Forbidden Ties

Chapter 15: The Price Of Jealousy.

Sam's P.O.V.

The hallway buzzed with its usual chaos, but all I could focus on was finding Ava. Her cryptic text from the night before had unsettled me, and I wasn’t about to let her continue playing games with our lives.

“Let’s find her and put an end to her madness,” I muttered under my breath, determination in my chest.

Jax shot me a side glance, his jaw tight with frustration. “12 o’clock. Let’s go find out what the psycho is cooking up next.”

I followed him, my steps matching his pace as we navigated the hallways. When we finally spotted Ava, standing near her locker, I didn’t hesitate. My eyes met hers, and I could see the uncertainty there. She wasn’t as confident as she liked to pretend.

“You wanted to talk to us?” I asked, my voice steady but sharp.

Jax didn’t give her a chance to answer. His arms crossed over his chest, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, how would you like to ruin our lives next? That’s what this little meeting is about, right?”

Ava’s eyes shifted nervously, but she didn’t back down. “I’m sorry, okay? I messed up. I realize it now.”

I raised an eyebrow, not buying her act. “What are you sorry for exactly?”

Jax let out a derisive scoff. “Good question.”

Ava swallowed hard but met our gazes. “Everything. The viral picture, the rumors I spread about you two, the threats, the slap. Everything. I know I can’t make up for any of it. But, I’m getting help.”

Jax let out a sarcastic laugh, his disbelief clear. “You’re getting help. Yeah, right.”

I ignored him, keeping my attention on Ava. My voice was calm but insistent. “The only thing I want to know is why you did it, Ava. What did we ever do to you?”

Just then, a student passed by, making light of the tension between us. “Is another fight about to erupt over here?” A few of the boys nearby snickered.

Ava flinched, but she pressed on, her voice softer now. “I was angry and struggling to accept that my relationship with Jax was over. I’m really sorry again. You both didn’t deserve any of it.”

She turned to leave, her shoulders tight, but I wasn’t about to let her off that easily.

Jax muttered low enough for only me to hear, his voice tinged with doubt. “I don’t believe or trust her.”

I nodded in agreement, the gnawing feeling in my gut telling me he was right. “Yeah, me too. It could be a trap.”

Jax’s expression hardened, a rare caution flashing across his face. “We’ll have to be more careful.”

Trying to break the tension, I shot him a grin. “I know. See you later, big bro.” I gave him a fist bump, feeling the weight of everything between us lift just slightly. He returned the smile, that rare charm of his slipping back into place as we split off for our separate classes.

But as I walked away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Ava’s apology had felt rehearsed, too clean. I wasn’t ready to trust her—especially not after everything she’d done. For now, all I could do was stay vigilant and keep my guard up.

After last night, I thought Jax and I were an official thing. Wrong, but declared at the end of our somewhat first date. I had been riding my morning on that high, reliving the memories, blushing at my thoughts—until lunchtime changed everything.

Until I saw him, with her.

Madison.

She was standing too close to him, laughing at something he said, her hand resting casually on his shoulder, like she had every right to be there. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. I watched them—too comfortable, too familiar, like there was a bond between them that I hadn’t even been able to forge.

I thought we had something. I thought last night meant something. We kissed. It wasn’t just a kiss. It wasn’t.

But now, seeing him with her, the doubts crept in. Was it just a kiss for him? A moment that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things?

Lily leaned over, eyes glinting. “Huh, I didn’t know Jax was so close with her.” She gave a small shrug. “She seems like the type who could actually keep him in check.”

I tried not to show how much that stung. “Yeah, she’s... nice.”

Lily’s gaze lingered on them for a moment. “She’s got that ‘calm, cool, collected’ thing. Could definitely handle him better than... I don’t know, most girls. I mean, she just fits, right?”

I swallowed, forcing my voice to stay level. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Lily didn’t seem to notice my tone. “She’s probably exactly what he needs, you know?” She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Seems like the perfect match for him.”

