Against the Rules (Harts of Passion Book 1)

by M. E. Montgomery

  My heart warmed. I looked around the room at the women who I trusted more than anyone except my parents, and now Jax. "I think we're good where we are, but we had a rocky climb to get here. I think something has happened in his past that has scared Jax away from relationships, but I'm not sure what it is, and I don't want to push him for more than he's ready for. It's not a race."

  "Maybe he's had some kind of bad experience with a woman in his past. Or maybe he's the stereotype rich guy who can't trust women wanting him for only his money," Maggie suggested.

  "Could be," Jade said. "But what kind of guy does that make him if he makes everyone pay for someone else's mistake?"

  "Someone who's been hurt," Faith answered. "Caring for someone and having that trust destroyed will do that."

  I studied Faith. More and more I was becoming concerned about what was going on between her and Adam. She'd always been the picture of the happy homemaker, much like our mother, but now her eyes were always shadowed. Growing up, she'd always been the studious, quiet type, always drawing people in with her warmth and genuine caring. But now it was like she'd been silenced; like her spark had been extinguished. Now wasn't the place to confront her, but soon, my oldest sister and I were going to have a chat.

  Laurel spoke up. "Maybe it's from losing his father at a young age."

  Jade threw up her hands. "And maybe cannibals kidnapped him and ate his heart leaving a cold, hard shell." She rolled her eyes as we snickered. "Look, we can speculate all we want, but here's the truth." Jade's green eyes snared mine, and her seriousness captured all of our attention. "Jax cares for you, chickie. It's the real deal. Life doesn't offer promises, so if something in his past causes him to stumble, then it's up to you to catch him. Or let him fall, if that's what you want or need to do. Just remember, that once the ball hits the ground, it's harder to snatch up and make a winning play. Decide now if you're in this game or not."

  I'd never know Jade to be a sports fan, but I got her message.

  "Then I guess I better get my catcher's glove."

  29

  Grace

  The dinner was in full swing. Jax's table was full, but I'd been surprised when I saw who filled the chairs: my parents, Jade, Angela, and Maggie and Derek. I missed that his mom wasn't here, but she was still on vacation. However, his friend Noah was there, looking extraordinarily handsome. I hugged him and thanked him for the mountain house recommendation. He appeared just as interested to meet me. After chatting for a bit, I saw Noah look at Jax and give him a huge smile and a nod. I’m pretty sure I just passed some kind of test. I didn’t mind. I liked that Jax had a friend who looked out for him.

  Adam had purchased his tickets separately, and he and Faith were seated at another table, likely full of politicians. Faith looked beautiful, but Adam appeared to be ignoring her as he chatted up the men around him.

  "I can't believe you invited the rest of my family!" I squealed as I hugged him tightly. "You're a brave man."

  He shrugged away a look of embarrassment. "They're important to you. You're important to me. Besides, I wanted them to see in person how good you are at your job. You've done an amazing job."

  As if cued, an older gentleman stopped beside us. "Are you Grace?"

  At my nod, he pushed up his glasses. "Well, young lady, I have to admit I wasn't exactly looking forward to coming tonight. I figured it would be another stuffy affair with overpriced tickets for uninspiring food and conversation. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw my CFO, a man easily mistaken for Ebenezer Scrooge, shelling out his money hand over fist until he beat the clock on that silly little game where you have to put all the shapes into the right place before the boards jumps and spills the pieces out."

  I laughed. "I'm glad he's enjoying it. I haven't been able to beat it myself. It's an old game called 'Perfection.'"

  He laughed. "Of course, it is! He can't stand to be anything but perfect. Very competitive, he is. And having some young teenager be able to beat him did not go over well. He'll spend any amount to beat someone's score." He took a sip of his drink. "This is by far the best dinner I've been to in a very long time. You've managed to pull off the impossible and get all these stuck-up rich people to have fun, which means they'll open up their wallets wider. Well done, my dear. I hope you have business cards to pass out because I hear people talking. I'd expect a lot of phone calls in the upcoming weeks, including from my company."

