The edge of life: Official cover - coming soon

by Rachael Tonks

  “What business?” I growl. “Just get to the fucking point. I have a workout to get back to.”

  “I have a fighter. A good opponent.”

  “When?” I ask with a lift of my chin.

  “Just under three weeks. It’s a Saturday night fight, and you will be the main event.”

  “Give me a name,” I demand. After last time, I intend on doing my research. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t need this fight. I do. So fucking bad. I know Mom depends on me.

  He scribbles the name down on a piece of paper, passing it to the guy on his right. He walks out from behind the desk to hand me the piece of paper. I glance at the name before handing it to Jax.

  “I’ll let you know.” I turn to walk out.

  “Wait,” Julian yells. “When? It takes time and contacts to organize these fights. I need a decision within the next forty-eight hours.”

  I don’t answer. Instead, I turn on my heel, making my way out of the office and back to the gym.

  “Ryder,” Jax yells quietly from behind me. “It’s not time, bro. You’re not ready.”

  “I’m more than ready. I have to be.”

  Kailee

  “It’s been the craziest damn weekend,” I say, letting out a deep breath down the receiver.

  “What do you mean? Are you settling in okay?” Cady asks with concern. “Jeez Kay, I’m so sorry I can’t do more for you.”

  “Shush. There isn’t anything you can do. And it’s just temporary, not forever.” I hope. “But listen, some crazy things have happened, and I need your word that you’ll keep this to yourself.”

  “Scout’s honor.” She giggles.

  I snicker. “You’re holding up your fingers, aren’t you?”

  “Errmm… no,” she lies, giggling a little. “Well, okay, maybe I was.”

  “I knew it!” I laugh.

  “Stop getting distracted, Kay. Focus.”

  “Yeah. Focus,” I repeat, sitting up and getting ready to repeat the events of the weekend.

  “So, Jax, you know, the nicer twin.”

  “Yeah,” she says eagerly.

  “Well, we went to the movies…”

  “A date?” she yells down the phone. “You went on a date with a Blackheart twin?”

  She goes silent, and I wait, nervous about answering her honestly.

  “Kay!” She yells so loud this time I snap the phone away from my ear.

  “Ow, Cady. Stop yelling down the phone; you’re hurting my ears, dammit,” I say jokingly, chuckling while rubbing my ringing ear.

  “Well, for crying out loud, answer me,” she states, and I can tell by the sound of her voice that she’s gritting her teeth.

  “I’m not sure it was a date date, but either way, I had the best time. He made me laugh, he was attentive, and you know, I just enjoy spending time with him…” I let my words trail off.

  “So…”

  “So… oh god, Cady, it’s such a mess…”

  “What?” she asks.

  “So on the way back to home, we drove past his brother. And he was in trouble.”

  “Trouble, how? What kinda trouble, Kay?”

  “The guns blazing, me cowering in the car kind.”

  Cady gasps, and I continue. “We had to get away for the night, and we went to the craziest man’s house, like ever. It was huge, electronically protected, and quite frankly, the guy gave me the heebie-jeebies.”

  “Oh god, what have you got yourself into?”

  “It kinda just happened. Jax couldn’t drive past his brother and let him get hurt, killed even.”

  “You know how freakin’ crazy that sounds, Kay? This is real life, not the damn movies. Shit like this just doesn’t happen to people like us. I’m really scared for you. You’re rolling with these guys, these murderers.”

  “I don’t know that’s what happened.” I try to calm her. And honestly, it’s the truth. I searched the internet, hoping to find some kind of news report detailing what happened, but nothing. Not yet, anyway.

  “But anyway…” I try shrugging off the ugly part of what happened so I can concentrate on telling her more about me and Jax.

  “Anyway,” she repeats.

  “So that night, we stayed at this crazy ass huge house, and a little something happened between us.”

  “Like what? Oh god, don’t tell me you’ve gone and fallen for him.” She sighs dramatically. “You didn’t have sex with him?” she asks, her voice suddenly more hushed than before.

  “No,” I blurt out. “But boy, did I want to.”

  “Oh, this is worse than I thought.”

