Slade (The Protectors #6)(39)

Jax sat quietly, letting her go at her own pace, even though every instinct he possessed urged him to get up, walk out, find the f*cker and kill him.

“He told me that if I didn’t work it out with him, he would call my work and get me fired with lies, but I wouldn’t budge. I told him to go ahead and give it his best shot.” Caroline frowned. “Then he…”

“He what?” Jax urged, keeping the growl out of his voice.

“He accused me of seeing someone. I told him I wasn’t, which isn’t a lie. I mean a dinner is just dinner.” Caroline glanced up at him, her pale cheeks blushed beautifully. “Anyway, he grabbed my phone and saw your message. He went crazy.”

Jax went deadly still. Reaching over, he again tilted her face to his so he could see the bruising against her soft skin. “He hit you because of my text.” It wasn’t a question.

Caroline shook her head. “I don’t think that’s the only reason. He just went out of control. Even as far as threatening my younger sister, Jamie. Said his brother had taken a real liking to Jamie.” Anger flashed across her eyes. “His brother is much older than Jamie. I know it was a threat to scare me so I won’t tell anyone. He knows how much I love my family. I still can’t believe how he treated Lana when I wasn’t around and I never knew.”

The text Jax saw on her phone must have been a reminder threat to her. “Nothing is going to happen to Jamie.” Jax stood, pulling her up with him.

Caroline stood, looking around at all of her clothes then back at Jax. “Thank you, and I’m really sorry about dinner. I have to get this done and well…” She touched her swollen face.

“You are beautiful, Caroline.” Jax wondered briefly who the hell possessed his body because the intense need to make this woman more comfortable was overwhelming. “Never doubt that. We’ll do dinner another night.”

“You’re too sweet.” Caroline smiled, reaching up giving him a hug. “Thank you.”

Jax hugged her back, suddenly feeling uncomfortable as hell. Jax Wheeler was not sweet, what the f*ck was happening to him? Pulling away, he led her toward the door. “Come on. Talk to your sister,” Jax grumbled, a frown plastered across his face.

“Don’t like being called sweet, huh?” Caroline chuckled, walking out the door ahead of him.

“Not at all,” he responded, his eyes running down her body. Okay, this was the Jax Wheeler he knew. Watching her womanly hips and ass sway as she walked away was more his style. Thinking of what he wanted to do with that body was more on his level, no matter what she went through. Yeah, this was more of who he was, not that sweet shit.

“You know where this * hangs out?” Jax asked Sid while the women talked.

“No, but I’m sure we can find him.” Sid’s smile was evil in anticipation of finding the bastard and making him pay for what he’d done to Caroline.

“He’s mine when we do,” Jax warned Sid, dialing his phone.

“No sharing, huh?” Sid laughed, looking over his shoulder at the women.

“Hey, I need you to run a number for me and find me an *,” Jax said on the phone, keeping his voice low. “Oh, yeah, well, bite me. And if you call me chief one more f*cking time, I’m going to tomahawk your ass and take your scalp. Yeah, I need it now. I do have someone else I can call if you can’t handle it. Uh-huh, f*ck you, too. All right, hurry up.”

“Nice,” Sid smirked. “Do most people do you favors when you threaten them?”

Jax nodded with a serious stare. “Yeah, they do.”

“Awesome, isn’t it?” Sid nodded in total understanding.

“This guy can skip trace anyone. He’s a pain in my ass, but is good at what he does. I just threaten him and then I get what I want.” Jax switched the phone to his other ear, then glanced over at the women who were cleaning the broken dishes in the kitchen. His eyes met Caroline’s. He could really get lost in her gorgeous eyes.

Sid saw the look that passed between the two. “You know, double weddings are really popular now.” Sid’s tone took on a serious note, but then he blew it by being a smart ass. “It would mean everything to me to call you brother, as in brother-in-law.”

“Fuck off, Sid,” Jax growled.

“Ah, that’s a new one,” Sid laughed. “Fuck off, Sid, has a different ring to it.”

Jax just stared at Sid. “Is it your job to piss people off?”

“Actually, no, but it would be f*cking awesome to get paid to piss people off.” Sid’s eyes opened in fake excitement. “I’d be a rich son of a bitch.”

“That you would.” Jax couldn’t help but laugh; something he rarely did. Jax held up his finger when Sid started to say something else. “Yeah. Got it. Keep an eye on it and let me know if he moves within the next fifteen minutes.” Jax hung up and then gave Sid a smirk without saying a word.

Nodding, Sid headed toward Lana. “Babe, we’re going out for a few.” He kissed her forehead. “You going to be okay here for a while?”

“Where you going?” Lana didn’t hide the suspicion in her voice.

“What happened to my door?” Caroline stopped Sid from having to lie to Lana. She walked over staring at her broken door.