Page 45 of Close to Heaven

Jax stood still and steeled himself for whatever might come.

Avery opened the door partway, effectively hiding Jax from view, but he knew that wouldn’t pass muster, since his truck was parked in her driveway.

“What are you doing here?” she said, her voice sounding shaky.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Trevor asked, ignoring her question.

“Maybe we should talk outside.”

“Why? Who’s here?”

Jax felt like a sitting duck, lurking there in the shadows, waiting to be discovered. He made a split-second decision and moved to where Trevor could see him.

“Who’s this?” Trevor asked.

“Jax Sawyer,” Jax said.

Trevor eyed him curiously and then glowered at Avery. “Your boss?”

“I tried calling you,” Avery said, ignoring the implied accusation.

“My plans got canceled, so I thought I’d show up and surprise you. Looks like I’m the one who got the surprise.”

“Trevor, listen…”

Jax cleared his throat. “I’ll get out of your way so you two can talk.”

Trevor shook his head. “First, I’d like to know what you’re doing here at my girlfriend’s house.”

Jax stiffened.

“Trevor, don’t,” Avery pleaded.

“It doesn’t look like you two were working,” Trevor sneered, looking past Jax to the pizza box and beer bottles that were still on the kitchen table.

Jax was torn between feeling guilty and wanting to deck the guy, but the last thing he wanted was to make Avery more uncomfortable than she already was.

“Dakota went out tonight, and she asked Jax to check in on me.”

“Check in on you? Is that what bosses do around here? Check on their employees late at night when they’re all alone?”

“Okay, that’s enough. Why don’t you take your accusations and get the hell out of here!” Jax growled.

In his anger, Jax had stepped forward until he was practically in Trevor’s face. Somehow Avery wedged her way between them and held him at bay.

“Stop it! Both of you!” she shouted.

Jax grudgingly moved back, though his right hand was curled into a fist and ready to fly. Then he glanced at Avery and deflated. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was visibly shaking.

“Both of you, get out of my house,” she said firmly.

Jax stared at her in shock, but she refused to meet his gaze. “Now,” she added.

Jax was flummoxed. Trevor was the bad guy here, not him, so why did she want him to leave? He silently begged her to look at him, but when she refused, he realized he had no choice. He brushed past Trevor, knocking his elbow into the jerk’s side on his way out.

“Asshole,” Trevor muttered.

“And as for you, we’re through!” Avery said, slamming the door in Trevor’s face.