Page 82 of Storm and Tempest

Zeyla sat backward on one of his dining chairs, holding one of Kenna’s T-shirts over her chest while Ramon wiped her back. Jax was interested to see how bad it was. But in these close quarters, he didn’t want to overwhelm Zeyla with two big guys crowding her in the bathroom. He could see lines from old scars on her back.

Ramon took the numbing spray. “Thanks. That’ll help on the edges.”

Zeyla didn’t look at him. She stared straight ahead, tears edging her eyes.

Jax slid the shower curtain open and sat on the edge of the bathtub. He kept as much distance as he could. “You okay?”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Fine.”

“Need something for the pain? I don’t keep narcotics in the house, but I have something strong you can drink that will take the edge off.”

She shook her head. “I’m good.”

“Almost done.” Ramon caught Jax’s gaze, tension in the lines around his eyes.

Jax sighed. “Reminds me of the time I went to the San Diego County Fair. I think I was twelve.”

Ramon frowned. “Did you get shot?”

A fraction of the tension in Zeyla’s gaze eased, and Jax knew he was on the right track. He shook his head. “The Ferris Wheel broke down, and they were repairing it. But it was taking forever, so this kid decides to climb down from the top.”

Ramon said, “Uh-oh,” his attention on the bandage he was putting on Zeyla’s back.

“I’ve never been on a Ferris Wheel.” Zeyla held her breath.

“We can rectify that, if you want,” Ramon told her. Had Jax interrupted a moment that could be the beginning of something between them?

“What happened to the kid?” she asked.

“Everyone was screaming at him to quit climbing down. Mom is on the ground going ballistic like he’s gonna fall and die. The kid swings like its monkey bars, then jumps to the next rung, catches it, and keeps going. By the time he was down, everyone was clapping and cheering for him. She put him in gymnastics. He was in the last Olympics, won a silver medal.”

The corner of Zeyla’s mouth curled up.

Ramon eyed Jax. “What does that have to do with a gunshot graze?”

“Uh…something, I’m sure. Maybe there’s a metaphor in there about giving it everything you’ve got.”

“Like a motivational poster?” Ramon asked.

Zeyla said, “I don’t think I want to try any rides at the fair. Sounds terrifying.”

Jax smiled. “I thought you were some kind of trained operative.”

Ramon straightened. “I’m done.”

“Thanks.” She backed up from the chair and stood, her head bowed, not looking at either of them. The shirt clutched to her front as she hurried out.

Ramon watched her go.

Jax didn’t glance at her back, deciding to give her privacy instead. “You good?”

The other man’s jaw flexed. “Trying to resist the urge to kill them all for doing that to her. And she didn’t even let me see the aftermath of them removing half her liver, one of her kidneys, and taking eggs from her ovaries so they can freeze them.”

“I don’t know if it’s better or worse that Kenna is already pregnant.” Jax wanted to kill them all as well.

“Zeyla thinks I should be more scared of them than I am. She won’t even say the nameDominatusmost of the time, because she’s been trained to fear hearing it aloud.”

“She’s been through a lot,” Jax said. “Maybe enough that we should give her some trust.”