Page 23 of Louder Than Words

I blink, only catching about half of that. Okay... maybe none of that.

I glance at Jax, already nearing panic. “I—uh…”

Great. Now I’m glitching in front of Alex, too.

Jax just smiles and presses a quick kiss to my forehead. “I know, love. I’ll see if they have any.”

And just like that—he’s gone.

Gone. And now I’m alone. With Alex. Freaking. Langford.

Is this my life now?

My eyes stay glued to where Jax disappeared, my safe spot, as my knees threaten to buckle. It feels absurd—feeling so completely alone in a room full of people, just because he’s no longer within arm’s reach. But that’s just how it is now. Every time he walks away, it’s like the strings in my heart get pulled tighter with every inch of distance between us.

Alex clears his throat, and my gaze snaps to him. “This is, uh… Angel,” he says, gesturing to his friend. “He was also with us on the Blackout Tour.”

I manage a small smile. “Hi, Angel.”

He tips his head politely. “Hola.”

Alex quickly jabs Angel in the side, though Angel barely reacts. “This fuckerdoesspeak English, by the way. He’s just pretending not to.”

“Güey, you never let me have fun. She didn’t even think she was having a stroke yet,” Angel whines.

I sputter a laugh, covering my mouth with my hand.

“So, tell me. How did you and Jax meet?” Alex asks, taking a small sip from his glass.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, trying not to laugh at the memory. “I, uh, practically mowed him down in the wine aisle.”

Alex chuckles. “Must have been a good bottle of wine.”

I nod, about to explain more, but then something stops me.

And by something, I mean a sound that’s eerily familiar.

It takes every bit of focus I have to block out the conversations around me as I strain to listen to the surround sound.

Finally, the opening chords start, and I know immediately.

Heat creeps up my neck. The noises all around me fade away, and all I hear is the faint melody of the song.

The song I know all too well.

“Wow,” Alex breathes beside me. “This isnothinglike their usual stuff.”

My eyes lock on Jax’s back at the bar, and I can’t move. But this time it’s not nerves. Not anxiety. No. For the first time, I think… I think I’m actuallymadat him.

“Are you okay, Allie?” Alex asks softly, giving my arm a gentle tap.

I try to force a smile but fail. “Y-yeah.”

Jax returns, handing Angel a glass of scotch and setting down a perfect pink moscato in front of me.

But I don’t want it.

I don’t wantanythingright now.