Slade (The Protectors #6)(22)
Now that surprised her. “How did you know I was a school teacher?”
“Not the fancy way you find out things about people like talking to the dead.” He cocked his eyebrow at her. “I asked Sid.”
“Actually, you did do exactly what I do,” Caroline replied in her best teacher tone. “Sid is technically dead.”
Jax’s laugh boomed through the hallway. “Not only beautiful and smart, but quick with humorous comebacks.”
Caroline felt herself blushing, and then cursed at herself. She couldn’t afford being attracted to anyone right now, especially a gorgeous jackass like Jax Wheeler. “Just stating a fact.”
Nodding, Jax stared at her with his intense golden gaze. “So was bringing my sister up just stating facts also?”
Not really knowing what he meant by that, Caroline frowned. “No, actually, it was because you were being so hard on Jill.” Caroline leaned up against the wall across from him. “Whether you like it or not, Jill is not going to stop. Lana has told me a lot about the girl and it takes a lot to impress my sister, but Jill has. I know what happened with your sister, Jax, and it wasn’t your fault, but if you continue your campaign against Jill, which I think even you know is bullshit, it will be your fault if something happens to her. She needs your support.”
Jax straightened away from the wall during her little speech and was leaning over her. He didn’t look happy. “First of all, teach, you don’t know shit about what happened in my past.” He slammed one hand on the wall next to her head, leaning in. “And Jill has plenty of support.”
Not one to be intimidated, Caroline slammed her hand on his chest and pushed. When he stepped back, she knew it was his decision to do so because he was nothing but solid muscle and her small push wouldn’t have budged him unless he wanted to be budged. “Your sister was killed during initiation into the VC Warriors over 200 years ago. You also had a younger brother, but he didn’t go through with the initiation.” Caroline didn’t stop at the shocked look on his face. “There was nothing you could do. She made her choice to follow her big brother into the program. You did everything you could to help her.”
“And it still wasn’t enough.” Jax frowned, and then glared at her. “Women do not belong in this program. They are liabilities.”
Caroline really looked at Jax, seeing the man behind the anger. His dark Native American looks and badass attitude almost had her fooled, but she saw a glimpse into his past through his sister and this was a good man, whether he wanted to admit it or not. “No.” She took a step toward him. “The person, whether male or female, who doesn’t believe in someone is the liability, because that small feeling of doubt a person gets in themselves during a time of the tests comes not from themselves, but the doubts someone put in their mind.”
Jax shook his head. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
Tilting her head, she looked up at him, wondering which Indian tribe he came from. He was a damn handsome man and smart, so she knew he knew exactly what she was talking about. “The more you put Jill down, give her a hard time, the more you put doubts in her head. When it comes down to it, you are her liability. She is no one’s liability.”
Surprise flashed across his face, but soon disappeared. “What do you teach?”
“History. And I sure would like to talk to you about your past.” Caroline smiled at deepening frown on his full lips. She decided since he was changing the subject, she would too. “Why didn’t your brother go through with the initiation? Alisha doesn’t talk about him much, but—”
“My brother is dead to me.” Jax’s eyes turned dark with something Caroline figured was a deep anger. “Seems you know more than you should about my past as it is,” Jax grumbled.
“Not even close.” Caroline’s smile turned into a full-blown grin. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask your sister anything and I haven’t. She has given me all this information voluntarily.”
Her phone rang at that moment and the ring tone was unfamiliar, so she knew who it was. She did her best to ignore it.
“You going to answer that?” Jax frowned down at her bag where the ringing was coming from.
“No,” Caroline replied, hefting the bag further on her shoulder. The ringing stopped, only to start again. Rolling her eyes, she dug into her purse pulling out her phone. “It’s just my ex.”
“He giving you a hard time?” Jax eyed the phone, which she turned to silent.
“Nothing I can’t handle.” She tossed it back into her purse, dismissing the phone and Rod without a second thought. “So are you going to stop giving Jill a hard time and start helping her?”
“You’re pushy.” Jax glared down at her, leaning back against the doorframe.
“Very,” she nodded in agreement, her eyes not leaving his. “She needs all of you behind her, Jax. And your sister is not going to leave me alone until you do.”
Jax looked away from her, and then a small grin tipped his lips. “If you have dinner with me, I’ll think about it.”
Caroline snorted, but her stomach dipped at the thought of having dinner with this man. “And you really think I would agree to have dinner with you for you just to think about it?”
“Yes.” The tilted smirk Jax gave her was full of confidence that she would agree.