When the Wolves Cry (Twin Flames Duet #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

TALA

“Jax Scythe, the Reaper!” the announcer booms dramatically.

My heart is in my throat, anxious breaths distorting the image of Jax stalking into the cage. He’s a lot taller than his opponent. But Drew is burly, known for body slamming people so mercilessly their brains rattle and enter sleep mode.

The women are jumping and squealing over “the Reaper.”

Understandably so.

The purple lighting is raining down on his ink, highlighting the structure of his hard work and dedication. It’s shadowing his hunter eyes and carving out the symmetry of his sharp face.

You get to go home with that behemoth.

He’s entirely too calm. It’s not cockiness or arrogance he’s exuding.

He just knows his power. He’s methodical, studying everything down to the tee before him. He’s a predator hunting his prey.

Nadia leans over to my ear. “I have to go to the bathroom!” she shouts. Even though her voice was already projected to my damn ear.

I acknowledge her, watching her walk away from the couch we’re on. The bells ringing to indicate the start of the fight negate any moisture in my mouth. I know Jax is perfectly capable of handling this. But I don’t like that he said he was going to let the other guy get some hits in.

“I watched him dislocate someone’s jaw in an effortless punch,” Maverick says, swinging his arm around the back of my shoulders. “He’s got it under control, killer.”

“Mm-hmm,” I hum anxiously, tracking Jax’s deft footwork.

“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Maverick stands up, walking off somewhere.

I’m too focused on Jax dodging the punches being thrown his way to pay attention to where Maverick’s going.

The chanting has grown louder, and people have their fingers curled into the cage, shaking it alongside their shouts.

I nervously scratch my eyebrow, noting the brunette man approaching the cushion next to me. I don’t want to look away from Jax. But I want to know who the hell doesn’t know personal space.

Sweat rushes to my palms, peeking out the corner of my eye at MartinZettle.

Liam’s older brother.

He’s never given me any problems. He lives in his own world and would barely spare me a glance at their family dinners.

Nadia where the fuck is your feral ass at?

Throwing his arm over the back of the couch behind me, he pins me down with cold eyes. “What’s up, Tala?” he asks jadedly.

“Can I help you?” I rasp out.

I hate looking at him. He has too much resemblance to Liam. I can’t fucking look away though. This guy looks like he’s about to slash and dash.

“Yeah,” he nods curtly. “I’d like to know where my brother is. His last known whereabouts was at your house. Yet his truck was parked outside his work.”

My eyes thin to slits. “Why would I know where Goldilocks took him?”

It’s true. I don’t know where they went.

Looking away from his simple expression, I take a four second breath, focusing on the Dark God landing a brutal blow to Drew’s jaw.

“He cheated on you?” Martin asks.

“Yep,” I pop the P dramatically.

“When?”

Oh, my God, go away.

Honey brown hair swishes around a few feet away. I sigh in relief and ignore the idiot next to me.

“When?” he asks roughly.

“What the hell does it matter?” I snap, whipping a hard stare at him. “He was fucking someone else in my bed and ran off with her. That’s all I have to say on it.”

His brows furrow. “That’s hard to believe with how hot you are.”

Nadia clears her throat, throwing daggers at Martin. “The Big Sexy in the cage is her boyfriend. So, unless you want to eat your own teeth for dinner, I’d make a run for it.”

I’m not sure how far he’ll get. He’s already been spotted by Satan.

“I see.” Martin clicks his tongue. “He help you digLiam’sgrave too? Or did you just toss his body to your beloved wolves?”

I lunge to my feet, whisking around to flip him off with both middle fingers. “Fuck. You.”

He smirks and pats his lap. “I’ve been waiting, come on. Unlike my brother, I can handle crazy.”

Screams and whistles resound through the small building. I keep my hateful glare aimed at his smug face, even though the crowd’s chanting Jax’s fighting name. “He didn’t hit me because I was crazy. He hit me because he could.”

I note the whisper of guilt on his face and turn around to a sweaty, heaving, tattooed chest.

“What’s up, man?” Jax booms protectively, glowering at Martin.

His pheromones smell so sweet. Between that and the sight of him fresh from a fight, unscathed—is igniting something primal inside me.

“Just wondering where my brother is,” Martin responds coolly.

“If you don’t get your ass up in five seconds, you’ll disappear just like him,” Jax warns gruffly.

A shorter, middle-aged man approaches Jax’s side, beaming a wild smile at him. “Jax Scythe,” he says elatedly, only getting side daggers from the vexed beast. “How would you like a sponsor?”

Martin slides past us, gesturing, I’m watching you , with his fingers.

Ew . Weirdo.

“No,” Jax answers bluntly, twisting his neck to glare flames into the back of Martin’s head.

He’s going to kill him. He might kill the older man too. Just for annoying him.

“What would it take to get you to say yes? You’d be a champion and make a fuck ton of cash.”

Jax slowly pans over, having to look down to meet his eyes. And he says nothing. Just stares at him.

I shift uncomfortably and back away a couple of steps, running into another hard body.

“Woah, easy, killer.”

I pivot, deadpanning up at Maverick’s smile. “Where the hell did you go?”

He points. I don’t look. “Straight across from you to do what I came to do. I was watching you. But I know you can handle yourself and I was getting rather interesting information from Jenkins.”

“And what would you have done if he tossed her over his shoulder and bulldozed me down during his escape?” Nadia clips, hands on her hips and brows knitted.

“I would’ve run, angel,” Maverick responds dryly.

I’d like to know more about what Mayor Jenkins had to say, but I can’t ignore the group offangirlsawkwardly crowding behind Jax. “He eats babies to preserve his youth,” I say convincingly, scanning over their awestruck faces.

Nadia’s throaty laugh exceeds the barrier of chatter and music, and their faces drop in horror as they scamper away.

Jax breaks his death glare from the retreating and exasperated older man, wetting his lips and attempting to stifle an amused smile.

I catch Drew’s unconscious body being carried out of the cage, then crane my neck around the behemoth to squint my eyes at the crimson pouring from Drew’s ear. “Did you kill him?” I ask.

His hand slides under my trench coat, bracing my back and possessively pulling me into his misted body. “Nah, he’ll be okay. Eventually. What did Martin say to you?”

I wave an unworried hand through the air and give him a quick rundown. I leave out Martin wanting to fuck me and calling me crazy. I know I should probably tell him. But I’d rather wipe my makeup off and watch a movie, than go with him to murder someone tonight.

Only because I’m tired.

After Jax gets passed his payment and throws clothes on, we leave the stiff air and walk back to his car.

Maverick leans up against his truck, shoving his hands in his pockets as Jax lights a cigarette. “Now that we don’t have ears all around us, Jenkins was sitting in for Pyro, AKA Brutus. He was also keeping tabs on Tala.”

“For fucking what?” Jax and I ask.

“No idea,” Maverick shakes his head. “But he did mention abig investorat this year’s gala. And it’s safe to assume who that is.”

Jax takes a lascivious drag, leaning back against the glossy black metal that’ssmatteredwith snow. “Brutus is a narcissistic pig,” he grumbles, and exhales a jet of smoke that swirls around the savage sight. “So, unless he was getting something mighty fine from it… it wouldn’t be him.”