His eyes grow wide and his chin hangs down. “Wow, I kind of like this side of you, but did you have to throw my twenty-thousand dollar Rolex across the room?”
Tsk. “Well, who in their right mind would pay that much for a watch?”
“Oh, my beautiful girl, right now, I’m going to feed you my cock and then later, I’ll feed you some food.”
I NEED TO GET out of this house, before I go crazy. I think it’s time for a trip to the office for a few hours. I know I’m not up to working a full day, but the silence is killing me. I open the door and An is sitting by the elevator again.
“Ma’am, are you going to sit there all day, everyday until Jax gets back?”
She looks up from her reading. “Maxwell, what do you think?”
I need to stand my ground here. “I’m going into work for a couple of hours.” She’s not budging.
“Maxwell, again what do you think?”
I turn to the guard and notice my regular guard is gone, and Mick is here. “Mick, I’m going into work for a couple of hours, you can stay here with Mrs. Phillips.”
“Sorry, sir, no can do.”
So help me, I swear I’m going to kick Jax’s arse! “What do you mean, no can do? You work for me. I want to go, so either we go or I fire your arse!”
He’s shaking his head, “Sorry, sir, Mr. Phillips said you would pull that card. He said I work for him now, not you.”
“What else did Jax say?” I yell. I know he’s just doing his job.
He shuffles his feet and clears his throat. “Well Mr. Jax said that Mrs. Phillips is supposed to stay stuck to you like glue, and if you give me any trouble, I’m supposed to shoot you in the arse. His words, sir, not mine.”
“You wouldn’t shoot me!”
An stops reading and looks at the two of us. “Maxwell, if I tell him to, he will, because he has the good sense to be afraid of my wrath, something you’re clearly lacking right now. I suggest you get back inside. Breakfast will be here any minute, and then you have therapy. I have the schedule, and you will do as you’re told.”
I shake my head and go back inside. The scary part of all of this, is Mick would probably shoot me in the arse, and An would let him!
I head inside, take a few calming breathes and call Jax. I need to find out what the hell he was thinking.
“Hey, Max, how are you feeling?”
I take a deep breath, “Jax, you really are a crazy fucking arse! What the bloody hell, you told Mick to shoot me in the arse?! You have your mum glued to me. Do you know that she put a chair by the elevator and just sits there? No matter what fucking bloody time I go out there, she’s still sitting in that fucking chair! She has a schedule, a fucking bloody schedule!” The phone is silent and I look to see if the call was dropped.
“Max, you need to calm down. This can’t be good for your recovery. Does she really have a schedule?”
He’s got the nerve to be laughing. What the fuck? “Jax, if you don’t stop laughing, so help me . . .”
“Calm down, where do you want to go?”
I’m a fucking prisoner. I can’t believe I’m asking for permission to leave my home! “I was going to head into the office for a couple of hours.”
“Why? You know you’re recuperating, so what business do you have there?”
“I just want to get out of here for a couple of hours and check on things. I need a change of scenery or I’m going to lose it, mate!”
“Tony, is doing just fine, and there is nothing that you need to check on.” Jax says calmly like he’s trying to talk a jumper off a roof.
I grit my teeth and begin pacing. Fuck! “You’re not letting me out of here, are you?”
“No, but I do have to talk to you about some stuff, so get comfortable. We went to see Gabriella yesterday.”
I stop pacing and sit by the window. I need to keep it together for Jax; he’s carrying my load right now.
“How is Raven?”
He takes a deep breath. “Well, I really wish you were here to see this. We found her mum sitting in the solarium, sketching. When we sat down with her, we realized she was sketching pictures of Raven, from when she last saw her,” he starts to tell me about their visit. I listen for the next several minutes and get ready to interrupt him when he starts telling me the plans of bringing her back to New York.
“Wow, this has to be so overwhelming for Raven and Gabriella. I trust your opinion, Jax. I think we need to move her, but do a total name change and heavy guards on her at all times. Also, have the plane swept by your guards, not just the standard sweep. Do you think she is physically up for the move?”
