CHAOS (Beneath The Secrets Book 1)

As soon as the bike comes to the stop in some fancy underground parking lot, I feel like I can breathe again.

Why I’m doing this, I don’t know. He seems more interested in me than going to the wedding. He promised me drinks. And that’s all I want.

To forget the utter embarrassment and hurt of the last few hours.

I tug Jax’s jacket tighter around me.

I don’t realize how firmly I’m gripping onto his muscular chest until he physically has to remove my hands to stand.

He slides the helmet off of my head, letting my tangled hair fall around my shoulders.

Instinctively, I use my fingers to run through my knotted locks. There’s a strange little feeling that I want to look better around him.

Probably because he’s so handsome. I shouldn’t be thinking about that. I got married to another man less than two hours ago.

“All good?” His deep voice grabs my attention.

I look up at him, holding his hand out to me.

“Yep.” I don’t trust myself to say much more.

He could be an asshole, like his brother. Hell, this could all be a setup and Brody is upstairs waiting for me.

Not that it matters. I’ll happily punch him again. Harder this time.

Placing a shaky hand in his, my body buzzes to life as his other palm lands on my hip and he helps me off the bike. Snatching free from him, I shuffle down the dress so it covers my legs again.

He pauses and watches me. “Sweetheart, I don’t bite.”

My mouth parts, ready with a quick retort. But the way his dark eyes burn into mine before a smile erupts on his face, revealing his perfect white teeth, tells me he’s clearly a joker.

“Come on.” He chuckles and gestures for me to walk beside him to the elevator. When he jabs the button with his ring-covered fingers, I notice the tattoo ink patterned across his knuckles and disappearing beneath his sleeve.

Seeing him in real light, he’s something else to look at. Tall, a dark scruffy beard that doesn’t disguise his chiseled jaw. And, damn, the way that shirt clings to his arms, he’s ripped.

Again, nothing like his brother. The only resemblance really is the curl in their hair. Except Jax’s is way darker, and his skin is more tan.

He turns his head to the left, sporting a boyish grin.

Great. He’s caught me checking him out. Luckily, the elevator pings and the door opens. I follow him in and position myself in the opposite corner, trying to put some space between us.

I’m clearly not thinking straight.

He leans against the mirrored wall and crosses his thick arms, making his biceps bulge. “You okay, Sofia?”

I give him a small smile and a nod.

I’m not. Deep down I’m hurt, I’m furious. I want to scream.

He was right earlier. I have nowhere to go. I let out a gasp as his hot palm touches the small of my back and the silver doors slide open.

“Hey, come on, let me get you that drink?” The softness in his voice catches me off guard.

I cautiously step inside the massive apartment. Before I can take in just how beautiful it is, I scan the room. Almost waiting for Brody to pop up from somewhere. As a few moments pass, I relax slightly and step out of Jax’s reach.

He watches me move around the room, peeking through the open doors. “Trust me, he won’t be here. He doesn’t even know where I live, and he never will.”

Tugging hold of my hand, he leads me through the living room, complete with a theater-sized TV screen up on the wall and black leather sofas.

As we get to the kitchen, he pulls out a bar stool and heads straight to the refrigerator, picking out two bottles of beer and opening the caps with his teeth, making me cringe.

“Here, I have plenty more.” He offers one of the drinks to me.

“Thank you.” My fingers wrap around the cold glass, and I watch as he tips back his head, downing the contents in no time.

Hell, maybe he’s had a crappy day, too.

As he goes to grab another, he stops. “You don’t like beer? I have harder stuff if you want it?”

“No, it’s fine,” I reply, taking a sip. It’s like an instant relaxer.

He takes a seat beside me and his muscular thigh brushes against me. His close proximity makes my body heat.

“So, what do you need?” His words are low, but they feel like they’re burning into me.

I spin to face him. “What do you mean?”

His teeth flash over his lower lip before taking another sip of his beer.

“Well, we can sit in silence, you can tell me to fuck off to another room, or, I don’t know, play a game?” He spins the bottom of his drink in the wet circle of condensation on the table.

