Jax (Broken Strings #1)

by Cherry Shephard

  “Amaranth, I-” Jax began, reaching for her.

  “No, don’t,” she said, pulling away from him, her eyes blazing. “We have to go, remember? They’re waiting for us.”

  She turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door closed behind her.

  Jax slumped against the wall and ran his hands over his face.

  Amaranth was homeless? He’d had no idea. How long had she been living this way, where did she sleep each night?

  Something snapped inside of him and he kicked over the small table next to the door, sending the glass vase on top of it smashing to the floor.

  He moved to the bed and pulled on his shoes. His heart was breaking for her, he had to do something… but what could he do? Amaranth clearly had no intention of accepting his help, she was too proud, too stubborn.

  His shoes on, he stood and pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. Withdrawing a fifty dollar note, he tucked it under the lamp on the bedside table. He wasn’t sure if it’d be enough to repair the damage he’d caused in his moment of blind anger, but it would have to do. He’d make sure Tobey checked later.

  Leaving the room, he took his key back to the reception. The blonde wasn’t on the desk this time and he got through quickly with no trouble. He didn’t mention the mess he’d left behind.

  Putting his sunglasses on, he walked through the hotel lobby and outside into the light.

  The bus was still parked in the same spot, though about twenty young women started screeching as soon as he walked out of the hotel.

  Fucking fans, he thought savagely.

  Jax loved his fans… most of the time. But right now there was only one person he wanted to see.

  Craning his neck, he looked over the heads of the women that surrounded him, but he couldn’t see her anywhere.

  Smiling a polite apology to his disappointed fans, he pressed his way through them and walked over to the bus where Kane stood leaning against it, an amused grin on his face.

  “Did we have fun last night?” he asked casually.

  “Shut up,” Jax snapped. “Where is she?”

  Kane’s grin widened even more, exposing his white teeth. “You must have really made an impression on her,” he chuckled. “She left in a cab about five minutes ago.”

  Jax felt the breath leave his body as though he’d been sucker punched in the gut.

  “She…what?” he asked, not ready to believe it.

  “Cheer up,” Kane said, slapping him on the back as he pushed away from the side of the bus. “It’s probably for the best. Come on dude, we have to go.”

  Kane waved gallantly to the screaming women that still surrounded them, before boarding the bus.

  Jax paused on the steps, searching the crowd around the hotel. There was still no sign of Amaranth.

  With a loud sigh of defeat he boarded the bus and watched the doors close behind him.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “Dude, forget about her, she’s gone!” Kane said in frustration.

  They’d been on the road for the past hour, and Jax had spent the entire time staring out the window, watching for Amaranth.

  “I just don’t understand it,” he said in a quiet voice.

  “Jax,” Tessa said quietly as she sat down beside him. “I’m sorry, but you have to snap out of this. Amaranth’s gone, and it’s probably for the best.”

  Jax turned his head toward her with a small smile. “You’re starting to sound just like Kane.”

  “Well good,” Tessa replied with a smile. “Maybe now you’ll listen.”

  “Tessa’s right,” Tobey said from the other side of the bus as he looked up from his paperwork.

  Jax looked at Tobey curiously, since when did he start agreeing with Tess?

  “Okay guys listen up,” Tobey continued, standing up with a handful of papers. “Tonight we’re playing Phoenix and-”

  “What? Phoenix, why?” Kane cried tiredly. “That’s hours out of our way!”

  “A gig is a gig,” Tobey said with a warning look. “Now, Tessa we’re not going to have you in the middle of the stage this…..”

  Jax let his mind wander as Tobey and Tessa talked business. It wasn’t as though he wasn’t interested, he just had too much going on his mind at that moment to focus on what they were saying.

  Quietly excusing himself, he squeezed past Tessa and went into his room and lay on the bed.

  ***

  Hours later he was woken by Kane. They’d arrived in Phoenix.

  Quickly showering and dressing, he stepped off the bus. The time was four pm, and the sun had just begun to sink in the sky, making the wind that blew a little chilly.

  Walking over to a large door at the side of the entertainment center, he pulled it open and stepped inside, squinting his eyes at the sudden darkness.

  Where the fuck are the lights? He thought.

  A sound to the right of him caught his attention, and he turned and began walking along an empty corridor.

  “Kane?” he called, straining his ears for any sound. “Tessa!”

  Where the hell was everyone?

  He reached the end of the corridor and rounded the corner, only to find another corridor. The center was like a fucking maze.

  He heard a sound once more, a distinct thud of something dropping heavily to the ground.

  “Hello?” he called, walking down that corridor. He sped up as he heard footsteps walking quickly away from him.

  Jax broke into a jog as he heard a loud scraping sound. It seemed to come from all around him.

  He rounded the next corner, and almost ran straight into Tobey.

  “Tobey,” he gasped, leaning forward out of breath. “Where the fuck is everyone?”

  “Are you alright?” Tobey asked, looking at him in concern.

  “I’m fine,” Jax lied, standing up straight, still panting.

  “Have you seen Tessa?” Tobey asked.