  I laugh out loud. “You are so dramatic, Cady.”

  “So you guys are like a couple, and you’re gonna become his mob wife, huh?”

  “They’re not the mafia, Cady.”

  “Close enough.”

  “But here’s the thing…”

  “There’s more?” She squeaks. “After that bombshell, you have more?”

  “Just listen to me. So you know the other brother, the one who showed up that day when I was at your house?”

  She hums in response. “Well, I have no idea what’s going on with him. He’s said things that have me thinking he likes me then, on the other hand, he can be downright awful. He gives me the worst kinda whiplash possible.”

  “Give him a wide berth, Kay. He sounds mentally unstable.”

  “I can’t. He’s like one of those really annoyingly difficult jigsaw puzzles. You know the kind that pisses you off so much, but you have to work it out. You have to make the pieces fit together?”

  The line goes silent.

  “I have absolutely no idea what the hell you’re talking about.” She laughs down the phone, and I can’t help but laugh with her.

  “There is just something about Ryder that has me wanting more. Something that draws me to him.”

  “Kay. Listen. You are stepping into dangerous, shark-infested water here. Do not get caught between these brothers.”

  I don’t respond. I quickly change the subject, talking to her about what school will be like tomorrow.

  “It’s getting late, so I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

  “Sure will. Laters, Cady.”

  “Laters, honey.”

  I end the call, flopping back on the bed. My mind races over our conversation and just how crazy it is telling my best friend what happened this weekend. But my thoughts are interrupted. The knock on the door has me up and waiting to see who’s about to enter. My stomach drops at the thought that it could be Eric, but it also bubbles a little with excitement that it might be Jax. Or Ryder.

  His face appears in the doorway, and my anxious stomach flips. “Can I come in?” Jax asks.

  “Sure.” I smile widely, patting the bed, eager to have him close. He walks in, closing the door behind him quietly.

  “I just wanted to check how you’re doing.”

  “I’m good,” I say, biting my lip and breaking his unbearable eye contact. It is doing all kinds of crazy things to me, and I suddenly feel like I’ve stepped into a damn sauna. My pounding heartbeat seems to be the only thing I can hear. I watch as his mouth moves, but the words, well, they just don’t register. I blink harshly, snapping my head to the side for a second as I try to disguise the huge breath I take in.

  “Kailee.” He reaches forward, grazing my arm. His touch is like a bolt of electricity running through me. I want his hands on me. All over me. “What’s wrong?”

  “Uh, oh, nothing,” I croak out. I want to reach up and run my hands through his hair. But I’m scared. Scared he might not want me again. Scared I’ll come across as desperate. So here I am, trying to play it cool, but dammit, I know it’s not working. He’s now asking me if I’m okay. This whole thing isn’t really working. As if he’s reading my mind, he reaches forward, cupping my face. His thumb runs softly back and forth as he caresses the soft skin on my cheek.

  “Did I tell you how much I fucking love these freckles?”

 
I drop my eyes and attempt to drop my head too. But I can’t. His hand holds it in place, and I just know he can see the redness growing in my cheeks.

  “Cute,” he says, raising his eyes. Reaching up, I wrap my arms around his neck in an attempt to draw him closer. Our faces are practically touching, and at this distance, I’m captivated by his stunning eyes. As I focus, I’m greeted with the full force of his opaque, dark green eyes, the exotic black flecks catching the light coming from the small lamp beside the bed. I swallow repeatedly, trying to get rid of the damn lump in my throat. But it’s no use.

  “Do you want me, Kailee?” His words are a whisper, his breath against my face. I nod my head ever so slightly, allowing my eyes to drift shut. He brushes his lips over mine. My entire body reacts. Every single hair on my body feels like it’s standing on end. His gently placed kisses barely touch my lips, but it’s the biggest damn turn-on.