  Nearly speechless, I managed to thank him and press a card into his hand. Jax's hand on my waist squeezed. "Told you so, sweetheart. I'm so incredibly proud of you. Everything's perfect."

  Everything was going smoothly. The catering and wait staff was keeping everyone's glasses filled and the hors d'oeuvres buffet had to be frequently replenished. The silent auction tables were crowded, and to my delight, the few games we had scattered around were all occupied. Jade and I had decided we wanted to remind everyone why they were here—for the local children. I wasn't sure if so many stuffed shirts and sparkling dresses would enjoy things like fishing for prizes or balloon popping, but I guessed when the prizes were right, the competitive side kicked in no matter the age. And Jade has woven her magic with the prizes. She'd gotten some amazing donations such as expensive bottles of wine, cigars, movie tickets, discounts to high-end boutiques, and more. And her silent auction donations were even more amazing with trips, tours, spa days, flying lessons, and hard to get restaurant reservations. It turned out even the wealthy enjoy winning things.

  Several more people stopped to compliment how much fun they were having. Finally, Jax guided me back to our table so we could enjoy a drink and a bite to eat. There wasn't much for me to do at this point until it was time for the speeches, so I chatted with my family and friends, enjoying Jax's arm around the back of my chair the entire time.

  I leaned toward Jax, who's gaze smoldered back at me. "If you'll excuse me, I need to use the ladies room."

  He started to rise. "I'll escort you."

  I rested my hand on his arm. "You stay. I'll be fine."

  "I'll go with her. You know us ladies, we travel in packs," Jade piped up.

  I felt Jax's heated gaze on me all the way across the ballroom.

  "So, things are going well I take it?" Jade gently nudged me with her elbow.

  "Very well," I answered, grinning.

  We were taking care of business when I heard the door to the ladies' room open. "Did you see her?" a husky feminine voice spoke.

  "I did. She's pretty."

  "If you like the girl next door look, maybe. She looks a little too innocent. Jaxson will never stay with her. He has needs a little milk and cookie girl like her won't satisfy.” My heart rose in my throat as it became obvious who they were talking about.

  The other voice laughed. "I heard her dad's a pastor. I bet she only knows the missionary style."

  I rolled my eyes. Like I hadn't heard that before.

  The first voice joined in the amusement. "That's assuming she even puts out. She's probably waiting for her wedding night, which we both know will never happen with him. Of course, that means it will only be faster before Jax comes back to me. He's probably enjoying the chase, and once he gets what he wants, he'll drop her and go back to looking for someone who really knows how to satisfy a man."

  I smirked, remembering back to last night. He'd been more than satisfied.

  "You mean you, of course."

  An evening bag snapped shut. "Of course. He only broke up with me because I mentioned going to a wedding with him. It spooked him. I don't care if we get married or not, as long as he takes care of me, and I don't just mean in the bedroom. Although he could be as poor as Lazarus, and I'd still play with him. On the side, of course."

  "I wonder if he's got any single friends in his circle," the second voice mused. "I could use a rich boy toy."

  The first voice laughed. "Once I get Jax back, you—"

  I'd had enough. I couldn't believe they were talking about Jax this way, as if he were
some commodity rather than a person with feelings. I was smoothing my dress back into place and trying to decide what to say when the toilet in the stall next to me flushed, and the door banged against the frame. The voices dropped off, and the sound of water turned on. The other girls stayed quiet, but Jade, of course, didn't.

  "Beautiful dresses, ladies." Her voice oozed charm.

  Through the slit between the door and the frame, I could see the ladies preen in the mirror. Jade acted as if she did a double take. "Oh, dear. What is that brown spot on your face?" She asked the dark-haired girl.

  "What? Where?" She leaned closer to the mirror, wiping at an imaginary spot on her forehead.

