“Nope,” I reply immediately definitely not wanting to fill the silence with that conversation.
“Why were you there, July?” he questions more firmly.
“So you don’t have to tell me why you showed up at my house last night, but you expect me to tell you what happened?” I lower my eyes to my plate, saying, “Not likely,” under my breath.
“Is it about the dogs?” he asks gently as his fingers pull up on the underside of my jaw, causing my gaze to meet his. “Talk to me.” The gentleness of his voice and softness in his eyes causes the words to come tumbling out.
“The morning Jax was here, there was another dog left outside the clinic.”
“Fuck, I’m sorry, baby,” he says as his fingers come up to run down the side of my face and I try to ignore the way his touch feels.
“I want to find out who’s doing this.” I lower my gaze when I feel tears sting my nose from thinking about the helpless animals that have lost their lives just so some asshole could have a few minutes of entertainment. “I will find out who’s doing this.”
“Do you believe the person who’s connected to the dogs was at the bar last night?” he asks gently.
I nod, still looking down at my plate. “Kayan and I followed the guy after he dropped off another dog.”
He lets out a loud puff of air and I can feel the energy change. “Don’t go there again.” My head comes up and our eyes connect. “I know you have no reason to trust me yet.” His eyes drop to my mouth and his thumb touches the edge of my bottom lip before they meet mine again. “But I need you to promise me you won’t go back there.”
“Why?” I ask softly.
“Babe.” He shakes his head then frowns when pounding starts on my front door. “Who’s that?”
“I don’t know.” I get up and head toward the door when Wes pulls me behind him and opens it.
“Do you want to live, Silver?” Jax asks, shoving his way into my house.
“Fuck you, Mayson,” Wes replies, and Jax looks me over then shakes his head, looking at Wes again.
“You told me you were serious about my cousin, and then you let her walk right into the fucking snake pit where someone could see her?” Jax asks, and my eyes go between him and Wes and I feel my brows pull together.
“Don’t go there,” Wes growls.
“You,” Jax turns on me and shakes his head, “what the fuck were you thinking?”
“What?” I ask, confused.
“Why were you at Mamma’s Country last night?”
“Uh…”
“I don’t have time to babysit you,” Jax growls.
“Hold on one damn minute.” I put my hands on my hips and get in his face. “I have never, ever asked you to babysit me, so you need to get off that high horse you rode in here on and back off.”
“You’re family.”
“And?” I ask, making my eyes big.
“Does Uncle Asher know you’re seeing Silver?” he asks, and my body freezes and my heart speeds up.
“I’m not seeing him.” I bite the inside of my cheek. I wasn’t technically lying, was I? I peek over at Wes, who’s frowning, then swing my head to look at Jax.
He growls, “Two days he’s been here in the morning.”
“So?”
“So, I haven’t told my dad or anyone.”
“I haven’t told anyone about all the women you have in and out of your house,” I tell him.
“I’m a dude. No one would care.”
“Your mom would.” I smirk. Aunt Lilly would kick his ass if she knew the way he went through women.
“Do you think my mom’s dumb?”
Okay, he’s right. Aunt Lilly knew he had never been in a committed relationship, but she still didn’t like it. “Whatever. We’re getting away from the point,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Yeah, the point being that he,” he points at Wes, “should have made sure your ass was nowhere near Momma’s Country last night, or any night for that matter.”
“I would like to remind you that I’m a grown woman.”
“You’re also a woman who has no idea the kind of fucked up people there are in this world.”
“I don’t?” I ask, narrowing my eyes on him.
“You don’t,” he confirms, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Every week, I have animals that have been abused or left for dead come into the hospital. Helpless animals that cannot defend themselves. So, yes, I do know the kind of horrible people who live in this world. I do not have rose-colored glasses on, Jax.” I choke on the last words as tears fill my eyes.
Wes steps toward me and pulls me into him, tucking my head under his chin.
“I was talking to her about going there when you showed up. I told you I had her, and I do.” I hear and feel Wes rumble as he speaks.
“Why was she there?” Jax asks.
“Someone’s been leaving dogs outside the hospital that have been fought. She followed a guy from there to the bar last night.”
“You think Snake is in on it?” Jax asks, and I turn my head against Wes’ chest to look at Jax.
“Not sure, but I wouldn’t doubt it,” Wes tells him.
“You’re not seeing him?” Jax asks doubtfully as his eyes sweep over us, and I realize my arms have wound themselves around Wes, my cheek is pressed to his chest, and one of his arms is wrapped around me, with the other hand cradling the back of my head.
“What’s going on between July and me has nothing to do with you.”
“Whatever you say, Silver. You have no idea the kind of men my dad and uncles are.”
“I’ve dated before.” I frown, stepping away from Wes while defending myself. Not that it matters, I reminded myself. I’m not dating Wes, but still. Yes, my dad is overprotective, but he accepts I’m not a little girl—or I should say my mom talks him down every time he forgets I’m not a child anymore.
“You have,” he agrees then looked at Wes, “just not a guy like him.”
Okay, so he had a point, but I was done. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“I do, but before I can go do my job, I needed to come over here and rein you in.”
“Well, now you can leave,” I tell him, opening the door and sweeping my hand for him to walk out.
“If she gets into any trouble, I’m holding you accountable,” Jax tells Wes as he walks through the door.
“Bye.” I roll my eyes and shut the door, coming face-to-face with Wes, who is smiling.
“You want to finish breakfast and go for a ride with me?”
“A ride?” I ask suspiciously, and his lips tilt up farther.
“Just a ride.”
I study him for a moment, and just like every time he’s near, my gut is pulling me toward him, telling me that if I miss out on the promise of him, I will regret it. “Sure,” I agree, ignoring my brain, which is roaring at me that I have just changed the course of life as I know it.
Chapter 5
I hold onto Wes’ waist and memories from today wash over me. After we finished breakfast, I went and got dressed in a pair of jeans, my high-top Chucks, and a black tank top. When I walked into the living room, Wes was sitting on my couch with Juice and Capone, who had somehow became best friends. Seeing them all sitting there together made everything stop.