Page 57 of Tattooed Love

“I told you dad, I didn’t have a choice,” he barked into his phone. “Like I said before, it is in the best interest of the club.”

He fell silent for a moment, and I felt his eyes on me. Inhaling quickly, I twisted my shoulder without thinking, and a deep frown appeared on my face. It took all my self-control to not wince in pain. How could such little movement cause so much agony?

“Hold on a minute,” Jax shot into the phone. I heard him place his phone on the bedside table.

Suddenly, the blankets on me disappeared, and goosebumps ran up my legs as the cold air suddenly hit me.

Jax placed a hand under my shoulder, half in the air, and then threaded his other hand under my side. His breathing was thick as he softly twisted me back over.

I couldn’t believe how gentle he was being! Now more comfortable, I lay on my back. Iactually could take a breath in without cringing in pain. His hands left my body quickly and he covered me back up with the blankets.

I felt him lift the mattress as he tucked the blankets in. What on earth had got into him?

“You still there?” his voice shot into the phone. “You don’t need to remind me where you are,” he spat, bitterness in his tone.

The room fell silent and all I could hear was his sharp breathing.

“I know. Blood in, blood out,” Jax said coolly into the phone. “I won’t forget.”

He barked a bye into the phone and hung up. If I was the person who had just called him, I wouldn’t be calling back. Was Jax always that rude to people?

A stray piece of hair flew across my eye, and it annoyed me immediately. I was considering just giving in and letting Jax know I was awake, but then I felt his fingers gently brush the stray strand away, and I still couldn’t believe this was the same Jax!

“I’m really sorry Amber,” I heard him mutter, sitting by my side.

He was sorry? For what? Was the attack linked back to them? Who was I kidding; I knew it was. So that was why Jax had stayed at my side. Guilt really was capable of changing a man.

Jax

I watched a frown appear on her face again as she took a staggered breath in. Breathing was hurting her. I could tell from the frown on her face every time she took a breath in.

I sat back, feeling completely like shit.

I never let anyone get close for this reason. I don’t have connections. I just have the brotherhood, and they could all look after themselves when it came to it.

They weren’t a weakness.

I should have known The Pythons were watching me. They’d seen me with her at the mall. I was never seen with a girl. Maybe at the clubhouse, but that was it.

Never let anyone get close. That was the one thing dad had taught me before he went to prison and got a life sentence, and I became The King.

The Pythons have been wanting blood for years now. First, they invaded our street; started dealing where we were dealing. Little things that we could argue over.

Sure I got threatened. Every man with bikie blood knew I was the King, and being the King meant everyone, even Troy, answered to me.

Every charter. Every member. Answered to me.

Thanks to dad.

Sometimes, I don’t know whether being born into this was a blessing or a curse. Look at Jason; he’d shrugged off the lifestyle, but dad picked me. Groomed me. Wanted me to take over from him.

So I did as soon as he went down for a crime he actually committed when he was young. His first kill ended up getting him arrested, thanks to new evidence.

I lit up another cigarette, my eyes on Amber.

I couldn’t even look her in the eye after the mall, but I knew as soon as I saw her naked body, I wanted her.

Even in her underwear, she sent my fantasies into overdrive, and then she went and took off her bra, giving me a sight I will never forget.

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