Cade was aware he was hooked when she marked him, with her mouth flushed against his racing pulse, and when she tasted him, he held onto that last ounce of discipline within him. For years, all he had done was exercise control, to stave off the unwanted effects of being a famous celebrity. Women, sex, drugs, and alcohol. It was difficult to keep himself away when all of those surrounded him. So a move back to where he'd grown up had been an ideal solution. Not that any of those weren't present in Vancouver, but they weren't constantly thrown at him every minute of his life.
Then Cade showed up, and he could barely think, let alone rally all those practiced disciplines.
He should stay away. He should heed Zee's warning and Bruno's concern that the whole affair, if there was one, would cause a backlash the size of an A-bomb. Why couldn't he have filled his time in LA with vapid women? Instead, he'd focused all his desires on one alarmingly beautiful, intelligent, and increasingly interesting woman: Cadence Williams.
She knew her effects on him. Her hips, as she walked away, told him that. He finished her drinks and took calming breaths.
Don't follow her. Don't follow her, his subconscious warned.
Jax was never one to listen, not even to himself. His body buzzed from blinding lust. He stood and cursed himself as he followed where Cade had gone.
Whatever it was he had expected wasn't what met him. She didn't look at all pleased when he came in. Yes, there was desire in her eyes, and then Cade turned round and crossed her arms over her chest. Jax's eyes dropped to her cleavage, enhanced by her action. His mouth dried up. He was convinced she was trying to give him a heart attack.
"I'm not the type of girl who has sex in a club bathroom, Mr. Clark," Cade snapped, raising a brow at him.
Was she being coy by calling him that?
"What makes you think I'm here for that, Ms. Williams?" He pinned her with his gaze.
She let out a dry chuckle, clicking her tongue against the inside of her cheeks. Had he read her signs wrong? He couldn't have. Cade wanted him as much as he wanted her.
"I'm not screwing you here," she told him out flat.
Jax felt the frustration running through his veins. "What was that out there then?" He pushed his hair off his face and tugged at it fiercely. His intention wasn't to screw Cade in the bathroom. All he wanted was a little push in the right direction.
Cade shrugged, releasing her arms. "A moment of weakness."
When she said those words, it felt as though she had punched him right in the solar plexus, taking away his breath, and making him gasp before he buckled over from the pain. But her eyes … they spoke of something else entirely. She could deny it as much as she wanted, her blood boiled as much as his. The need within him heightened inside the small space.
"You want me." He faced the bull straight on. "I want you."
The battle within her was obvious. He wanted her to surrender to the desires. To him.
Cade slumped her shoulders forward, a sign that he had a chance. "Look, Jax, I-"
A ringtone pierced through the tension. The chorus of "Sweet Caroline" took over. Harley's ringtone. Cade knew what it was. It was clear in the sudden worry in her eyes. Jax pushed himself away from the bathroom door and pulled his phone from his back pocket.
"Har, are you okay?"
But it wasn't Harley on the other line. It was his frantic assistant. "Jax, it's Harley. She's turning blue!"
"What?" His eyes found Cade. She had stepped forward, her earlier defences down, anxiety replacing it.
"I called 911. They're on their way. I don't know what to do. Fiona is yelling at me and-"
"What the hell is Fiona doing there?" Jax suddenly heard the other line clearer. His ex was in the same room as Tina, and most likely, Harley. He hadn't expected her to come at all during the week. Even when she had made the threat to take Harley away, he knew he still had enough time to ward her off. Fiona was supposed to be in Europe.
Cade didn't wait for him. She sidestepped Jax and went out the door. Jax followed, his cellphone still pressed onto his ear. "Check on Harley. Do not let Fiona touch her. Do you hear me, Tina? Keep Fiona out of Harley's way! I'll be there soon."
Zee stood in an instant, as Jax met his bodyguard back at the lounge. "I need the car now."
"I'll call up the driver," Zee told Jax.
Cade appeared by their side, shrugging into her leather jacket, her phone in her hand. If she had been inebriated before, it didn't show any longer. "It's not fast enough. Find another one." She strode quickly past the small group of people who had gathered with our companions.