Fully clothed or not, it feels like throwing gasoline to my already blazing fire.
Footsteps coming up the stairs break us apart with panted breaths. “Unless you’re planning on giving him a show, I better get out there.”
“I fucking hate everything,” I hiss. “I’m sick of being left like this,” I gesture to my very sexually frustrated self.
He doesn’t say anything to that at all. Not the slightest hint that some kind of reprieve is coming. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion he only let things go as far as he did because he knew Jax was coming. I bet Zoey is down there too.
When he’s out of the room, I grab a pair of jean shorts and blue boho top. I fishtail my hair so that the braid hangs over my shoulder. I run back to the bathroom to do some quick makeup. A little winged liner and some red lipstick is all I want today.
I check my reflection once more to make sure the lust is out of my eyes. I look more pissed than aroused, so I guess that’ll work.
I slide on a pair of wedged red sandals then make my way downstairs.
“Are you still holding out on her?” I hear Jax asks but I don’t miss the humor in his voice.
I knew that fucker was doing this shit on purpose.
“Can we not talk about my brother’s sex life?” I hear Zoey remark.
“You’ve heard worse, Angel,” Jax chuckles. I make it to the bottom of the stairs just in time to see him pull her closer to him.
Something inside me stirs at the sight. I’ve always loved seeing Jax and Zoey together. From that first day I saw them together, I knew they had something special, but it wasn’t anything I ever wanted for myself.
When my eyes meet Zane’s over them, the butterflies I have refused to acknowledge for months turn into warring hummingbirds fighting for their last meal. I look back to Jax and Zoey quickly, not able to handle the intensity of the feelings Zane’s eyes emit. Not able to handle the emotions I’m feeling.
Zoey turns to meet my gaze with a bright smile crossing her too pretty face. Yin and Yang are what Zoey and Zane are. Dark and light. But they are both ridiculously, impossibly beautiful despite looking nothing alike. To me, they are the perfect set of twins.
She climbs carefully off the stool and makes her way to me with her very pregnant belly leading the way. “Tori,” she says wrapping her arms around me, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
I return the hug with a smile. I am so glad to see her doing so well. I remember a year ago she didn’t look anything like this – happy and healthy. “You look great, Zo.”
“I look huge,” she groans. “I can’t see my fucking feet.”
“You look great, Zoey,” Zane tells her with a roll of his eyes which I assume means he’s had to reassure her a few times lately.
She drags me to the island where they are all gathered. “Good to see you, Tori,” Jax says pulling Zoey back to her seat. I watch as he helps her onto the stool then pulls her feet into his lap.
Another stab stirs in my belly, and I realize it’s jealously. I can’t believe I’m fucking jealous. What the fuck does that even mean?
I cast a quick glance Zane’s way, and the hummingbirds in my stomach turn into vultures dive bombing me when I see him staring at me over the top of his coffee. My heart begins to pound erratically, and my head begins to swim. I realize my quick glance is actually a lingering stare when Zane begins to smirk, and I hear Jax clear his throat loudly.
“Are you okay, Tori?” Zoey asks with a hand to my arm.
“Pregnancy is affecting your brain, Baby,” Jax tells her.
They communicate silently for a second before Zoey’s mouth forms an O. Jax snickers at her with a kiss to her lips. And that damn stirring becomes a hurricane.
A strange feeling washes over me. Emotions I can't quite decipher attempt to take over. Suddenly the room is too warm and crowded. The air is too thick. “I think I’m going to take a walk for a bit,” I tell them as I make my way to the door. The urge to get out of there and away from all this I’m feeling as quickly as possible is all consuming.
Zane calls out to me, but I ignore him. I grab my bag from the table by the front door as I practically run out the door. I’m in the elevator, the doors closing, when I see Zane running for the elevator. I quickly press the door close button praying it works before he gets to me.
He makes it to the door just as the final few inches close. The look in his eyes floors me. They’re full of confusion, frustration, and hurt. It nearly knocks the breath out of me.
By the time the elevator reaches the ground floor and opens, I’m nearly hyperventilating, and it pisses me off. I don’t react this way. I don’t feel things like this.
I walk out the front door of the lobby of his building to be grabbed by the arm. Acting on nothing more than instinct, I turn with a fist flying out then a knee to whatever I can make contact with.
“Were you attacked a lot growing up?” I hear that sexy voice wheeze out as I realize I’ve just put my knee into Zane’s family jewels.
