Page 83 of Jax & Knox

Lucy and Tiny are watching Owen tonight, which means Ainsley can actually let loose without worrying.

And she has.

She's laughing at something Tessa said, her cheeks flushed from the beer she's been nursing, her hair falling loose around her shoulders. She's wearing jeans and a simple black tank top, nothing fancy, but she looks fucking incredible.

Jax has his hand on her thigh under the table, possessive and casual all at once.

I'm watching her, unable to look away.

"You're doing that thing again," Jax mutters, leaning close so only I can hear.

"What thing?"

"That brooding, intense stare thing. You're gonna scare off the locals."

I smirk. "Good."

Tessa stands suddenly, grabbing Ainsley's hand. "Come on, we're dancing."

Ainsley laughs, letting herself be pulled to her feet. "I don't really dance⁠, "

"Bullshit," Hadley says, standing too. "Everyone dances. Erica, you coming?"

Erica grins and slides out of the booth. "Hell yes."

The four of them head toward the makeshift dance floor near the jukebox, and I watch Ainsley move, loose, relaxed, smiling in a way I've never seen before.

"She's happy," Jax says quietly.

"Yeah," I say. "She is."

We watch them for a few minutes, Tessa spinning Ainsley around, Hadley laughing, Erica swaying to the beat.

Then I see him.

Some local asshole I don't recognize steps up beside Ainsley, saying something that makes her take a step back. He's too close. His hand brushes her arm.

My entire body goes rigid.

"Knox, " Jax starts, but I'm already moving.

I cross the room in long strides, my eyes locked on the guy who doesn't seem to realize he just made a very bad decision.

Jax is right behind me.

The guy says something else, leaning in, and Ainsley's smile falters.

That's all I need to see.

I reach them and don't say a word. I just step between Ainsley and the stranger, my hand sliding possessively around her waist and pulling her against my side.

"She's taken," I say, my voice low and dangerous.

The guy looks up at me, then at Jax who's now standing on Ainsley's other side, and his face goes pale.

"Shit, man, I didn't know⁠.”

"Now you do," Jax says, his tone deceptively calm. "Walk away."