Cheap Shot Read online

  “You’re running away ‘cause you can’t stand to watch that,” Dylan said, hooking his thumb over his shoulder. “Why don’t you be a man and tell her how you feel about her before it’s too late?”

  Jaxon watched Sela smile at something Riley said, and it felt as if she were clenching his heart in her fist. “It’s already too late.”

  Chapter One

  One Year Later

  Jaxon saw the swell of her hips in those tight faded jeans, the way her long blond hair glided down her back, and he knew it was her. Even though it had been a year since he’d seen or spoken to Sela, he’d know her anywhere. High Rollers was the last place he’d expected to find her though. Maybe she was back because she’d missed him as much as he’d missed her…

  He approached just in time to hear Dylan say, “You should think about taking the job, Sela. We need a hostess in the V.I.P. lounge, and it pays a hell of a lot better than waiting tables at—”

  “What’s up?” Jaxon asked, feeling as if he was trying to talk around a wad of cotton balls. His mouth was dry and his palms were sweating, but it wasn’t until she turned the full force of those baby blues on him that his heart started to race. “Sela.”

  Without acknowledging him, she said to Dylan, “I should get back to my sister and her friends. They’ll be wondering what happened to me.”

  “Your sister’s here?” Jaxon asked, trying to ignore that she clearly didn’t want to talk to him. So much for his theory she’d missed him.

  “Yeah.” Sela finally glanced his way. “It’s her bachelorette party. I tried to talk her into going somewhere else, but she insisted we come here.”

  “I’m glad you did,” he said, stepping closer. “It’s good to see you.”

  “I wish I could say the same.”

  Jaxon had no intention of backing down. He’d known that if their paths ever crossed again, he’d be met with an icy reception. Not that he could blame her. He deserved it. “Your sister’s getting married? That’s great. To Chad?”

  “Yeah.” She slipped her phone out of her purse when it rang and glanced at the call display before answering it. “Hey, baby.” She smiled. “Yeah, I miss you too. Maybe I can slip out early and meet you at your place?”

  Jaxon and Dylan shared a glance. She’d moved on. She had a new lover, and Jaxon took the news like a bullet to the chest.

  “Sorry about that,” she said, smiling at Dylan. “I appreciate the job offer, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to work here.”

  “Sure, it would,” Jaxon said. He glanced at her left hand. She may have a boyfriend, but he hadn’t been smart enough to put a ring on her finger, so she was fair game. “Dylan’s right. You could make a ton of money in the V.I.P. lounge, and you wouldn’t have to work more than twenty hours a week, mostly on weekends. Your schedule must be crazy with this being your last year of school.”

  “I can’t work for you, Jaxon.”

  It was the first time she’d said his name in more than a year, and he hadn’t realized how hungry he’d been to hear that sound. A flash of her face as she moaned his name raced through his head, and he barely quashed the urge to pull her close. “Why not?”

  “I think that’s pretty obvious.”

  “There you are,” her younger sister, Kiki, said, linking arms with Sela. “I thought you’d slipped out without saying good-bye.” Her eyes lit up when she saw Jaxon, and she threw her arms around him. “Jaxon! I was hoping we’d see you here!”

  Sela reached for her sister’s arm, trying to pull her back. “Stop it. You’re drunk and making a scene. Leave Jaxon alone. Let’s go back to the table.”

  “You go back to the table,” Kiki said, shooing her away. “I want to have a word with my sister’s sexy ex.”

  “Kiki, please,” Sela said, looking desperate, “can we just go back to the table? I’ll buy you another drink.”

  Jaxon smiled at Kiki as she stroked his stubble. She was already loaded. The last thing she needed was another drink. “I hear congratulations are in order, Kiki. Chad’s a great guy. I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.”

  “Oh, we will,” Kiki said, nodding emphatically. “Some guys aren’t afraid of commitment.” She narrowed her eyes at Jaxon. “Or the L word.” She giggled, covering her mouth when a hiccup escaped.

  “Kiki, stop!” Sela said, her cheeks burning.

