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He pauses, and looks back. “What?”
“You heard.”
At the condescending look he gives, my fist itches to collide with his face. “Tegan's right, you really are an arrogant dick when you’re drunk, aren't you?”
Before I can respond, he walks away. Tegan said that? I knock back my glass of whisky and debate whether to walk after him. Bryn looks over with the old look; the one from the days he threatened to hurt me, if I hurt Tegan. I'm not tempting fate. I'll talk to Tegan later, and tell her what big brother has done.
TEGAN
Julian hands me a glass. “He really is a douche, isn't he?”
“Jax?”
“Mmm. I've met enough people like him to not give a crap though.” He grins and lifts his glass. “Cheers!”
We clink glasses and my stomach growls. “I should grab something to eat before I drink much more.”
“Good idea,” replies my ever-watchful brother.
I roll my eyes at him and head to the long counter of buffet food. As me and Julian load plates with pasta salad, dips, and bread, I fight down the sickness that rose from seeing Jax.
Coming here was a mistake.
I stand with Julian at the end of the buffet and push a forkful of cold pasta salad into my mouth.
“Any thoughts whether you’ll go to the States?” he asks, dipping Turkish bread into hummus on his plate.
“Not sure.”
“You’d be mad not to! Man, I’d love the opportunity.”
“Would be fun....” The temptation to leave has grown in the last couple of days. Julian’s right, I’d be mad not to take the opportunity. I’ve never visited the States. Besides, if the trial doesn’t work out I could take some travel time over there instead.
Away from London.
Away from Jax.
I eat more pasta and when I put the fork back on the plate, Julian extends a hand and wipes sauce from the corner of my mouth. “Messy!”
I freeze and stare back at him. An innocent gesture perhaps, but intimate too. I watch for him to wipe his thumb on a napkin; instead, he puts the thumb in his mouth.
Awkward.
“Julian, about coming here with you tonight...”
“Did I overstep?” I nod. “Apologies. I'm misreading signals.”
“I think so.”
In a blur, Julian stumbles backwards as Jax emerges from god knows where and his fist hits Julian’s face. As Julian staggers backwards, a girl nearby screams and the voices in the room stop.
“Omigod, Jax!” I shout at him.
Jax sways slightly, holding his hand. “Fuck that hurt.”
Julian steadies himself on the edge of the buffet table and touches his cheek. “What the hell, man?”
Immediately, Jax is in his face. “She's my girl! Hands off my girl!” he stumbles as he steps closer again.
