Page 12 of Still Forever

Jax

Trouble sat beside me in the truck as I swirled the bourbon around in the glass.

The ice hitting the side of the cup was the only noise between the two of us.

I wasn’t in the mood for conversation, especially not right now.

It was the day I was supposed to meet Bronx Cross’s daughter, and I had been tight since they told me about the meeting two days ago.

The elites had set a strict timeline for the wedding to take place.

No more than four months from the day that we met until the wedding.

Judah, though, was given six months. That meant that as soon as I pulled into this estate, the clock was officially ticking.

Less than one hundred twenty days for me to find a way out of this.

“You need to lay off that shit. I need your mind clear; you’re the damn negotiator and underboss,” Trouble spoke up just as I took another sip. I turned my head toward him slowly.

“I don’t want to hear shit none of y’all muhfuckas got to say. You're home with your wife. My girl out at breakfast with niggas.” I gritted.

Trouble put his hand on my shoulder. I mugged him. “Look, bro, if I didn’t think you were hurting. We’d have a fucking problem in this truck,” he chuckled and patted it twice before he got quiet again.

I threw back the drink as the images of Kennedy and her mother at the table with some nigga replayed in my head.

I had Judah send me back information on that nigga before the check even came out.

I knew everything about him. His name, that he worked for her pops, where he laid his head, who he banked with, and even where his folks lived.

She had fired my detail months ago, and I let her think it was that simple. I let her think that she was cutting ties to me. But since she was out of the estate and living on her own, I had three rotating teams who gave her around-the-clock surveillance and protection.

No matter what happened, no matter what the elites said, nothing was going to happen to Kennedy as long as I had breath in my body. She could get a flat tire, and they’d be there to change it before she could call roadside assistance. It was that deep for me.

Going through the gates of Cross’ estate, we stopped in front of his house. The man had what seemed like servants standing outside in the heat, tuxedos on, ready to serve us. Me and Trouble exchanged glances before getting out.

“Welcome to the home of Mr. Bronx Cross.” He said with a thick accent as he bowed. The front door creaked, and Cross came out.

“Thank you, gentlemen, for agreeing to meet with me and my daughter. Welcome to my home.” He said as he extended his hand for me to shake. I kept my hands by my side. Fuck respect, I wasn’t here to fellowship. I was here to handle business and go home.

He cleared his throat and extended his hand to Trouble, who mirrored my reaction.

I didn’t expect anything less; boss or not, I knew for a fact that he was on the same time as I was.

And if I wasn’t cool, then neither was he.

That’s what made us different. They tried to copy our organization, but our bond was deeper than Mafia ties.

“Listen, fellas, it wouldn’t benefit us to be enemies. I’m bound by the same terms you are, trust me.” He pleaded.

“Let’s get this shit over with.” I gritted. He sucked in a sharp breath before he nodded and walked away, leading us into the backyard. It was set up like a tiki bar, with an open space, bar area, and cabanas.

I took a seat at one of the tables. Trouble and Bronx stood off to the side.

Not together, but there making sure the interaction went smooth.

I sat back in the chair and waited, my arms folded, for his daughter to come outside.

The glass door of the house opened, and she eased out, sliding it closed behind her.

She spoke to Trouble, and that nigga didn’t open his mouth. The bourbon I had almost made me break and laugh. Nigga was cold. Then she came over to the table and took a seat in front of me with a slight smile.

“Hi, Jaxon. I’m Remy.” She finally spoke, as she pushed her hair behind her ear and looked away.

“What’s up?” I said flat. When I took her in, I couldn’t deny the fact that she was pretty. But regardless of how she looked, she wasn’t Kennedy.

“Nice to meet you,” she said as she extended her hand.

I leaned up and shook it, then fell back and watched her.

She shifted in her seat, and I could tell that she was uncomfortable.

I just sat there; I didn’t really have much to say.

Not anything that she would want to hear.

I held my tongue because, how I had been feeling, I knew if I spoke, I’d probably say some shit she didn’t even deserve.

Meena would kill me if she knew I was out here disrespecting women.

