I moaned, diving for his lips again, so damn hungry for the taste of him. “You’re an asshole,” I breathed out in between kisses.

“I know.” His lips curled, and he reached down between us, unfastening his belt.

I twisted my lips away, and reaching up, I put my hands on both sides of his face, forcing his eyes on me. “Don’t you ever ignore me for five days again,” I gritted out.

He ripped through the button on his pants, tore down the zipper, and freed his cock, seating himself between my legs.

“Never again,” he promised, looking down at me with fire in his eyes as he tore the condom from its wrapper and rolled it on. “You’ve owned me since I was seventeen.” And he slid his greedy hand under my ass, held me tight, and thrust his cock inside me, spearing me.

“Ah,” I sucked in a hard breath, throwing my head back.

“God, baby … I missed you.” He squeezed his eyes shut, and I released my grip on his face, taking his neck instead and bringing him down to my mouth.

“Always wet for you,” I whispered into his mouth.

He thrust hard, fucking me fast and rough. Just the way I wanted it from him. We both moaned loud, not caring that there were probably people downstairs.

He was mine, and I was his, and the next time the little shit threw his temper around or shut down on me, I was going to either push him harder or pull away for good.

Push and pull.

Give and take.

Accelerate. Release.

Jax’s finger traced the lines of my profile, gliding over my nose and brushing down my lips. I let out a blissful sigh.

I loved to be touched. With kindness, that is. And it felt so good that I wanted to close my eyes, but I couldn’t. I’d waited years to just be able to look at him, without fear of him seeing me, and now I couldn’t get enough.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, lying next to me with his head propped up on an elbow.

I reached up to touch him, too, but halted and jerked my head toward the door, hearing Tate’s squeal from downstairs.

“He’s here!” she shouted, and I grinned, turning back to Jax.

“Guess that means Jared’s home.”

Jax let out a sigh next to me. “Oh, joy.”

I rubbed the tip of my nose on his. “What’s going on with you two?” I asked, concerned.

He kissed me softly on the lips. “Nothing,” he whispered. “He just likes to get on my ass like you.”

I laughed. “Hopefully not just like me,” I joked.

Sitting up, I grabbed my brush off the nightstand and fixed my hair. “Jax?” I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry.

“Yeah.” He sat up, dipping his head into my neck.

Tingles spread like a swarm of butterflies under my skin, and I pushed him away, smiling.

“I overheard your call with him the day you gave me driving lessons,” I confessed. “Your father is getting out of jail soon?”

Jax leaned back on his hands, looking down. “Maybe.” He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

I rose off the bed and straightened my skirt.

“I want to, Jax,” I said. “I mean,” I rushed to add, “I don’t want to worry, but I want to know about you. I want you to tell me things.”

“Jax! Get your ass down here!”

We both jumped at Madoc’s bellow, and I let out a nervous laugh. The king of bad timing.

I leaned down, cupping his face.

And once I was staring into those blue eyes, I couldn’t stop. I kissed his forehead, then his nose, and when he closed his eyes, I kissed those, too.

“I like you,” I admitted. A lot. “I want to know you.”

He pulled me down into his lap and wrapped his arms around me as my feet dangled above the floor. I closed my eyes, feeling his light fingers brush my hair over my shoulder and kiss the sore skin on the back of my neck.

He knew I had a tattoo. Fuckin’ Tate.

“All you need to know,” he whispered in my ear, “is that there’s still shit that bleeds when you’re not around.”

My throat tightened.

He continued. “Do what you want with me, Juliet. Just don’t leave. Not yet.”

I narrowed my eyes, the sting at his words causing me to blink.

Not yet?

“Leave?” I repeated. “You piss me off, you make me cry, you make me crazy … but you make me better, Jax.”

“And you make me happier,” he finished, and I got lost in his eyes.

The shadow of the tree’s leaves outside swayed across his face, and I smiled, hearing thunder rumble. The room dimmed with the loss of sunlight.

“Now!” a bellow came from downstairs, and we both shot up, knowing it was Jared this time.

Jax gave me a quick kiss and jetted out the door while I swiped Tate’s comforter off her bed and tossed it in the corner to be washed later, just in case.

Powering down the stairs, I smoothed my blouse, skirt, and hair as I walked into the living room.

“Hey.” Jared was turning and pulling his arms from around Tate to walk to his brother. “Jesus, look at you.” He smiled, grabbing Jax’s neck and looking over his hair and clothes.

“Glad you’re home,” Jax said, and they pulled each other in for a hug.

“I missed you,” I heard Jared say quietly as Madman yelped and circled his feet.

“Yeah, me, too.”

Looking at Jared and Jax together, you would think you could see the brotherly resemblance. You couldn’t. The only thing they shared was charisma. You know? That invisible power some people possess that draws others to them? Both of the Trents had it.