  Jax looked at him curiously. “Is something going on between you and Tess?” he asked.

  Tobey blushed and ducked his head. “No, of course not,” he said, a little too quickly. “I just have to go over some stuff with her before the show.”

  He was clearly lying.

  “I haven’t seen her,” Jax replied, shaking his head.

  “Okay,” Tobey said distractedly. “Walk down this hall and turn left. You can’t miss the dressing rooms.”

  Jax watched as Tobey walked quickly in the opposite direction. There was definitely something he was missing.

  Shaking his head, he turned and walked down the corridor.

  He found the dressing rooms easily enough, and Kane was sitting in there with a group of young women.

  “Jax,” the drummer said happily as he entered the room. “You’re just in time. Abigail here was just about to show us how she can put her legs behind her head,” he said, winking suggestively at a blonde as she giggled, her large breasts heaving.

  Jax smiled. “Not tonight,” he said, walking over to the mini bar and grabbing a can of beer.

  “Man, are you still hung up over that chick?” Kane said, standing on unsteady legs as he made his way over to where Kane stood, looking out the window.

  “Give it up man, she’s not coming back.”

  “I know that,” Jax said defensively. “I just wish I understood why she left in the first place.”

  “Jax, sometimes things are just better left unknown,” Kane said with a laugh, draping his arm over Jax’s shoulders.

  “Hey guys, we’re on in fifteen,” Tessa said, sticking her head around the corner of the door.

  “Hey Tess,” Jax said with a sly smile. “How’s Tobey?”

  “What? How the hell should I know?” Tessa asked, looking confused.

  “Fifteen minutes,” she reminded them as she closed the door.

  Now Jax was confused. If something was going on between Tobey and Tessa, then clearly they were hiding it pretty damn well. Tessa was a great actress, pretending to be confused.

>   “Okay ladies,” Kane said with a sigh. “It’s time for you all to leave.”

  The ladies all groaned in unison, and Jax laughed.

  “I know, I know,” Kane said, sounding dismayed. “I don’t want you to go either. But, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve arranged for all of you to have free tickets to tonight’s show, and I would like to invite you to a very exclusive after party,” he slapped the blonde on her round ass as she squealed in excitement.

  Jax looked at Kane after the women had left. “Do you think you could hold it together for one show, without getting completely trashed?” he snapped.

  “Whoa dude, chill out. What the hell is your problem?” Kane asked, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

  Jax sighed. “Nothing,” he said, opening his own can of beer. “Let’s just do this.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “That show was epic!” Tobey exclaimed as the band came off stage.

  Jax didn’t stick around to chat, he’d been unfocused during the entire concert, and now he just wanted to get the fuck out of there.

  Pushing his way through the backstage crowd, he slipped through a side door and called a cab, driving to the nearest bar.

  It was a hazy, smoke filled room, and as Jax walked through the doors he immediately pulled a packet of cigarettes from his jeans pocket and lit one, inhaling deeply as he moved to find an empty seat.

  All around him, women gyrated to a brooding country song. Taking a seat at a table, he’d barely been on his ass for ten seconds before a beautiful topless brunette appeared in front of him.

  “Hey handsome,” she purred, shaking her chest a little. “What can I get for you?”

  “Whiskey, please,” he answered absently. He watched her ass in her tiny skirt as she sauntered away towards the bar. He was horny as hell.

  Jax watched the dancers on stage for a while, and when the waitress came back with his drink she appeared to want to give him more.

  “Like what you see?” she asked, looking down at her chest as she leaned forward until her tits poked against his chest.

  This wasn’t right. This woman, as beautiful as she was, held no appeal for him.

  He only wanted Amaranth.

  As though thinking about her had conjured her up, he looked towards the stage in time to see her step up, dressed in a sexy black and pink bra and thong.

  His cock immediately sprang to attention, and the woman in front of him noticed. He gently eased her away and shook his head. It wasn’t for her.

  Pouting prettily, she turned and flounced away, but Jax never noticed, he had eyes only for the vixen on the stage.

  Amaranth bumped and grinded against the pole, shaking her pert little ass for all the men in the room.

  Fuck, but she was beautiful.

  Jax looked around at the men watching her. A sudden flame of jealousy burned inside him.

  What the hell was he doing? More importantly, what the hell was she doing on that stage? Didn’t she care that these men were staring at her like nothing more than a piece of meat?

  Her song ended and she exited the stage.

  Jax had seen enough. Standing up, he threw a couple of bills down on the table and stormed out.

  He stood outside the bar smoking a cigarette. As the smoke billowed up into the night air he heard a door open. Pushing away from the wall, he stubbed his cigarette out with the heel of his shoe before walking around the corner of the building.

  He watched silently as Amaranth said goodbye to a few other strippers, his anger growing.

  Who the hell did she think she was? He’d been prepared to look after her, pay her handsomely for the time they spent together. Was he not good enough?

  He waited until she was alone before walking up behind her.

  “Hello Amaranth,” he said in a low voice, watching as she froze and slowly turned to face him.