“You’re not much of a talker, are you? This is awkward.” She chuckled nervously as she looked around the back yard like she hadn’t seen it before. Doing anything to keep her eyes from meeting mine.

“This is a fucked up situation, Shorty, and no disrespect, but I don’t want any part of it,” I admitted. I had to let her know that whatever she had been told, this was not that. She sighed, and I could see her trying to find the right words to say before she spoke.

“Jaxon, I never expected a love connection. I’m not looking for a happy ending from this.

My dad told me you were engaged before this arrangement.

That sucks because I love, love. I want a man to go this hard for me.

But my own person. Maybe we could be cordial.

We’ll be living together soon and getting married, but I don’t want any of the extras,” She admitted.

I nodded. “I appreciate that,” I said honestly.

“Cool, it was nice to meet you. Take care.”

She got up from the table, and I threw my head in the direction of the truck to let Trouble know that we could go.

I didn’t want to be here a second longer than we had to be.

When we got back inside, I was zoned out again.

All this talk of moving in together, marriage, everything was coming one after the other.

When KD told me that she was leaving, the whole way to Italy, I regretted the decision not to propose to her the night before.

But now I knew that it was for the best. Had I proposed to KD, and they pulled some shit like this, she would have killed me herself.

And if she let me live, then we probably wouldn’t have been able to shake back from it.

Now, I had to think of a way to get my woman back quick, and I’ll be damned if I wasn’t going to do it.

The outside of the aquarium was decorated nice as fuck with balloons that were formed to look like a pirate ship. The name on the outside of the building had been changed to Captain Blade’s Treasure Cove. And I knew this had Storm’s name all over it.

I entered, weaved through a crowd of families, and dapped up some of the workers.

Trouble brought the entire organization and their children out today.

Some I never knew had children. But that was the way that it was supposed to be.

In this life, it’s best to keep your families hidden because as soon as you let your guard down or cross the wrong person, they become targets.

The only exception was on one occasion, when the boss called you for a function; you didn’t tell him no.

In front of the shark tank, I saw Trouble standing with Blade. Storm sat on the bench nearby, feeding my niece. I went over to them and picked BJ up, causing Trouble to turn around. I shook his hand, and we embraced as I held my nephew with the other arm.

“Unca Jax!” He said as he grabbed me around my neck and damn near choked the shit out of me. Nothing in the world would make me believe he didn’t mean to do that shit either. Lil nigga was bad, but he called me twenty times a day. We were locked in like that.

“What’s up, BJ? You having fun?” I questioned and kissed his forehead before Trouble cut me off and cleared his throat.

He nodded toward Storm, who was looking at me like she wanted to kill me and was fumbling with her diaper bag, trying to hurry over and make it across the exhibit.

I chuckled because I already knew that it was about to be a problem.

As soon as she made it over to me, I stretched out my arms to hug her, and she took a step back.

She wasn’t fucking with me at all and hadn’t spoken to me since me and KD broke up.

Storm wasn’t just Trouble’s wife; that was my nigga.

Now, when BJ called me, she’d be in the background, quiet as hell.

But I understand. She was riding for her friend, and I fucked with that.

“Jaxon Jennings, are you playing with me right now? Be so for real,” she snapped.

“What’s up, sis?” I chuckled.

“Don’t what’s up me! Who are you bringing with you to my son’s party? Are you playing with my friend? She’s got to leave!” She grilled.

“Baby-” Trouble warned as he stepped in.

“Don’t baby me, Jrue! So, you knew about this? I got my purse today, and I brought my mace. Don’t you be the one to-” She was fire hot. I laughed at her.

“Chill,” I groaned, cutting her off. I turned back toward Remy, who was pretending to look around, and waved her over. She came from her position and slowly walked to join us.

“Remy, this is my favorite person. Trouble’s wife,” I said as Trouble chuckled.

“Hey, you are gorgeous. I’m Remy.” She said as she extended her hand.

“Storm. Thank you, so are you. I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t care if I am. I don’t know how much of what Jaxon has told-” She started before she was interrupted.