“You’d just leave me here in your house to drink your booze? Why?”

He shrugs, twisting in his chair.

He’s right, I normally wouldn’t want to talk. I’d retreat and try to fix myself on my own. Yet, for some reason, his company is kind of comforting. He’s actually relaxing to be around. Even if he seems to carry a tension in his shoulders like a coiled snake.

“You had a shitty day. I’ve promised you a drink. If you don’t wanna talk, you don’t have to.”

I blink at him a few times. He isn’t like his brother. Brody is a control freak, an uptight one, who always needed to press everything.

Jax, however, seems to understand what it’s like to be hurt. To not want to talk. Maybe he’s like me? We suck it up and get on with life.

That’s how I dealt with my parents’ deaths. That’s why it didn’t break me.

“A game? What do you have in mind?”

His face softens before I’m given one of those sexy, lopsided grins.

“Never have I ever?”

I let out a laugh. I haven’t played this in years.

“Well, that’s a blast from the past,” I reply. “Count me in.”

“How old are you?” he asks, raising a brow.

“Twenty-four. You?”

“Twenty-six.” He looks deep in thought. “What the hell are you doing getting married at that age?”

“Clearly, I didn’t have a clue. Now, that, I don’t want to talk about.”

He salutes me with his beer and pairs it with a wink. “Got it.” He stands and grabs us two more drinks, dropping a freshly opened one in front of me. “Ladies first…”

I tap on my chin, I’ll start easy on him. “Never have I ever broken a bone?”

He tips his beer and I leave mine on the counter.

“Many. I like to fight too much.”

“You any good?” I bite the inside of my mouth to hold back the smile.

“Haven’t lost yet.” He grins.

I doubt he has. He’s huge, jacked, and has that slightly crazed look in his eyes that tells me he would thrive on it.

“Your turn.”

“Never have I ever moaned the wrong name during sex.”

I take a drink and then burst out laughing.

“I don’t believe you.” I eye him suspiciously and he bites down on his lip. Clearly, we aren’t playing the usual rules.

“Is that where we’re going with this?” I ask, feeling the heat spread to my cheeks.

“The naughty version is more fun. Unless you want me to start listing my felonies or broken bones?” He holds out his left hand, palm down, showcasing two crooked fingers.

“I’m sure that’s quite the list.” I look closer and see small scars dimpling both of his eyebrows and jaw.

His lip turns up in a wry smile. “You have no idea.”

“Okay, my turn.” I straighten my back, resting my hands on the counter. “Never have I ever had a threesome?”

He stiffens beside me, looking straight past me at the wall, his fingers tightening around the neck of his bottle.

I can’t help but lean forward and place my hand on his thigh. It’s almost like he’s seen a ghost.

Without averting his gaze, he lifts his drink and empties it in one long swallow. His tongue bar clicks against the rim before he lowers it.

“I’m guessing it wasn’t good?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood. He snaps his eyes to me, a darkness flashing over them that has me jerking my hand back. He shakes his head, snatching my fingers and placing it back on his thigh. The warmth of his touch sends tingles up my arm.

“It was pretty damn great,” he says, looking at me with a crooked smile.

The change in his expression puts me more at ease.

“Well, you’re free now. Maybe you can try one.” He leans in and nudges me with his shoulder against mine.

I almost choke on my drink, and my cheeks start to burn.

I never thought I’d be sitting here laughing this evening. I have Jax to thank for that.

He leans closer, invading my space. His musky aftershave lingers in the air. I close my eyes to fight the woozy feeling. It has to be the alcohol. I wouldn’t be getting this hot and flustered over him otherwise.

As I open them, I find him searching my face, tilting his head slightly to the side. Assessing me. And suddenly everything is too much. This dress is so damn tight it’s hard to breathe.

I pull at the corset trying to give myself some room, but it does nothing.

“If you go in the top cupboard, you’ll find some better drinks for this. Let me go get you something,” he says in my ear. I simply nod. I watch as he strides out of the room, running a hand through his dark curls as he does.

I bet he’s feeling this, too.