Page 114 of Love Unspoken

"My students do just fine. But if you're curious, Flynn, you should enroll in one of my classes. Maybe I could teach you a thing or two."

The table went quiet for a beat, the tension stretching thin. Then Jax laughed, a deep, genuine sound that somehow made the whole situation feel even more surreal. "I think that's a challenge you might want to take, Flynn." His eyes glinted with amusement and pride for how Amara was deftly handling my seriously emotionally damaged brother-in-law. "You could use the education."

Flynn's smile faltered, but he recovered quickly, raising his glass in a mock salute. "I'll keep that in mind."

Shelby, sensing the shift, jumped back in, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters though she'd started this whole thing by being a bitch and throwing down the gauntlet, goading Amara. "Jax, I hear you're going to be doing the charity golf circuit before the season starts."

Jax shrugged, clearly comfortable with the attention. I zoned him out as he talked about golf. I didn't miss the way his hand moved subtly to rest on the back of Amara's neck, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. It was a small gesture, probably one that someone else wouldn't notice. But I did. And it took everything in me not to react, not to let the frustration and anger bubbling inside spill over.

I had no right to feel this way. I had told Amara I didn't love her. I had chosen Kath. And yet, watching Jax with her made me feel like I was the one who had been left behind.

Kath shifted beside me, clearly feeling the distance growing between us. Her hand found mine under the table, squeezing it tightly, a silent plea to stay with her, to not let my mind drift back to the woman across from us. I squeezed back because what else could I do? But my heart wasn't in it.

"I'm going to get another drink." I suddenly and desperately needed an excuse to get away, if only for a moment. "Anyone need anything?"

"No, we're good," Jax replied, his eyes meeting mine with a calm confidence that only made my jealousy flare hotter.

I stood, feeling Kath's gaze on my back as I walked away. The bar was crowded, full of noise and life, but all I could think about was the table I'd left behind—and the woman sitting at it with another man. The woman I hadn't been able to stop thinking about, no matter how hard I tried.

I needed to clear my head and remind myself why I had made the choices I had. But as I leaned against the bar, waiting for the bartender to notice me, all I could see in my mind's eye was Amara's smile, her laugh, and the way she looked at Jax like he was the only person in the room.

And it hurt like hell.

Fueled by that pain—and maybe a drink or two I shouldn't have had—I followed Amara when she went to the restroom. That was my first mistake, and from there, my missteps fell like dominoes, one after another.

I waited for her to come out of the bathroom and ignored Amara's gasp of protest as I dragged her into a hidden alcove.

"Lucas," she admonished. "What⁠—?"

"We need to talk."

I held both her arms. Was it the three Sazeracs I consumed that were the problem? Was it her smell—that heady floral scent that was all her mixed with some Gucci perfume that I knew she used? Or was it dreaming of her, missing her every fucking day even though I tried not to?

"Talk about what?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Jax…he's not for you."

Her eyes widened, and I wanted to drown in them just as I used to when we made love. God! The pleasure of being inside of her, of having her tell me she loved me. Remembering how good it felt left me weak. My knees all but buckled.

"Why? Because he's one of your precious Charleston elite, and I'm just too blue-collar?" She spat out.

She wasn't resisting me any longer, and I loved how her body felt against mine. Soft. She was always so willing and pliable. It was different from Kath. I hated to compare, but these were the two most important women from my past who were in my present and holding Kath didn't evoke these feelings of possession that slammed into me when I was close to Amara. The violence with which I wanted to hurt Jax didn't compare to how I'd felt when I saw Kath with Mercer—that had been fucking kindergarten compared to the warfare I wanted to launch now.

"No, because he doesn't know you. He doesn't know what you want."

"Because you do?"

"Yes, Tesoro."

I saw the remembrance in her eyes as I slurred out the endearment that was between us, personal, private, one that I used in bed when I made love with her because she was that, a fucking treasure. I had started using it because she was of Italian descent, and I'd studied for a year in Rome and spoke the language. It was an endearment that I felt suited her to a T.

"Fuck you, Lucas."

"Anytime, baby."

I couldn't resist pressing my hips against hers so she could feel me hard. Being this close to her, my body came alive. I hadn't felt this way with Kath and maybe that was why I hadn't touched her.

I realized I'd been starving for Amara—everything inside me was soaking in her presence, savoring the closeness, even if she was spitting mad.