A Kiss Good-Bye Series

Chapter 1

Jax

I’m going to kill whoever threatened her. Sara was stressed out, and I could see her trembling. I hold her close against me to calm her, but she only shakes more.

“Why is this happening?” she asked with tears streaming down her face.

“I don’t know, but someone will die for doing this,” I said.

This morning, Sara received dead roses with a note saying ‘I’m coming to get you.’ I’m not happy, and I’m ready to hunt this person down and rip him to pieces.

“We will find whoever did this, Sara,” Carlo said. He’s the President of the Devil Saints Motorcycle Club.

Everyone knows what’s going on, but the problem is we don’t know where to begin. I don’t know who I can think of that would do this. We have many enemies in the club, but this seems like a personal vendetta. Carlo moved closer to Sara and placed a hand on her shoulder that seemed intimate, but I shoved that thought away. He’s only trying to calm her. That’s all.

“Don’t be afraid, Sara. You’re part of the club, and we take care of our own,” he said. Sara calmed down and relaxed. Even though I wasn’t the one who calmed her, I’m just glad she stopped shaking.

“Do you have any idea who would harm me?” she asked him. Why was she so confident in him? Was it because he’s the prez?

“No,” he said. “But I will find out.”

I protectively pulled her against me and wrapped my arms around her. Strange. Sara didn’t melt into me like she usually does. Maybe because she’s scared. Her phone started to ring and she jumped.

I grabbed it from her, put it on speaker, and answered. “Who is this?”

“I’m coming for her, Jax,” a deep voice said. “You can’t protect her.”

My teeth started to grind, and I can feel myself harden with ire.

“Who is this?” I growled.

“It’s been a long time, Jax.”

I recognized the voice. It can’t be. I felt the blood leave my face and I knew my face darkened because everyone around me stepped back.

“What do you want, Jones?” I asked.

“Revenge. I’m going to take your Sara away the way you took my Vanessa. I know everything about her, Jax. I know her routine.”

“If you touch her, I will kill you,” I say in a rough voice.

“Ha-ha. I like to see you try. I’ll see you soon, Sara.”

He disconnected and, without thinking, I threw Sara’s phone into a wall. I turned to see curious eyes looking at me. “Who was that Jax?” Carlo asked me.

“His name is Jones, that’s all I know. He’s a hitman. He’s good and lethal. Before I joined the club, I was a hitman as well. I was hired to kill him, so I followed him wherever he went, knowing his day-to-day routine. I even decided to meet him because I wanted to know what was so great about him. He’s a cocky arrogant bastard and people wanted him dead because of it. On the night of the kill, he was in his apartment, but what I didn’t know was that there was a woman with him, Vanessa-his fiancé.

“I had a clear shot and I took it. As soon as I pulled the trigger, Vanessa stepped in front of him and fell. Jones bent over her trying to wake her up, and before I shot him, he looked through the window and saw me. I took him out and never looked back.”

I lied about the last part. I did look back. I don’t kill women. That’s not who I am. I was raised to respect women by both my parents, and I’ll never change, but Jones was different. He kills whoever crosses his path and enjoys it.

“Doesn’t seem like you killed him,” Carlo said.

“Yeah, I see that,” I snapped. “He wants revenge, but he’s not getting anywhere near Sara.”

“I agree,” Carlo said, eyeing me. Why was he so protective of Sara? She was my girl and I’ll protect her. “We need to find him and end this.” Why was he so hell-bent on this? This wasn’t his job, it’s mine.

It might be the hitman talking, but I take care of my own problems and this was my problem. I know I joined the Devil Saints MC and my problems was the club’s problems, but Jones targeted Sara-my old lady and I will handle it.

“No,” I said. Carlo didn’t like it and narrowed his eyes at me. “I used to be a hitman. I know how they operate. I know how to follow a trail. I will handle this. All I ask is for you and the club to look after Sara.”

“You can’t go on your own, Jax,” Sara said, clawing my arm. “You need your brothers with you.”

“Sara, listen to me,” I say, cupping her face. “I know that life. I was in that life. Jones has connections, the same as I do. If he sees me with the entire club, then we are all dead, leaving you vulnerable. I can get this done quickly and quietly by myself.”

“Jax…”

“I can handle myself.” I laced my fingers through her thick red tresses and kissed her creamy cheek. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Jax, if you’re going alone then you need to leave your colors behind. If Jones have allies, we can’t have them coming after us,” Carlo said.

“I will. Besides, my old contacts didn’t know I joined, unless they kept track of me, but I saw no signs and I hid my tracks.”

“Good,” Carlo said.

“No!” Sara blurted. “You can’t go alone to protect me.”

“Sara-”

“Let me finish.” She took a breath and looked around. “I know someone who can help.”

“Who?” I asked. Who does Sara know? She hasn’t been in the club long. And she certainly never lived this life before we got together. So, who?

“My sister,” she replied. “Em has connections, good connections. She can help you track down Jones and end this. She knows how to be invisible. From what I hear, she’s good. Let me call her, although she may get angry at me.”

“Why?”

“I never told her I dropped out of school.”

“What?” I exclaimed, taking a step back.

When I first met Sara, she was attending college- I don’t know which- but I knew she was studying pharmacy. She dropped out to be with me, although I was against it. I told her I would pay for her education, but she wouldn’t have it. I knew she had a sister and assumed she told her, but I guess I was wrong.

“Why didn’t you tell her?” I asked.

“Because my sister worked so hard to put me through school and if she finds out what I did, well then, it’s bad news. But I do know that she loves me and if she knows the situation she will end this.”

“What does Em do Sara?” Carlo asked.

She gave a weak smile and took a deep breath.

“She’s an assassin.”