Jax (Broken Strings #1) (7 page)

Jax looked at Kane after the women had left. “Do you think you could hold it together for one show,
without
getting completely trashed?” he snapped.

“Whoa dude, chill out. What the hell is your problem?” Kane asked, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

Jax sighed. “Nothing,” he said, opening his own can of beer. “Let’s just do this.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

“That show was epic!” Tobey exclaimed as the band came off stage.

Jax didn’t stick around to chat, he’d been unfocused during the entire concert, and now he just wanted to get the fuck out of there.

Pushing his way through the backstage crowd, he slipped through a side door and called a cab, driving to the nearest bar.

It was a hazy, smoke filled room, and as Jax walked through the doors he immediately pulled a packet of cigarettes from his jeans pocket and lit one, inhaling deeply as he moved to find an empty seat.

All around him, women gyrated to a brooding country song. Taking a seat at a table, he’d barely been on his ass for ten seconds before a beautiful topless brunette appeared in front of him.

“Hey handsome,” she purred, shaking her chest a little. “What can I get for you?”

“Whiskey, please,” he answered absently. He watched her ass in her tiny skirt as she sauntered away towards the bar. He was horny as hell.

Jax watched the dancers on stage for a while, and when the waitress came back with his drink she appeared to want to give him more.

“Like what you see?” she asked, looking down at her chest as she leaned forward until her tits poked against his chest.

This wasn’t right. This woman, as beautiful as she was, held no appeal for him.

He only wanted Amaranth.

As though thinking about her had conjured her up, he looked towards the stage in time to see her step up, dressed in a sexy black and pink bra and thong.

His cock immediately sprang to attention, and the woman in front of him noticed. He gently eased her away and shook his head. It wasn’t for her.

Pouting prettily, she turned and flounced away, but Jax never noticed, he  had eyes only for the vixen on the stage.

Amaranth bumped and grinded against the pole, shaking her pert little ass for all the men in the room.

Fuck, but she was beautiful.

Jax looked around at the men watching her. A sudden flame of jealousy burned inside him.

What the hell was he doing? More importantly, what the hell was
she
doing on that stage? Didn’t she care that these men were staring at her like nothing more than a piece of meat?

Her song ended and she exited the stage.

Jax had seen enough. Standing up, he threw a couple of bills down on the table and stormed out.

He stood outside the bar smoking a cigarette. As the smoke billowed up into the night air he heard a door open. Pushing away from the wall, he stubbed his cigarette out with the heel of his shoe before walking around the corner of the building.

He watched silently as Amaranth said goodbye to a few other strippers, his anger growing.

Who the hell did she think she was? He’d been prepared to look after her, pay her handsomely for the time they spent together. Was he not good enough?

He waited until she was alone before walking up behind her.

“Hello Amaranth,” he said in a low voice, watching as she froze and slowly turned to face him.

“Jax,” she gasped. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I think the real question is, what are
you
doing here?” he asked icily.

She paled. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said, backing slowly away from him. “You should go.” She turned to walk away, but Jax was faster.

He grabbed her arm and spun her around, pinning her up against the side of the club, his mouth mere inches from hers.

“Do you like it?” he whispered harshly, staring down into her face.

She licked her lips nervously. “Do I like what?” she asked.

“Taking your clothes off for men. Do you like the attention?”

“I-I don’t know what you want me to say,” Amaranth stammered.

“I want the fucking truth,” Jax shouted, punching the brick wall she leaned against, not caring that his knuckles were probably bleeding.

“It’s all I know,” she said quietly.

“I won’t have you stripping,” he thundered.

His temper seemed to strike a chord in Amaranth, and she finally snapped.

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” she yelled, her eyes flashing. “I don’t belong to you.”

“The hell you do,” Jax yelled back. “As long as you’re on my bus you won’t be stripping.”

“News flash Jax, I’m not on your damn bus!” she cried.

“I’m not leaving here without you,” Jax said, lowering his voice to a menacing whisper.

The air was suddenly charged with sexual tension. Leaning down, he captured Amaranth’s lips in a savage kiss, growling when she responded just as hungrily.

He picked her up and braced her against the wall, wasting no time in undoing his fly, flipping her skirt up and moving her thong aside before burying himself deep inside her.

He took her hard, right against the side of the club. Jax didn’t know if anyone walked by and saw them, but at that moment he didn’t care. All he could focus on was the feeling of her tight warm center wrapped around him, pulling him in deeper.

He flung his head back and groaned as he came, emptying himself into her.

As their breathing slowly returned to normal he helped her down and watched with hooded eyes as she fixed her clothes.

“Will you come back?” he asked, doing his fly up.

Amaranth was silent for so long that he wasn’t sure she’d heard him.

Finally she looked up at him and gave him a small nod.

Jax’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Come on,” he said quietly, taking her hand. “Let’s go.”

CHAPTER NINE

“You’re back,” Tessa said flatly as they entered the bus.

