Pretty Girl

“I think we could build a huge barn over there. A rescue shelter for animals,” he says next to my ear before placing a kiss there.

“You’d really want to do that?” I hear the hitch in my voice.

“If that’s what you wanted to do,” he drawls easily. Like it’s no big deal for him to erect a barn for me. “I see how much that charity meant to you. You could do even more if you wanted.”

I nod, unable to speak. My throat feels clogged. After a moment I get it together. “That sounds like something that would be full time,” I hedge. Not once yesterday did Jax bring up my job, so I haven’t told him my plans. I have a feeling he wants me to quit, though, but won’t ask me outright. The feeling is mutual.

Though it might not be a choice soon. We’ve made love multiple times now and not once has protection come up. Heck, I even asked him to cum inside me. He had. Every time.

I look down at the hand he has wrapped around me and notice his knuckles are red and angry, like he went a few rounds with something or more likely someone. I run my finger along them. “You okay?” I ask. I knew whatever happened put him more at ease. The tension within him is now gone, but something else still lingers. I know it. Plus, he let me roam out onto the deck without him. Normally he’s glued to my side.

“He’s gone,” he breathes.

“Good.” I set my glass of orange juice on the rail of the deck before turning in his arms. I place my hands on his chest. I can’t help but smile when I see my engagement ring. It always makes me smile. “Tell me if I need to know.” I push a little, seeing a touch of distress in his eyes.

“It’s going to be a shitshow,” he finally says. “It was Kale.”

“Kale Cane?” I squeak in surprise. I can’t stand the guy. I hated the few dates we’d been pushed to go on. He gives me the creeps. I can’t understood why girls go so crazy over him. I kinda think he looks like a boy, not the twenty-seven-year-old man he really is. “I don’t wanna go back,” I rush out, realizing I no longer have a reason to stay here. I can get back to work. Life can go on.

“Told you. You don’t have to do a damn thing you don’t want to.” He cups my face. “You’re going to be my wife very soon. This is our home.”

“Our home,” I sigh. I love that. “I don’t want to go back to modeling. I want to be here. With you. Away from the rest of the world. Out of the spotlight. I want a new life. A life with you and whatever we choose.”

He smiles and I know he more than agrees with me. I might not have known Jax long, but if I know one thing it’s that he always wants what’s best for me. He wants to give me anything I ask for. I’m his number one concern. I will spend my life showing him he’s the same to me. “Either way, we should stay put for a while.” As if on cue I hear a helicopter. “Fucking hell.” Jax pulls me into the house and slams the door. I watch as he walks around, closing all the shades on the windows.

“I’m guessing the world knows now.” Jax looks pissed as he storms around the house and I watch him. He looks hot even when pissed. I have to fight a smile. He picks up his cell phone and dials it, then holds it to his ear and starts cursing up a blue streak. Again, hot.

I’m not sure who he’s yelling at, but I walk over to him, pull his phone from his hand and hit the end button before tossing it over onto the sofa. He looks at me in shock.

“So.” I shrug. “Looks like we’ll just be holed up in here for a few weeks.” I reach down and pull off his shirt I’ve been wearing that says FBI on the back. I toss it away, leaving me naked. “Sure we can come up with something to do to fill the time.” I try and turn to walk down the hall towards our bedroom, but he catches me by the hips, turning me and picking me up. I wrap around him.

“I’m sure I can keep you more than entertained.” My back hits the bed. Jax comes over me, caging me in. I’m already turned on. The rest of the world slips away while I get lost in the only thing that matters—Jax Knox, my everything and so much more.

Epilogue

Jax

Six months later…

I grab the back of my neck feeling stressed. I haven’t felt this tension in months. I didn’t think this would be so hard. “It’s fine,” Mila tells me, rubbing her hands over my chest. It’s a trick that normally works to calm me, but today it only takes a little bit of the edge off.