“Heyyyyy baby! Happy birthday!” I heard Kennedy screech as she held her arm out to take BJ from me.

He jumped out of my arms in half a second, almost knocking her over.

“Hi, beautiful, hi brother.” Kennedy sang, she embraced Storm.

Then Trouble gave her the same look Storm had given me as he pulled her in for a hug.

Storm’s mouth was on the floor as her eyes shot to the circle around us. Kennedy showed up to my family’s event, and she brought that nigga from brunch with her.

“Storm, this is Taj. Taj, this is my best friend and her husband, Trouble. Her children are my God children.” Trouble didn’t even speak.

Shit made me struggle to hold my composure when Storm grabbed the hand that he had extended toward Trouble and shook it herself.

When his eyes shot to her, she let it go just as quickly, too.

“Nice to meet you,” Storm gave a fake smile, and I could see that she was eating the words she had just said to me.

“Likewise,” he said like a square ass nigga. I clenched my jaw.

Kennedy didn’t make eye contact with me, as she took Blade and kissed my niece, then walked in the opposite direction towards the other display cases like I wasn’t even standing there.

Storm’s eyes met mine as she gave me a smirk. “Well, Remy…I hope you enjoy your visit at the aquarium.” She smiled at Rem before handing me Cupcake.

“Thank you,” Remy smiled. Then Storm turned and ran behind Kennedy.

“Let me talk to you real quick.” Trouble said as he walked back toward the bench that Storm had been at and sat down.

“Give me a second and let me holler at my brother Rem,” She nodded and walked away, going over toward another display. I took a seat across from him.

“You good?” He asked as he raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’m good,” I lied before he cracked a smile.

He knew me better than anybody else, so that nigga knew I was trying to keep my composure.

If I went with my first instinct, I could arrange for that nigga to go swimming with the fish.

But I was trying to move smart. Shit was harder than I thought.

He chuckled, knowing I was two seconds away from crashing out, “Aight, but if you not good. You-”

“Gone make sure the janitors get overtime today,” I shot back seriously.

“You want me to get her?” He looked toward my niece, who was chilling with her head on my chest, playing with my ear while she sucked her pacifier.

“Nah, she's comfortable. I got her.” I got up from the bench and turned back toward Remy.

“You ready to go?” I questioned.

“Yeah.” She smiled before she came over to me completely.

“This is a really interesting position that I’m in.

I don’t know what I walked into. Your brother still scares the shit out of me, and his wife just threatened to mace you.

Was that your fiancé?” She laughed as we continued to walk.

I felt my niece’s arm drop from my ear that she had been holding, and I knew that she had probably fallen asleep.

“Yeah,” I said, my chest tightened watching them walk through the displays like a family with my damn nephew.

“Oh, I can see why you’re not letting up. She’s so freaking pretty.” She smiled. I appreciated the fact that she didn’t ask me why KD was here with another nigga because if I had to explain that shit out loud, I was going to turn this bitch inside out.

I stopped, turned around, and went back in the direction that Storm had gone. “Let’s go take her back to my sister.”

This was going to be a long day, and KD had more balls than I thought she did to come here with another nigga.

I know we weren’t technically together, but I kept fighting the urge to snatch her ass up, tell her she was coming home, and dare her nigga to look in my direction.

Granted, I had come with another woman, but I knew that I didn’t have any attachment to Rem.

But she was walking around holding hands like she was about to marry this nigga.

I had invited Remy to come to the party with me after Trouble called me yesterday and told me that KD would be here.

It wasn’t my plan to make her jealous; I just knew that if she saw me with someone else, she might think twice before confronting me.

Judah was monitoring her phone and told me she was planning to return to the estate to talk to me.

I couldn’t risk her doing that before I ended the arrangement.

Not when I knew the elites were watching her every move.

If there was one thing I knew about KD, it was that once she saw Remy, she would never approach me again. I need to keep it that way—for now.

Still, I wanted to turn this damn pirate ship into the Titanic, but I’d let my nephew enjoy his day without “unca Jax” being the bad guy.