  Jade stepped back. "Oh, never mind. I think it's just some residual shit from where you had your head so far up your ass."

  "What? How dare you!" the girl sputtered and rested a hand over her heart like a drama queen.

  "Oh, no one needed to dare me."

  "You bitch!"

  I'd had enough cowering. "Better a bitch than desperate," I announced as I exited the stall. I moved to the vanity area and washed my hands, locking eyes with them in the mirror.

  The dark-haired woman paled slightly, but she stood her ground. "Oh, the goody-two-shoes has claws," she said, running her eyes over me with a smirk.

  "Maybe. But I have something even better."

  "Oh, yeah? What's that?"

  "Jax."

  Her body went rigid. "It won't last."

  I dried my hands as I turned to face her. "Oh, I'm not so sure. You see, when Jax fights for something he wants, he keeps it. It took him a while, but he wore me down. Now he just wears me out in bed."

  Her mouth dropped open before an ugly scowl formed. "Enjoy him while you can. He'll be back for me."

  Years of practice enabled me to smile sweetly at her, despite my back teeth grinding against each other. "Oh, I will, but don't hold your breath. It appears he can't get enough of my milk and cookies, especially those late-night snacks. You know the kind where you can peel back the layers until you can lick the cream, if you catch what I mean."

  Her eyes popped as my double entendre sank in.

  Jade's smile was wicked as she linked arms with me and we left the bathroom. As soon as the door closed behind us, I leaned against the wall, my shaky hand covering my mouth.

  "Can I just say I've never been prouder of you?" Jade's shoulders were shaking as she laughed. "Licking the cream? That was priceless! I love how your claws came out. You're full of surprises lately."

  "I’m used to people talking about me, but the way she talked about Jax...well, they just brought it out in me."

  Jade looked smug. "Come on, kitten. Let's go back to your man before he sends out a search party."

  As we made our way back to our table, I saw Jax scanning the room. As soon as he caught sight of us, his features relaxed and a smile broke out on his face. He said something to the rest of our table party and met me halfway.

  "You were gone a while. Everything okay?"

  "Fine."

  Jade coughed to cover her hissed, "Bullshit."

  "Hush. Let's go back to our seats. I think the speech and auction announcements are coming up." I slid my hand down Jax's arm until our fingers linked.

  Jax didn't move. He looked at Jade. "What happened?"

  I drew his face back to mine. "Nothing important. We ran into a couple of women who weren't appreciative of our efforts here tonight."

  His eyes grew warm. "Then they're idiots. You've both done a fantastic job." He offered both of his elbows and escorted us back to our seats, where dinner was just being served.

  I put the bathroom episode out of my head and enjoyed the meal until it was time to move things along.

  "If you don't mind, I need to go make sure we're set up for the guest of honor's speech."

  "Hurry."

  I promised I would and hurried off to remind the mayor he was up in a few minutes to introduce the speaker. Then I found Dr. Carlin at his table to make sure he was ready.

  "You've done an excellent job, Grace. You outdid any expectation I had for this." He introduced me to his guests, and I confirmed everything was on schedule.

  As soon as I sat back at my seat, Jax's hand slid up to my shoulder where his thumb rubbed little circles on my bare skin. He must have felt the little shiver that went through me. He leaned close and whispered in my ear, "I can't wait to peel this dress from you. And even more, I can't wait to lick your cream."

  I shot Jade an irritated look, even as his words sent a flurry of desire throughout me.

  "Don't be mad at her. She told me what happened, even though I wished you'd been honest with me about it."

  I turned to face him. "Is that what it's like to be you, Jax? That people want to use you for what you can give them?"

  He shrugged. "Not everyone, but I'm used to it. It comes with success."

  "But don't they see how much more you have to give than money? How funny you are? How you defend those who are younger or weaker than you? How freaking smart you are?" How could they not see how warm and kind he was, how he liked to take care of anyone he cared about?