  “I should hate you for breaking my sister’s heart,” Kiki said, patting Jaxon’s chest. “She cried for days when you broke up with her. She wouldn’t eat, barely slept. Hell, it was weeks before we could get her out of the house. She just holed up in the apartment and cried.”

  Jaxon looked to Sela for confirmation, torn between feeling like a jerk for putting her through that and being happy that she’d hurt as much as he had after their breakup. “Is that right?”

  “No! You can’t believe a woman who’s had as many shots as she has.” Sela was obviously trying to save face.

  Kiki linked her arm through Jaxon’s. “You should totally come to the wedding. It’s next weekend. Chad would love to see you.”

  Jaxon had always gotten along well with Chad and Kiki. Too bad he couldn’t say the same for Sela’s parents. They’d made no secret of the fact they thought she could do better than him. Turned out they were right. “It might be a little awkward, Kiki.”

  “No, it wouldn’t,” she cried.

  “Yes, it would,” Sela said, nudging her. “Have you forgotten I’m bringing Sheldon?”

  Kiki made a face that made Jaxon smile. “How could I forget? But it’s my wedding, which means I get to invite anyone I want. You have to come.” She tugged on Jaxon’s arm. “Please, please, please.”

  Jaxon glanced at Sela. She seemed to be praying he’d see reason and decline her sister’s invitation. “I’d love to, Kiki.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Thanks for the invite.”

  “My pleasure.” She grinned when Sela stormed off. “I knew that would piss her off.”

  “And you just love to get her all riled up, don’t you?” Jaxon asked, grinning.

  Kiki pouted. “I had to do something. I think he’s going to propose to her.”

  Jaxon felt Dylan’s hand on his shoulder, and he knew the color must have drained from his face. His body felt lifeless. “Her boyfriend is going to propose? When? How do you know?”

  Kiki squealed with delight. “You do care! Ha! I knew it!”

  “Don’t play games with me, Kiki. Tell me everything.” He guided her to a stool at the bar and asked the bartender for a glass of water. Jaxon slipped onto the stool beside her.

  She twisted her lips from side to side as though she was contemplating the question. “He’s an art history professor at her school. I think she was in one of his classes her junior year.”

  “Isn’t there some rule against a faculty member dating a student?” Dylan asked, claiming the stool on the other side of Kiki.

  “If there isn’t, there should be,” Jaxon muttered.

  “I think that only applies if the student’s currently in one of his classes.” Kiki took a sip of water. “He’s not a dirty old man or anything. He’s only eight years older than my sister.”

  Jaxon didn’t care how old he was. His only concern was whether Sela was in love with him. “You think she’d say yes if he asks her to marry him?”

  “I don’t know.” Kiki grabbed Jaxon’s forearm. “That’s why I had to come here. I was hoping you could help me get through to her.”

  “What are you talking about?” Funny, Kiki didn’t seem nearly as drunk anymore. Maybe she’d been putting on an act in front of Sela, hoping to excuse her actions.

  “She can’t marry him. She doesn’t love him, not the way she loved you.”

  Jaxon felt a wave of regret wash over him. He’d done a lot of thinking since he’d let her go, and he didn’t like what he’d found out about himself. He was a coward, just like his father. Instead of sticking it out and fighting for their relationship, he’d set her
free, pretending he was doing both of them a favor. “Did she tell you that, Kiki?”

  “She didn’t have to. I’ve known her all my life. I know what she’s thinking and how she’s feeling, even when she’s trying to hide her pain behind a fake smile.”

  Jaxon raised an eyebrow. Kiki was as sober as he was. “Why’d you pretend to be drunk earlier?”

  A subtle smile passed over her lips before she shrugged. “She’ll come down pretty hard on me for inviting you to the wedding. If she thinks I was drunk, I’ll have an excuse.”

  “Cunning, lady.” Jaxon smiled. “Very cunning.”

  “Are you sorry you hurt her? Do you regret breaking her heart?” Kiki looked serious.

  “More than I’ve ever regretted anything.”

  Dylan smiled slightly. Jaxon had never admitted that, not even to his best friends.

