The air in Jax's apartment was thick with heat, Sarah's body straddling his on the couch, her lips claiming his with a hunger that pulled him back to their reckless summer. Her hands tugged at his shirt, nails grazing his skin, her whisper..."Lena's thrilled. Let's keep her happy", a twisted echo of their secret pact. Jax's mind screamed to stop, to end this affair before it destroyed him, but Sarah's threat to reveal their past fling to Lena held him captive. Her body moved against his, reigniting the fire of their old nights at The Rooftop, and his resolve crumbled, his hands gripping her hips despite the guilt clawing at his chest. Lena's face...her smile, her trust, the way she'd moaned his name last night, flashed in his mind, but Sarah's pull was relentless.
"You can't say no to me," Sarah murmured, her lips brushing his ear, her voice a mix of triumph and desire. Jax wanted to push her away, to choose Lena, but the fear of losing her kept him trapped in this storm of desire. He was about to give in completely when the door swung open.
Ella, Jax's cousin, stood in the doorway, a package from her mom clutched in her hands, her eyes wide with shock. "What the fuck?" she gasped, the package slipping to the floor with a thud. Sarah scrambled off Jax, her smirk wavering but not breaking, while Jax shot to his feet, his shirt half-unbuttoned, his face flushed with guilt.
"Ella, wait!" Jax called, chasing her as she turned for the door. He caught her arm in the hallway, his voice desperate. "Please, don't tell Lena. It'd be the end of my relationship with her."
Ella turned around, her eyes blazing with disgust. "Why hurt Lena? Thought you loved her." Her words sliced through him, her usual warmth replaced by fury. She crossed her arms, glaring at him under the dim hallway light.
Jax's chest tightened, his voice low. "I do, Ella. I love her. But Sarah…he whispered... she threatened to tell Lena about our past. A fling, two years ago, before I knew Lena. She said I could have them both, that Lena wouldn't know. I didn't want this, but I'm scared of losing her." He ran a hand through his hair, his guilt spilling out. "I fucked up. I'm trying to protect Lena."
Ella scoffed, shaking her head. "Still doesn't count, Jax. You're weak, letting Sarah manipulate you like this. Lena deserves better." She glanced back at the apartment, where Sarah leaned against the doorframe, adjusting her top, her expression cool but her eyes glinting with defiance.
Ella stormed inside, pointing at Sarah. "You're such a wicked friend," she spat. "Why not get yourself a man, rather than steal your so-called best friend's? You're evil."
Sarah's smirk returned, sharp and unapologetic. "Oh, please, like I'm the only bad person here." She stepped closer, her voice dripping with confidence. "Why didn't Jax push me away? Seems he's been dying to have me all this while." She tilted her head, her eyes flicking to Jax, daring him to contradict her.
Jax's jaw clenched, anger flaring. "That's not true, Sarah. You pushed me into this." His words felt hollow, his body's response to her still lingering, a betrayal he couldn't undo.
Ella glared at them both, her disgust palpable. "I so much hate the both of you." She grabbed the package from the floor, tossing it at Jax's chest. "Here, Mom asked me to send this to you. Bye!" She slammed the door, the sound echoing in the tense silence, leaving Jax and Sarah alone with the fragility of their secret.
Jax turned to Sarah, his voice low, furious. "This can't keep happening. Lena's going to find out, and now Ella knows. What if she tells her?"
Sarah shrugged, her smirk softening into something almost vulnerable. "Ella won't say anything. She's your sister, she'll protect you, even if she hates you right now." She stepped closer, her fingers brushing his arm. "Besides, Lena's over the moon. She thinks I'm her fun new sidekick. Let's keep it that way, Jax. One more time, and I'll ease up, Promise." Her voice was teasing, her eyes hungry, pulling him back into the storm.
"No," Jax said, stepping back, his resolve shaky but firm. "This ends now. I love Lena, and I'm not losing her over you." But his words felt fragile, Sarah's threat still looming. If Ella talked, or if Sarah spilled their past, Lena's heart would break, and he'd be the one to blame.
Sarah's lips curved, unfazed. "We'll see," she said, grabbing her jacket. "You know where to find me." She slipped out, leaving Jax alone, his mind a tangle of guilt and fear.
He sank onto the couch, the package, a stack of old family photos...forgotten in his hands. He thought of Lena, her excitement at The Beanery, her belief that Sarah was warming up to him. She was so happy, so clueless, and he'd tainted it with this affair. His phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts...a text from an unknown number: I know what you're doing with Sarah. Meet me at The Rooftop, tomorrow, 8 pm.
Jax's heart stopped. Someone else knew, someone who'd seen, who could unravel everything. Was it Ella, testing him? Or someone from their past, tied to those wild nights with Sarah? The Rooftop, their old haunt, felt like a warning. He typed, Who is this? but deleted it, his hands trembling. Tomorrow, he'd face this new threat, but tonight, he was drowning in the veil of desire he'd let Sarah weave.