Jax glares at me, but I smirk back.
“The bidding starts at ten dollars.”
The women started bidding frantically, outbidding one another. When we reach three thousand dollars, the bidding stops. One women hands her credit card to the bar keeper, and he swipes it through. Three thousand dollars. Wow Watts.
“I will make you pay.” Jax says, giving me his meanest stare. I smile at him, sweetly.
“Come and claim your prize honey!” I cry.
A woman in her forties slides up to the bar; I fight to contain my snort of laughter. She is not attractive, nor is she slim. Jax takes my hand and nearly crushes it in his, but he gives her a dreamy, God like smile.
“Come here baby.” He purrs, and I gasp. He was good fun when he wanted to be.
The woman slides onto the bar and stands in front of him; he grasps her and presses her into a kiss. No tongue, just a simple sizzling kiss but she melts. The women scream and cheer. He lets her go, and she sways on her feet.
“Will somebody get this poor woman a chair!” I yell, laughing.
Men help the woman off the stage and she is fanning herself, blinking up at Jax with a gaze full of lust.
“Won’t we give our handsome hunk here a big round of applause!”
Everybody cheers and claps as Jax slides off the bar, glancing at me once more. I wink at him and watch as he makes his way back through the crowd, getting mauled and grabbed at by women. When he gets back the crew laugh and pat his back, shoving him and teasing him. I get off the bar and Ellie is red and flustered.
“Oh my G
od, that was so hot. How do you not rape him every time he walks into your house?”
“With great difficulty.” I laugh.
“Wow, three grand. That really helps Jade.” Mike says, patting me on the back.
“Anytime.”
I finish up my shift and walk over to Jax and the crew.
“Wow lass, you sure got him a good one.” Rusty laughs.
“He owes me.” I grin and wink at Jax.
He shakes his head and takes hold of me, pulling me onto his lap. The women in the booth beside us give a disappointed sigh. They have been waiting and hoping for him to notice them. I nestle back into him; this is a rare moment for me.
“You naughty little girl.” He murmurs into my ear.
“You deserved it.”
“Yeah well, now you are going home to get punished for it.”
“Going to spank me again?”
His eyes fill with hunger. “Maybe I will.”
“Sorry Jax, it was the last earlier, remember?”
He frowns. “You weren't serious?”
“Of course I was. We are not playing that game again. I am nobody’s sex buddy.”
He stiffens a little and glares at me. “Your are not my sex buddy.”
“What am I then?”
He has no answer.
“I gotta go home. Thanks for tonight.”
I slide off his lap and walk out of the bar, ahhhh, men. Jax doesn’t follow me. I am not sure if that hurts more than his rejection, or not. I am mid way down the alley way leading to my house when suddenly my body is slammed against a nearby wall. I go to scream but a hand clamps over my mouth. I feel the cold metal of a knife against my throat.
“Don’t scream.” The voice hisses.
I let my eyes focus on the man before me, he is short and wide, with dirty blonde hair and green eyes. God, he looks like Bill. I squirm, but he presses the knife to my skin and I still.
“Your are Jade, wow, I can see why he wants you so bad. I am Ben; you remember my dear old daddy don’t you?”
I growl.
“Be a good girl, I don’t have long. I have a basic command for you, it’s rather simple actually. Get me that treasure, if you don’t, I kill your daughter.”
My eyes bulge and my heart speeds up.
“You didn’t think I was stupid did you? I knew he would use you, thinking I would take you, but I am smarter. It’s simple girl, get the treasure and bring it to me, or I promise you, I WILL find your daughter and kill her. Slowly.”
I shake my head desperately. God no, please.
“I am not playing, so here's how it will go. You have two months; I know they don’t have the treasure on them here, so your job is to find it. When you do, I will find you and give you my location. You will bring it to me. Is that clear?”
I nod.
“I am letting you go now, if you scream I will kill you.”
He lets my mouth go, and I gasp in a breath.
“Please, don’t hurt my daughter.”
“Then do as I say.”
“How can I trust you won’t kill her anyway?”
“I don’t get off on killing kids, but I will if I have to. Bring me the treasure and I assure her safety.”
“Fine.”
“We will be in touch,” He hisses. “And just something to get the heat raised…and to show you…I don’t bluff.”
He plunges his knife into my stomach; I gasp and gurgle as my body slides down the wall.
“Will only hurt for a few hours, you will be fine.” He laughs then disappears into the darkness.
I grasp my stomach; the blood is pouring in thick rivulets down my white clothes. I drag myself out onto the street. A man see’s me and comes rushing over; he drops to his knees.
“Miss, are you hurt?”
“I…I…”
“Someone call an ambulance.”
I grip his arm harshly. “No.”
“Miss, you are bleeding.”
“The bar…there,” I point to the bar. “A man…Jax Watts. Get him.”
“Ok. Ok.”
The man stands, and I slide my body over to the closest shop and curl up. The blood is thick and heavy; my mind is hazy. I am bleeding quite a lot. I hear shouts and look up to see Jax running over. He drops to his knees in front of me.
“Jesus, baby…what?”
I open my mouth but no more than a gurgle comes out.
“Jade…what happened?”
He looks down at my hands covering my stomach; he tears them away and gapes.
“You…shit. Fuck! RUSTY?”
Rusty comes tearing over and kneels too.
“I think she has been stabbed.”
“What do we do Cap?”
“We can’t take her to the hospital. Call Mack.”
“Mack?”
“Yeah, he has all those powers. Call him.”
Jax scoops me into his arms and holds me close.
“I should have walked you home, baby I am so sorry.”
