Page 105 of Triple Power Play 3
He shakes his head in disapproval, but his slight smirk says otherwise. “That’s for surveillance.”
Charlie programmed the alarm to interrupt whatever is on the screens if there’s movement on the property. Don’t ask me how; I can barely find ESPN.
“They’re waiting for you. Let’s settle this shit and get the fuck home.” I focus on Ethan, his lips and chin swollen and bloody. “What the hell happened?”
He takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. “I surprised him, grabbed him from behind. He instinctively tossed his head back. It was my fault.”
It’s plausible. I doubt Jax would intentionally injure his bestie, but he’s impulsive, and Ethan wouldn’t hesitate to defend him.
I examine the cut on his chin, the skin split open and raw. “It could use a few stitches.”
His nostrils flare, and he sways on his feet. “Nope. I’m good.”
“He doesn’t like needles,” Jackson adds.
It’s always the big, tough guys afraid of needles—except me. I’m one of those freaks who enjoys piercings and tattoos. “We can butterfly it. I have skin glue at the house.”
Ethan gives a curt nod.
“You need to ice that lip. Has the bleeding slowed?”
“Yeah,” he mutters and rolls his neck from side to side.
Jax chews his thumbnail. “Should you get an X-ray?”
“No, I’m just sore.”
I suspect Ethan is downplaying his discomfort to protect Jackson’s feelings, and I make a mental note to keep an eye on him. Aurora will panic if anything happens to him—to any of us.
Irritation curdles in my stomach, and I face the worst pain in my ass. “Were you seriously taking off? How did you expect Aurora to react when you didn’t come home? Or Ethan? Did you think about that? Did you think about how fucking devastated they’d be?”
His eyes narrow to slits. “Did you think about how devastated we’dallbe if Hugo snatched her? What might happen to her?”
“Ihavethought about it. All I think about is protecting her—even from your idiotic decisions.” I shift my attention to Ethan.“This is a fucking mess, and it affects Aurora. We need to straighten this outtonight. Lay everything on the table.”
Neither of them responds, and it’s cold and unnerving out here.
Impatient, I huff. “Clearly, you two are having a lover’s spat. What is it? Me? Being a part of this?”
“No,” they say in unison, equally annoyed.
At least that’s a relief. “Okay… Is it work? Are you still arguing over some chick who doesn’t matter?”
Jackson straightens and balls his fists. “It does matter!”
Ethan squares his broad shoulders and crosses his arms over his chest. “Is that why you requested a trade? Because of fucking Patty?”
“What?” Jax recoils, curling his lip. “No.”
“Then why did Anaheim offer to buy your contract? Why did you meet with Robert?”
“Wait. Back the fuck up.” Jax lifts his hands in surrender. “I know nothing about a trade. I went with Grant to see Sloane, Robert’s daughter, the redhead he’s infatuated with.” He brushes his fingers through his disheveled hair. “Is that what your problem was?” A satisfied grin flickers across his lips. “Aww! I thought you didn’t want to be seen together, didn’t want Robert to know we’re together.”
Ethan blinks several times, his brows pinched.
He’s probably wondering how he got here, to a place where they’re together without question or boundaries, where all the imposed rules are locked in Jackson’s mind. Jax is the Hotel California, and even if Ethan doesn’t realize it, he’s checked in and can never leave, same as Aurora.
Yes, I’m only twenty-nine, but I listened to a lot of classic rock while deployed—Eagles and Journey on repeat.
