BLOOD AND BONE | rewritten

45

Jaxon hated Jake Evans with his whole being.

It had simmered within him for so long, but the hope that he could be useful for something had kept it at bay. It was stirred with every one of Jake's barbed remarks, each time he proved Jaxon meant nothing despite Jaxon always holding up his part of their alliance. And now, as Jake had replaced him with Delphinium Tesla, that hate came to a boil.

There had been nothing but chilly silence between the two ever since Jaxon deemed him a fucking traitor to his face in Corinthian's warehouse. And he stood by that statement.

It did bring Jaxon some semblance of satisfaction to know he'd been affected by it, if only enough to replace him. Perhaps the title of traitor hit too close to home where the Needles were involved. If so, he was pleased to have found that single sore spot. Jake knew his and never hesitated to stab into them.

Jaxon leaned against the table in the training area, watching Gigi shoot arrow after arrow into the targets. He wished someone had the gall to shoot an arrow through Jake's face. He wished he did.

Corinthian's words floated back to him. Surely Evans has taken advantage of you for long enough. Be a real man and have some self respect. I hate weaklings. Jaxon's hatred intermingled with shame, pathetic in its magnitude. By putting two feet into the violence and ruthlessness that was this life, by becoming Jake's partner, he always told himself he was becoming exactly what he was meant to be. Was he really only meant to be half of that, always slated to fall short?

Why had he put up with it for so long? It wasn't as if he thought the crime lord would change from his ways; that would never happen unless he willed it. Jaxon thought he could rise above being Jake's little lackey. And still, that was all anyone saw him as.

It really was pathetic. Jake was not his friend, and he was sure as hell not his family. Though he did nearly make Jaxon long for them. He thought he'd done better for himself this time, but he only traded one relationship he didn't belong in with another. But at least his family had never treated him like nothing but a means to an end. At least he belonged with them through something. Even if it was only blood.

The thought only stoked Jaxon's rage. He was feeling wistful for his family? For his father? This was all Jake's fault. He hoped Jake treated Delphinium the same way he did Jaxon. And he hoped she killed him for it.

"What?" It was Gigi's perfectly controlled voice. While he was lost in the battle of his thoughts, Jaxon had been absentmindedly staring at her as she collected her arrows from the floor.

"Nothing. Just admiring your aim."

"Do you believe it's improving?"

He nearly snorted. "You had four bullseyes out of five. Don't fish for compliments, Afolayan. Only I look good doing that."

She did not smile. "Is that a yes?"

In lieu of an answer, he lifted a simulation gun and shot the target on the wall five times. Five dents in the center. "You tell me."

"A bow is more difficult to maneuver than a gun."

Jaxon pointed at her as if catching her in the act. "You claimed to have never shot a gun before."

"Not a real one. Not at a person."

"Then you should learn."

She hesitated. "Perhaps."

Jaxon dropped his arm. "Let me guess. Working with a bow feels less violent and you've somehow convinced yourself your enemies have more of a fair chance when you use it."

From her silence, he assumed he'd been accurate. "A word of advice, then. Learn to fight the real way. Shoot to kill. The world won't give you another choice."

Still, she said nothing. But this time, it seemed she was actually digesting his advice as if she'd consider it.

Jaxon caught a large glimpse of movement through the open doors. Kane. "That's, like, your tenth cup of water," Jaxon called to him. "If you're trying to drown yourself, that won't work."

The strongman strode into the training area with a paper cup in hand. It was downed in one gulp, then tossed carelessly to the side. Jaxon's gaze narrowed at the sheen over his eyes, the smile on his face. "Why do you look like that?"

"Nothing. I'm great," Kane said, though that wasn't the question. There was spring in his step as he neared close enough to sling an arm around Jaxon's shoulders. "Can't you tell? I'm really, really great."

The sound of his rasping voice hurt Jaxon's own throat. "Yeah, you sound it too." Scowling, he knocked Kane's arm away. "If Arlo did this to you, blink twice."

Leaning back on his heels, Kane made a show of opening his eyes wide. How bloodshot the whites of them were.

"Are you drunk?"

"I wish." He gave a deep, throaty chuckle. It sounded viscerally wrong coming from Kane. "If I managed to sneak a bottle in here, I'd share it with you first."

Jaxon's frown deepened. "Why, you trying to poison me or something?"

"No." He laughed again at the expression on Jaxon's face. "Because I like you the most, man. You're a friend." Jaxon's eyes flicked down to watch Kane pat his arm consolingly. "A good friend."

Immediately leaning away from his touch, Jaxon asked, "Why are you being so weird and touchy? We don't do that. You lay a finger on me again and I'll rip your arms from the sockets."

He was trying to hide his smile, but a short slipped through. "Who are you trying to be-Jake?"

All humor leached from Jaxon's system. "Get your wasted self the fuck out of my face, Shires."

"I'm not wasted."

"Yeah, and I'm not good looking. Don't make me call the soldiers."

"Do it. They'll be more fun than you."

Jaxon could not have been hearing correctly. "Since when was fun something you cared about?"

"Since I realized how freeing it is." Tilting his chin high, Kane opened his arms. "I think this might be the best day of my life."

Holding up the simulation gun, Jaxon hit him in the heart with a rubber bullet. "Go." He shot another. "Away."

Kane did not react at all. Not a flinch or a flicker of pain or anything. Nothing was behind those eyes.

Jaxon aimed the gun at his face. "Fine. Fine," Kane said, waving his hands as if Jaxon was nothing more than an irritating pest. "I'm going to find Rainey. She's always enjoyable." No, Jaxon certainly wasn't hearing correctly. Rainey was about as enjoyable as a wet cat.

When Kane was gone, Jaxon's attention swiveled to Gigi's equally bewildered face. "That was a real conversation that just happened, right?"

She nodded slowly, eyes on the space where Kane disappeared to. There was no amusement in her demeanor. All she said was, "He isn't drunk."