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Before I can get myself too worked up with wondering, he smirks, that same heat burning in his gaze. "Hell, yeah, chica."

I inhale, lightness entering my chest, warmth tickling my skin.

"Okay. Cool."

I want to cringe again, because I sound like an idiot, telling this strong, scarred man that it'd be cool if he wanted to fuck me some time.

Good Lord.

He squeezes my ankle reassuringly. "Figured if you wanted me to touch you, you would let me know. Until then, I can be patient."

"Ah."

"But don't you doubt for a second that I want my hands on your body."

Nodding, I clench down inside.

"Glad we had this little talk." He smirks and reopens his book.

I move to do the same. But before I can, the sound of the television in the other room clicks off. I snap my neck around to find Jax of all people coming down the hallway.

And just like that, the easy quiet intimacy of my late night reading with Sergio fades away.

Great. Just great.

23

From across the length of the hallway, Jax's gaze connects with mine. For a second, he falters. Crap, we must be thinking the exact same thing.I just don't want to deal with this right now.He hides it quickly enough, though, his face twisting into his usual sneer—which apparently is just his face, or so he's told me.

My stomach dips.

If this whole dating five guys scenario is a jigsaw, then Sergio was one of several missing pieces from the puzzle. One concern that had been keeping me up tonight.

That piece has been more or less been slotted into place.

But that still leaves a whole section of the board in disarray, and that crumbled corner has Jax Bane's name spray painted in red all over it.

I still don't know what to think about him. He treated me like dirt in middle school, and yes, that was a long time ago, but the memories still plague me. He claims now that he was only mean because he was trying to keep his distance. That he liked me even then and likes me more now. His previous behavior was only outof loyalty to Cayden, and I can understand that. I'd do a lot of things to save Cayden pain, too.

Just because I can understand doesn't mean I can forgive, though.

It definitely doesn't take me from the weird, awkward stalemate we're currently dealing with to some sort of functional relationship where he and I live in the same house and I occasionally sleep with all his friends.

And with him.

God. Even now, when he's looking at me with so much conflict on his face, the chemistry between us practically screams in my bones. He pushes so many of my buttons. Finally giving in and letting him fuck me into a wall opened a dam, and I don't see it swinging closed anytime soon.

So, basically, it's all a mess. He makes me angry and hurt and horny all at the same time. How am I supposed to deal with that?

Not well, is my current answer.

As he approaches, I look away, unable to stare into those clear gray eyes. They're challenging and pleading and accusing, and it's just too much.

In my periphery, I observe his reaction to my refusal to engage. He clenches his jaw and diverts his own gaze straight forward until he looks like a man headed to the gallows, and I fucking hate that I put that expression on his face. But I still don't think it's my fault.

He passes by without a word, but the hurt rolls off of him in waves. My own heart clenches in sympathy. Guilt churns in my gut. His heavy footfalls continue around the corner.

The slamming of a door down the hall makes me jump.