I blink up at him. “I…”
“Don’t you black out, don’t…”
I feel myself blacking in and out; Jax slaps me cheeks.
“JADE!”
I close my eyes and feel him shaking my body and pleading with me to wake. The effort it takes to open my eyes is just too hard. I black out.
CHAPTER
8
When I wake, it is late afternoon. Huh? I blink and shift; I am on my couch. My wound has healed, and I am alone. I sit up and peer around. How did we get from night to afternoon? I didn’t sleep all
day and night, did I? I stand weakly and walk into the kitchen to find Jax, Jack and Mack. Jax leaps off his chair when he sees me.
“Hey, what are you doin up?”
“I…how long did I sleep?”
Mack rushes over and hugs me. “We gave you sleeping pills, it helps your body heal quicker.”
“Oh.”
“Sit.”
I sit, and all three men stare at me. Crap.
“What happened baby, tell us?” Jax asks.
I know I should tell him, but I am afraid. For my daughter. For my family. I shake my head.
“I didn’t see. I was walking…someone grabbed me, and I kicked. He or she stabbed me, and I…I don’t know.”
Jax nods. “Its ok. I should never have let you go home alone.”
“Damn right you shouldn’t have!” Mack snaps.
I hear my front door open, moments later my room is full of concerned guests. Amber, Rusty and some of the crew. Amber rushes over, woah…when did she get involved. I hardly know her. Did her and Jax talk?
“Love, would you like a cup of tea?”
A cup of tea? Ok.
“Please.” I whisper.
She rushes over, and everybody sits around. I glance outside; it is late afternoon and everyone is here. We might as well fix something for dinner. I feel better with them around.
“You’re all here, so why don’t I go to the shop and get some food. We all need to eat.”
“No love, you sit.” My father orders.
“Please, I need to. I have already healed; I feel as good as all of you.” I plead; I need some air. Some space.
“I will go with you.” Jax offers.
“Ok, don’t you leave her side pirate.”
“Yeah Mack, I won’t.”
I drink my cup of tea, and then go and change. We walk out to Jax’s car and slide in; the entire drive is silent. We pull up at the shop and get out; I am fully healed so walking doesn’t bother me. We pick up a trolley and begin walking the isles.
“Are you ok mate?”
“Sure Jax, I’m fine.” I say, in a small voice.
“I am sorry, I can’t find the words to explain how sorry I am.”
“It's not your fault.”
“All this is my fault Jade. I…keep pushing you away. I keep telling you I don’t want you. I fucked you and made you feel worthless.”
I nod, biting my lip as I pick up some bread rolls.
“Did you regret it?” He asks; his voice sounding almost hurt.
“No, god no Jax. I have never, or will ever regret being with you.”
He smiles weakly. “I…don’t regret being with you either Jade. Not for a second.”
“You don’t?”
“No.”
“And the…sex?”
“I wanted it mate, as much as you.”
“Oh…”
He grins. “You’re making me hard, right now.”
“JAX! Stop it.”
“We will talk about this, later when nobody is listening.” He says, winking at an older woman who is standing, clearly listening to our conversation. Great, now my cheeks are flaming.
“What…errr, should we get?”
“Sausage?” He says in a mono tone voice, and I snort loudly. I slap him on the arm, and he roars with laughter.
“You never change Watts, you are the same pain in the ass shit
stirrer
you have always been.”
“Yeah baby, that’s me.”
I pick up a tray of sausages and can’t help my grin.
“There we go.” He smirks.
“What else?” I ask, ignoring his twinkling eyes.
“I dunno, what do you want?”
“
Err
, food.”
“Well darrr.”
“Did you just smart mouth me pirate? Because right now I think you might need a spanking.” I tease.
His eyes blaze. “Now you’re talking.”
“Oh stop it, I should have brought Jack.”
“He is not as fun as me.” He snaps stiffly.
“I dunno…much muchness.”
“You’re a very nasty little girl.”
I smile broadly. “I know, right?”
We pick up some meat, salad and pasta; as well as some chips and dips before heading home. I take the groceries into the kitchen and begin unloading them. Jax follows me in and shuffles about looking for barbeque equipment.
“You got a barbeque, JADE?” He asks, in an odd, still playful tone.
“Sure JAX, I do. Out back.” I grin, oh yes, I love to play with my pirate.
“Matches?”
“Sure, make sure they COME back though.”
Jax walks over, and I back into the counter top. He puts his hands either side of me, trapping me in and lowers his face to mine.
“Careful little princess, I am in a giving mood tonight. I might just show you, how hard I can come or maybe, I will starve you of it until your begging to teach you a lesson. I said your little mouth would get you in trouble, maybe it’s time we played that card.”
“No,” I whisper. “You love me too much.”
He grins. “Not enough to keep you safe of my punishment. Lock your door tonight little girl, or I might come and play.”
He turns to walk out, grasping a packet of matches. He looks over his shoulder. “Oh and I play HARD.”
I make an odd little sound. Oh god, he is joking? Right? Should I actually lock my door? He wouldn’t…no, of course he wouldn’t. I finish up the salads and mix some pasta with chopped onions, chives, peppers, some dressing and mushrooms. I pick up the bowls and carry them outside, my gaze falling on Jax. Damn, he is yummy. All…manly and rugged, cooking a barbeque. I just want to kneel before him and lick him from head to toe.
He turns then, as though I am saying my thoughts out loud. I jump, startled and nearly up end my salads. My father and Jack glance at me with confused expressions. Blushing, I put the salads on the table before sitting beside Jax’s parents, who were cooing all over Lilly. Layla had picked her up and brought her home.