“What the hell is going on here?” He says, irritation flaring at the sight of Jax.
“Nothing. I just told her the truth.” Jax shrugs.
Kayden’s gaze slides to me. Frown lines mar his forehead when he notices how disheveled I look, angry tears sliding down my cheeks as a result of my outburst thirty seconds ago.
The look he cuts at Jax is bloodcurdlingly lethal.
“You hurt her,” Kayden hisses.
“No, I liberated her,” Jax say acidly. “I told her exactly what she needed to hear: that you and her will never last.”
“Jax, for the last time, drop it,” I snap, lacing my fingers with Kayden’s and tugging him along. “Kayden, let’s go.”
“You know she’s just using you to get her revenge on me, right?” Jax adds nonchalantly. “Everything she’s done since we broke up was to get back at me.”
The statement ripples through the hall and my stomach hollows out. Kayden’s mouth tightens, his eyes leaping to my face. Waiting for me to dispute Jax’s accusation.
I open my mouth but no words leave me.
“Oh shit, you didn’t know that.” Jax places a hand over his mouth, trying to contain his bitter laughter. “You didn’t think she was gonna give up on her fight, right? She’s obsessed with me. Can’t stop thinking about me getting beaten at the finals tomorrow.” His eyes gleam with amusement. I scowl back at him. “This game has always been between me and her. And unfortunately for you”—he gestures a lazy hand at my boyfriend—“you’re just a pawn that she’s going to get rid of as soon as she’s done using you.”
Kayden winces. My heart plummets to the bottom of my stomach at how destroyed he looks.
“Jax, stop it,” I seethe with quiet fury.
Jax, as usual, ignores me. He resumes his taunting.
“Don’t believe me?” Jax daringly edges closer to Kayden.
The corner of his mouth kicks up. “Fine. Let’s end it here once and for all. And see if she sticks around later.”
A look of disbelief crosses Kayden’s face.
“I’m not gonna fight you here,” he says, acknowledging the absurdity of his proposal. “This is a wedding.”
“What? You’re afraid I’m going to win? Well, you’re not wrong.” Jax shrugs, doing a slow circle around him. “Face it: I’m always going to be one step ahead of you, Kayden.
Always in it for the win. Protecting what’s mine.” His gaze scrolls toward me. My stomach twists with dread. “You think when it really comes down to it, you’ll be able to protect her?
Hell, you couldn’t even protect your own family. Didn’t they all die because of you?”
Fuck.
Every muscle in Kayden’s body freezes. He clenches his fists tightly, knuckles going liquid white.
“Yeah, that’s right. I know all about you.” Jax says, shamelessly stacking the tension littered in the air with even more animosity. “Your family died because you’re a coward, a goddamned coward, and you killed your sister too—”
Jax doesn’t get to finish his sentence because Kayden’s fist slams into his face.