One Woman (Naked Trilogy 2)

“And why is that?”

“Despite its astounding structure, the castle to you is like one of our luxury hotels to me. It isn’t about living. It’s about working.”

His eyes land heavily on me, and he says, “Living wasn’t exactly my priority the past six months. As I said, I’m different with you.”

“Jax,” I whisper, unable to find any other words.

“Eat, baby. I’m starving, and I know you have to be as well.”

“Yes.” I grab my fork. “Let’s eat.”

We both dig into our omelets, and I’ve barely had time to praise his cooking when my phone rings where I’ve left it on the island. “I haven’t even touched my work. I’m going to let it ring until we finish and then I really need my briefcase and to take care of a few things.”

“Do you want to stay here tonight or at the castle?”

“Can we stay here?”

“I’ll talk to Savage, but if he feels like it’s safe, we’ll stay here.”

“Safe? Jax, what exactly are we trying to stay safe from?”

“Everyone who isn’t us, baby,” he teases. “I want you naked without interruption.”

He’s doing exactly what I’m doing by avoiding talk of York—savoring this time together. And so I just let it go. “Tell me something I don’t know about you. Tell me more about boxing.”

“My crooked nose was broken three times.”

I crinkle my own nose at that. “Your nose is crooked?” I tilt my head and give him an inspection. “Hmmm. Maybe. But it’s pretty anyway.”

He laughs. “Is that right?”

“Yes.” I sip the coffee for the first time. “It’s good. I like it. Did Hunter come here for the coffee, too?”

His lips thin, and he takes a bite of his eggs, followed by a sip of coffee, before he finally says, “Hunter never came here. Ever.”

I set the cup in my hand down. “Why?”

“I don’t know, baby. Something happened between him and my father the last six months before he died.”

“Happened? What does that mean?”

“They were inseparable, and then suddenly, they were never together. At the last Whiskey festival, I couldn’t catch them in a room together.”

It hits me then that this is the first of these events he’ll live through without his father. That’s not going to be easy, and Brody’s anger makes more sense now. I’m right there with them, living life without my father. And without my mother too it seems. “Did you talk to them about it?”

“My father said all was well. He shut me out, which wasn’t like him. Everything was fine.”

“And Hunter?”

“The same.”

“And you and Hunter—”

“We were good until we weren’t. At some point that changed.” He shoves aside his empty plate. I realize then that mine is empty, too, though I barely remember eating. Sensing he wants to talk about something serious, that our escape has come full circle to our prison, I set my plate off to the side as well.

“What is it, Jax?”

“I need you to understand why I came to you looking for revenge.”

“I know why,” I promise him. “I do. We’ve talked about this.”

“No. No, you don’t know everything.”

There’s a squeeze of dread in my chest. “What does that mean?”

He turns his chair away from the table, angling it toward me. “Right after my father died, Hunter wasn’t taking my calls,” he begins when there’s a sudden loud knocking followed by the doorbell.

“What the hell,” Jax murmurs, grabbing his phone from the table and glancing at the cameras out front. “Savage,” he says, pushing to his feet. “That man doesn’t know how to do anything quietly.” He heads for the living room, and the pounding continues. That’s what gets me. The insistence in the knocking. My heart is racing, adrenaline shooting me to my feet in pursuit of Jax.

I round the island and reach the archway to the living room as Jax opens the front door, and Savage demands, “Did Emma tell you that York Waters called her forty-five minutes ago?”

There’s a beat of silence from Jax that’s filled with my racing heart. “No,” he says, “she did not.”

I burst into the room. “I was going to tell you, Jax.” I rush forward and step in front of him, my back to Savage. “I was.” My hands come down on his arms, but he’s not touching me. He’s stiff. He’s more stone than man. God, he thinks I’m hiding something. “I didn’t talk to him,” I promise. “I’m sure Savage can tell you that. It was on my call log, but I rushed to the kitchen, and we were talking, and I just—damn it, Savage.” I glance over my shoulder at him. “Why did you have to present it like this?” I turn back to Jax. “I just—I didn’t want to live in that world again quite yet. I just wanted us. Like you did. I know you held back in there for that very reason. I know you did.”