“I do, and having Raven with her helps. She is opening up with Raven, speaking more and more. We had to tell her that Joseph died. She kept asking why he hadn’t come back. Apparently, he would go visit her and talk about Raven, but never told her who she was.”
“How did she take the news? Do you think it was too soon to tell her?”
“I don’t think it was too soon, but it’s hard to say. I’m clearly not a doctor, but I think, right now, its honesty that’s needed the most. I don’t think she’s as fragile as we first thought, but I could be wrong.”
I can hear it in his voice that something is off. “Okay, Jax, what else is going on over there?”
“Why?” he stammers.
I laugh, “I know you better than you know yourself, and I know you have something on your mind, so have at it. It’s not like I have anything to do, that’s for sure.”
“Max, you know I really can’t stand it when you’re right. Okay, so here’s the thing, I want to get married.”
This is nothing new. “I know that already, Jax, what the bloody hell is your problem, mate?”
“I don’t know how to go about this without being like a bulldozer. So help me, Max, if you don’t stop laughing at me I will tell Mick to shoot you!”
“I’m sorry, Jax, it’s just very funny that big bad Jax, who is always ten steps ahead of everyone else, is at a loss as to how to ask his girl to marry his sorry arse.” I can picture him pulling his hair out!
“Come on, mate, how do I do this without being my usual bulldozer self?”
I can’t believe I have to give him step-by-step instructions. “Well, first, you need to get a ring.”
“Done. Max, I’m telling you, I’ve wanted to marry her from the first day I met her.”
“Jax, dare I ask when you got the ring?” I know this man, and odds tell me he got the ring the first day he met her.
“No, let’s just skip that part. What should I do next? I don’t want her to feel like I’m pushing or dictating how she should live her life.”
For such a smart man, he can be so clueless. I need to try and make him understand. “Jax, you are in essence asking her to change her life. Granted—she is pregnant, so her life will never be her own again, but you need to make her realize that you want to marry her because of her and not because of an obligation to your child.”
“I got that, Max, but how do I ask her?”
I have to laugh, “Sometimes you can be such an arsehole. Just tell her how you feel without demanding she see things your way. Tell her what you see in a future with the two of you, together as a team for life.”
Okay, I got it. I’m scared I’m going to fuck this up, and if you tell another living soul, I will shoot you myself!” he threatens. I reply with a chuckle. As funny and neurotic as he’s being, I can’t help but feel excited for him. It’s good to see my friend . . . my brother so happy. “Max, later today I’m meeting Gerhard. I know you ran a check on him, is there anything I should be aware of?” Jax pulls me back from my thoughts.
I get up, knowing I need to quickly end this call. “Nothing that you don’t already know. Jax, I have to go, your mum is back with breakfast.” I don’t give him a chance to ask anything else; I don’t want to hear her name.
I DECIDE TO CALL Tony for an update. “Tony, I need you to bring me up to speed.” This is what I
do best; taking care of others.
“Max, what do you want first?’
“Start with Vincent and work from there.” I hear the clicking of the keyboard, and I know that Tony is in his element.
“His condition hasn’t changed, no better no worse. Apparently, Vincent’s sister, Annabelle, went to visit him and Duke, however, they wouldn’t let her see either of them. I was able to compare the picture from the park with a current one on the surveillance camera at the jail, it was a match.”
“Did you tell Jax that Annabelle was the woman in the park?”
“No. I never had a chance, I was waiting on confirmation. When it finally came through, Jax and Raven were already on their way to Switzerland. I just got the confirmation and I sent it to the guards.”
Hmm, “Is that all Jax said?”
He pauses for a few moments. “Look, Max, I don’t want to get in the middle of anything.”
What the fuck is he hiding? “Just fucking tell me what he said, Tony!”