“Tessa,” Kane warned as he came forward and gave Amaranth a hug. “It’s good to have you back, Ammy,” he said warmly.

“It’s good to be back,” Amaranth said with a smile.

“Tobey,” Jax said as the band’s manager stepped up onto the bus. “I need Rachel and Mandy to buy Amaranth some new clothes tomorrow,” he said, referring to the band’s stylists.

“Oh, really Jax, that’s not necessary,” Amaranth protested.

Jax looked down at her in amusement. “You really want to wear those same clothes for the next three days?” he asked with a smile.

She pursed her lips and shook her head, turning her head away from him.

“Then it’s settled,” he said, turning back to Tobey.

“Very good,” Tobey replied, making a note on a stack of papers he held. “I’ll get them onto it first thing in the morning.”

“Good,” Jax said, grabbing Amaranth’s hand and practically dragging her up to the back of the bus and into his room, pushing her roughly onto the bed.

She gasped and scrambled up the bed as he stalked her.

“Wh-what?” she stammered, sounding nervous.

Good,
Jax thought.
I want her to be nervous.

“I believe I had a rule,” he said quietly, his tone causing her to visibly shiver. “Do you remember that rule?”

Amaranth licked her lips and shook her head.

Jax smiled. A slow, calculating smile designed to intimidate.

“I believe I told you no panties.”

Amaranth gasped and pulled her knees up to her chest, involuntarily exposing herself to him. Jax felt his cock grow again.

“Do you remember that rule, Amaranth?”

She nodded slowly.

Jax tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I think you need to be punished,” he decided, causing her eyes to widen in panic. “What’s the matter,
Ammy,
” he said, mocking the nickname that he hated so much. “You’re always so sure of yourself, so confident. Have you got nothing to say now?”

Amaranth stared at him, still looking nervous. “I’m sorry Jax, I didn’t mean to break the rules,” she begged. “I’ll do anything to make it up to you, please, just tell me what to do.”

Jax stared at her. It took him a moment to notice the sparkle in her eyes… she knew this game.

“You can start by getting those clothes off. I’m going to give you until the count of three to get naked, or I’m going to rip those clothes from your body for you.”

Amaranth gaped at him. “You can’t be serious!”

“One…” Jax said in a low voice.

“Jax, please.”

“Two…”

“Jax wait I-”

“Three.”

He lunged at the bed, grabbing her by the ankles and dragging her down until her legs hung over the edge of the mattress.

He kneeled down between her open legs, his hands slowly caressing the inside of her knees before moving up her thighs and inside her skirt.

Gripping her thong in both hands, he ripped it in half, eliciting a deep moan from Amaranth.

Jax stared hungrily at her bare pussy, his calloused fingers lightly stroking the soft, plump folds.

He eased one finger inside, testing her wetness. They were both more than ready, but there was something he wanted to do first…

Moving his thumb up, he brushed it against her clit, feeling her legs tremble on either side of him.

“Jax…” she murmured, trying to close her legs.

He looked up as she pushed gently at his hand.

“Please,” he begged, his voice hoarse. “Let me touch you.”

“I can’t,” she moaned, and he flicked her clit once more.

“Jax, stop!” she exclaimed, shoving him away and closing her legs, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Jax looked up at her, unable to suppress the sudden flare of anger that burned low in his stomach.

Slowly standing up, he stared coldly down at her.

“Why?” he demanded. “Why should I stop?”

“Because I can’t do that,” Amaranth said, almost crying. “I’m sorry Jax, I-”

“Sorry?” Jax scoffed. “I’ll show you fucking sorry.”

He lunged on top of her, pinning her to the bed even as she shrieked.

His hand found her breast and kneaded it roughly as his lips bruised hers in a punishing kiss.

Amaranth shoved him off her and he got off the bed, roaring in frustration as he spun around and knocked his dressed over onto the floor.

“Jax!” Kane said as he came running into the room. He stopped dead as he took in the scene.

Amaranth still lay on the bed, her short skirt doing nothing to cover her, while Jax stood next to the overturned dresser, panting heavily.

“Fuck,” Kane said, hurrying to pull the sheet over Amaranth as he yelled out to the manager.

“Tobey! Get the fuck in here man.”

Tobey appeared in the room a moment later. Jax still hadn’t said a word.

“What the hell is going on here?” Tobey asked, looking between Amaranth and Jax.

Kane shook his head. “Get him out of here,” he said in a low voice, indicating with his head towards Jax.

Tobey took a few steps towards Jax and grabbed his forearm firmly. “Come on,” he said quietly. “I’ll get you a beer.”

Jax rubbed his hand over his face and glanced at Amaranth as tears finally spilled over her cheeks. A wave of remorse hit him, and he took a step in her direction, stopping immediately when her eyes widened and she flinched.

Looking at Tobey, he soberly nodded his head. “Okay,” he agreed, allowing himself to be led out of his room, leaving Kane and Amaranth behind.

CHAPTER TEN

“What the hell was all that about?” Tobey asked Jax as he handed him a beer.