I step past him, and instead of using the bathroom, I walk out of the restaurant, using the back exit. Jax must suspect my intentions, because a moment later he appears with Devon behind him.

“Delaney, wait.”

I stop and stare as Jax walks over. When he gets in front of me, he reaches out, cupping my cheek. “I’m sorry about that.”

“We can’t even go on a date.” I sigh, dropping my head into his chest. “Everything is messed up.”

“There’s too much going on, and we’re pushing something that we’re not ready to push.”

“You don’t want to date me?” I whisper.

“God, of course I fucking do, but shit is at a breaking point. We have no privacy. It’s a mess all around, but I promise you that as soon as this is over, I’m going to take you on a date you won’t forget. It’ll be epic, I can promise you that.”

I can’t help but smile. “Oh yeah?”

He reaches up, cupping my neck and pulling me close. “Yeah. So don’t give up just yet, okay?”

“Never,” I say, pressing my lips to his.

I just hope the second date is better than the first, because right now nothing seems to be working out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“Delaney!”

I flinch and turn to look at Jed, who is snapping his fingers in my face. We’re in my apartment, watching movies and eating pizza a week later, but I’m zoned out. I don’t know why, but there’s a heavy weight in my heart I can’t shake. It’s that feeling you get when you know something isn’t right, yet you don’t know what that is.

“Sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m just not with it.”

“No shit, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

“I … I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right.”

He studies my face. “What do you mean?”

“You know when you just feel uneasy, but you can’t pinpoint what it is?”

He nods. “Yeah, I hate that. Do you think it’s Jax?”

At the mention of his name, my heart clenches again. “Would you mind if I give them a call, just to check in?”

He shrugs. “Girl, if it’s going to make you pay attention, I’m okay with that.”

I nod and dial Devon’s number. He’s on Jax’s case at the moment. He doesn’t answer. Feeling panicked, I ring Jax’s number. Nothing. Odd. I call Nak next, and he answers. “Delaney.”

Not hello. Or how are you. That hurts. I respect Nak and it bothers me that he’s been let down.

“Hey, Nak,” I say softly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Have you heard from Devon or Jax?”

“Devon is here in a meeting with me and the team. I assigned Kyle to Jax for two hours. I had no other man available, and no other choice.”

“What!” I cry.

“Listen, I didn’t pick you because you’re closer to it than Kyle. I don’t have time to discuss it, I’m in a meeting. I’ll fill you in when you get back, but it’s fine, Delaney. Jax is safe.”

Then he hangs up.

I immediately rush to my room, get my gun from the safe, tuck it in my pants and pull on a coat. I don’t trust Kyle, not for a damned second. He’s angry with Jax and me, and I fear he won’t do a proper job because of that very reason. I need to know Jax is okay, and I’ll risk my job to do it.

“Whoa there, where are you going?” Jed asks when I come rushing in.

“I have to go out, wait here if you want, I’ll be back soon.”

“Delaney,” he calls, but I’m already out the door.

I catch a cab over to Jax’s hotel, but when I ask them if he’s there, they say he went back to his apartment. It’s dark out, and the city is livening up for the evening. I make my way over to Jax’s apartment, getting out of the cab just as Kyle and Jax walk out the front door and towards the car waiting for them. Why the hell are they using the front entrance, when they can leave safely from the underground parking lot?

When they see me, they stop. “What are you doing here, Delaney?” Kyle demands.

I study Jax, seeing he’s okay, but the instinct inside of me is screaming that something’s wrong.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Just heading to a meeting, but I forgot something, so we just went back in to get it and I got caught up with a phone call, but we’re fine, kitten,” Jax says, his eyes soft at the sight of me.

“It’s really none of your business and you shouldn’t be here,” Kyle grunts. “Mr. Shields, if you would, please get into the car.”

He walks over and opens the door for him.

“Did you check the car?” I say.

“Mind your business, Delaney,” Kyle grunts. “This is my job and that means it’s not your concern. Now, leave before I call Nak.”

Jax looks to me. “Everything okay?” he asks softly.

“Something just … doesn’t feel right.”

“We’re going to be late, Shields,” Kyle barks.

“I’ll come by later, let you know I’m okay,” Jax says, his eyes letting me know he’d step forward if he could.

“Okay,” I say, shaking the horrible feeling from my chest.

Jax grins at me, then slides into the car. Kyle goes to get in and as he moves his foot, I see the flash of something underneath the car. It’s silvery, but it’s definitely not part of the car. “Get out of the car,” I screech.

Kyle stops dead and Jax looks to me with concern on his face. I don’t have time to think.

“Get out, get out, get—”

Jax launches himself out of the car and Kyle, for the first time in his life, does as I say and jumps back. Just as Jax crashes into me, the car explodes. The noise is deafening and I feel like my ears are going to explode as a pain unlike anything I’ve ever felt erupts deep in my head. I scream and roll, feeling for Jax. He’s beside me, grasping for me, but I can’t see him through the thick smoke.

“Jax!” I scream.

Gunshots sound out, coming from three different angles. Through the thick, black smoke, I can see absolutely nothing. I throw my body over Jax’s, reaching around through the pain in my head and back, to pull out my gun.

“Delaney!” Kyle roars.

“Someone’s shooting!” I screech back.

Suddenly Jax bellows, a pained, agonized roar.

“Jax?” I yell.

“Shot,” he gasps. “I got fucking shot.”

Jesus, I need to get him out of here before the smoke clears, it’s the only cover I have right now. I try to picture the front of Jax’s apartment in my head. There are thick shrubs near the entrance. That’s probably the best I can do right now. Voices are shouting, my head is pounding and there’s a strange agony in my back that’s spreading.

“Can you walk?” I frantically ask, hands patting him down.

“Yeah,” he grunts.

“Jax, where are you hit?” I whisper.

“Leg.”

Thank God.

I take his hand and hold my gun out with the other, leading him to the shrubs by feel alone. When we reach them, I push him down. “Get behind them. If they see you, they’ll shoot, Jax. I can’t risk that. Stay low.”