Page 25 of Wrecked (Dirty Air 3)

“It’s expensive but worth it. They even send me pictures of her every day, and she calls me once a week. Supposedly she’s become friends with her roommate.”

“I’m glad to hear she’s happy. She could have been there years ago if you had only accepted my help.”

“I’m not a charity case.”

“And yet you help everyone else who is one.” He offers me a small smile.

“I can afford the place now because of this job. With the monthly payments to help Jax, I’m able to pay for her place and my loans, plus my apartment. I’m even looking at a slightly bigger place now.”

“That’s good. I don’t like where you live.”

I roll my eyes, ignoring him.

His frown doesn’t let up. “Are you still getting those nightmares?”

“Elías… No quiero hablar de eso.”

Call me superstitious, but I haven’t had a nightmare since the start of this season.

“I think you and Jax have more in common than you think. You both avoid talking about shit bothering you. At least with you, I know what happened. But with him, obviously, he screams bad boy with a sad past. What do you think?”

“What sad past? His parents are alive, they support his race career, and he has access to anything money can buy. He’s the poster child for what happens when mommies and daddies give their kids everything. What more could he possibly want?”

Elías turns me in a circle. “Maybe you’re not asking the right questions.”

The crowd eerily parts, revealing Jax, brooding in a corner with Liam and Noah.

As if he senses me, his eyes meet mine. Every nerve in my body lights up. His smirk screams trouble and unspoken promises, and my body’s response to his attention worries me. My attraction to Jax threatens the carefully laid plan I made to help him. But I shove those thoughts aside because I’m here to learn exactly what makes Jax Kingston tick.

Turns out I get to work with the biggest challenge of my career thus far. While some might be intimidated by Jax’s poor attitude and brooding, I can’t wait to start repairing him from the ground up.

I flash him a broad smile that has his eyebrows pinching together and his frown deepening.

Bring it on.

8

Elena

Somehow Jax doesn’t hear me when I enter his room. I tiptoe to his window, grab onto the curtains, and open them with a dramatic flair. “Rise and shine!”

A strange snarl escapes him as he turns away from the light. “What the fuck?”

“Time to get up. We have a busy day planned.”

“Can you come back in a few hours? Better yet, don’t come back at all.” He grabs a pillow and covers his head. His voice has a rough tone to it, hoarse from waking up.

I take the opportunity to gaze at his naked back, covered with tattoos, barely an inch of space available. Smooth muscles strain, creating ridges across his body.

My fingers itch to touch him. I nearly give in, but somehow catch myself. “That’s a tempting offer.”

“Not as tempting as a morning blowjob. So, unless that’s on the table, you need to go.” The pillow over his face muffles his voice.

“Who knew you were such a charmer in the morning?”

“What can I say? You bring out the best in me,” he says dryly.

My eyes strain as I attempt to make out the tattoos spread across his defined arms. I lick my lips, fighting with everything in me to not step closer.