FAZER LOGINCharles I should have listened to Emily.Actually, I should have listened to Jaxen.Better yet, I should have stayed back, checked on Brad, annoyed Ivan, argued with Emily about using my credit card for things she definitely didn't need, or even sat with Nathalie and listened to her complain about how her tea tasted different in New York. There were plenty of things I could have done tonight, and yet somehow, I found myself parked across a restaurant like some divorced forty-year-old man trying to catch his wife cheating.It was embarrassing. Worse, I knew it was embarrassing. But that still didn't stop me.I watched as Jax climbed out of the car and adjusted her jacket before looking around briefly. She looked nervous, which almost made me feel better because maybe this wasn't something she wanted to do either. Maybe she was only here because she genuinely needed information, and maybe I had been acting irrationally for the last hour.Then the restaurant doors opened, and out came D
JaxI had already heard their voices before I got anywhere near the door, so there was really no point pretending I didn't know who had shown up. I remained seated on the couch for a little while longer, absentmindedly flipping through television channels without actually seeing anything on the screen.Ever since finding out Nathalie was my sister, my mind had been a complete mess, and sleep hadn't exactly become my best friend. Still, hearing Charles outside somehow managed to irritate me enough to get me moving. I stood up lazily, adjusted the oversized hoodie I was wearing, and walked toward the entrance just in time to hear Emily sigh dramatically."Oh," Emily said as she turned around, forcing a smile onto her face. "I was just about to come get you.""I figured," I replied dryly before shifting my attention to Charles, who looked unusually uncomfortable standing outside my apartment door.Emily glanced between the two of us and seemed to immediately decide she wanted no part in
Charles I spent almost an hour convincing myself not to come. Then I spent another thirty minutes trying to convince myself that maybe Emily was right… Jax needed space and time.She needed a chance to sit with everything I had thrown at her without me hovering around looking guilty and miserable.Unfortunately, I had never been particularly good at giving people space, especially when those people were Jaxen.I tried distracting myself earlier. I went back to the hideout, checked on Brad, annoyed Fernandez by asking too many questions, and nearly got kicked out because apparently standing over a recovering patient while carrying enough emotional baggage to sink a ship wasn't considered therapeutic.Then I called Ivan. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a terrible decision.He picked up on the second ring. "Did she stab you?" Ivan asked immediately.I frowned. "No.""Throw something at you?""No.""Tell you to get lost?""No.""Then why do you sound like someone buried your dog?""
JaxenI didn't think I slept.I knew I closed my eyes at some point, but every single time I drifted off, I saw her face.Nathalie.Sometimes she was sitting across from me at the ice cream shop, smiling while telling me about Charles kissing her. Other times, she was crying in Charles' arms. Then she became the woman from the café stories, the woman he waited five years for, the woman he nearly destroyed himself trying to rescue.And then she became something else… my sister.I hated those two words. I hated the way they sounded together. I hated the way Charles had looked at me when he said them, like he knew he was setting my entire world on fire and there was nothing he could do to stop it.I rolled onto my side and stared at the half-eaten sandwich sitting on the nightstand.I'd taken two bites out of it yesterday. Maybe three. I couldn't remember. Food tasted weird now. Everything tasted weird, even breathing felt different.I groaned and buried my face into my pillow. Maybe he
Charles The apartment had been quiet for almost twenty minutes.I sat on the edge of the couch staring at absolutely nothing while Jax remained locked inside the bathroom. At first, I told myself she simply needed space. Anyone would after finding out something like that. But as the minutes dragged by, the silence began to feel heavier and dangerous.It was the kind of silence that wasn't empty at all… more like the kind that was filled with thoughts, questions and pain.I rubbed my face tiredly. The image of her standing in the park refused to leave my head, especially the way she'd stared at Nathalie and the way her entire expression had changed, as though she had been looking at a stranger and family at the same time.A sharp vibration pulled me from my thoughts.My phone.The screen lit up. It just had to be Ivan.I closed my eyes briefly.Of course, this conversation had been coming.I answered before the second ring. "Ivan."The response was immediate."What the hell were you t
Jax "Take me to her."The words left my mouth before Charles could finish whatever excuse he was about to give. My heart was pounding so hard that it felt painful, yet somehow not painful enough to distract me from the chaos tearing through my head. Everything I thought I knew about my life had just been ripped apart and rearranged into something I didn't recognize. A sister. Not a distant cousin. Not some family friend. A sister. My sister. And Charles was sitting there looking at me like he expected me to calmly process that information and wait for the right moment. I laughed bitterly and shook my head."Jax—""No." I turned sharply toward him. "Take me to Nathalie. Right now. Or take me to someone who can confirm this story because if you think I'm just going to sit at home wondering whether you're telling the truth, then you've completely lost your mind."Charles rubbed his forehead and exhaled heavily. He looked exhausted. For the first time since this conversation started, I n
Jax“You’re awake.”The voice is husky and the scoff that followed made me rub my eyes. It took an extra second to realize what was going on. Shit… I really did fall asleep?“You wanted me to die in my sleep?”“I’d give my life to Christ if you did. You know? Never call myself the devil.” That was
Jaxen What do you do when the devil offers you comfort? I'll tell you. Run. That would be my advice to anyone else but tell me why I have just nodded my head and agreed to follow him.The moment my eyes opened from the short nap, I rubbed my eyes. “Are you done with what you needed to do?”“No. I
JaxHe looked at me like he had no idea what I was asking. “Just walk,” he said without answering my own question. The stylist, a young woman in her thirties greeted us with a bright smile. “Welcome, Jax. I’m Eliana. Right this way.” How does she know my name?Who is she?Is she fucking him too?
Charles “The car is ready, sir.”I checked my reflection in the mirror and let out a small sigh. This is going to be the hardest part; having to negotiate with these fuckers. A peace gathering. That's what they said. My brothers think we need to try to calm them down and if at any point they go







