Page 74 of Shattered Rhythm

Jaxon

That dumbass Kevin is chatting up Liv again while she’s working on her fine ass.I want to squeeze that ass before I spank it raw.But as I move my focus back to her face, I notice she’s smiling at him and talking to him.What the fuck?

He’s saying something that makes her laugh, and I can’t help but walk over to a section close enough to hear them.

“So, I thought maybe we could go have breakfast tomorrow morning? I’m working in the afternoon and evening, but we can meet early and walk on the beach or some shit,” Kevin says with a lack of finesse that doesn’t surprise me. He must pull all the girls.

“Sure, that sounds great,” Liv responds, and I can’t believe my ears.

“Cool, here, type in your number, pretty girl, and I’ll text you so you can tell me where I can pick you up.” He hands her his phone, and she gives him her number. I can feel my blood pressure rise as I watch him slap her ass before walking backwards away from her, pointing at her while saying, “See you and that fine ass tomorrow.”

What the hell just happened?

CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT

Chase

I’ve just finished my class for the day, but I can’t help feeling like I should give my students their money back. My head hasn’t been in the game since Jaxon put his foot down on the thing they were building with Liv. The hurt in her eyes when we danced made my chest ache, and it made me realize that I do have feelings for her. I’ve never had a girlfriend, never wanted anything with strings attached. Emotions just complicate things, and I never needed that, but with her, I feel everything, and I want to share all of hers. I want to take on her pain and be the one to make her happy and feel cherished. I want all of those things, but I just can’t give it to her. I’m not made for this, and I’m not going to risk my family trying to force something I can’t do. What I can do is make sure they’re happy, because they deserve it. I know Liv said she couldn’t fight for them,but I will.

I know Jaxon well enough to know he’s not the type of person you can make do anything he doesn’t want to. He’s my oldest and closest friend, while the twins are like my little brothers, but what Jaxon and I share is a friendship so deep, I would take a bullet for him. In fact, he already took one for me, and I’ll pay him back for that for the rest of my life with everything I have, always. If Jaxon is saying that this relationship with Liv will ruin us, I’ll step back and pine for her from afar with him, but until he’s one hundred percent firm in his decision, I’ll do everything I can to change his mind. We know each other inside and out, and I know that Jaxon has fallen for Liv just as much as the rest of us. He’s just scared. Jaxon has always been the one to make sure that we were safe and cared for. He’s a caretaker, a giver. He needs to feel needed. If only he would let her, Liv would be so good for him.For all of us.

Since the fallout two days ago, I’ve tried to talk to him a few times, but he’s been brooding. Ryder is so pissed at him that he doesn’t even look his way, and River is so anxious from all the tension between us that it’s a miracle he’s not shaking all the time like a fucking Chihuahua. I love Jaxon, I really do, but I’m tempted to hit him over the head with a kettlebell. Yesterday, he was out all night without telling us where he was going. He’s an adult and can do whatever the fuck he wants, but if he drowned his sorrows and stuck his dick in another pussy, hurting Liv in the process, I swear I’m going to strangle him.And I know that sounds wrong coming from me.

My phone chimes, so I take it out of my pocket and see that Jax just texted me.

911, meet me in my office.

Oh, come on. What now?

I get off the stage and head straight to Jaxon’s office, bracing myself for the worst. When I arrive, though, he’s just sitting in his desk chair with his head in his hands, groaning.

“What happened, man?” I ask him.

“I may have overreacted,” he admits. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.Jaxon admitting to a mistake?

“What do you mean? What did you do? Is Ryder still alive?” I joke. He parts his hands to shoot me a glare, and I chuckle. “What’s wrong, Jax?” He leans back in his chair and lets his head fall back, letting out a sigh.

“What’s wrong is that every fucking man on this planet wants to get with my girl. Even my fucking brothers,” he says.

I huff a laugh. “What makes you think she’s yours? Last I checked, you dumped her for all three of you.”

“Fuck! I’m such a fucking dumbass.”

I like the way this conversation is going.

“Yeah, that’s one of the pet names I gave you in my head too,” I say.

“Can you stop making fun of me, Chase? I was unprofessional just now and need your help.” That sobers me up.

“Did you punch a customer?” I ask.

“Almost,” he replies, and I suck in a breath. That could kill our five-star reputation.

“What the fuck do you mean by ‘almost’ Jax?” I ask, trying to keep calm. “Do I need to call a lawyer?”

He shakes his head. “No nothing like that.”

“Tell me what the fuck is going on, Jax!” I demand, becoming agitated.

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