Jax (Titan #9)(84)

If he hadn't known Deacon was dead, she would've expected shock. And yeah, there had been some shock. But after Jared had pulled Jax off the job, Sugar wouldn't have expected that doe-eyed, dreamy happiness. It was as though Jax were less angry and more… happy.

Jax and happy were opposite ends of the spectrum, like stilettos and flats or gloss and matte. Jax and happy… It had only lasted for a blink.

Her phone buzzed in the back pocket of her leather pants, and Sugar pulled it out to see a text message from her husband.



JARED: Keep an eye on him. Stay out of sight.



Oh, for God's sake. She'd just left Jax with a bit of fanfare. It wasn't as if she could go back in now. She moved to the elevators, rounding the corner with the intention of explaining to Jared in person that she had already left, when she saw Jax stepping out of the hotel room.

"Well, this worked out for me," she mumbled, but he was headed her way. Quickly, she pressed the phone to her ear, and when she saw him, she said, "Okay. Talk to you later. Bye."

Jax held the three pieces of paper in his hand, and Sugar wanted to say something about how he shouldn't have taken any evidence from Seven's room and that Jared was likely talking to Parker about how best to process the notes, but she decided to keep her trap shut. Not the easiest of actions for her, but she was also supposed to stay out of sight. Nothing was working totally as planned. "Where are you headed?"

"You actually care?"

"No, not really." She turned toward the elevator, and they remained in silence.

Jax laughed quietly then walked forward and pressed the button to call the elevator.

"Guess that would help."

He hummed his agreement but then turned. "I get that I'm a dick. Why don't you trust me?"

"I don't trust anybody."

"No, that's bullshit. You're my boss's wife, and you don't trust me. That fucking sucks for me. Particularly today." He turned to face the elevators but then added, "Also, fuck you for that."

Even though Jax wasn't facing her, she tried to keep a straight face. God, she loved his reaction. The elevator arrived and opened, and they filed in, finding themselves alone. He punched the button for the lobby, and she was along for the ride.

"Do you remember when Victoria was abducted—the second time? And Mayhem had her?"

He grunted and lifted his chin but didn't give any indication that he planned to converse.

"Mayhem knew where the players were when Titan was on a live op. Someone communicated to them."

Jax stepped forward and pressed the Stop Elevator button. "You thought that was me?" He stepped closer to her. "You thought that I was leaking information to a freaking gang?"

"Yeah, the thought crossed my mind."

"In what world would I do something like that?" His disgust at her accusation outlined the veins on his temples. He didn't raise his voice. He simply became a hurricane within himself. "Give me one reason. Now."

Sugar didn't scare. It'd been trained out of her, and any remaining reactions had been numbed away by real-life experiences. But Jax's fury was real and raw. She hesitated, wondering if she should have brought this up after what happened earlier. "Deacon told me. Not in so many words. But he planted the seed that there was a former CIA operative working with Mayhem. That you were closely entangled with the CIA. It wasn't in your file. I didn't know anything about how you two knew each other. I just knew I was caught off guard and that Titan—my family and friends—they were walking into a death trap."

Jax dropped his head back as though he were staring toward heaven through the ceiling of the elevator. "He's like a stain. Even when I didn't see it, he was there." Jax shook his head and stepped away, walking over to the row of buttons and starting the elevator again.

That was all he was going to say? For the guy that had nearly ripped Deacon's windpipe out in front of everyone and then sort of smiled when he found out the agent was dead, his reaction was again unexpected. "That's all you're going to give me?"

Jax leaned against the wall and looked her way. "Right now, that's all you deserve."

Asshole. Though maybe he was right. She had believed Deacon because, once upon a time, he'd defended her in a situation in which she was uncomfortable. She had been in a power struggle, and Deacon had taken her side. Had Deacon played her?

Damn CIA agents, always playing the long game, and Deacon's had been going on for years, but why? Maybe Jax wasn't as in the wrong as he appeared, and maybe she should've trusted him years before. She'd no reason not to other than what Deacon had said. And the only reason she had trusted him was because he'd defended her in a vulnerable spot. Damn it. If she'd been played, had her opinion led Jared astray? Damn it, again.

The elevator doors opened to the lobby, and Jax left her wondering what else she'd gotten wrong.

She stayed a few dozen yards behind and watched as Jax moved to the hotel restaurant. Sugar requested a seat where she could see him, but he was not facing her. Jax ordered a water and soup.

They shared a waitress, and the waitress had deep circles under her eyes, clearly having a bad day, with bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks that were powdered poorly.

"Can I take your order?" the waitress asked with a voice that promised Vegas had chewed her up and spit her out.