CHAPTER 5: There is Nothing Left Anymore

Jaxon’s POV: 

The exhilaration and adrenaline inside the room was as addicting as a casino, this was what I loved about gambling, the thrill of the game could make you rub your hands in delight. This was what I called my sheer happiness or my sanity. 

In my opinion three things can calm a man; a woman who keeps him happy, getting drunk or in my case gambling your wits out. People often term gambling as a path to catastrophe, but what could be more catastrophic than my unhappy life, I laughed at the irony.

I relished gambling, it made me feel powerful and in control, today was no different. The key to my addiction is that I never lose; Jaxon Edward Black never lost a single game since the past two years.

I stretched my legs apart, comfortably easing my back on the couch and confidently gazed around the table, smirking at those who seemed slightly nervous observing me. The only person who dared to stare back without a flinch was sitting right across from me. Antonio De Luca, he was a man people tried to avoid at all cost, messing with Antonio could only mean death or destruction.

He was slightly older than me with tanned olive skin and eyes the same color as the ocean, he was a man of many hidden traits; but for me he was someone who changed my life. That day is forever imprinted in my head, September 11th, 2015, the day where it all began…

the day of my marriage.

FLASHBACK:

“I do.” I forced those two words out my mouth, it seemed like someone was pouring acid down my throat when I realized my entire life was about to change. I heard a sigh of relief from the blonde girl beside me who was covered in white, I had barely glanced at her besides digging my nails into her arms, this was the last time I was going to touch her.

“You may kiss the bride.” I heard the priest announce in his nasally voice, making me want to bash his head against the giant pillar from where he was standing, but I could only show my rage by burying my nails deeper into that freak beside me.

The slight whimper from her mouth was like a balm across my wounded ego, with one last glance at the priest I finally turned towards Mrs Genevieve Black, the name itself felt like I had eaten something foul.

I grabbed her waist and leaned towards her, I could feel her breath hitch into her throat at our close proximity, she gawked at me like a lunatic. I dug my palms deeper into her waist and saw pain seeping into her eyes and smirked in satisfaction.

“Pain is the price we pay for love, my darling.” I whispered in her ears, her eyes widened at my words and finally my lips touched hers.

She was too shocked to respond back, and just when she could comprehend what was happening, I pulled myself away from her, pleased with the look of pure heartache masking her face.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur, I had to paste a smile on my face with an arm draped around my wife the entire evening, when in reality I wanted to scream out in frustration at all the people who praised me and congratulated me with sickly sweet smiles and hugs.

Inescapably the night I had dreaded the most arrived; my wedding night, my heart constricted in disgust when I thought about spending it with her but dejectedly and with a heavy heart I opened the car door for Genevieve and drove home.

At last we arrived at our new house; courtesy of my father, I had no intention to look around but by the look of pure admiration on Genevieve’s face she was itching to explore.

“I am leaving.” I abruptly announced, turning back towards the door.

“You can’t just leave tonight.” She answered back in that soft tone she had.

My fury had reached the rooftops after hearing those words, no one ordered Jaxon Black around, and she dared to command him! just because I was tied to her in some stupid agreement. 

The pounding in my heart had increased with the burning anger and with one swift turn I marched towards the center of the hall where she was standing, grabbing her arms roughly. I pulled her close enough so that she could see the rage storming inside my eyes.

“Don’t you dare question me ever.” Every word was menacing as the previous one, I felt her struggle in my arms trying to push me away, her eyes were wide open and her mouth agape terrified to even look at me.

“I am not coming in that room with you.” I continued with that same aggressive tone

“But it’s our-” she was almost on the verge of tears, one little push and I’d make her suffer even more.

“Don’t you dare complete that sentence Genevieve.” I threatened and her words died inside her mouth immediately.

“And besides I don’t sleep with cheap rags and whores.” There, I smiled, that had done the work, tears started to pour down her eyes and she struggled even more in my arms, I finally pushed her back letting her fall to the ground and marched outside the door.

“Now what” I finally dared to question myself, what was I supposed to do right now.

I pulled my phone out and dialed a number.

“Where are you?” I questioned the moment he picked up.

“At the casino” He drawled.

“Give me the damn address, I am coming.”

“But you-”

“The address” I shouted on the phone.

The line went silent for a moment and I feared he would hang up on me.

