Forbidden Ties

Chapter 17: Two Can Play.

Sam's P.O.V.

Dinner wasn’t the peaceful escape I’d hoped for. The long dining table, always a little too grand for comfort, felt like a stage tonight. I kept my head down, focusing on cutting my food into tiny, perfect bites, doing everything I could to ignore the mess swirling in my chest.

“How was school?” Jax’s father asked, his deep voice breaking the silence. His gaze flicked between me and Jax like he genuinely wanted to know.

I opened my mouth to answer, but, of course, Jax beat me to it.

“Actually, it was interesting,” he said, setting his fork down with that infuriating confidence he carried everywhere. “I’ve been spending time with someone. Madison.”

Madison. My grip tightened on my knife, but I didn’t look up. I couldn’t. Not without giving something away.

“Oh?” Jax’s father chimed in, his voice full of interest. “Who’s Madison?”

“She’s a girl from school,” Jax said, and I could hear the smugness in his voice. “We’ve been hanging out a lot lately. She’s smart, fun, and, well, uncomplicated.”

Uncomplicated. The word punched me in the stomach, sharp and cruel. My throat tightened, but I forced myself to keep eating, to keep my expression neutral.

“She sounds lovely,” Jax’s father said, smiling like he didn’t feel the weight of the room shifting. “You should bring her over for dinner sometime.”

Jax didn’t miss a beat. “Maybe I will,” he said, and I could feel his eyes on me, waiting for a reaction.

I refused to give him one. Instead, I smiled tightly and said, “Good for you, Jax. Sounds like you’ve found someone who fits your... type.”

Jax’s father chuckled, completely missing the undercurrent in my words. “Looks like someone’s got a crush. Let us know when it gets serious.”

Then he turned his attention to me. “What about you, Sam? Anyone special in your life?”

I wasn’t prepared for the question, but I refused to let myself falter. If Jax wanted to play games, I could play too. “Actually, there is,” I said, lifting my head and meeting his gaze with a sweet, practiced smile.

Jax’s fork paused mid-air, the briefest flicker of something crossing his face.

“Really?” Jax’s father asked, genuinely intrigued.

“Yes,” I said smoothly. “His name’s Kyle. We’ve been talking for a while, and he’s... amazing. Kind, funny, and so easy to be around.” I glanced at Jax just long enough to see his jaw tighten. “And we’re going on a date tonight.”

“Wow, Sam,” my mom said, genuinely impressed. “Sounds like a great guy.”

“He is,” I said, leaning back in my chair like I had all the confidence in the world. “It’s refreshing, you know? To be around someone who knows what he wants and doesn’t play games. Especially at our age.”

Jax’s fork clattered against his plate. He didn’t look at me, but the tension in his shoulders was impossible to miss.

“That’s great, Sam,” he said, his voice cool and clipped. “I hope it works out for you.”

“Thanks,” I said sweetly, turning my attention back to my food. But inside, my heart was racing.

If Jax wanted a reaction, I’d just given him one. Only time would tell if it was enough to turn the tables.

As soon as dinner was over, I excused myself. “I’ve got to get ready for my date with Kyle,” I mumbled, pushing my chair back before anyone could say otherwise. Jax’s eyes burned into me as I walked away, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t.

The second I shut my bedroom door, I leaned against it, my heart pounding. What the hell was I doing? Kyle wasn’t even close to being in my life like that. I’d only mentioned his name because it was the first one that came to mind. But now I’d painted myself into a corner.

I grabbed my phone off the desk and scrolled through my contacts until I found his number. Kyle. My thumb hovered over the call button for a moment before I pressed it, bracing myself as the dial tone rang in my ear.

“Hello?” Kyle’s voice came through the line, warm and friendly.

“Hey, Kyle,” I said, forcing a lightness into my tone that I didn’t feel. “It’s Sam.”

“Sam?” He sounded surprised but pleasantly so. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting you to call. What’s up?”

I hesitated, realizing how stupid this was, but there was no turning back now. “I was wondering if you’re free tonight? Maybe we could... hang out?”

“Tonight?” He paused, and I could hear the faint sound of people talking in the background. “Uh, yeah, I think I can swing that. Are you okay, though? You sound... off.”

“Me? Oh, no, I’m fine,” I said quickly, laughing nervously. “I just thought it’d be nice to catch up. You know, outside of school.”

There was a beat of silence before he replied, his voice softer now. “Sure, Sam. Let me just wrap up some stuff here, and I’ll text you when I’m on my way. Sound good?”

“Perfect,” I said, relief flooding through me. “Thanks, Kyle. I’ll see you later.”

As soon as I hung up, I let out a long breath and flopped onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

This wasn’t about Kyle. It had never been about him. But if I had to keep up appearances, I’d go through with it. At least for tonight.

I was standing in the doorway when I saw Kyle pull up in his car. I had to admit, the guy had a way of looking effortlessly cool, like he wasn’t trying at all. He smiled when he saw me, and for a second, it almost felt like everything I’d been thinking about all day disappeared.

"Hey, Sam," he said, his grin wide and easy. "You ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah, just needed a second to get myself together," I replied, pushing away the lingering thoughts of Jax and his damn mention of Madison at dinner.

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "I like your style. You good?"

"Yeah, I’m good. Just... you know, school stuff." I waved a hand like it was nothing. "Let’s go."

The drive to the restaurant was easy. Kyle put on some music I didn’t recognize, but it was upbeat and catchy, the kind of music that made it impossible to sit still. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this way—just letting go and letting someone else lead.

When we got to the restaurant, Kyle pulled out the chair for me like it was the most natural thing in the world. I couldn’t help but smile. He was charming in this effortless way that made it hard to keep up my walls. We ordered, and the conversation flowed without a hitch.

"So, what’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever done at school?" Kyle asked, leaning back in his seat with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I laughed, the sound more genuine than I expected. "Oh, that’s easy. I once convinced my friend to go to class dressed as a superhero for a dare."

Kyle chuckled, leaning forward, intrigued. "A superhero? Which one?"

"Green Lantern. And it was his mom's idea, not mine," I added, grinning. "She even made him wear the tights."

Kyle burst out laughing, a deep, genuine laugh that made my heart feel lighter. I didn’t realize how much I needed this, how much I needed to be away from the tension and chaos of home.

As the evening went on, Kyle’s easygoing nature was a breath of fresh air. He told me about his latest adventure—he’d gone hiking over the weekend, and of course, managed to get lost. It was a long-winded story that somehow had me hooked. Every time he laughed at himself, I found myself laughing too, completely forgetting about Jax and everything I’d been tangled up in.

By the time dessert came around, I wasn’t thinking about anything other than how much fun I was having. It wasn’t even about Kyle being a distraction anymore—it was more like I could just breathe. I could laugh without holding back, could let myself enjoy the moment without wondering what Jax was doing or thinking about Madison.

"This was fun," Kyle said, his voice soft but sincere as we got ready to leave. "I’m glad we did this."

"Me too," I admitted, surprised by how genuine the feeling was. "I didn’t realize I needed a night like this."

As we stepped outside into the cool night air, I realized I hadn’t once thought about Jax. Not once. For the first time in weeks, my mind was clear, and it felt... good.

"Same time tomorrow?" Kyle asked, his eyes glinting with that charming spark again, before he dropped me back off at the house.

I smiled. "Yeah, I’d like that." Surprised to find myself actually already looking forward to it!