Page 9 of His Secret Obsession

Kill me now.

Then his gaze flits over to Jax, squinting to see through the dark interior before his mouth drops open. “Jax Parker?”

Me and Jax both give each other confused looks before blurting out the same question. “You know him?”

“I hate to break up this party, but y’all can’t be doing this in the parking lot,” he says, before giving me a pointed look. “Your aunt is gonna be wondering where you are. You need to be gettin’ home.”

I cringe, knowing Aunt Charlotte might actually be waiting up for me. I’ve been back home on Christmas break for a few weeks now, and I don’t typically stay out this late.

Still beneath me, Jax’s entire body tenses. His knuckles latch onto the door as he stares up at me, looking at me with a deer in the headlights expression that borders on panic. “How old are you?” he asks. All of a sudden, he looks like he wants to be anywhere but here. It makes my stomach drop.

“I’m nineteen!” I scowl at Duncan, the police officer who used to be my dad’s best friend. He only gives me a pitying look. Throwing the truck door open, I climb off Jax and hop back onto the ground. When I look at him, Jax is still sitting there with a stunned expression.

“Thank fuck,” he mutters through gritted teeth, running a hand through his hair. “Scared me there for a minute.”

But when he climbs out of the truck, he still won’t look at me. He stares at his feet, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. Why does he suddenly remind me of a kicked puppy?

“Jax, I—”

“Sorry, Duncan, I didn’t know. It won’t happen again,” Jax says, still refusing to look at me.

My mood plummets, the high I was riding from earlier gone. I’m not ready to go back home to the dark house that doesn’t actually feel like home becausetheyaren’t there anymore.

I give Jax a pleading look. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m twenty-nine years old, sweetheart. I’m almost thirty and you’re barely an adult,” he says softly, finally looking at me.

I shake my head. Does he really think I care? “That doesn’t matter,” I protest. Behind me, I think I hear Duncan sigh.

Jax gives me a pained expression before swallowing. “It matters to me.”

Narrowing my eyes at him, I open my mouth to protest again but stop when Duncan’s gentle hand clasps my elbow.

“Come on, Maddie, I’ll give you a ride home.”

Suddenly, an icy breeze sweeps past us. It ruffles my hair, steals my breath, and makes me realize how chilled I am. Reluctantly following Duncan to his cruiser, I wait while he opens the passenger door so I can get in. I’m still shivering, even as a blast of warm heat shoots from the air vents. Duncan is silent as he pulls out onto the road. My eyes are glued to the side mirror, watching as Jax’s gaze follows the cruiser.

Just before we disappear from sight, his shoulders slump.

“Why did you do that?” I ask Duncan, hating how petulant my voice sounds. I know it’s not really a fair question.

“I’m just trying to watch out for you, Maddie.” There’s a moment of silence while he turns on his blinker and makes a right-hand turn. “Your parents wouldn’t want you out at the bars, running around with a man that much older than you.”

“Yeah, well, they aren’t here to stop me, are they?” I snap, immediately regretting the harsh words as a sour bile churns in my stomach. Putting my hand on my forehead, I close my eyes and rest my head against the window. “I didn’t mean that,” I mutter, swallowing around the lump in my throat.

“I know.” Duncan’s voice is gentle, like he’s talking to a fragile thing.

“How do you know Jax?” I would much rather think about him.

“He’s a volunteer fireman. Works a couple shifts down at the station every month. His dad used to be the captain before he passed.”

Fuck.

There’s that word.

Passed.

Like one day, someone’s life just gently winks out of existence.

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