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God, what would they think? Jax had already mentioned a passing attraction to her.
Oh God.
What would Tabitha say?
That woman scared me more than shareholders on a stock crash week.
Future Theo could deal with that. Right now, present Theo was going to soak up the bliss of sleeping with such an incredible woman.
It was just mutual attraction.
Nothing more… right?
10
JAX
“You took heroutof the country, Jax. Did you really expect me to just sit by and let it happen?”
Marina’s barking words, even through a video call, still had the ability to jerk me right back to when I wasnothingcompared to her. The reckless bad boy entertaining the pretty rich girl while her friends and family looked on in disgust and treated me like dirt. Back then, those feelings were easier to manage with alcohol and the belief that Marina loved me. Now they swamped me, settling heavily like static in my chest, and I curled one hand tightly to try and ease the sensation.
“The lawyers cleared it, Marina,” I replied sharply. “Like they do every year. If you had such an issue with it, then maybe you should get a better lawyer. And since when do you give a shit?” I straightened up, rolling my shoulders as the static sensation grew. “You’ve never given a shit about Christmas.”
“You’ve takenmydaughter,” Marina snapped. “Of course I fucking care.”
“Do you have some sort of Gala to attend where you need her in the photos so people can think you’re actually a mother?” I scoffed. It wouldn’t be the first time. Marina had always treated Bonnie like some kind of decoration rather than a child, which was my main case point in our custody battle.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Jax.” Marina rolled her eyes and curled her well-manicured fingers around a cigarette. “I love my daughter.”
“You’re smoking again?” I raised a brow. “That’s an excellent thing to do around a child.”
“Well, it’s not around Bonnie, is it? Because you took her away! You’re not going to get away with this, Jax.”
“There’s nothing to get away with,” I replied sharply. “Our lawyers cleared it as they’ve done for the past two years. So like I said, talk to your lawyer if you have an issue. I’ll see you when we’re back in the States.”
Marina’s perfectly painted lips parted, but I hit the end call button before hearing another word from her. As the call died, I slid both hands into my hair and groaned low. It was difficult to understand how I had fallen insanely in love with her all those years ago. She had been my world; this beautiful, rich, perfect person who had somehow been interested in someone like me.
I wasn’t anything special. I scraped by in life; my mother died young, and my father had been in prison for so long that I had no idea if he was even alive. The rough, bad boy aesthetic had certainly appealed to Marina when I’d been the Bouncer at clubs helping her break the rules carefully placed by her parents. However, Bonnie’s arrival highlighted one major difference between us; I was over the moon to be a father, but Marina quickly realized I had no intention of ever giving her the lavish lifestyle she was used to. Even securing a job at Helix wasn’t good enough for her, even as I climbed the ranks.
Nothing crumbles a relationship faster than money.
“Jax?” Luke’s voice drifted over me, and a warm hand landed on my upper back. “You okay?”
I lifted my head and shot him a tired look. “The witch is pissed that I brought Bonnie here.”
“You always bring her.” Luke frowned and moved past me to the coffee machine. “Since when did she care?”
“Something must have come up that she needs her for, I don’t know,” I groaned. “I did it right. I got legal permission. I haven’t done anything wrong, but… she has this knack for making me feel like a worthless father and an even more worthless person just with a look. It takes me right back to when we were married, and she would yell at me for not being there for her when I was working.”
“I’m sorry, Jax.” Luke poured his coffee and turned back to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing. “What you had to put up with is more than anyone should. You’re doing the right thing; you always have. For as long as I’ve known you, your focus on Bonnie is what will win you this.”
“You think so?” I finally glanced up at him, and Luke offered me a warm smile.
“I know so. Besides, we’re pretty fucking rich as well, so you’ve got good people in your corner. I don’t care if she’s an heiress or whatever she wants to call herself.”
“Thanks.” The static remained in my chest, so I straightened up and stretched my arms over my head to try and loosen up my muscles.
“You need a distraction,” Luke mused with a mischievous smile, and he slid into the stool opposite me. “Like Summer.”