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Kiki wrapped her hand around Jaxon’s wrist. “You’ve got your work cut out for you if you want her back. They’ve been seeing each other for a while, and it’s pretty serious. At least from Sheldon’s perspective.”

  Jaxon had never been the other man before, but if he let Sela marry Sheldon without telling her how he felt about her, he’d live with that regret for the rest of his life. “How do you suggest I handle it?”

  “Come to the wedding, for starters. You’ll know why he’s not right for her as soon as you see them together. There’s no magic, no spark.” Kiki chuckled. “Not like you two. Y’all were so hot you damn near burned the apartment building to the ground a time or two.”

  Jaxon winced. Sela and her sister shared a two-bedroom apartment. While Sela had spent most nights at Jaxon’s penthouse, they’d made the mistake of bunking at the apartment a few times only to receive Kiki’s good-natured ribbing about sound proofing the next morning.

  Kiki laughed. “You know I’m just teasing. But trust me when I tell you I think she’s faking it with him.”

  “Her feelings?” Jaxon asked, sipping the water the bartender set down in front of him.

  “That and her orgasms.”

  Jaxon held his hand in front of his mouth so he wouldn’t spray water across the bar. “Jesus, Kiki, do you really think I need to hear that?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so naïve. If they’re contemplating marriage, they’re obviously having sex.”

  Dylan cleared his throat. “Uh, Kik, there are some things a man doesn’t want to hear about his ex. That’s one of them.”

  “Then you’re jealous?” she asked, smirking at Jaxon.

  “This isn’t a game to me. I don’t want to hurt her again, but I don’t want to set myself up for rejection either.” Jaxon had never put his pride on the line for a woman, but he thought Sela was worth the risk.

  “I can’t make any promises,” Kiki said. “I wish I could, but I don’t know whether my sister would be open to giving you another chance.”

  Jaxon had to decide whether he could live with being vulnerable, even if the situation didn’t work out the way he hoped it would. “I understand that.”

  “We offered her a job,” Dylan said. “I think you should convince her to take it. It would mean more money, fewer hours, and she and Jaxon would get the chance to spend more time together, see if that spark’s still there.”

  Jaxon had no doubt it was still there. He’d felt it as soon as he saw her. “Dylan’s right. Do you think you can talk her into working for us?”

  “I’ll do my damnedest.” She slid off the stool before kissing Jaxon’s cheek. “You may have burned your last bridge with my sister, but I’m willing to give you another chance. Don’t you dare make me regret it.”

  * * *

  Sela was sitting at the table with a plastered-on smile and a drink, thinking of all the ways she intended to torture her sister when she got her alone. How could Kiki set her up like that, inviting Jaxon to the wedding when she knew he was the last person Sela wanted to spend an evening with?

  “Did y’all miss me?” Kiki asked the girls as she slipped into the seat next to her sister. “We ran into my sister’s ex, and I had to invite him to the wedding.”

  Eight pairs of eyes turned toward Sela as eight mouths dropped open in unison. Most of the ladies Kiki had invited to the party were her friends from work, so they didn’t know about Sela’s history with Jaxon.

  “Which one of those guys was your boyfriend?” Kiki’s friend Janie asked. “Not that it matters. I’d take either one.”

  “The one in the gray shirt,” Sela said, silently berating herself for noticing what he was wearing. “Jaxon Davis.”

  “Not the guy who owns this place?” another girl piped up.

  “He’s one of the owners.” Sela twisted the stem of her wineglass between her thumb and forefinger. She wanted to down the wine, but she had agreed to go to Sheldon’s place after the party, and he wouldn’t appreciate her showing up half in the bag. Propriety ranked above all else in his opinion.

  “Excuse me.”

  Sela looked up and wished she hadn’t. Jaxon stood over her, his hand on the back of her chair.

  “I don’t mean to interrupt,” he said. “I just wanted to let you ladies know that drinks are on the house, and my driver’s waiting outside to take you home whenever you’re ready.”

