Page 7 of The Twisted Beats

Chapter Two

JAXON/JAX

Two & A Half Weeks Before Now

The Night I Lose My Grip

There’s danger in wanting what I was never meant to have… But I’ve wanted nothing more.

Being brokenhearted like I am is foreign to me. Before Livianna, I never loved anyone. She may not know how I feel, but it’s better this way. Especially now.

I raise my gaze just as she rounds the corner. I forget my worries as soon as I notice she’s trembling.

She strides toward our table in the center of the bistro, holding her head high, but her face is on fire. I’ve seen her angry before, but this is beyond that.

What happened in that restroom?

I stand and rush to her side. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just get me to the table.”

I place my hand on her lower back to soothe her. She tenses and marches away from me.

As my brain searches for a solution, I hurry to her chair and pull it out. She slams herself down and I push it infor her.

I pause for a second but know what to do. This night has to go well and starting off with her as mad as an irritated wasp will take us in a completely different direction. One I dread because I don’t want to lose her forever.

I already did some damage on the way here and I will rectify that. I lean over and kiss her on the cheek.

Her eyes widen. “Jaxon! What are you thinking?”

Her snapping at me takes me aback. She doesn’t behave this way with me. My muscles tighten.

“That you should know I care.” I grind on my molars and sit. “Tell me why you’re acting out and behaving like a spiteful child.”

It might not be the right thing to say, but what I’ve learned about her over the last couple of years is sometimes she needs me to demand control and get her out of her venomous, wild ways. She has confided in me that it makes her feel safe and secure when I do.

“Livianna, answer me.”

Still nothing from her but a hateful glare toward the front of the restaurant. My pulse kicks up with her lack of response.

She stares past me with her chest heaving. I glance over my shoulder. There’s a woman with brown hair I recognize but can’t place where I’ve seen her before. Her devious scowl in Livianna’s direction is enough to have me rising to my feet.

That woman needs to leave now!

Right as I stand, she takes her two index fingers and swipes one over the other in atsk, tskmotion.

She shakes her head and mouths to Livianna, “Naughty. Naughty.”

My blood boils. I take one step to get this woman removed from the bistro.

“No, Jax! Please don’t give her any more leverage.” The vulnerability in Livianna’s terrified voice stops me in my tracks. “That’s what she wants.”

I return to my seat and take a moment to breathe. We both need the time to calm down.

As commanding as I am with Livianna, I hate seeing her angry, scared, and hurt. She gets defiant when she is. The result is her putting on an ugly iron mask and acting like she couldn’t give a fuck about anyone or anything.

When her emotions fester because she has no outlet, she takes them out on herself in destructive ways. I’ve seen it for myself and it’s downright alarming.