Page 48 of Jaxon

"Too late. I sent Mom a picture." Stella lifted her phone. "Here's her response."

"I'm going to kill them."

"Shit. Well cat's left that bag then."

Crusoe rested back against the chair and closed his eyes. "I want to go."

"The only place you're going is to see a doctor," Stella said. "I'm not waiting, so I guess you'll have to drive yourself to the ER," she said to me. "Or maybe Miss Walsh can take you after her dad's attack dogs get through with you."

"Love the vote of confidence, sis." I walked over to fill a glass with water. I was regretting the chili burger lunch now.

"Well, do you see our adorable baby brother? He looks like something a cat barfed up."

"Jeez, harsh, LaLa. Way to hit a guy when he's down," Crusoe moaned.

Stella rubbed the top of his head. "Let's get you to the doctor's. I told Mom I was taking you in, so there's no backing out now."

My phone rang. "It's Fin." I walked out of the kitchen. "Cru is fucked up bad," I said.

"Theo too, though he said Cru got the worst of it. Fool wants to go with us to the beach. Wish he could. We're down to three. I'm on my way to pick Mac up."

"Yep, I'll meet you there."

I helped Stella get Crusoe to the car. She took hold of my arm before I could leave. "Hey, seriously, Jax?—"

"We'll be fine."

I got in the car and checked my phone to see if Bridget had called or texted, but there was nothing. It was best to put her out of my head for the time being. I was going to need to be fully dialed in once I got to the beach.

A long line of cars was parked along the highway near the path to the beach. The long sandy trail had started naturally, back when the dads were young, back when no one owned Croft Beach. So many feet had tromped down the hillside, a smooth trail had been worn into the otherwise rugged and overgrown landscape. I didn't see Griffin's truck yet. Some of the cars were familiar. It seemed some other Trayton locals had shown up. Word must have gotten around that some of our people had gotten beaten up just for surfing in their favorite stretch of water.

I walked along the line of cars and stopped when the door of a Porsche opened up. It was definitely not a local. Alex stepped out of the car in his pressed shorts and slicked back hair. He lifted his sunglasses and smirked at me. I didn't have time for his shit.

He stepped out to block my path. I stared hard at him. "That's a pretty bold fucking move, or did you forget the last time we met?"

"Hank's down there on the beach with Ivan. I just have to send a text, and he'll come up here and wipe the asphalt with that fucking face of yours."

"That's sweet that you have a big dumb asshole to protect your tiny little one. Oh wait. That's actually your mouth. Thought it was your asshole. Love to stay and chat but—nah, who am I kidding. I wouldn't love it at all."

"We're getting married Saturday," he blurted as I walked around him.

I looked back. "Yeah, you keep on dreaming, sparkles."

"Don't have to. Bridget has agreed it's for the best. And before you think you're going to be hanging around with her after we sign the marriage contract—Nathan has already stipulated that she's not to go near you ever again. Sorry, jerk, you lost. She's out buying a dress right now."

"You're full of shit." I was anxious to get to the beach. At the same time, his words had gotten to me. I was sure he was lying, but he was wearing that lie like a cocky, arrogant hard truth.

A car horn pulled our attention to the highway. Griffin and Mac sped past. He pulled a fast U-turn to park behind my car.

"Oh, there's more of you. Well, this should be interesting. I believe Ivan already sent a few of your people off with their tails between their legs."

"Yeah, that's something to brag about. Ivan and his pigs outweighed and outnumbered them, but sure, you count that as a win. Maybe you should change out of your shiny loafers and join those brainless thugs."

Griffin and Cormac looked ready to rumble. Cormac was practically jumping out of his skin as he pounded his fist into his palm. They reached us. Griffin and Cormac looked Alex up and down. "Shit, Jax, I was expecting someone a little more—well— more worth fighting," Cormac said.

"He's just here to watch. Doesn't want to mess up his hair," I said snidely. "Looks like half the town is here. We better get down there."

We reached the top of the path where you could look past the shrubs and trees and see the long stretch of ivory sand. "Well, shit, looks like a battlefield," Cormac said. "Only our side is kind of lacking compared to the other side."

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