  I let out a hum in response. His strong arms wrap around my body, pulling me closer to him. I melt into him as we sit on my bed face to face, chest to chest. My heart gallops, and I just know he can feel it. His hand slides up my neck, his fingers working into the hair at the back of my head. He tightens his grip, roughly grabbing a handful of my hair. His lips crash against mine, and I open my mouth willingly, wanting to relive the kiss we had before. His tongue is in my mouth, working against mine. He dominates me with the kiss. But not just the kiss; the way his hand grabs my hair, the way his large stature frames my small body. And I love it. I love the feeling of being this close to him. Wrapped in his arms.

  He pulls back, twisting his body until his feet fall to the floor. His hands find my waist, and before I know it, he’s lifted me, and I’m positioned on his lap, one leg either side of him. I let out a quiet shriek of excitement. He reaches for my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine.

  “I’m really beginning to enjoy our time together.” He smiles sweetly.

  “Me too,” I whisper. But really in my head, I’m screaming. Screaming how much I want him to touch me again, how much I want to be intimate with him.

  “I gotta go make some calls, baby.”

  “Really?” I ask, tilting my head to the side. Not ready for him to leave just yet.

  “Really.” He shoots me a sad smile. “Believe me when I say I’d rather be here. With you.”

  “So don’t leave.” I let out a shaky breath.

  “I have to. Ryder has a really important fight coming up. I have people to organize.”

  “Fight?”

  “Yeah. You know. The underground type.”

  “Why?” I shake my head. “Why would he do that?”

  Jax rubs his thumb against his forefingers. “Why do you think? This fight could be lucrative for him.”

  “What about his arm? The stitches,” I all but screech. This is a bad idea. A really, really bad idea.

  “It isn’t for another two weeks, so it will have healed by then. It’s important for him, Kailee. It’s his comeback fight. He’s been out of the game for way too long. The last fight he had, he got his ribs broken. Been out for months.”

  I have no idea what to say. It seems that Ryder’s list of ‘I’m gonna do stupid shit’ is never ending.

  “Okay. Go.” I smile. “I have my stuff to get ready for tomorrow. And this book.” I step down from his knee, grabbing my current read from the nightstand.

  “You need a ride to school?”

  “I’d love one,” I accept excitedly, pressing my lips together into a fine line.

  “It’s a date,” he says with a wink. My stomach flips, and I can’t help but beam at him. My eyes are glued to him as he steps down from the bed and over to the door. He pauses for a second. A wide smile spreads across his handsome face.

  Tomorrow is going to be a good day. I can just feel it.

  I wake earlier than the birds to make sure I’m ready for school. Or at least, ready for Jax. I get up, shower, and dress, and by the time I make my way through to the small kitchen area, Jax is there.

  “Hey, you.” He smiles at me. He’s leaning with his back against the counter and his arms crossed. He sips on the coffee in his hand, but even behind the cup, I can see his oh so sexy smile.

  “Hey,” I answer coyly.

  “Can I get you something?” he asks, but I shake my head.

  “I’m just gonna grab some fruit. I’m not feeling breakfast right now.”

  My stomach is in knots. A serious mixture of both excitement and nervousness. I have to go to school, plaster on a fake smile, and pretend to everyone that I’m the same girl I was before the weekend. Only I’m not. I’m now a trailer park girl with a crush on a hot tattooed guy who just happens to be a criminal.

  But at all costs, I have to keep the changes in my life hidden. I have to keep my head down, my mouth shut, and hope that no one finds out. I rush to pull my phone out of my pocket, quickly sending a text to Cady to explain I will be arriving with Jax. I know she will disapprove, and granted, it’s probably not the best idea I ever had, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to be alone with him again. I walk over to him, propping myself up beside him so our arms are touching. The heat from his large frame radiates against my body.

  “So, you made all your calls last night?”

  He nods, placing the coffee cup down on the counter beside him. In one quick movement, he swiftly positions himself against me, his body against mine. He reaches down, taking one hand in each of his.

  “It’s nothing for you to worry yourself about,” he says, reaching down and kissing me lightly on the lips.

  “Well, look at you two,” the gruff voice bellows, interrupting us. Jax moves away from me, releasing my hands as he steps back and rests against the dining table.

  “I’m not sure what your dad will think about this,” Eric drones as he slowly walks toward me, stopping right beside me.

