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And I know for a fact, every surface in my house has been tainted with our coitus.
So, when we walk in, I’m not the least bit uncomfortable. I'm used to my team turning their heads and looking at me. Nowshewas beside me, hands tucked into her leather jacket and her chin tipped up like the fierce woman that she is. She has her normal expressions, unfiltered, tweaked with an ‘I don’t give a fuck’ mentality. Exactly how I like it.
However, I love being behind closed doors with her. I can see that gorgeous smile and melodic laugh, the walls that she put up tumbling down freely.
She didn’t become alarmed with the eyes on us, she walked ahead ignoring the prying curiosity, then eventually they got back to work like there was nothing to be seen.
Bedford and Mal sit at his desk deep in conversation while Mal fiddles with the little trinkets he has on display. He slaps her hand away. “No touching.” I hear him say as we approach.
I pull out a spare swivel chair from the desk directing it to her, she sits down on it crossing her leg.
I grab my own chair before taking a seat, getting myself back into business mode. It's been a lot going on with this new head explosion, my father calling non-stop, and this mystery message that I had forgotten about until now. “Alright, where are we at?”
Mal looks between Anita and me in a dry state. “Oh, nice to finally see you two after years of not speaking to me.”
Bedford snickers, swiveling in his chair to avoid eye contact.
She huffs, shaking her head. “First Boone, now you guys.”
I can’t help feeling partially guilty. I am all she’s known for years; I never want to make her feel excluded.
“Boone will be back,” I say, hoping that fixes her mood.
“Aww, did you miss me?” Anita chimes in, swirling her chair over to her, her legs sticking out playfully as she stops next to Mal. Anita wraps an arm around her shoulder, her brow lifting. “I didn’t miss you at all. I didn’t even think of you. It was actually nice not seeing your face.”
Oh, shit.
Then Mal twists her head slowly to Anita, a smile gradually creeping on her face, until she nudges Anita lightly with her elbow. “Fuck you.”
“Oh nice, there she is,” Anita says with a soft grin.
I sit there watching them interact like they’re sisters. I’ll be lying if I said it didn’t affect me. There was a time when Mal would’ve blown a hole straight through her head. Or Anita would have sliced Mal’s head off with no remorse.
“Headman.”
I twist in my chair to Chris walking toward me with a device in his hand. “We have a visitor.” He hands the tablet to me, revealing the view of the outside camera to me.
I nod. I look at Bedford and the ladies. “I’ll be back.”
Anita's head snaps to me instantly, her brows dipping with a pause. Then hesitantly, she nods to talking back with Mal.
I stroll off, my eyes still down at the tablet, my steps not hurried but quick enough to make it to the new guest.
By the time I get to the compound through the lower level then back to our makeshift cabin, he’s facing the forest, leaning on the pillar with a foot over his ankle and a duffel bag over his shoulder.
“Looks like you changed your mind,” I call out, the cold wind brushing to my nose and cheeks.
Jax turns around, his expression blank, like he’s withdrawn from life. The crisp fall air not even affecting him.
“Yeah. I figured why not,” he says, raising up the metal card I slipped in his bag.
I nodded for him to come in. “You made the right choice.”
We make it through the chambers, back to the surface, and toward the entrance of the academy.
“Damn,” he says under his breath as he enters the school. He doesn’t say anything else, but from the look on his face, I can tell he’s never seen anything like it.
One of my men approaches us. “Nick will take your bag to your room.”