Jax's P.OV.
The soft hum of the hotel room’s air conditioner filled the quiet evening as Sam nestled beside me on the couch, her head resting against my shoulder. Her content sigh sent warmth coursing through me. This was the calm I didn’t know I needed—until the sharp ring of my phone shattered the moment.
Sam tensed as I reached for it, her eyes flicking to mine with concern. “Who is it?”
“Cara,” I replied, though something about the call made my stomach churn.
I hit accept. “Cara? What’s—”
“Jax Ryder,” a rough, unfamiliar voice cut through the line, cold and deliberate. My blood turned to ice.
“Who is this?” I demanded, gripping the phone tighter.
The voice continued, a mocking tone dripping from every word. “We gave her a chance. Told her to work with us again, prove her loyalty
