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What was he doing here?
"We were just havin' a little fun. Girls don't dance like that without knowing what they're asking for."
I scrambled to my feet to try to stop Jax from hitting him again, but it turned out my focus was on the wrong person. Smack! Even over the music, I could hear Jade's hand meeting his cheek.
Must be in the air today!
When it looked like the guy was going to hit her back, Jax jerked Jade behind him and punched him again. He howled with pain and fury. The crowd around us had stepped a couple of feet back and was watching everything with fascination. Derek and Maggie rushed up behind me. Maggie put her arm around me while Derek looked me over and asked if I was all right. Between nods, I saw Paul grab Jax's arm when he would have taken yet another swing.
A couple of bouncers pushed their way through the crowd and attempted to steer Jax and the other guy off the dance floor. I felt frozen in place, but Jade rushed forward and stood on her toes to speak in the ear of the guy holding Jax's arm. After a minute, he released Jax and gave him a warning look. Paul and Derek surrounded Jax while he flexed his fingers and shook out his hand and glared at me.
Uncertain of why he looked so angry with me, I took refuge in Maggie's hug. When I looked up a minute later, both of the other men were nowhere in sight. I assumed they'd been escorted outside.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Maggie asked. "I was horrified when I looked up and saw what was going on. Derek was on his way when out of nowhere Jax showed up and yanked that guy from you."
I nodded and looked for Jade, but she was still talking to the bouncer. Maggie kept her arm around my shoulder and guided me back to the table. "Someday, Jade's got to learn to be careful who she plays with. It's bad enough she was in that situation, but to drag you into it..." She shook her head. "Here, drink this." She handed me a glass of iced water, and that was when I noticed my hand was shaking.
The guys returned to the table, and a soft hand turned me around. "I'm so sorry, Grace," Jade said in the most humble voice I'd ever heard from her.
I hugged her. "We were lucky this time, Jade. But that turned ugly fast. I’d hate for anything bad to ever happen to you." She nodded but didn't say anything.
Jax grabbed my hand. "You're leaving. Get your things."
It didn't matter that was my plan anyway; I didn't like being told what to do, especially by him. He declined that right a couple of weeks ago. I jerked my hand away. "I'm not ready, yet."
"Oh, yes you are."
Derek rested a hand on Jax's arm. "Not until you calm down."
Jax glared at him, then his look shifted to me. His shoulders drooped, and he closed his eyes. After blowing out a breath, he nodded. "I'm fine. I just need a few minutes with Grace."
; Derek studied Jax for several seconds. He must have been satisfied with what he saw. He turned to me. "Let Jax take you home, Grace. Please. He'll make sure no one bothers you. We'll take Jade home."
I looked at Jax. I could still sense some tension radiating from him, but his eyes had transitioned to some emotion I couldn't quite place. "Please come with me, Grace." His tone was softer, and this time he offered his hand.
Jade hugged me again, whispering in my ear. "You should go with him, Grace. I think he needs you to. Talk to him. You wanted someone to fight for you. I think you found him." Her hands slid down my arms to squeeze my hands before turning to pick up her jacket.
She started to walk away, paused, then returned to stand in front of Jax. She bowed her head, and when she lifted it seconds later, there was none of her characteristic sassiness. In fact, she almost looked tearful. "Thank you." She stretched up to kiss Jax on the cheek who nodded stiffly. This time when she left, she didn't look back. Concerned, I watched her walk out the door.
"I should check on her," I stated.
Before I could take a step, Jax whispered, "Grace, please. Don't walk away from me."
I heard the plea in his voice. "Fine, let's go."
I was past the point of caring that I sounded like a two-year-old. His arm felt warm and strong around my waist as he guided me out the door under the watchful eye of the bouncer. He didn't speak as he continued down the sidewalk where I could see his car parked further down.
Suddenly, he pulled me several yards into a small alcove where a little grassy picnic area enticed lunch workers during the day. Now, however, it was quiet and dark, with only the slightest bit of light sneaking in from the busy street."Wh—"
His hands captured my face and lifted it in time for his lips to seal against mine. There was no hesitancy as his tongue plundered my mouth leaving no room for thought, no place for denial. His hands swept down my back and pulled me closer so that I could feel his desire for me. His touch flipped a switch in me. I forgot about being confused or being angry. I wanted him. It was that simple. No right, no wrong. No past, no future; just the now.
I responded instinctively, sliding my fingers through his hair as my tongue licked across his lower lip. His low groan accompanied his roving hands that kneaded my butt as his knee pushed between my legs. He turned and pushed me into the wall of the adjacent building. Brazenly, I rubbed against his leg as our kiss continued.
A horn honked somewhere out on the street, jerking us both back to reality.
"Grace." His voice sounded strangled as he slowly pulled back. "Come home with me. Please. Just to talk. Then I'll take you home if you still want." His lips brushed mine again, and it was all I could do not to hold his head, so he'd stay right there.
