Page 56 of Traitorous Lies
“No, Jax, let me drive.” Her hands gripped the front of his shirt and clung to him. She was clearly terrified, but determination also shined in her eyes.
It would make it easier to be able to focus on eliminating threats if he wasn't also driving the vehicle, but it would also put Monique in a more vulnerable position.
“I can do it,” she said before he could disagree. “And we go on three, you get in first so you can get into the passenger side. One, two, three.”
Since she was already wriggling out from underneath him, there was nothing else he could do but move along with her, although he stayed behind her until they reached the car, then he hurried in, knowing if he refused, she wasn't going to budge.
Little minx was going to be punished for twisting his arm like that. Keeping her safe was his top priority, she should know that. Yet she’d made it impossible for her not to get her way without delaying their departure with an argument.
“Not cool, princess,” he muttered as she slammed the door closed and turned the engine on.
“I was just making the best decision for both of us,” she said stubbornly as she shot him a frown before gripping the wheel.
“The best decision is whatever keeps you the safest.”
“No. I might still be hurt that you weren't honest with me, but I don’t want you hurt and certainly not dead. I don’t … I don’t know what happens next. Between us, I mean. But I do know that a part of me would die if you did.”
For a second, their gazes connected, and he felt it zing between them.
The connection he’d felt that very first second he laid eyes on her.
She felt it, too, he knew she did, could see it in the emotion that flared in the stormy gray depths of her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Monique. For everything,” he murmured.
“I know. I forgive you. I don’t want to die holding onto that anger. I want you to know that I think we can work things out. I don’t want this thing between us to end the way it did.”
Relief had the air whooshing out of his lungs in a rush. It was everything he’d wanted to hear from her, but everything he hadn't been sure he ever would.
“Thank you, princess. I swear, you won't regret it.” Leaning over, he crushed his lips to hers in a quick kiss. “But you should know, that little stunt that you just pulled to get your own way, you're going to be punished for that. I’m thinking I’ll keep you on the edge of an orgasm for hours, until you're begging and pleading to come, and only when I'm sure you understand that your safety is always going to be my top priority will I let you.”
Monique sucked in a breath, her eyes wide, but darkened with desire. His girl didn't want to be treated like a china doll, that’s what she’d told him, and he had no intention of treating his strong, sweet warrior like she was fragile when she was anything but.
“Drive, princess,” he ordered gently. They’d been lucky that no one else had come yet, but there wasn't just the one shooter out there, and they’d already tempted fate long enough.
With a shaky nod, she pressed on the accelerator, and they headed down her driveway. Once they put a bit of distance between them and her property, he’d call his brothers, let them know what happened, and that they needed a flight out to Delta Team’s secure compound. The Delta Team guys really did have to be annoyed with all the flying backward and forward they’d had to do for his family, but they were good men and wouldn't complain, even if they would have preferred not to have their privacy violated.
They were almost to the road when the bullets started flying, and as he opened his window and tracked where the closest shooter was, Jax prayed that Monique had what it took to drive under immense pressure.
If she didn't, if she panicked, if his decision to allow her to drive and him to shoot wound up backfiring and cost them their lives, he would die with that regret sitting heavily on his shoulders.
November 10th
10:09 A.M
Panic thrummed inside her.
Buzzing about like a swarm of angry hornets.
But ruthlessly, Monique beat it back.
This was her plan, and now her and Jax’s lives were depending on her holding it together and driving them out of there. Not holding it together was not an option.
Especially with the promise of Jax’s intriguing punishment hanging in the air.
A stupid thing to be thinking about as she jammed her foot on the accelerator and zoomed them faster down the driveway, but it helped to give her a tangible reason to keep a lid on her fears. Something small but pleasant to focus on. Something that wasn't tied up in an emotionaltangle like her relationship—whatever that was going to look like—with Jax.
Being brave isn’t about not being scared.