“I’m not to let you leave—no matter what. Max, don’t make me have Mick shoot you, okay?”
I could just picture Jax, ordering him to have Mick shoot me. “No, Tony. I might be stubborn, but Jax is the one that’s crazy here, not me. Besides, there is a lot Jax and I need to go over, so don’t worry, you’re off the hook.” I hear him let out a deep breath and I can’t help but laugh.
“Goodnight, Tony, I’ll probably come by tomorrow, if An lets me leave the house.”
RAVEN IS STILL SLEEPING. I’m worried if I can pull this off. Talking to Max helped; it always helps. I don’t know why this man thinks he needs to get out of my life. My mum said he is lost and in a dark place. I just don’t know how to help him. I do know that I need to be one-hundred percent honest with Raven and that means, I need to tell her everything.
“Hey, my beautiful girl, how are you feeling today?”
She looks into my eyes, “I’m good, Jax, but you seem troubled, what’s the problem?”
She always knows. “I spoke to Max this morning.”
She nods, “I won’t press you for answers, just know I’m here for you, always.”
I stare into her eyes and smile. “I told him about the visit with your mum. He agrees we should move her. I spoke with Tony, and there has been some noise from Annabelle, but he’s not sure how much power she has, if any. He was trying to get an updated picture of her.”
I see a look on her face that scares me. She instantly pales. “Jax, the day before we left, I was out running with Bo and my detail. There was a lady in the park, watching me and when she got up to come towards us, Bo freaked out. The guards got a picture of her and they were supposed to send it to Tony. Could that have been her in the park?” she asks. It’s taking all of my control not to lose it.
“Why am I just hearing about this now?” I run my hands through my hair and pull at it. How could this have not been brought to my attention?
“Jax, I thought you were told. You know I wouldn’t hold back something that important from you. Well, not intentionally.” She sits up.
I get up, grab the phone, and put a call into Tony. “Hey, Jax, everything okay?”
I need to be calm—something I’m not good at. “No, why the fuck am I just finding out now about the woman in the park? Did you get a lead on her?” I seethe. I can feel the muscles in my arms and chest clenching, getting ready for a fight with an opponent that’s not even in front of me. Raven’s hands slide up my back and softly massage me, trying to calm me down.
“Jax, the picture was grainy and she had on large sunglasses. It could have been her, but we weren’t sure. After she tried to get in to see Duke and Vincent, we got a better picture and compared them. I just informed Max, confirming that it was, indeed, Annabelle. I sent all this information to Raven’s detail. They were supposed to give it to you. From what you’re telling me, they didn’t.”
I take a deep breath. “Thanks.” and I slam the phone down.
“Raven, please stay here and keep Bo with you. I need to talk to your detail.”
I kiss her softly, I don’t want to scare her, but I think it’s too late for that. I step into the lounge and my eyes dart back and forth between Raven’s guards. “Who took the information from Tony about the woman in the park?” They silently stare at each other until Daniel finally turns to me, “I did, sir, is there a problem?”
I mentally count to ten. “Did you feel that this was information that you should have withheld from me?”
I can’t trust him. I know Max vetted him, but I can’t trust him. I don’t give him a chance to answer. “Collect your stuff, you’re fired. There will be a ticket waiting for you at the airport. Now, get out of my sight.”
I turn to my guards, “One of you take over for him. I will be fine with just one guard, and chances are Raven and I will be together on this trip, anyway.”
I head back inside to assure Raven that I’m fine. I need to call Max, but before I can, he is ringing me. “What, did Tony call you?”
I know Max, and this can’t be good for his recovery. “What the fuck, Jax? I vetted Daniel and Dominika myself. This is basic simple shit.”
At this point, the only one I know I can trust is Max. “Max, I fired Daniel. What should I do about Dominika?”
“I think, for now, you should keep her so Raven has a female guard, but I would feel better if you never left her side. Try to finish up and get back here, quickly. I would rather have you here, where I have more control.”
