Second Chance Scandal

I cocked my head to the side. “Jax has always had a ton of friends. In high school he was one of the most popular guys. I don’t think—”

“He doesn’t let people get close to him for a reason. You’ve met his parents?”

I shook my head. “Yes.”

“Exactly, he’s never had a real family, and now you’re what he always wanted.”

“It’s fake.”

“You sure about that?”

“I—”

“Mom! Dad won! He just scored the winning touchdown! I’m gonna go see him, okay?”

“Ben—”

He was out the door, running toward the field before I could stop him.

“Ben!” I screamed after him, trying to keep up with his pace.

He could run like his daddy.

“Ben, get back here!”

I swear he ran faster until Jax saw him hauling full sprint toward him.

“Dad! You won! You won, Dad!”

He instantly picked him up off his feet, throwing him up in the air, and the crowd went wild. Once I was standing a few feet away from them, I stopped. Waiting for I didn’t know what.

I should have known better.

Jax placed Ben on his shoulders, and he was over to me in three long strides. My hands instinctively went to his chest, wanting to push him back, but from an outsider looking in, it appeared as if I was simply caressing his torso.

The fans lost their minds, and Jax didn’t hesitate to grip onto the back of my neck and crash his mouth onto mine.

This kiss was different—it felt intimate.

Passionate.

Real.

My head was dizzy, spinning with the hurricane that was Jax Colton.

He pecked my lips one last time before he looked deep into my eyes. I desperately tried not to get lost in his lies again as I stated, “You were always good at pretending.”

Yanking me forward, he spoke with conviction in my ear…

“I didn’t pretend then, and I’m sure as hell not pretending now.”

With that one statement, he made me realize that maybe Caleb was right. There was more to the story of why he broke my heart and never gave it back.

* * *

And I was determined to find out why.

SEVENTEEN