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“You want me,” Axel says, clearlynotsober. “You can’t end this. You can’t pretend youwantit to end.”
“Enough,” Jax barks, causing everybody to turn to him.
I walk over to Mom and take her hand while Jax puts himself between the men and us. I almost yell at him to stop. We have to get inside. These men are as muscular as Jax and capable of extreme violence. Jax is tough. I know that, but three against one is enough to give anybody trouble.
“It’s you,” Axel says, weaving on the spot.
Jax’s back is tense, and his fists are clenched at his sides.
Mom shivers next to me as I wrap my arm around her.
“Why won’t you just leave me alone?” she yells.
“You heard the lady,” Jax growls. “Time to go. All of you.”
Axel turns and looks at his friends. “You hear that, fellas? The fancy writer man is giving us orders. I guess he thinks he’s in charge.”
The men laugh gruffly, staring at Jax as if ready to throw themselves at him any second.
“What’s wrong with you?” Jax growls, addressing the men, looking right past Axel like he’s insignificant. “Why would you follow this man here to bother an innocent woman? Is he paying you?”
The men exchange a glance. From the look on their faces, they might as well sayyes.
“Whatever it is, I’ll double it if you leave now.”
The man in the leather jacket slowly shakes his head, even as the other one seems to consider it, but clearly, Leather Jacket is in charge.
“Once we take a job, we finish it. No exceptions.”
“You’re going to have to make one this time,” Jax snarls, “or this is going to get ugly.”
“All I’m asking for is a chance,” Axel says. “That’s it, Mallory. Just a conversation.”
“Oh, God, he’s never going to stop,” Mom whispers.
“She’s not interested in you,” I yell. “Why can’t you get that through your stupid head? She doesn’t want you, Axel. Jesus, you’re pathetic.”
“You think I need to listen to you, you fat slut?” he yells, then screams.
Jax surges forward like a force of nature, grabbing Axel by the front of the shirt and throwing him to the ground. The men are the same size, but Axel handles it poorly, falling onto his side and attempting to spring up. Jax punches him across the jaw with a powerful strike and then spins around as the other two men approach.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jax’s voice is fiercer than I’ve ever heard, ready for war. “This man has no right to insult my woman. To call her anything other than what she is. Brave. Talented. Beautiful.”
With each word, Mom flinches beside me. My cheeks burn, and I feel her staring at me, her gaze searching, but I’m not as brave as Jax thinks. I can’t look at my own mother. Jax is too caught up in the violence to realize the implication of what he’s just said. The men pan out around Jax. Axel struggles to his feet and joins them.
“Look me in the eye, you bastards, and tell me I’m not ready to do anything to protect my woman. Tell me I wouldn’t tear you all apart to protect her honor. Nobodyevergets to insult her.”
“Get him,” Axel whines, rubbing dirt from his jeans.“Get him.”
“We’ll take the money,” the tattooed man says.
“It’s too late for that,” Jax snaps. “Your only choice is to leave or get seriously hurt.”
“Fuck this!”
Axel leaps at Jax. It happens in slow motion, a scream escaping me as I imagine all the evil things Axel could do to the future father of my children. Jax ducks to the side and sticks his leg out, deftly tripping Axel, and then backs up with his hands raised, keeping the three of them in view.
“It’s not worth it,” the tattooed man says.