“I’ll text it to you.” He finally replied back and my tensed posture relaxed back slightly, without even bothering to say bye I hung up the phone.

Forty five minutes later my black Porsche was parked in the city's most well-known casino. I quickly exited, handed my keys to the valet and dashed through the glass doors, inside.

My eyes scanned around. The place was packed, rows and rows of tables were jammed with people cursing, laughing, enjoying and even shouting and the effect was alarming, I could feel my mouth turning into a lopsided grin at the buzz, excitement was slowly seeping in my bones, when I heard a voice shouting over at me

“Hey Jaxon over here” I turned around to find blue eyes deep as the ocean was staring back at me.

That turn turned out to be the most amazing life changing moment for me.

END OF FLASHBACK

A voice pulled me back out of my trance and I felt arms shaking me.

“What are we waiting for, let’s play!” Antonio grinned at me and I grinned back.

*----------*

Genevieve’s POV: 

My head drooped down for the hundredth time in the past hour, I glanced at the giant clock on the kitchen wall and sighed in annoyance, it was way past midnight and Jaxon was still with his friends inside the lounge. Exhaustion had taken over my body and it felt like I’d fall asleep on the kitchen table any moment.

I decided to finally head towards the lounge and see for myself, what game was taking so long to end. I trudged my feet along the heavy carpet crossing our room and entered the lounge. My eyes popped wide open in bewilderment, all thoughts of sleep forgotten, every one of them was hammered out of their mind and some were even sprawled across the couch, to my utter disbelief some of them were slumped on the carpet. Bottles and bottles of alcohol were spread on the floor. The stench inside the room was so strong it made me want to gag.

My eyes finally landed on Jaxon and the man sitting across from him, absorbed in a serious game, as if clueless to the chaos around the room, they weren’t as drunk as the others; but enough.

Jaxon’s hands seemed to be clenched and his whole body felt tense. Drops of sweat marked his forehead and his mouth was set in a grim line, while the other man was relaxed back on the couch.

I slowly padded inside and stood right across Jaxon, finally his eyes landed on me and his eyebrows rose up in surprise. Something felt odd about him. I could feel it crawling through my skin, finally it dawned upon me that those stormy black eyes staring back at me weren’t in annoyance or anger, a clear desperation and even fear was hidden in them. In my two years spent with Jaxon in this home, I had never seen that look of complete anxiousness in his eyes; something bad was going to happen or had already happened.

A moment later when Jaxon’s eyes were still glued to mine, the man across from him turned his head around and smiled at me, even his smile felt malicious as he raked his eyes purposefully over my entire body.

“Shouldn’t such a pretty thing like you have fallen asleep by now?”

His words made me feel like I was some kind of trophy placed on the mantelpiece. With one short glance at him I cautiously replied.

“I am waiting for my husband.”

Then glancing back at Jax I questioned,

“Jax I-”

“Go to sleep Genevieve.”

There was no moment to put up a struggle, his command was clear; he didn’t want me inside the room. I slowly turned away from my husband and dragged my feet towards our room.

My eyes jolted open in fright at the sound of loud banging outside my room. For a few minutes, I lay still on the bed, wondering if I had imagined the sounds until a loud crash made me jump up in shock. I stumbled out of the bed and rushed outside.

My steps faltered at the sight across me, the whole living room was upturned as if an avalanche had occurred inside, glass was splattered across the floor, the wooden table in the middle of the room was broken in half, my new book shelf which had been a gift from Jaxon’s mother was bare and all the books were thrown across the room. In the middle of this havoc I found Jaxon crouched down on all fours sobbing, his clothes were half torn and his hair was disheveled as if he had tried to pull it out of its roots.

I was frozen at the door; my legs weren’t cooperating to move forward, in a small almost frightened voice I questioned,

“Jax?”

His body tensed at my voice and finally his blood shot eyes met mine.

“Get out.” he snarled at me, my mind wanted to listen to him but my heart had other ideas

“Talk to me.” I pleaded with him

“Get out!” this time he screamed at me in anger, his eyes blazing with raw fury.

“Please.” I requested, shaking my head; refusing to leave, tears seemed to be falling from my eyes at the sight of him. I finally saw the vulnerable boy behind the mask he kept built around him.

As if something changed in his mind, he finally answered my question.

“I lost everything tonight, there is nothing left anymore.”