  “Well, he’s not here, is he? So I don’t reckon he has a right to say anything about it,” I say honestly. I can’t help but feel disappointed by my father. After all, he knows what a tough time I’ve had with Mom dying, but I haven’t heard from him. Not a single text or phone call. I tried calling the mobile number I have for him, but it just goes straight to voicemail. I’m beginning to think the bond I had with Dad isn’t as real as I first thought. I hear Jax laughing. I snap my head, narrowing my eyes at him.

  “Sure told you.” He looks pointedly at Eric. He looks at me with a smartass grin dressing his face.

  “Don’t push it, Jax,” Eric scorns. “You know the score.”

  My eyes flash back and forth between the two of them, each one staring at the other.

  “What score?” I ask, confused by his comment.

  “Eric feels protective of you,” explains Jax. “You know, you’re his friend’s girl, and well, you know. You are only seventeen.”

  “Well, I’ll be eighteen in two weeks. Then there won’t be an issue, right?”

  “It all changes then, baby,” he offers with a playful smile. My face heats, and I bite my lip as the embarrassment washes through me. So that was why he was holding back. The real reason he stopped himself from going further with me. I feel a sense of relief. The doubts I had now seem to fade.

  I pull out a chair and sit at the table, crunching down on my apple. I listen intently to the conversations between Jax and Eric. Half of the time, I’m not sure what they’re talking about, and I’m pretty sure most of it is in code.

  “Ready to go?” Jax asks, looking at his watch. I nod and watch as Eric steps closer to the table, digging his hand into his pocket. He reaches in, pulling out a twenty and throwing it down in front of me.

  “Take this. For food and shit,” he mumbles. “Jack left me money to cover for your keep, and I guess you will need lunch.”

  I reach forward, grabbing the twenty-dollar bill and shoving it in the front pocket of my jeans. “Thanks,” I say with a fleeting smile. “Speaking of Dad, have you heard from him?”

  “Well, uh, kind of,” he stammers.


  “You’ve spoken to him?” I try to clarify, not sure what his previous answer is supposed to mean. “Because I’ve tried his cell, and I just can’t get through. So if you have another number, I’d appreciate you giving it to me.”

  “Keep your hair on, princess,” he says snarkily. “I don’t have a number for him, but a friend of a friend got a message to me. One he’s passed on.”

  “Well, if you should speak to him, tell him to call his daughter,” I snap, grabbing my bag and heading out the door. I need to cool down; my hands shake I’m so angry. I can’t believe, after everything, that I still haven’t heard from him. That he hasn’t attempted to contact me and see if I’m okay.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  I let my eyes drift shut. I nod discreetly as his hand lands on top of my arm. “Don’t let him get to you,” he whispers. “He can be an insensitive asshole at times.”

  “I’m okay,” I say, letting out a huge breath. I smile, feigning that I’m okay when really, I’m not. Devastated about all that I’ve lost over the past year. And now, more than ever, I feel like I lost Dad too.

  We head over to Jax’s car, jump in, and set off on the short journey to school. I check my phone to see that Cady has text back, and I chuckle as I read the message. There are no words, just the emoji that depicts her horror.

  I spend the whole ride there in silence with Jax’s fingers occasionally entwining with mine. I feel a little comforted by his touch and that he’s here with me. I mean this could be a whole hell of a lot worse. I could be out in the rain, catching the bus to school. Walking through this shady area where God only knows what could happen.

  Pulling up in the school parking lot, I notice bodies everywhere. I cringe inwardly, knowing that I’m going to be seen getting out of a stranger’s car. This is sure to lead to all kinds of questions.

  “This is you.” He smiles cutting the engine.

  “So it is,” I say, releasing my seat belt. I crane my neck, looking for signs of people I may or may not know.

  My heart is in my mouth, but I know I need to do this. “Thank you for the ride.” I smile, reaching for the handle to open the door. I step out of the car, clutching my bag in my hand. Within a split second, I can hear voices calling my name. I stand on my tiptoes, trying to locate my friends. I have my hand above my eyes, sheltering myself from the light mist of rain.