Two months later Jax’s POVThe ball hit the clay hard, the echo snapping through the night. My grip tightened around the racket as I shifted my stance, rolling my shoulders to ease the stiffness out. Too long. It had been too damn long since I picked this thing up with purpose.Across the court, Caleb bounced another ball lazily against the ground, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Look at you,” he said, tossing it high and sending it sailing over. “You’ve finally woken up from the dead.”I swung hard and my muscles protested, but it was the good kind of ache. The kind I’d missed. “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” I muttered. “I’m just rusty.”“You’re more than rusty,” Caleb teased, darting forward to return the ball. “You’re tragic. Like watching a king crawl back onto his throne after a nasty fall.”I lunged, returning his shot with a backhand that cracked across the court. “Better watch your mouth, or I’ll make you regret showing up.”He laughed, sweat already gleaming along his temple.
Last Updated : 2025-08-29 Read more