I blinked, trying to ignore the bitter twist in my stomach. “When he’s your stepbrother,” I muttered, “it’s hard to even see him in that light.”

Lily seemed to pick up on my tone then, but just shrugged again, seemingly dismissing it. “Fair enough. But you can’t deny it, they’d be a pretty good match.”

I nodded, though everything in me wanted to disagree. I couldn’t let this get to me. I couldn’t. And yet it did!

My mind was spinning, jealousy creeping up like a storm. I tried to focus on my lunch, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Jax and Madison. They looked perfect together—too perfect. And the way he laughed at something she said, how his eyes lit up every time she smiled—it was too much.

I didn’t know what I was feeling anymore. It was all tangled—confusion, anger, jealousy—each emotion feeding the next.

“I… I need a minute,” I muttered, my voice barely audible. I pushed my chair back too fast, nearly knocking it over, and stood up abruptly.

Lily raised an eyebrow, no doubt sensing something was off, but didn’t question me. She watched in silence as I quickly grabbed my tray and gathered my things.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I turned and walked away from the table, the sound of the lunchroom fading behind me. I couldn’t sit there. Not while everything inside me felt like it was about to explode.

I pushed through the doors and stepped outside, the cold air biting at my skin. It didn’t help. It didn’t calm me down at all. I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes and trying to steady my breath.

What was I even doing? Why was I letting myself get this worked up over something I knew wasn’t mine to worry about?

The silence in the car was deafening. Every second stretched out, suffocating us. Jax didn’t speak, but I could feel his eyes flicking to me, waiting, wondering what the hell was going on in my head.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The way he’d looked at Madison today, the way she’d practically melted into his side, like she belonged there. It burned. And I wasn’t about to sit in this car and pretend it didn’t.

"Sam," he finally said, breaking the silence with a frustrated sigh. "What is going on with you today? You’re acting... different. You’ve barely said a word since lunch."

I swallowed hard, my hands gripping the seat beneath me. I couldn’t look at him. If I did, I knew I’d c***k.

"I can't do this anymore," I muttered, barely above a whisper. My voice shook, but I wasn’t backing down. "The sneaking around, pretending I don’t care—hell, pretending I don’t want to scream every time I see you with someone else. I can’t keep doing this."

Jax’s grip tightened on the wheel, his knuckles going white. He shot me a quick glance, his jaw clenched. "What are you talking about? You’re not making any sense. What the hell is really going on?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands. This was it. I was finally going to say it.

"I can’t keep pretending like I’m fine with this... with us," I said, my voice wavering. "I’m not fine with it, Jax. I’m not fine with you... and Madison."

He froze for a moment, the words hitting him harder than I thought they would. He swerved slightly but quickly regained control of the car.

"What the hell is she got to do with this?" His voice was tight, his frustration building.

"Everything," I snapped, unable to hold back the surge of emotion. "She's perfect for you, Jax. She’s the girl you’re supposed to be with. Not me. Not... this."

His expression darkened, his eyes narrowing on the road ahead, but he didn’t say anything for a long moment. His silence was worse than any argument. It was like he was processing everything I’d said... like he was deciding what to say next.

I wasn’t done, though. I couldn’t stop now.

"I’m done, Jax," I said, my voice low but firm. "This isn’t a game. I don’t want you to come after me. I don’t want you to try to convince me things will be different. It’s over."

There was no way back after this. I was giving him the space he needed, but also, giving myself the freedom to move on.

Jax’s grip on the wheel was so tight, I thought it might snap. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, I was sure he was about to explode. But instead, he just nodded.

"Fine," he said, his voice tight. "If that’s what you want."

I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t look at him. I had nothing left to give.

The rest of the ride was in complete silence, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. My heart felt like it was being shredded.

I wanted him to fight for me, to prove he wasn’t just going to let me go. But as the silence dragged on, I couldn’t shake the feeling… maybe he already had.