Rival (Fall Away #2)

“Oh, boy,” Madoc let out, looking at his phone. “Is that Jax?”

He looked confused, so I hurriedly opened up my messages, and my goddamn eyes just about popped out of my head.

My father leaned over to see, and I tucked the phone to my chest in horror. Looking around the table, I saw everyone frozen, each with a different emotion plastered on their faces as they watched the video.

Jared. Angry.

Tate. Disgusted.

Katherine. Hurt.

Jason. Dismayed.

Patricia. Dread.

Madoc. Disturbed.

“Fallon,” he breathed. “Is that Jax with your mom?”

I slowly brought my phone away from my chest and looked at it again. It was unmistakable. Jax sitting on a bed. His ponytail hanging down his back. My mother on top of him. The camera cut and got to the part with her climbing off of him and walking into the bathroom. He threw a white sheet around his waist and walked up to the camera.

Not a single person breathed at the table.

“Hi.” He smiled at us. “I’m Jaxon Trent. And I’m seventeen.”

And then he was gone. The video went black, and every heartbeat at the table was probably rushing as quickly as mine.

All eyes started shifting to my mom who stood there, still staring at the phone she held up with a shaking hand.

“Hi, everyone.”

We all jumped. Jax walked up to the table and pulled out his chair.

He was dressed just like Jared, minus the tie. His hair was braided in three rows above each ear and brought back to his usual ponytail at the back of his head.

“What is this?” my mother whimpered. She looked about ready to cry or die.

“Sit down,” he ordered, gripping the back of the chair. “Now.”

Her eyes widened, and I could hear her heavy breathing. Was she thinking of running?

Jax held up his phone. “This video is ready to go out to everyone in this room. Sit. Down.” His growl was deep, and like I’d never heard from him before.

My mother walked as if in a daze to the chair and sat very softly, not looking down but not looking at anyone, either.

“Jason. The papers?” Jax held out his hand.

Jason had one hand on the back of Katherine’s chair. “That was you that texted me?”

“I told you to trust me,” he said with a cocky tone.

Jason reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and withdrew what looked like legal papers.

“Sit down, everyone,” Jax commanded. “You’re drawing attention.”

Only Madoc’s dad and Jared were standing, but they didn’t take their eyes off of him as they lowered themselves into their chairs.

I didn’t know why any of us weren’t saying anything. No one asked questions. No one voiced concerns. We just all shut up, watching Jax take control of the table.

“Jaxon?” Katherine piped up, panic wafting off of her like perfume. “How could you have done this?”

He looked at her with innocence. “I’m the victim here.”

And then the corner of his mouth turned up, and he set the papers down in front of my mother with a pen that he retrieved from his jacket.

“Here’s your revised divorce agreement,” he said, leaning over my mother’s shoulder. “A nice amount of cash, no house, and no alimony. Sign,” he ordered.

“If you think—”

“Oh, no,” he interrupted her. “Don’t issue empty threats now. That’s my mom for all intents and purposes.” He pointed to Katherine. “And you’re f**king with her happiness. That ends now.”

I blinked, my eyes burning from watching the scene in awe.

Jax reminded me of my father in demeanor. Controlled and smooth. My dad always knew the score when he walked into a room, he was always prepared, and he didn’t hesitate.

When my mother didn’t budge, Jax held his phone out in front of her.

“You do not want this video leaving this table. Did you know that the state can press charges even if I don’t?”

Her lips pursed in anger, and she looked from side to side as if there was a way out somewhere. But she knew better. She picked up the pen and signed where the tabs indicated.

“And here.” Jax turned the page, pointing.

“And here,” he said, flipping another page.

In all of two seconds, he’d snatched the pen back, folded the paperwork, and stood up.

He looked to Jason. “The check?”

I looked at Jason and almost laughed when he actually shook his head for about a second as if to figure out if that had really just happened.

Taking an envelope out of the inside of his jacket, he handed it to Jax.

Jax handed what I would assume was her settlement money to my mom and smiled his bright, white smile. “Congrats. You’re divorced.” And looking back at Jason. “Now, the house?”

Jason tossed him more papers to which Jax threw the folded bit across the table to us.

“Homeowners.” He nodded. “Is everyone happy?”

Madoc and I opened up the packet, and I covered my mouth with my hand, seeing that it was the deed to the house.

In our names.

“Jax,” I barely whispered, my throat too tight.

“What about the video?” My mother was more scared than I’d ever seen her. She was practically shaking as she looked up at him.

He leaned down into her face, speaking to her like she was a child. “Your only concern right now is never pissing me off again. You behave, and so will I.”