Page 16 of Shared By Her Brother's Best Friends

“You and Max don’t deserve this, you know.”

I shrug, “Max certainly doesn’t. But I don’t know, it’s seeming increasingly likely this has something to do with my dead husband’s debts. Which if it is, then I’m not wholly innocent.”

“How so?” he asks, a small frown appearing on his handsome face.

“I should have left Max’s dad long before he died. Then whatever financial troubles he got himself into would be his problem alone.”

Jax shakes his head, “I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that, loan sharks are nasty bastards, and they’ll go after anyone close to the person who owes them if they think they’ll pay. Ex-wife, widow, it’s all the same to them. Max is still his son.” A thought occurs to him, and he looks at me curiously, “That makes me wonder. If your husband’s family isn’t in on it, perhaps they’re also being harassed. Have you spoken to them?”

I shake my head, “Not recently, no, but you’re right it’s worth a shot. I’ll call them later when we get back.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, why didn’t you? Leave your husband, that is,” Jax asks.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. There was no one reason, more an accumulation of things. I got married and had Max when I was only nineteen. I was scared to raise Max alone and Adamcould be very manipulative. He'd convince me he'd changed and for a while, he would, but then inevitably he’d drink and gamble worse than before. When he did, he took it out on me, not physically, but emotionally. My self-confidence was so low he made me believe no one would ever love me like he did.”

“You know that’s just bullshit assholes say to keep a woman they know is too good for them?”

I chuckle lightly, “You’re a lot sweeter than I expected.”

“As pie,” he retorts with a mischievous grin.

“So have you ever had someone in your life you thought maybe you could spend the rest of it with? Or has settling down never been something you wanted?” I ask boldly.

“Nope. Not that I’m against the idea. There were a couple of women I thought maybe things coulda worked out that way with when I was younger, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

“Why not?” I say, curiosity getting the better of me.

“The biker lifestyle isn’t for everyone. I didn’t want to give it up, and honestly, they were jealous of the bond I have with the guys, not just Mason and Ty, but the whole club. It’s a brotherhood, a family. They didn’t get that they would have to share me,” he explains.

“Like how you shared me earlier with Ty and Mason?” I ask cheekily.

He chuckles softly, “Not quite like that. Though color me impressed with your ability to share.”

The brief distraction and flirty banter between us are immediately forgotten as we pull into the town where Max’sschool is. My heart starts to race as we approach the building. As we pull into the completely deserted parking lot fear and panic start to set in.

“It’s empty. Oh my god, Jax, it’s empty! Where is he?” I cry out in anguish.

“Maybe someone is waiting inside with him,” Jax says, though we both know that’s unlikely.

“All of the lights are off and there are no cars in the lot!”

“Maybe one of the teachers takes the bus,” he says, “Come on, let’s try the doors.”

We get out and I run over to the doors, pulling on them and banging on windows and doors like a madwoman but it only confirms what I already know.

“He’s gone.”

Chapter 9

Jax

“Emma, calm down, it will be okay,” I say placing my hand on her shoulder as she is in full hysterics having a panic attack.

“How will it? They have my baby!” she howls in anguish.

“Emma just think for a second. Is there anywhere else he might be? What about your friend? Didn’t you say her son is in Max’s class and she often takes him to hers after school for you?”

She shakes her head, less certain now though, “She does, but she’s never done so without telling me before. She’d have called or texted me to let me know, wouldn’t she?”

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