WORTH EVERY PENNY
966 Words
I meant for it to be a quick, two-second press of my lips onto his just to fulfill the stupid dare and keep my money.
I was already preparing to pull back, but Jax had other plans.
Before I could even take a breath, his heavy hand shot up to the back of my neck, his fingers tangling into my hair. He yanked me down closer, crushing his mouth over mine and deepening the kiss completely.
My heart hammered violently against my ribs. He tasted like cold beer and mint, his lips firm and possessive. I tried to pull back again, placing my palm flat against his chest to push him away, but his other hand slid firmly around my waist, pinning me flush against his body.
The guys around the table instantly broke into wild hoots, whistles, and loud hollering.
"Damn, Ghost!" Nico yelled out, laughing hysterically. "Should we leave the room for you guys or what?"
Okay, he’s actually an incredible kisser, I had to admit to myself, my head spinning from the heat radiating off him. But why the f**k is he trying to eat me alive right now?
I finally placed both hands against his shoulders, planting my feet and shoving him back with all my strength to break the connection.
I stood there breathing heavily, glaring at him with pure murder in my eyes.
Jax just sat back on the couch, totally unfazed. A wicked smirk stretched across his face as he slowly licked his bottom lip.
"Your face is red, your Majesty," Jax teased, his blue eyes dancing with amusement.
"What the f**k is wrong with you?" I snapped, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
Jax shrugged his broad shoulders casually. "You were supposed to kiss me or give me back my money. It’s seventy thousand bucks, Valentina. You had to at least make the kiss worth it."
"You motherfucker," I gritted out through my teeth.
Nico grinned, leaning forward. "So... do we keep playing the game, or what?"
"No," I cut him off sharply, not giving anyone a chance to reply. "I'm not doing this s**t again. Jax, take me home. Now."
Jax didn't argue. He stood up from the couch, gave his crew a quick nod, and walked toward the heavy front door. I followed right on his heels. He caught the handle and held the door open for me, letting me step out first into the cool night breeze.
We walked in silence down the paved path toward where his vintage Harley was parked.
"So," Jax started, his voice dripping with playful trouble. "Why are you so mad about a little kiss anyway? What, are you a virgin or something?"
I stopped dead in my tracks, turning around to glare at him. "Shut the f**k up and give me the keys."
Jax chuckled, reaching into his pocket and tossing the metal ring straight at me. I caught it cleanly in mid-air.
"There's a bonfire tonight," Jax said, leaning his hip against the side of his bike.
"All the local clubs are gonna be there. There’s an underground track race happening right after."
I raised an eyebrow. "And why should I care?"
"There are gonna be tons of bikes there," Jax said, crossing his arms. "Vintage models, custom builds, fresh imports. It's a good place to broaden your horizon if you're serious about your craft."
I hesitated. I hated the idea of spending more time with him today, but he wasn't wrong. A massive gathering of local riders meant potential high-paying clients looking for custom work.
"I'm dressed in joggers and Uggs," I pointed out, gesturing down at my clothes. "I look like I just crawled out of bed."
"So go home and change," Jax said smoothly. "I'll wait outside the shop while you swap clothes. The rest of the guys are riding out to the pit in a few minutes anyway."
I looked at the key in my hand, then back at him. I gave a single nod. "Fine."
I tossed my leg over the leather seat of his XLCR Cafe Racer, sticking the key into the ignition.
Jax blinked, looking at me sitting in the driver's position. "What are you doing?"
"Get on the back," I told him, cranking the throttle. "I'm riding."
A slow, impressed smirk spread across Jax’s face. He put on his helmet and hopped onto the seat behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
I didn't wait for him to settle. I slammed my foot on the gear shift, twisted the grip, and tore out of the driveway like a bat out of hell.
I wove through the city traffic with effortless precision, taking sharp corners at insane speeds and pushing the vintage engine to its absolute limit.
Ten minutes later, I slammed on the brakes, screeching to a perfect halt right in front of my garage doors.
Jax unclipped his helmet, stepped off the bike, and ran a hand through his windblown hair.
"Impressive," he murmured, looking at me with a fresh gleam in his eyes. "You really know how to handle a machine."
"Whatever," I muttered, hopping off the bike and heading straight for the side door.
"I'm going up to change."
Jax leaned against the doorframe, a dangerous little grin tugging at his lips. "Need any help? I'd love to watch you undress."
I stopped at the bottom of the staircase, slowly turning my head back to look him dead in the eye, my voice ice-cold and completely serious.
"If you step foot up those stairs, Jax, I will make sure your dead body is discarded so properly nobody will ever find a trace of you. Try me."
Jax just laughed, holding up his hands as I turned around and stomped upstairs to my apartment.
- Writer