  His eyes grew warm, not with the lust I was growing used to seeing, but something different; something more. His gaze grew closer. I closed my eyes as his lips brushed across mine. "Grace, I..." he whispered.

  No other words, yet they said everything—happiness, fulfillment, wonder. It was what my heart yearned to hear, even if we weren’t ready to say it out loud.

  A throat cleared across the table breaking us apart, but when we looked simultaneously across the table, my dad was grinning. We drew apart, but Jax's arm stayed around my shoulder.

  The talking died down as the mayor of Passion walked to the podium. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to be here with you tonight. I know you're not happy about my interruption because the coordinators for tonight's dinner did such an amazing job. Please, let's thank Grace Hart of 'Graceful Eventures' and her colleague, Jade Whitfield." He gestured for us to stand, and the room broke out in applause and a few whistles, the loudest of which came from Jax.

  "Tonight's dinner continues with our guest of honor, who is the brains behind the new teen center for which you are here tonight supporting with your money. But I hope you'll listen carefully and do more than just give financial support. Our hope is to offer not only a place for teens to find a safe place to spend their time, but to also provide real-life leadership opportunities. Additionally, we know that not every teen comes from a supportive home. Or maybe they do, but they encounter problems somewhere else, such as school. As a community, we don't want to close our eyes to these problems. We want to give our youth the tools to deal with any issue they have through counseling and mentorship. Our guest of honor tonight is no stranger to childhood issues. Dr. Gene Carlin is our leading clinical psychologist at the hospital. Through his efforts..."

  The mayor's voice faded as I felt a tightening of Jax's entire body. He withdrew his arm, and I turned to face him. I was stunned to see how pale he looked. Beads of sweat dotted his brow and upper lip.

  "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

  He wouldn't look at me.

  "Jax? Honey, answer me."

  "I'll be fine. Dinner suddenly isn't sitting well with me. I'll be right back." He lifted my hand for a kiss, but it was an empty gesture. Then he sprang from his chair and bolted from the room. I started to get up, but Noah gently restrained me.

  "Let him go," he said.

  Reluctantly, I settled back in my seat. I didn't hear much of Dr. Carlin's speech. I was distracted by constantly looking over my shoulder for Jax to return. I laughed and clapped on cue when everyone else did, but that was about all. Noah was typing furiously on his cell phone. At one point, he looked at me and frowned, and went back to typing. When Dr. Carlin's speech was over, I slid over to the chair next to Noah. "What's going on, Noah? The truth."

  Just then my phone chimed.

  Cocky Guy: Not feeling well. Noah will
take you home.

  Me: I'll have him bring me to you.

  Cocky Guy: No. Go on home. I'll talk to you later.

  Me: What's going on?

  Me: Don't ignore me, Jax.

  Me: Don't shut me out!

  Me: PLEASE!

  I finally gave up. "Noah, I want you to take me to his condo."

  He looked sympathetic. "If he's not feeling well, maybe you should—"

  "Don't give me that bullshit, Noah. Either you take me, or I call an Uber, but I'm going to him. I'm not walking away, and I'm not letting him do it either." His eyes almost seemed to double in size. I noticed everyone around the table was staring at me. I didn't care. "You know this isn't about his health. Something else is going on, and I'm not going to stand back and not be there for him."

  "He won't let you in."

  "Then tell him you're on your way over."

  Noah stared at me as if searching for something. Finally, he nodded. "All right. Maybe you're just what the doctor ordered after all. But if it doesn't go well..."

  I stood and grabbed my evening bag off the table. "I'll be fine. Jade, you'll handle things from here?"

  "Aye Captain! Go get him, tiger!"

  Noah had a resigned expression on his face. "Let's go."

  I was a nervous wreck the entire way to Jax's condo. Noah's silent brooding told me he knew something was wrong, too. Jax was keeping something from me. Something big. I just hoped it wasn't bigger than me—or bigger than us.

  30

  Jax