Page 43 of Chaos
Our fingers brush, sending sparks up my arm.
“You were the one who broke into my dressing room. Let’s call that a finder’s fee.” When I playfully push on the bare skin of his shoulder, it’s hard to resist wanting to keep touching him.
“Tigritsa, I’ll be happy to be the X at the end of your treasure map.” His hand clasps over mine, holding my palm against his sweltering heat.
The leaner guy laughs loudly. “Jax, that has to be one of the cheesiest lines I’ve heard.”
My cheeks burning, I turn away and hurry back towards the kitchen. I can hear Jax yelling behind me.
“Stuff it, Alexei. You wouldn’t know a good woman if she came up and kicked you in the balls.”
I bite my knuckle to keep the giggles down.
Hiding isn’t an option. My heart races as I carefully place their drinks down.
Jax grabs my wrist and pulls me close as I try to leave.
“You know I was joking. I’d be happy to be your overflowing money chest, sweetheart.” His warm breath hits my neck and his dark eyes brim with sincerity.
I don’t know what to say, so I back away on weak knees.
He’s all talk. He has to be.
A guy like him probably flirts with every girl he sees. Famous boxer, rich, hot.
Oh, man, is he fine.
And the way he can use that tongue keeps me awake at night remembering it.
He’s a wild ride, but can’t be anything more. He wouldn’t want to be a father, it’d just cramp his image.
With a firm resolve, I make my way back with their food.
Despite the fire burning within me, and the urge to straddle his lap right here amongst the fake cacti and his friends watching, I keep my composure.
“Sof, what do you say? Sit with me after your shift? Have a drink?” His fingers sit lightly on my arm.
My pulse pounds in my ears. I want to so badly.
“I’m afraid I can’t. I have plans.”
His piercing clicks. “Break them, tigritsa. I want to spend time with you.”
The big man in the back stops with a taco halfway to his mouth and stares hard at Jax. His serious blue eyes flick between us and one dark brow raises.
“Jax, are you sick?” he asks before taking a large bite. “I can have Mikhail bring in the doctor.”
Jax scowls at him. “No, Niki.” He reaches across the table to the shot of liquor still sitting in front of his friend and takes it.
After swallowing, he looks back up at me. “I’m serious.”
Alexei laughs, leaning back in his chair with his cell poised. “I gotta get a pic of Jax getting denied for posterity.”
“Send it to me,” Jax says to him before turning to me. “I’ll make it my wallpaper as a reminder of when you broke me.”
This is too much.
“You can pay with Gigi. Maybe next time.” I run into the back of the kitchen. My shift ended three minutes ago.