Page 8 of Traitorous Lies
“What's your favorite color?”
“This is going to ruin the image I was building of not being this spoiled, rich princess everyone thinks I am, but pink. The bright Barbie kind. Preferably with glitter.”
Jaxon laughed again. “Nothing wrong with liking pink, princess.”
Normally, when someone called her princess, she interpreted it as an insult. After all, it was what the media had always called her. But when Jaxon said it, the word seemed to roll off his tongue and hit her straight between the legs.
“Your turn.”
“Hmm, did you play sports in high school?”
For a second his gaze darted over to her, and she could see the surprise in it, he hadn't expected that question. Along with the surprise was a dose of pain that made her ache to reach out and soothe it away, but they weren't at that point yet.
As his gaze shifted back to the road, Jaxon suddenly froze. It was like his entire body turned to stone, and the joy and excitement she’d been feeling at meeting someone who seemed to like her for her and not just her last name quickly evaporated.
“What's wrong?”
“Maybe nothing,” Jaxon replied, but his voice had gone hard, and she doubted that was the truth.
“Tell me. I'm not some wilting little princess who can't handle anything more vigorous than a massage,” she snapped, sick of being treated like she was some china doll.
“Never thought you were, princess,” Jaxon said, his voice calm and controlled. “Car approaching us from behind, coming at us faster than it should be.”
Spinning in her seat, she looked out the back window and immediately spotted the headlights, so much closer than she’d been expecting,and they weren't slowing down. It looked like the other vehicle was flying straight at them.
“It’s going to hit us,” Jaxon shouted mere seconds before they were slammed into.
The car swerved wildly as Jaxon fought for control, but the other vehicle hit them again and they went spinning wildly toward the trees lining the road.
Monique’s last thought was terror that this was a ransom kidnapping attempt and she’d dragged Jaxon into danger, right before pain splintered between her temples, and the world went black.
Chapter
Three
October 31st
8:53 P.M.
Pain ricocheted through his skull, and dark dots danced in front of his eyes.
Jax clung to consciousness only because he knew he had to.
Monique was with him.
Sweet, shy Monique, who had dug her claws into him the moment he laid eyes on her without even realizing she’d done it, or that she possessed the kind of claws that could dig deep inside a man and make it almost impossible to break free.
Knowing he would only be with her for as long as it took to get the location of her reclusive father hadn't seemed to sink in. Nor did the fact he’d never get to crush his mouth to hers and kiss her until neither of them could breathe or fulfil whatever fantasies had been running through her head earlier.
She wasn't his to keep, but for now, she was his to protect.
Which was why it was imperative that he not pass out.
So somehow, he managed to fight off the thick, black sludge attempting to fill up his head and remain awake.
“Monique?” he called out her name, annoyed that his voice didn't come out as strong as he had hoped.
Still, he was going to work with what he had.
