Page 57 of Furious
“When is Mae supposed to be here?” Tristan asked, quickly finishing his tea.
“Soon.” Jax stood, looking out his window, but there wasn’t a cab in sight. After all that nagging, Jax thought that Mae would’ve jumped at the opportunity to finally meetTheOlleelicious, but when Jax had contacted her, she’d been traveling with a DJ on tour and had barely replied to his messages.
He’d worried about her, breathing a sigh of relief when she’d finally texted yesterday, back from her side quest and wanting to see Ollie. At least she’d returned safely, but he couldn’t erase the anxiety in the pit of his stomach, and he hoped that her upcoming talk with Ollie went well.
Tristan and Jax migrated to the living room, where Ollie was sorting through his latest makeup haul. Finn breezed through, disappearing to the back to give them privacy, and a few minutes later, they all jumped up as Mae rang the doorbell.
“Jaxon!” she exclaimed as he opened the door, and her appearance slapped him across the face. A five-hundred-dollar wig and expert makeup were not going to hide the fact that she was downright skeletal, and she wore a sweater, coat, and gloves even though the weather was warm. “I have so much to tell you!”
She hugged him, and it took everything he had to raise his arms and return the hug. He hated that he could feel her shoulder blades through the layers.
“I bet.” He bit the inside of his cheek so he didn’t cringe, but she didn’t seem to notice, brushing past him into the townhouse.
“My mom has been up my ass since I got back, wanting me to check in, but she’s the reason I left in the first place. I’ve been staying with one of the audio guys from the tour and he’s asnack.”
So, she hadn’t even been home. When Jax had briefed Ollie on Mae’s history, ending it with her going on tour, Ollie had a dark look in his eyes.He’d told Jax that if she was running away, then she needed to go back into treatment.
And he couldn’t have been more right.
Jax had been a bad friend. Sure, he’d stayed by her side, but at what cost? She was dying, and he’d been too focused on himself and his own pain, too selfish to risk his new family in order to help her out.
Tristan stepped forward, and Mae put a hand on her chest, enamored. “Hi there!”
“Mae, meet Tristan,” Jax tore his gaze away from her, noticing that Tristan had a pretty good poker face, because he smiled warmly, holding out his hand.
“A pleasure.” Tristan turned on the charm, and Jax felt a surge of pride under his worry. “I’ve only heard good things.”
Mae made an impressed sound, quickly looking at Jax withholy shitwritten across her face. Jax just nodded because he’d really struck gold.
“Same here.” She bit her lip, eyes roaming Tristan up and down, but then her expression turned threatening. “You treat my bestie like a king, or I’ll find you.”
Jax’s mouth fell open as shock rippled across Tristan’s face, quickly followed by amusement.
“I see why you two are friends,” Tristan laughed. “I promise, I will lavish him with affection.”
“I approve!” she declared, smiling. “Soooo, where is Ollie?”
“Did someone call my name?” Ollie sashayed in, and Jax could see the flicker in his gaze, the immediate understanding as he grasped Mae’s hand in both of his. “I have been looking forward to meeting you forages. You have lore!”
Mae looked like she’d touched greatness, staring up at Ollie with stars in her eyes. “You were looking forward to meetingme?” She touched her chest again. “I’m the one fangirling here.”
Ollie crooked his arm. “Why don’t we hang out in the living room and chat?” He flicked his eyes to Jax and Tristan. “Do you guys mind? It’s girl talk.”
He’d pitched it as a joke, but Jax could see the worry in Ollie’s pale-blue gaze, which made Jax feel even worse.
“Sure. Let me know when you’re done.” He wanted to punch something, but not out of fury or rage; this time, it was all guilt. “Have fun.”
Somehow, Tristan noticed the slight hitch in Jax’s voice and grasped his hand, leading him silently to his room. Once the door clicked shut behind him, Tristan slowly approached, gathering Jax into his arms.
The understanding, along with that warm embrace, had Jax unraveling, and tears leaked from his eyes.
“I’m a selfish asshole,” he mumbled into Tristan’s shirt.
“What makes you say that?” Tristan’s gentle voice only added to the warmth.
“Because I should’ve done something sooner.” Jax pulled back a little, wiping his face. “I know we were never the deep-talk kind of friends, but she’s killing herself. I shouldn’t have cared so much about her getting mad and told her to get help.”
“Do you think she would’ve gotten help?” Tristan calmly waited for an answer, his energy soothing Jax once again.
