Forbidden Ties

Chapter 3; Crushed By The Truth.

The morning after the kiss, I was still trying to wrap my head around everything. It was impossible not to think about it, the way Jax’s lips had pressed against mine. I was avoiding him as much as I could, but he wasn’t making it easy. And now, here I was, climbing into his car because I still didn’t have my license. He was driving me to school, something I had no choice in.

"Guess I get to play chauffeur today," Jax said, his voice teasing as he started the engine. He shot me a sidelong glance, and I could feel the smile on his lips, the one that always made my heart skip, even if I hated to admit it.

"Don't get too comfortable," I muttered, trying to sound casual, but inside, my mind was still spinning from the kiss. I wanted to act like it didn’t matter, like it was no big deal, but it was a big deal. And Jax knew it.

“I’m just saying, I could get used to this,” he replied, clearly not trying to hide the amusement in his voice. He glanced over at me with a smirk. “You know, we could make this a regular thing. Me driving you to school. Maybe we could talk about last night.”

I shot him a look, fighting back the flush creeping up my neck. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Oh, I think there is.” He shrugged, clearly enjoying the way his words made me uncomfortable. “But if you don’t want to, fine. I can let it go for now.”

I wasn’t sure why he wouldn’t just let it drop, but then again, it was Jax. He liked getting under my skin.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling my attention away from him. It was the same number from the night before—the one that had sent me the threatening text. I didn’t even want to look at it, but my curiosity won out, and I pulled it out, glancing at the new message.

“I told you to stay away from him. I’m warning you. Keep getting close to him, and you won’t like what happens next. You’re playing with fire, and you’re going to get burned.”

I could feel my heart rate spike as I read it again. It wasn’t just a warning anymore. It was a threat.

Jax must have noticed the change in my expression because he turned toward me. “What is it?”

I hesitated, not wanting to drag him into this, but I knew I couldn’t keep it from him. “It’s from her. The same person who texted me last night.”

His face hardened, the playful tone in his voice completely gone. “Who is it?”

I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to share, but I knew Jax deserved to know. “It’s one of your exes, right? The one who’s been... stalking you?”

Jax’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something that looked like fear in his eyes. “She’s not just some ex. She’s... dangerous, Sam. She’s obsessed. And she doesn’t let go. That message? It’s just the start. I’ve been trying to get her to leave me alone for months, but she’s not backing off.”

I felt a strange sense of protectiveness rise inside me, mixed with a surge of anger. "Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?”

“I didn’t want to drag you into it. I didn’t want you to get hurt,” Jax replied, his voice low.

I could feel the anger and tension between us, thick and heavy, the air charged with something else that neither of us could quite name. I crossed my arms, looking out the window, but the jealousy creeping in made it hard to focus on anything else. Every girl who looked at Jax made me sick to my stomach.

After a few moments of silence, I turned back to him, suddenly furious. “Maybe you should’ve told me. I deserve to know.”

Jax gave a small, frustrated sigh, his eyes darting to mine, almost challenging. “I didn’t want you to get involved. But I guess it's too late for that now.”

I could feel the heat building in my chest. “You think? You’ve already dragged me into your mess, Jax. And now I’m supposed to just sit back and pretend nothing’s going on?”

He glanced at me for a moment, then back at the road. “You don’t get it. She’ll stop at nothing to keep me. She’ll make your life hell if she has to.”

“Well, maybe I can take care of myself,” I snapped, my temper flaring.

By the time we arrived at school, I felt like I was suffocating. Every glance Jax got from some random girl made my blood boil. Why did I care? Why did it bother me so much? It was almost like I could see every girl in the school eyeing him like he was a prize to be won, and I couldn’t stand it.

I needed to get away from him. The jealousy was eating me up from the inside out.

As soon as the final bell rang, I bolted for the nearest exit, avoiding Jax entirely. I didn’t want to deal with him today. I didn’t want to deal with any of it. I hailed a cab and told the driver to take me home.

I tried to convince myself it was the right thing to do—get away, get some space, and clear my head. But as soon as I stepped into my room, I froze. There he was. Jax, sitting on my bed, waiting for me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice trembling between shock and anger.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stood up slowly, a dark intensity in his eyes. “I’m not leaving until you admit what I already know.”

My heart slammed against my chest. “And what’s that?”

He took a step toward me, his gaze never leaving mine. “I want you. All to myself. I don’t want anyone else near you. You think you can just walk away from me? You can’t. Not anymore.”

I swallowed hard, trying to find the words, but they failed me. The way he looked at me, the way his voice dropped, full of raw need—everything inside me told me to fight, to walk away. But I couldn’t.

Before I could say anything, his lips were on mine again. And this time, I didn’t pull away. I didn’t fight it.

The kiss deepened, and everything else faded. My heart raced, matching the intensity of his touch. His hands, once so cocky and playful, were gentle now, as if he was afraid of breaking me, of pushing me too far. But I couldn’t stop. I needed him. I wanted him. All of him.

He pulled me closer, guiding me onto the bed with a tenderness that surprised me. Our breaths were ragged, our bodies moving in sync as if we’d always belonged like this. Every inch of him against me felt like fire, the warmth of his skin setting me alight. I wanted to remember this moment, every second of it—how his lips brushed against my neck, how his hands traced every curve of my body with a reverence that made me feel like I was the only one who mattered.

For a brief moment, it was just us. No past, no threats, no secrets. Just him and me, tangled together in the quiet of my room, as if we were the only two people in the world.

When we finally pulled away, our bodies still pressed close, the weight of what had just happened hung heavy between us. I looked up at him, my breath still uneven, and saw a flicker of something in his eyes—something that mirrored the same raw emotion I felt.

But before I could say anything, my phone buzzed.

Jax’s phone, lying nearby, lit up with a new message.

I reached for it, to hand it to him.

The name on the screen was unfamiliar, but the message was crystal clear.

“So, did you win your bet yet? Or is she still acting like she’s too good for you?”

I froze. The words blurred together, a sharp sting in my chest.

Jax turned, his face going pale as he saw my reaction.

I grabbed my nightgown and ran out of the bedroom.

"Sam, wait—"

But it was too late. The damage was already done.