  “Jax,” she gasped. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I think the real question is, what are you doing here?” he asked icily.

  She paled. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said, backing slowly away from him. “You should go.” She turned to walk away, but Jax was faster.

  He grabbed her arm and spun her around, pinning her up against the side of the club, his mouth mere inches from hers.

  “Do you like it?” he whispered harshly, staring down into her face.

  She licked her lips nervously. “Do I like what?” she asked.

  “Taking your clothes off for men. Do you like the attention?”

  “I-I don’t know what you want me to say,” Amaranth stammered.

  “I want the fucking truth,” Jax shouted, punching the brick wall she leaned against, not caring that his knuckles were probably bleeding.

  “It’s all I know,” she said quietly.

  “I won’t have you stripping,” he thundered.

  His temper seemed to strike a chord in Amaranth, and she finally snapped.

  “Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” she yelled, her eyes flashing. “I don’t belong to you.”

  “The hell you do,” Jax yelled back. “As long as you’re on my bus you won’t be stripping.”

  “News flash Jax, I’m not on your damn bus!” she cried.

  “I’m not leaving here without you,” Jax said, lowering his voice to a menacing whisper.

  The air was suddenly charged with sexual tension. Leaning down, he captured Amaranth’s lips in a savage kiss, growling when she responded just as hungrily.

  He picked her up and braced her against the wall, wasting no time in undoing his fly, flipping her skirt up and moving her thong aside before burying himself deep inside her.

  He took her hard, right against the side of the club. Jax didn’t know if anyone walked by and saw them, but at that moment he didn’t care. All he could focus on was the feeling of her tight warm center wrapped around him, pulling him in deeper.

  He flung his head back and groaned as he came, emptying himself into her.

  As their breathing slowly returned to normal he helped her down and watched with hooded eyes as she fixed her clothes.

  “Will you come back?” he asked, doing his fly up.

  Amaranth was silent for so long that he wasn’t sure she’d heard him.

  Finally she looked up at him and gave him a small nod.

  Jax’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Come on,” he said quietly, taking her hand. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “You’re back,” Tessa said flatly as they entered the bus.

  “Tessa,” Kane warned as he came forward and gave Amaranth a hug. “It’s good to have you back, Ammy,” he said warmly.

  “It’s good to be back,” Amaranth said with a smile.

  “Tobey,” Jax said as the band’s manager stepped up onto the bus. “I need Rachel and Mandy to buy Amaranth some new clothes tomorrow,” he said, referring to the band’s stylists.

  “Oh, really Jax, that’s not necessary,” Amaranth protested.

  Jax looked down at her in amusement. “You really want to wear those same clothes for the next three days?” he asked with a smile.

  She pursed her lips and shook her head, turning her head away from him.

  “Then it’s settled,” he said, turning back to Tobey.

  “Very good,” Tobey replied, making a note on a stack of papers he held. “I’ll get them onto it first thing in the morning.”

  “Good,” Jax said, grabbing Amaranth’s hand and practically dragging her up to the back of the bus and into his room, pushing her roughly onto the bed.

  She gasped and scrambled up the bed as he stalked her.

  “Wh-what?” she stammered, sounding nervous.

  Good, Jax thought. I want her to be nervous.

  “I believe I had a rule,” he said quietly, his tone causing her to visibly shiver. “Do you remember that rule?”

  Amaranth licked her lips and shook her head.

  Jax smiled. A slow, calculating smile design
ed to intimidate.

  “I believe I told you no panties.”

  Amaranth gasped and pulled her knees up to her chest, involuntarily exposing herself to him. Jax felt his cock grow again.

  “Do you remember that rule, Amaranth?”

  She nodded slowly.

  Jax tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I think you need to be punished,” he decided, causing her eyes to widen in panic. “What’s the matter, Ammy,” he said, mocking the nickname that he hated so much. “You’re always so sure of yourself, so confident. Have you got nothing to say now?”

  Amaranth stared at him, still looking nervous. “I’m sorry Jax, I didn’t mean to break the rules,” she begged. “I’ll do anything to make it up to you, please, just tell me what to do.”

  Jax stared at her. It took him a moment to notice the sparkle in her eyes… she knew this game.

  “You can start by getting those clothes off. I’m going to give you until the count of three to get naked, or I’m going to rip those clothes from your body for you.”

  Amaranth gaped at him. “You can’t be serious!”

  “One…” Jax said in a low voice.

  “Jax, please.”

  “Two…”

  “Jax wait I-”

  “Three.”

  He lunged at the bed, grabbing her by the ankles and dragging her down until her legs hung over the edge of the mattress.

  He kneeled down between her open legs, his hands slowly caressing the inside of her knees before moving up her thighs and inside her skirt.

  Gripping her thong in both hands, he ripped it in half, eliciting a deep moan from Amaranth.

  Jax stared hungrily at her bare pussy, his calloused fingers lightly stroking the soft, plump folds.

  He eased one finger inside, testing her wetness. They were both more than ready, but there was something he wanted to do first…