Page 12 of Burn of Obsidian
Jax raised a brow, but didn’t add anything to the conversation. He always hoped that his silence would be enough to be left alone, but not with Lucy. No, the Daemon loved to fucking chat. He had no idea how he’d gone from hating the arsehole to being almost friends.
“Seriously, am I talking to you, or your beast?” Lucy continued, able to hold a full conversation without a single response. “I know that paper you needed was gone, but you’re not normally this glum.”
Jax sipped at his beer, gaze lingering on the dancers for a long moment before shifting toward Lucy. He could be watching his mate, instead he was with the one Daemon he couldn’t really kill. His agitation was growing in the absence, the need to see her. His need to make sure she was okay, even from a distance.
“Definitely the beast,” Luce muttered, sinking lower in his chair. “You haven’t been yourself in weeks, J. Even now he’s there, just a glimmer in your irises.”
Jax shook his head, pushing his beast back from his gaze. It was true he’d been giving his beast more rein, but that was an unfortunate side effect of shifting so much. The control between them was weakening, but not enough for him to be concerned.
“You need to calm down, your beast is coming out more and more. I’m worried you’ll not be able to come back.”
“Stop talking to Riley,” Jax finally said. His alpha had voiced his worry more than once, and each time Jax brushed it off. He didn’t care that he shifted over twice as much as any of the others. He was bigger, stronger. If they needed his beast to take down an enemy, then so be it.
“There’s something else,” Lucy continued like a thorn in his side. “You’ve got an aura of fucked about you.”
Jax huffed a laugh. “An ‘aura of fucked’ isn’t a thing.”
Lucy grinned like he’d won. “This have something to do with a certain pink-haired faerie?”
Jax froze, his beast raging to the surface once more. He hadn’t told anyone, not until he’d had time to understand it himself. He’d watched every single one of his brothers except Lucifer find a mate, yet he’d never believed he’d find his own.
But he has, even if it wasn’t official. There was nothing there other than a spark. A heat in his chest, and he wasn’t sure how to get the mating bond to snap into place. But he knew it would eventually, because his beast had chosen her.
“I’m your bestie, do you not think I’d notice?” Lucifer’s eyes glittered with amusement. “I’ve never seen you so sullen. And that’s saying something.”
Jax gripped the bottle hard enough for it to crack. “Nothing’s happened.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t just done a caveman and kidnapped her.” Lucifer smirked. “What’s making you hesitate?”
“I’m not hesitating,” he growled, placing the bottle down on the table. “I don’t want to scare her.”
Lucy snorted. “You do realise she’s already seen you in your beasty form? And according to everyone, she hit you. Hit you, J. When you were the beast. I think I’m in love with her already.”
Jax snarled, surprised at his own reaction.
“You’re a fucking idiot.” Lucy shook his head. “You’re not a rock. You’re allowed to feel, to express yourself like a normal emotionally stable adult.”
Jax’s upper lip twitched.
“Okay, I take back the emotionally stable part. But my comment still stands.” Lucy turned towards the stairs just as Yasmin appeared at the edge of the private balcony. “Fucking Fates. Incoming.”
He wasn’t sure how she’d passed the security at the bottom, especially when Jax had specified that no guests were permitted.
“I’ll go grab us some more drinks while you two discuss… logistics.” Lucifer winced, mouthing his apology as he backed away. He ignored the private bar in favour of the main one downstairs. Jax followed him all the way through the crowd, purposely ignoring Yasmin’s presence. For once he wished Luce had telepathy, because he’d tell him he was a fucking prick.
“Hey J,” Yasmin purred, pressing herself against him. She wore a short dress with way too much skin exposed. “I haven’t seen you around in a few weeks.”
Her fingers brushed along his thigh, dancing against his jeans.
“Not interested,” he said, glaring at the back of Lucy’s head. The fucking Daemon was taking his sweet time.
Yasmin pouted, her lips magically enhanced by the necklace she wore tight to her neck. He knew those lips had been wrapped around his cock once or twice.
“Come on, J. I’ve missed you.” Her fingers moved, and Jax caught them before she could go any higher. “You can let your friend watch, or even join us like last time.”
Jax finally turned, finding her cheeks flushed and pupils dilated. Yasmin was a beautiful woman, and one of his usual partners when he needed to release some energy that wasn’t violence.
“Who let you up here, Yas?” He hated her touching him, but he wasn’t about to force her away. Not unless she pushed him too far. He was meticulously careful who he took to his bed. Not that he’d ever fucked anyone in a bed. No, he preferred the energy of the bar. Or even a club, or a restaurant – public. It wasn’t romantic, and he didn’t want it to be.