Despite taking a deep breath, Denim felt her bottom lip quiver as she said, "He's going to kill you. Jax, I'm scared."
"You're not getting rid of me that easily." His brow bunched. "Are you sure you heard his thoughts?" He looked as if he hoped like hell she wasn't telling the truth.
She nodded, feeling bile rise in her throat as she said, "No, his lips weren't moving. He gave you a choice to either marry his sister or he's going to get back at you for shaming the pack." Jax's eyes widened at her response. He took her hand and led her over to a wooden bench in front of a men's shoe store and dragged her down to sit beside him. Denim expelled a long breath and continued. "At first I didn't hear anything, then all of a sudden it was like a radio had been turned on in my head."
"Fuck!" Jax snarled and dragged a hand along his long free-flowing hair.
"Why is this happening?" Denim said quietly, through clenched teeth. "How is it I can hear your thoughts and his, but I couldn't hear Aidan's or Chayton's?" she asked in a shaky voice.
"I don't know. I've never known a human who could hear my thoughts." He studied her. "Can you hear what I'm thinking now?"
Denim tried to focus, but heard nothing. "No. It seems like the only time is when you're in wolf form or angry."
He nodded. "That's when the animal inside is threatening to emerge."
"Maybe that's why I heard Diesel's thoughts." She tossed her hands in the air. "I don't understand what's happening to me."
Jax placed a gentle hand to her knee and squeezed. "Sweetheart, neither do I, but I promise you regardless of what's happening, I'm going to keep you safe."
They stared at each other for a long moment. Fire and determination burned in the depths of his golden eyes.
Denim waited until a teenager coming out of the candy store passed before saying, "Diesel knows."
"Knows what?"
"That I can read minds." Momentarily she dropped her eyes before meeting his inquisitive stare. "It was the way he looked at me. I heard him ask me a question and it wasn't until I responded that I realized his lips never moved. He smiled and I heard him say he knew I could hear his thoughts." She stopped and started gnawing on the corner of her lip. "Is there any way he could have heard my thoughts?"
"Fuck! Anything is possible. We all have some kind of special skill. Mine is speed."
Denim shivered at the memory. "You moved so fast; it's as if time stood still."
"And that's a good thing, otherwise everyone would have seen what happened at the diner." By the time the customers had noticed, Jax already had his fingers wrapped around Diesel's neck. "I'm going to have to find out if Diesel knows."
"He knows or at least he said he does." She stared at Jax's face, her heart beating fast. His face was blank. "He didn't give you any indication while the two of you were talking?"
Jax averted his eyes and shook his head. "No, but he wouldn't. With that kind of knowledge, he would find a way to use it to his advantage. Fuck!"
"Should I be worried?" Denim searched his face, waiting to see if he would lie to her and if she could tell if he had. Jax tilted his head and met her stare. She drew in a breath. He had the focused gaze of a wolf. Hard and intense.
"You let me worry about that," he snarled. "This isn't your fight. And I hate that I got you involved in this mess. But, trust me I'm going to see a way out of it." He dropped his forehead to hers, pressing into her.
"I do trust you," she said barely above a whisper.
"C'mon. I'm supposed to be getting you ice cream." Jax kissed her throat, then rose and held out his hand and lifted Denim to her feet. As they continued down the sidewalk she forced a smile, waved at people she knew, and nodded her head at others as they passed by.
"I have always been a people watcher," she began in an attempt to brighten the mood. "I use to wonder who they were, what their life was like etcetera, but never in a million years would I have guessed there were people like you walking up and down these streets."
Jax looked down and studied her face. "And now that you know, how does that make you feel?"
She shrugged a shoulder. "I guess I really don't feel that much different since I know one of them is you. But if I had found out under different circumstances, I think they would have had to take me away in a straitjacket." It was insane because a month ago as far as she knew there were no shifters. Men didn't turn into wolves except for in a paranormal movie. But now Weres were a part of her reality.
Jax draped a comforting arm across her shoulders and her body turned into his.
"I'm curious. How do you know if someone else is a Were?"
"We can smell each other," he murmured, then nuzzled her throat until she giggled.
"Oh yeah. That explains it. For me, if one walked past me right now, I wouldn't have any idea."
"Maybe. Maybe not. It seems you have a gift that most humans don't have. You can hear our thoughts and that could someday become a valuable tool."
Silence followed his response. Denim shivered at the thought of being different and having some unique ability. What was the point of having it if she could never tell anyone?
Suddenly she felt Jax's body stiffen as he said, "But your ability could also be dangerous if anyone was ever to find out. Especially another pack, which is why I have to find out if Diesel really knows or was just bluffing to see how you reacted." Jax squeezed Denim close as if he never wanted to let her go before he released her to hold open the door.
She was supposed to be selecting ice cream flavors and instead his last comment spiraled through her head. It could also be dangerous. Dangerous in what way? She wondered. As she decided on green mint ice cream, Denim drew a long breath. After her encounters with the Chadwick siblings, it was probably better if she never found out.
Jax ordered a double scoop of chocolate, then, hand-in-hand, they went and found an empty bench in the community park at the corner and took a seat. Children were playing on the jungle gym. Others were swimming in the Olympic-size pool. No one appeared to have a worry in the world. As they sat there, her eyes traveled over to Jax, who was licking ice cream that dripped onto his hand. For a moment he reminded her of that young thirteen-year-old boy.
"So now what?" she said finally breaking the silence.
There was a strained look on his face. Something was clearly bothering him. "Now we wait until Mr. Chadwick returns and the packs meet. In the meantime I will continue to protect you."
"But you said he wouldn't hurt me," she burst out.
Jax's hand framed her face, forcing her head around until she had no choice but to look at him as he said, "His fight is with me, not you, but until this is over I'm not taking any chances. Diesel is smart and conniving and so is Troy. I have a feeling one of them is about to turn rogue at any moment."
She bit her lip hard. "What's that?"
Despite an attempt to hide it, his voice was rough with worry as he replied, "It's like going bad. No longer obeying our laws, leaving the pack and creating rules of their own. Those Weres can be very dangerous."
Her entire body jerked, and suddenly Denim lost her appetite.
19
After that evening, things were relatively quiet.
There were occasions when Denim had a feeling either Diesel or Troy was somewhere lurking around, but Jax denied it and if they were she couldn't hear their thoughts.
A month had passed since her return to Justice, and she was so in love with Jax it was insane. She couldn't get enough of him. When she wasn't working at the diner or hanging out with Quinn, she was with Jax helping him exercise the horses, sharing the details of their lives with each other, and making love. Denim enjoyed every toe-curling moment, even him biting her like he was some kind of vampire, branding her. He had explained it had something to do with bonding them so no other Were could claim her. She didn't quite understand, but to be honest, none of it really mattered except that they were now mated for life.
Denim was almost tempted to call Kimberly and thank her for screwing Asher because if she hadn't, she might never have returned to Justice, and discovered that Jax was her true soulmate.
As she mopped down the tables she reminisced on a conversation she'd had yesterday with Pappy. He had hinted at her staying in Justice and running the diner. She was amazed at how excited she had gotten over the idea of making this place her home. She allowed her imagination to run wild and was already planning on expanding the menu, redecorating the interior, and offering daily specials. Most importantly, once she started running the restaurant, Pappy could finally retire, and spend his days in his boat out on the lake fishing.