AFTERGLOW

NO APOLOGY

*CHAPTER 4 — NO APOLOGY*

The photo was there.

Silver frame. Small kitchen table smile. A woman with Jax's eyes.

Lena stared at it for an hour.

He came up at 10:47 PM. No knock. His keycard.

She was still in the red dress, barefoot, on the floor with her back against the bed. The photo facedown on the nightstand.

He saw it instantly.

"You turned her over."

"You said to look at her. I don't want to look at her after what I said. I feel sick," Lena said, voice raw.

He took off his jacket, slow. Laid it on the chair.

"So you still haven't apologized."

"I'm not apologizing because you ordered me to," she snapped. "That's not an apology, that's obedience. You want me to be sorry or you want me to be trained?"

That got him.

He crouched in front of her. Same height now. That expensive cologne, that cold face finally cracked open with something furious and hurt.

"I wanted you to feel bad for once. For anyone but yourself."

"I DO feel bad!" she yelled. "I felt bad every day this week! I felt bad seeing my own handwriting about you! You think I like knowing I was that person? You think I like that you kept receipts for 10 years because I made you feel that worthless?"

Tears now. She wasn't pretty crying. Mascara down.

"I can't apologize to a photo, Jax. If you want it, you have to take it from me. Real. Not because you scare me into it."

Silence.

He reached out — not to her, to the frame. Turned it face-up again. Gently.

"Her name was Elena," he said quietly. "Like you. Lena."

That shut her up.

He sat down next to her on the floor, back against the bed too. Two people who used to be kids who hated each other, now in a penthouse that cost more than her whole life.

"I don't want you trained," he said after a long time. "I want you here. Even when you're a b***h about my parents."

She wiped her face. "Are we... are you still going to make me work inside your office?"

"Yes."

"Are you still going to stalk me with closets full of dresses?"

"Yes."

She let out a wet laugh. "Then you're still insane."

"And you're still here. In my dress. On my floor."

He looked at her. Really looked at her. No smirk.

"Don't apologize to the photo. Apologize to me tomorrow. When you're not crying. When you mean it."

He stood up, picked up his jacket.

"Sleep, Lena. Door stays unlocked. If you want to leave, leave. But your stuff is still here."

He left.

She didn't leave.

She turned the photo face-up and stared at it until she fell asleep on the floor.