“We’ll wrap it up as fast as we can and get home. If you find out anything else, please call me. I’ll let you know when we are leaving.”
As I hang up, I sit on the sofa and pull Raven onto my lap. She wraps her arms around me, holding me close. “Okay, Raven, let me tell you everything that I know to date about your family, so that you really get an idea of what we’re up against. Your grandfather, Dion, was from Italy, and when he came to the United States, he brought his way of doing business with him. He had four children: Monti, Antonio, Vincent, and Annabelle. Monti was the eldest, he died in a bar room brawl. Your father never spoke of his family, and once he joined the FBI, he cut all ties with them.”
She’s tugging her ear, and I have to fight my urge to nibble it. “So, Jax, even though Vincent and Duke are in custody, there are other family members that could be a threat to us?”
I know it’s a lot for her to deal with, but I realize she needs all the information. “Yes, but not just family members, these types of organizations are like roaches. You can never get rid of them. I think I would feel better if your mum was closer to us in the States. She has no family, her parent’s died in a car accident while she was in college, and she was an only child. Having her close let’s us keep an eye on her at all times.”
She’s searching my eyes as if she’s looking for answers . . . answers I don’t have. I can only hope I’m making the right decisions.
“Okay, I understand the risk, and I agree, I would feel better if she were close to us. But what else is bothering you? And don’t say nothing, because I know better.”
I take a deep, steadying breath. “Oh, my beautiful girl, I know sometimes you think you don’t know me, but you really do know me so well. I’m going to tell you a story, and I need you to just listen. It’s not my story to tell, but I think you need to know this before we go to see Jackie today.” I proceed to tell her the entire story that Max shared with me.
“Do you see why it’s really not my story to tell, and do you understand why he pushed her away? The murder of his wife and baby right before his eyes. I know I could never come back if, God forbid, something was to happen to you and our baby. It has to be Max’s, decision to tell Jackie his story, not ours. She can’t come back to him because of pity, she has to come back on her own.”
I watch her, waiting for her reaction. She closes her eyes and pulls me close. “Look at me, please. Raven, tell me I’m doing the right thing here?” She opens her eyes and they seem distant.
I’m watching her process everything I just told her. We say nothing for a long time. We just hold each other, lost in our thoughts. “Raven, I’m worried about him, he is in such a dark place. He wants to give me back his shares in Raiders, and move to Scotland. He thinks it would be best, so you can have Jackie in your life. I can’t lose him, and I need to keep my family together and safe. I feel like I’m juggling so many things. I’m afraid of what will happen if I drop one.”
“What has your mom said about all of this?”
My grip on her tightens, “That’s just it, my mum is playing this pretty close to the vest. I know that there is something she’s not telling me, but I can’t force it out of her. My heart breaks for Max. I know he needs Jackie, even more now.”
“Well, Jax, now that I know the whole story, it seems to me that Max is operating out of fear. Until he can realize that he can’t let fear rule his life, then nothing will change for him. As far as your mother is concerned, I have to agree with you, there is definitely more that she is holding back. When I went to lunch with Bella and your mom, something was off. When I told her my concerns about Max, she could not get out of the restaurant fast enough. I knew she was going to head straight to Max. I think you need to have a sit down with your mom and get to the bottom of this. I know you felt Max should be the one to tell his story, but I think you did the right thing by telling me. I need to know, if I’m going to be able to convince Jackie to come home.
“Now as far as keeping Max hostage, will you ever learn your lesson? I know you want things done your way and on your timeline, but that’s not how life works. You can’t go around, threatening to shoot someone in the ass if they don’t do what you want!” She smirks.
“How did you know that?”
“I heard you yelling this morning, but I figured you would tell me when you were ready.”
As I stare at her, I try to keep a straight face (not easy here). “Raven, I wasn’t really going to shoot him.” She is so not buying it.
Darkness into Dawn (The Unraveled Trilogy Book 2) Page 9
