Trent was in?

“I hate you,” I bit out, each word venomous. “I swear to God, if anything happens to Trent…” My jaw clenched tightly. “I’ll kill you. I mean it.” I beat my hands against his arms and chest. “I’ll kill you!”

“Stop hitting me.” He grabbed my hands, yanking me tightly against his body.

I gasped and risked a glance up into his eyes. They were dark but not scary. His grip loosened just the slightest bit, but he didn’t release me. He drew me a little closer, and my heart thrashed against my ribs, making it impossible to breathe.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

Jax lowered his head, his mouth inching closer and closer to mine. I froze. He was going to kiss me. I could see it in his gaze, feel it in every breath that passed between us. Desire-filled eyes penetrated my resolve, and I softened against him.

“You’re red,” he muttered.

His voice snapped me out of my stupor. “Yeah, well, I’m furious right now.”

The corner of his mouth lifted in a cocky smirk. “Not that kind of red.”

Not anger. Lust. Heat exploded on my face. “In your dreams.”

He gave a one-shoulder shrug, then lifted his head as if straining to hear something. “They’re back.”

I twisted out of his hold, and thankfully, he didn’t try to stop me. “Then let’s go.”

I sprinted toward the thick brush and climbed through it, not caring that the branches were snagging on my clothes and digging into my arms. Trent was back. I needed to see him with my own eyes, to make sure he was okay. And I needed to know if he’d learned anything from Isach.

Once I cleared the thicket, I ran at full force, my heart pounding in my ears. I wasn’t paying attention to anything, my sole focus on getting back to the house as quickly as possible. My foot caught on a twisted tree root, and a stabbing pain shot from the bottom of my foot straight up to my knee. I cried out in pain and started to collapse. My ankle throbbed.

Jax caught me before I hit the ground. Effortlessly, he scooped me up into his arms and cradled me against his chest. “Are you about done trying to kill yourself?” he asked.

His tone was full of concern, which was so not what I had expected. Amusement, maybe. Definitely annoyance and frustration. But not genuine concern.

“Put me down,” I said.

“Can you walk?”

“Of course, I can walk. I’m not a baby.”

“Fine.” He unceremoniously set me on my feet, and my ankle screamed in protest.

“Ow,” I cried, reaching for Jax to steady myself and take the weight off my foot.

“Exactly.” He once again scooped me up, and I wrapped my arms around his neck to hold on. “So stubborn,” he grumbled.

“Meanie.”

He raised a brow. “You realize Trent’s going to kill both of us, right?”

“He won’t kill me. He likes me too much. But he’s definitely going to kill you,” I said, fighting to hide a smile.

Jax shook his head and carried me all the way back to the cabin, never once complaining about my weight or showing any signs of exertion. Maybe there were some benefits to being a vampire.

CHAPTER THIRTY:

The Green-Eyed Monster

WHEN WE REACHED THE CABIN, I opened the front door, and Jax carried me inside. Wyatt and Whitney were lounging around the fireplace, while Trent was tearing down the stairs like he was on fire.

“Chloe!” Relief flooded Trent’s voice. “Where were you?”

Jax shoved past Trent and gently set me on the couch. “I’ll get some ice,” he said.

“Taking a walk with Jax.” I adjusted on the couch, and pain shot up my leg. I winced. “I twisted my ankle.”

Trent muttered a string of curses, then turned on his brother. “You let her leave? What were you thinking?”

“She needed to get out of here. It was fine.” Jax handed me a baggie full of ice that he’d wrapped in a towel.

I took it and put it on my ankle, once again wincing.

“It was not fine,” Trent said, his hands curled into tight fists. “She got hurt. You were supposed to be watching her, keeping her safe.”

Jax stood toe-to-toe with Trent and smiled in that way he did right before he said something snarky.

My stomach sank. This was not going to end well. “It’s not his fault, Trent. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking,” I said, hoping to diffuse the situation before it got out of control.

“He never should have let you out of this cabin,” Trent snapped, but his gaze was trained Jax.

“Yeah, well, maybe if you hadn’t left me here—again—I wouldn’t have had a reason to leave, and then I wouldn’t have been rushing to get back to you,” I snapped, my patience gone.

“Exactly.” Jax’s tone was smug. “And don’t worry. I had my eyes on her the entire time.” There was no mistaking the implied meaning behind Jax’s words.

Trent’s eyes darkened, and he snarled under his breath. “Jax,” he warned.

But Jax didn’t relent. “She really is quite enjoyable to watch. And I would know. I spent weeks watching her.” He tossed a knowing look in my direction, and I scowled.

Why was he provoking Trent like this?

“She’s fun to hold, too,” Jax said.

“Watch yourself,” Trent said, his tone icy.

“I’d much rather watch her.” Jax inclined his head toward me, and I groaned. Why was he doing this?

Trent hauled off and punched Jax in the face. “Stay away from her,” Trent warned.

Jax stumbled back, clutching his nose.

“Trent!” I shouted as I attempted to get off the couch, but it was a useless feat. I couldn’t put any weight on my sore ankle. I fell back onto the cushions. “Stop it.”

“Don’t like it, stop making me babysit her.” Jax lunged at Trent.

As much as I didn’t want to admit it, Jax’s words cut deeply. I stared, wide-eyed and helpless to do anything as the two threw punch after punch.

Finally, the twins seemed to snap out of whatever dumb daze they’d been in. Wyatt pulled Jax away while Whitney put

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