here, Ash?” he asked softly. “Not that I don’t love seeing you.”

“I wanted to see you,” she whispered. “I didn’t like how we left things last night. I was a little confused, and heck, I’m still a little confused, but I shouldn’t have been so cold when you said you had to go.”

He cupped her face then, loving the softness of her skin under his touch. “You weren’t cold.” She’d been scared, probably because they were moving so fast, and he’d understood. “I’m glad you’re here.”

She smiled then. “I could have called, but I wanted to see you.” She cleared her throat. “So…want to go get lunch?”

He laughed then. “Lunch I can do.”

“And I want to get to know you more. Not just…you know.” She blushed, and Jax fell a little for her then. He wasn’t ready to fall completely, but with this woman, he knew he eventually could. They needed time together, and then…well, then they’d learn each other even more.

“That sounds like a plan, princess.” He kissed her softly. “You okay with the fact that I’m a tattoo artist with no degree or fancy car?” He winked. “I have a bike that you’d look fucking sexy on, though.”

She rolled her eyes. “You okay that I’m kind of icy sometimes and work long hours?”

“I can work with that,” he whispered before kissing her hard, pulling her so close that he knew his dick pressed into her even through all their layers of clothing. Ashlynn did that to him with a mere glance, and he loved it.

“Awww.”

Jax didn’t know which man had said it or if it was more than one of them, so he just flipped off the room even as he kept his lips on Ash.

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