Free Inside of You (Jessa & Paxton #2) by Haven Francis
Authors: Haven Francis
easy on me, man, and be on my side.”
“I’m always on your side. Don’t worry about it.”
I hear the heavy metal door open and I assume it’s the guys, but Billy mutters the words, “Oh shit,” under his breath.
I turn and see Stella walking across the room. “What the fuck?” I ask Billy.
“I didn’t think she’d show up here. Damn, that girl is persistent.”
“You told her we were here?”
“No, man. She’s tight with Jesse. She already knew.” Jesse is Jimmy’s friend who owns the place. Fucking figures – Stella seems to be tight with every guy in this city.
I look at her in her low slung Dickies and her cutoff beater tank that exposes her entire torso down to her hip bones. Funny, how I can’t handle sending Jessa off in clothes that cover her entire body but I never had a problem with Stella’s perpetually exposed stomach. The look was hot then – it’s hot now- but it never got me worked up like Jessa’s body does. I turn away from her, shaking my head. She’s gonna be a problem.
Before she even makes her way across the room the door opens again and Louis and Jimmy are behind her. Louis is checking out her ass and Jimmy is scowling at her presence.
They all make their way over to us and I don’t even look at her. “What’s going on, Stella?” Louis says like she’s one of the crew and totally welcome to just stop on by whenever she feels like it.
“Not much. I was just hoping Pax would be willing to talk to me now that his girl’s not around.” I don’t look at her or respond so she turns her attention to Jimmy. “I heard you’re part of the band now,” she says. I glance up and see her wrapping her arm around his shoulder. He recoils and removes her hand.
“Sorry,” she says , laughing. “You’re with Vi now, huh? She probably doesn’t want me anywhere near her man.”
I can’t help but laugh at that epic understatement.
“I don’t want your leach hands on me,” Jimmy tells her, dropping the sacks of food on the coffee table and leaving the room completely. Good for him. I should probably follow, but I’m thinking I gotta shut this situation down quick.
“Jesus, he’s turned into a prick. She must have him on a tight leash. You r girl too, huh Paxton? You’re on a leash too,” she says with a smile, turning her eyes on me.
I can’t help the spasms that jump in my body with her eyes on me. It’s like my entire past enters the room when she does and every horrific and stimulating thing from it wants to come out. I stare at her, trying to gauge my reaction. Trying to define the feelings that aren’t hate. They aren’t love, for damn sure. Just nostalgia. The fact is everything I went through, I went through with her. She was my bad memories, but also my good ones. “You’re the one that knows about leashes. I haven’t seen one since you exited my life.”
She takes a step closer to me – too close to me. “Seriously, Paxton. I really want to talk to you. Can I, just for a minute?” I hear Billy let out a loud breath and Louis clangs on his symbol, but they both walk out of the room. Not what I need .
“Seriously, Stella, there is nothing to talk about. You are not part of my life and all I want from you is a quick and permanent exit.”
“Paxton, I’m here now. We run in the same crowd and I don’t want it to be uncomfortable every time I see you. Last time I was here it was the two of us. Three years of our lives, Pax. Why do I have to lose everything?”
“I don’t run in a crowd, Stella. It’s me and the guys and Vi and Jessa. That’s it. Everyone else, including you, can fuck off. I’m not concerned.”
“So Jessa’s her name?” she says with sorrow in her voice.
I give her a tight smile and nod towards the door. “Get out of here, Stella.”
“Do you love her?”
“You don’t get to talk about her.”
“Sounds like a no ,” she whispers. I look at her doll-like face… her big sad eyes. Her voice brings me back
“I’m always on your side. Don’t worry about it.”
I hear the heavy metal door open and I assume it’s the guys, but Billy mutters the words, “Oh shit,” under his breath.
I turn and see Stella walking across the room. “What the fuck?” I ask Billy.
“I didn’t think she’d show up here. Damn, that girl is persistent.”
“You told her we were here?”
“No, man. She’s tight with Jesse. She already knew.” Jesse is Jimmy’s friend who owns the place. Fucking figures – Stella seems to be tight with every guy in this city.
I look at her in her low slung Dickies and her cutoff beater tank that exposes her entire torso down to her hip bones. Funny, how I can’t handle sending Jessa off in clothes that cover her entire body but I never had a problem with Stella’s perpetually exposed stomach. The look was hot then – it’s hot now- but it never got me worked up like Jessa’s body does. I turn away from her, shaking my head. She’s gonna be a problem.
Before she even makes her way across the room the door opens again and Louis and Jimmy are behind her. Louis is checking out her ass and Jimmy is scowling at her presence.
They all make their way over to us and I don’t even look at her. “What’s going on, Stella?” Louis says like she’s one of the crew and totally welcome to just stop on by whenever she feels like it.
“Not much. I was just hoping Pax would be willing to talk to me now that his girl’s not around.” I don’t look at her or respond so she turns her attention to Jimmy. “I heard you’re part of the band now,” she says. I glance up and see her wrapping her arm around his shoulder. He recoils and removes her hand.
“Sorry,” she says , laughing. “You’re with Vi now, huh? She probably doesn’t want me anywhere near her man.”
I can’t help but laugh at that epic understatement.
“I don’t want your leach hands on me,” Jimmy tells her, dropping the sacks of food on the coffee table and leaving the room completely. Good for him. I should probably follow, but I’m thinking I gotta shut this situation down quick.
“Jesus, he’s turned into a prick. She must have him on a tight leash. You r girl too, huh Paxton? You’re on a leash too,” she says with a smile, turning her eyes on me.
I can’t help the spasms that jump in my body with her eyes on me. It’s like my entire past enters the room when she does and every horrific and stimulating thing from it wants to come out. I stare at her, trying to gauge my reaction. Trying to define the feelings that aren’t hate. They aren’t love, for damn sure. Just nostalgia. The fact is everything I went through, I went through with her. She was my bad memories, but also my good ones. “You’re the one that knows about leashes. I haven’t seen one since you exited my life.”
She takes a step closer to me – too close to me. “Seriously, Paxton. I really want to talk to you. Can I, just for a minute?” I hear Billy let out a loud breath and Louis clangs on his symbol, but they both walk out of the room. Not what I need .
“Seriously, Stella, there is nothing to talk about. You are not part of my life and all I want from you is a quick and permanent exit.”
“Paxton, I’m here now. We run in the same crowd and I don’t want it to be uncomfortable every time I see you. Last time I was here it was the two of us. Three years of our lives, Pax. Why do I have to lose everything?”
“I don’t run in a crowd, Stella. It’s me and the guys and Vi and Jessa. That’s it. Everyone else, including you, can fuck off. I’m not concerned.”
“So Jessa’s her name?” she says with sorrow in her voice.
I give her a tight smile and nod towards the door. “Get out of here, Stella.”
“Do you love her?”
“You don’t get to talk about her.”
“Sounds like a no ,” she whispers. I look at her doll-like face… her big sad eyes. Her voice brings me back