Jax rose with a sigh. He exited through the back door, leaving it open, and hopped down the stairs of the patio to where Rafe was indeed abusing the shrubbery. He dropped the clippers as Jax approached, and though I couldn’t hear what they said, it looked as if they were arguing. Jax gestured toward me, his lips tight, and Rafe shook his head. They exchanged words for a few minutes, then Jax stomped into the kitchen with Rafe on his heels.

“This is gonna blow up in our faces and you know it,” Jax said. “She’ll go straight to the cops, man. Never trust a woman, especially that one. I thought you’d figured that out by now, or did she castrate you?”

“You think I want him to go back to jail?” I interrupted, clenching my teeth and matching his glare.

“Why not? You sent him there once, didn’t you? What’s to stop you from doing it again?”

“Fuck,” Rafe said. “I’m just trying to do the right thing. She doesn’t belong here.”

I sat up straight, my mouth dropping open, and I was about to protest when Jax spoke.

“What changed? Is she a rotten lay?”

Rafe’s fist shot out and caught Jax in the nose. “Watch your fucking mouth.”

“What the hell, man! We’re really doing this over a chick?” Jax grabbed a paper towel from the counter and staunched the blood.

“We’re doing this because you’re not listening! Things have changed. She’s gotta go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said, and they both stopped and stared. I stood, gathered the dishes, and moved to the sink with as much calm as I could manage. “I’ve got nowhere to go, Rafe.” What I didn’t say was how I’d rather eat glass than leave him.

Jax sighed heavily, blowing his shaggy hair from his eyes. “I’m not sticking around to argue about it. If it’s gonna blow, it’s gonna blow. I’m not staying around for the explosion.” He pointed a finger at Rafe. “Just think about it. If you let her go, we can kiss our freedom goodbye. I don’t give a shit what she says otherwise.” He tossed the soiled towel into the trash, spit out a mouthful of blood, and grabbed another paper towel on his way to the door. “Besides, you’re never getting her outta your system. You took her, so deal with it. She’s yours.”

“Jax, wait—”

The door slammed on his exit, and the echo made the silence between Rafe and me that much louder. I was frozen, afraid to turn around and look at him. A chair scraped across the hardwood, and I heard him settle into it. Not knowing what else to do, I loaded the dishwasher as questions roared in my head, feuding with each other until one finally broke free.

“Did you tell him about Zach?”