Page 10 of Switch

My phone buzzes on the table, snapping me out of my trance. Amelia’s name flashes on the screen. I groan, already dreading the conversation.

“Hey,” I say, answering the call.

“Bella!” Amelia’s chipper voice comes through loud and clear. “So, how was last night? You haven’t texted me at all. Did you hit it off with Mike?”

I let out a long sigh, leaning back in my chair. “Uh, no. Not exactly.”

There’s a pause on the other end. “What happened?”

“Well…” I hesitate, unsure how to even begin. “Mike wasn’t… great. Actually, he was awful.”

“What do you mean?” Amelia asks, her voice laced with concern.

I take a deep breath and spill everything—how Mike was drinking the second we got to the carnival, how he got handsy and didn’t listen when I told him to stop, and how things escalated until Jax stepped in.

Amelia doesn’t say anything at first, but I can practically hear her jaw dropping. “Oh my God, Bella. Are you serious? I can’t believe Mike acted like that. I mean, he’s cocky, sure, but I’ve never seen him behave like… like that.”

“I was surprised too,” I admit. “You were so sure he was this great guy, but he was the exact opposite.”

“I’m so sorry,” she says quickly. “I feel awful. I never would’ve set you up with him if I thought he’d pull something like that.”

“It’s fine,” I say, though I’m not sure I mean it. “I just want to put it behind me and move on.”

“No,” Amelia insists. “It’s not fine. I’m going to talk to him about this. And my aunt. He needs to know that what he did was completely unacceptable.”

“Really, Amelia, don’t worry about it,” I say, my tone softening. “It’s over. I’m okay. Let’s just forget it ever happened.”

She sighs heavily. “You’re way more forgiving than I would be. If I see him, I’m giving him a piece of my mind.”

I smile faintly, appreciating her loyalty even if it’s unnecessary. “Thanks, Amelia. But seriously, I’m fine. Let’s just move on, okay?”

“Okay,” she says reluctantly. “But if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here.”

“I know,” I say. “Thanks.”

We hang up, and I set my phone down, letting out a long exhale. I know Amelia means well, but rehashing the whole thing only makes it harder to push past it.

I glance at my to do list then at the book sitting on my coffee table, the one I’ve been slowly making my way through. A gritty MC romance, full of danger, loyalty, and intense love. I pick it up and sink into the cushions, flipping to the last few chapters, but as I read, my mind drifts back to Jax.

What does he do in the club? Is he like the men in this book—strong, fiercely loyal, always ready to protect what’s his? He doesn’t seem like the rough and reckless type, not with the way he carried himself last night. He was calm, steady, and… different.

I shake my head, trying to focus on the words in front of me, but it’s no use. Every time I read about the stoic, protective hero in the story, my thoughts veer back to Jax. The way his hand brushed mine when he gave me his phone. The way he spoke my name, like it mattered.

I close the book with a sigh, staring out the window at the clear morning sky.

Damn it, Bella. You just met him. Stop thinking about him like this.

But the truth is, I can’t. Not yet. And maybe… I don’t want to.

The book in my lap is forgotten as my phone buzzes next to me. I glance at the screen, half expecting it to be Amelia checking in again. But it’s not.

It’s him.

Jax.

I stare at his name for a second, my heart skipping. I wasn’t expecting to hear from him—not this soon, maybe not at all. Swiping to unlock the phone, I open the message.

Jax: Hey. Just wanted to check in. You good?

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