***
Jax was beyond pissed off. Zee had to contain him before he paid Fiona a visit and started a war with the woman yet again. Jax ordered Tina to charter a flight back to Vancouver that night so he could be with Harley.
"Do you think it's absolutely necessary? Harley is safe with Cade. She would never leave Harley alone," Zee told him.
He was right, of course. He had a few more meetings planned for the rest of the week before heading back. With the immediate bond Harley formed with Cade, Jax knew she would be better off with the level-headed woman than an enraged father. "What did she want, anyway?" He turned his anger toward Tina, who was seated in a corner of the room.
"She didn't say, Jax. I told her you were in a meeting with Bruno." Tina was visibly afraid. Her shoulders slumped forward and she clutched a tablet against her chest as a form of protection. Not that Jax would ever hit her. Tina could be snarky at times, but she'd proved herself useful over the years. "I didn't know she would call Harley."
"Get Harley a new phone and tell her not to give the number to Fiona. I don't want that bitch causing unnecessary stress to Harley," Jax ordered. "Get me Cade on the phone."
He hadn't seen or spoken to Cade since the kiss they had shared in his office. He was that much of a coward. Jax Clark was never one to turn away from a woman, especially one as beautiful as Cade, but he intended to change his life. He had a promise to keep, a daughter to raise. He knew exactly what drove him to give in to his urges. He was all too familiar with the effects of his increased testosterone. He was horny. But the moment he kissed her, it had felt like more than physical urges. It had to be more.
His status as King of Rock and Roll made sure that a woman was available at his every beck and call. Call it growing up, but that wasn't what he wanted anymore. He wanted to be good. A good person. A good man. A good father. No, an excellent one. He agreed to go on a national tour before Fiona got married, and before he got full custody of Harley, before Nan died. He had certain obligations that would be too much of a headache if he broke away. The band would have understood, of course. The fans would have been disappointed and sales of his new record could plummet. He owed Bruno too much; not even mountain loads of cash would ever be enough to repay the man.
Decisions had warred in his mind for months but he knew what he needed to do and what he wanted to be: Harley's dad. He wanted to be the type of father who went to soccer games, attended recitals, and fulfilled any regular fatherly duties, whatever that may be. It was time.
Then Cade came along.
The woman's presence had put a damper on his plan, what with her luscious lips, her soft curves hidden behind that awful suit, her voice, her … Jax had to contain himself. Cade wasn't the type of woman to get involved with someone like him, someone who had a past. It didn't matter that when they kissed he was sure he had seen real fireworks. There was no way he could ask Zee to replace her either, not when Harley was clearly comfortable with Cade. He just had to man up and face whatever life threw at him, even if it was in the form of a sexy vixen, who most certainly kissed like one, and moaned like …
"Jax," Tina's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Cade." She handed him the phone.
"Can you guys give me a minute?" he asked his bodyguard and his assistant as he took the phone from Tina. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Cade?"
"Yes, Mr. Clark." Her voice was stern. He should have expected it. Did he think she would loosen up after one kiss?
"I called to see how Harley is doing. I tried calling her phone but-"
"I turned it off. I couldn't take what … " There was a pause and a frustrated sigh. "I am not sorry for what I did, Mr. Clark, she was making Harley very upset. She panicked."
"I don't expect an apology. I'm glad you did it. I would have done the same. Harley is getting a new phone so Fiona can't reach her without talking to me first." Fiona would throw a fit about his decision, but he just didn't care. "Harley's very … fragile. Not emotional, but I can't even think what could have happened if you weren't with her." His words rang true. Fear lodged in his throat.
"I'm glad I was there too." Cade's voice softened over the phone.
Jax waited for her to continue. When she didn't, he asked to speak to Harley.