  Sela wished he hadn’t reminded her of how considerate he could be. It was easier to remember him as the cold, heartless bastard who’d dumped her—on their anniversary, no less. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I wanted to.” He set his hand on her shoulder. “For old time’s sake.”

  “Speaking of old times,” Kiki said, smiling at Jaxon. “Wasn’t this your song?”

  If they thought she was stupid enough to believe it was a coincidence the band was playing their song, they’d underestimated her. “I don’t remember,” Sela said. “Was it?”

  Jaxon looked at her, obviously trying to gauge whether she was being sincere. “You know it was. Dance with me?” He offered his hand.

  Sela looked around the table. Every woman was on the edge of her seat, waiting to offer her hand if Sela refused. Instead of making a scene, Sela opted to bite her tongue. “Fine, but just one dance. Then I have to go. Sheldon is expecting me.” She was being petty, but he deserved it after the way he’d cast her aside.

  Jaxon took her hand and led her to the dance floor. She resisted the urge to whimper. It felt so good to touch him again, even better than she’d remembered. That was when she questioned the wisdom of her decision.

  “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” she said, digging in her heels.

  They were standing on the edge of the dance floor, and instead of letting her go, he pulled her closer. “I think it was an excellent idea.”

  She felt his heart beating almost in unison with hers when their chests pressed together. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, with his powerful arms encircling her. “You shouldn’t come to the wedding.” She winced when she realized how rude that must have sounded. “I’m sorry. Of course it’s your decision, but I wish you wouldn’t.” Apparently she wanted to dig herself a deeper hole.

  “What are you afraid of, Sela?” he whispered, dipping his head as his hand ran up and down her back. “Are you afraid of feeling something for me again?”

  “No.” She closed her eyes, praying she’d find the strength to get through the next few minutes. Listening to the words she’d once believed described their relationship while trying to deny she still felt something for Jaxon was torture. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

  “Then accept our job offer. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.”

  “Sheldon wouldn’t like it.” She tried to put some distance between them, but he wouldn’t let her. “I have to respect his feelings.”

  “You have to follow your heart, sweetheart. Your heart is telling you this feels right, being here in my arms—”

  “Don’t!” She wanted to wail and sob. She’d loved him, and she’d mourned the loss of the
ir relationship. Then she’d healed her broken heart. He didn’t get to storm back into her life and resurrect old feelings when she was finally on track to happiness. “Don’t try to make me feel something I don’t. I’m committed to Sheldon. I want a future with him.”

  His eyes lingered on hers before he spoke. “You don’t believe that any more than I do. You can’t force love.”

  She glared at him, wishing she could knee him where it hurt. “What the hell do you know about love?”

  “I’ve done a lot of soul searching this past year. I’m not the same guy who left you.”

  “I don’t care who you are or who you’re pretending to be.” She flattened her palms against his shoulders when the song ended, and his grip tightened. “I don’t want anything to do with you.”

  “I made a mistake,” he whispered. “The biggest mistake of my life. I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you. Please.”

  Sela’s knees nearly buckled. For months after they broke up, she’d prayed he’d say those words to her, but he hadn’t. Eventually she’d had to face the truth: It was over. “No. You don’t get a second chance to break my heart. I’ll say to you what you said to me when I begged you to let me love you: I don’t need you.”

  * * *

  Sela showed up on Sheldon’s doorstep, questioning the wisdom of her decision. She should have gone straight home, but that would have meant arguing with her sister about Jaxon, and she couldn’t do that. She was already emotionally spent.

  Sheldon opened the door with a smile and a glass of wine. “I thought you could use this.”

  “Thank you.” She’d called him from the taxi to let him know she was on her way, and he obviously heard the strain in her voice. “I knew going there was a bad idea. I should never have let her talk me into it.”

  He guided her into his tidy bungalow. “It’s not like you had a choice, sweetheart. It was her party, after all.”

  “I guess.” She slipped her heels off at the door, sighing with relief as she wiggled her toes.

  “I take it you saw him?” Sheldon led her to the overstuffed sofa facing the large screen TV in his family room.