Part 19 (1/2)
Barely ten minutes later, somebody knocks on my door. I head over and squint through the peephole. Jax. For f.u.c.k's sake... Do I ignore him?
He knocks again and calls my name. Loudly. I yank the door open and pull my best disdainful face as I look back into the drunk eyes and flushed face of a lost-looking Jax.
”I said no, Jax. Be quiet and go!” In case he attempts to throw his drunken self at me, I cross my arms tightly over my chest. He runs a drunk look along the length of my body and I ready myself for the inevitable comment. ”Did the other girls say no? 'Cause you won't find a yes from me.”
”What? What girls?” He glances around.
”Goodnight, Jax.” I step back and prepare to shut the door.
”I need to talk to somebody.”
”Talk. Right.” I look around the edge of the door at him. He doesn't move any closer or attempt to touch me.
”I do! Things have gone to s.h.i.+t, Tegan!”
”Why? What's wrong?”
”Please. I need to talk to someone.” His shoulders are slumped as if the world has crashed onto them and, annoyingly, concern creeps in.
”What's going on?” I ask, more gently ”Ruby Riot. We're screwed!” He throws his hands in the air, voice rising. ”I should make the most of all this because it's over!”
”Shus.h.!.+ What the h.e.l.l happened? Did you have a fight with Ruby? Or the boys?”
He mutters something under his breath and wipes a hand down his face. ”Can I come in?”
”How drunk are you?”
”A bit.” He huffs. ”I don't know who else to talk to about this s.h.i.+t, Tegan.”
In a move I could live to regret, I open the door far enough for Jax to walk in. He pa.s.ses, stinking of whisky and I wrinkle my nose. Unsteadily, Jax heads for the large blue sofa in one corner of the suite and flops down. For a few moments, he stares at the ceiling. Is he going to sleep?
”I'm listening. What happened?” I ask.
”Got any beer?”
”No.” I approach and sit next to him on the sofa. ”I'm sure you're just drunk and can sort this out. Tell me the story if you want my opinion.”
Jax gazes at me, his ice blue eyes focusing on my mouth, and he reaches out to touch my lips. ”You're f.u.c.king beautiful.”
I take his hand and move it away. ”So eloquently put, Jaxon.”
”Sorry I forgot to call earlier.” He curls his hand around mine and I pull it away. ”When she told me, I lost the plot and she tried to talk to me and I went to the hotel bar then I drank too much then I remembered and called you and -” He pauses his burbling and stands abruptly. ”f.u.c.k!”
”Jax, calm down. She? Ruby? What did she say?”
Jax slumps next to me again. ”Ruby's pregnant.”
Wow, not what I expected.
”And she wants to give up everything for a baby? That's crazy!”
”Yeah, she says until it's born and she'll be back, but I bet she won't!”
”Why wouldn't she come back to the band?”
Jax looks at me as if I'm stupid. ”Um, because... baby?”
”Yeah?”
”She can't have a baby and be in Ruby Riot!” he says with a small laugh.
I straighten. ”Are you and the twins are kicking her out? What does Jem say? The band would be ruined if you did that!”
”No! I haven't spoken to Will and Nate yet. Not sure they know. What I mean is, she can't do both.”
”Seriously, Jax?”
”What?”
”That's a bit s.e.xist. In fact, a lot s.e.xist! Tell me you're joking.”
His brows tug together, what I'm saying isn't what he expected either. ”We're at the very edge of success! We can't stop now.”
”Is she cancelling the tour?”
”No, but -”
”So what's the problem?”
”She's having a kid!”
”When?”
”I don't f.u.c.king know!”
”Do you want me to talk to you or not?” I stand. ”Leave if you're going to swear at me!”
”Sorry,” he says quietly. ”I don't know. Summer maybe.”
What do I say to him? I hardly know any of them, but Ruby's famous for her tenacity and ambition, she wouldn't give up her music career.
”The kid will have a dad that can help out, you know? It's not like she'll be stuck at home minding the baby.” I pause. ”It is Jem's?”
Jax's mouth hardens. ”Yeah. At least it's not Dan's. Her ex.”
”And Jem's fine with it?”