The Emma Series Book 4
Author
C. Wright
Reads
147K
Chapters
31
Austinās Fury and a Fight
Book 4: Accepting Your Fate
JAX
Iām speechless. When Austin suggested she could kill Giovanni, I initially thought it was the shock of her abduction speaking. But one look into her eyes, and I knew I was wrong. Despite her left eye being nearly swollen shut, her determination was palpable.
She was a force to be reckoned with.
āSweetheart, I donāt want you to have blood on your hands unless itās absolutely necessary, preferably only in self-defense.ā
āDonāt fucking patronize me, Jax! Giovanni kidnapped me, he could have violated and tortured me, but he wanted me to love him like I love you. Iāve been through hell since I met you, especially these past few weeks. Iām not some petulant child you need to lecture. Iām a grown woman. I deserve to get my dues and what I want is to kill Giovanni myself. Ask whoever you need to ask, but get me a fucking answer. And while youāre at it, get the fuck out of here and donāt come back until you have the answer I want. Otherwise, I walk, Jax, I mean it. Iām done being sidelined. No one will ever respect me if I continue to act like I need protecting all the time.ā
āItās not that, I just think youāre too pure to handle killing someone. I donāt want your nightmares on my conscience as well. I have enough to deal with as it is.ā
āDo you hear yourself, Jax? Itās all about you. Where do I fit into all of this if all I hear is āIā? Get the fuck out, now, before I completely lose my temper.ā
I want to stay, to comfort her, to hold her. But the anger radiating from her warns me that Iād only be adding fuel to the fire. Iāve never let anyone talk to me the way she just did. The fact that I let her speaks volumes about my feelings for her.
Thankfully, her outburst was out of earshot of the staff and my parents. Sheās angry, and rightfully so. Iāve been selfish, always putting myself first. Sheās always been a close second.
I need to talk to my parents, to understand how theyāve made their marriage work without undermining each other. Otherwise, Iām on a fast track to losing my cool and losing Austin, the love of my life.
I turn to leave, not wanting to provoke her further.
āOh, and Jax, if the answer is no, donāt bother coming to tell me. Send Maddox to deliver the news. I donāt want to see you until you have a yes. If you donāt get one, Iām leaving here.ā
I give Austin a final look before closing the bathroom door. I lean against it, like I always do when sheās near. But this time, my heart is filled with an unfamiliar emotion. If I had to name it, Iād say itās fear. The first time Iāve ever felt itāthe fear of losing her.
I need to talk to my mother, now more than ever. I grab some clothes and head to the spare bedroom for a quick shower. When I emerge, I dress quickly, eager to get downstairs. I know my parents will be up, dissecting tonightās events until the moment we found Austin.
They donāt disappoint. I find everyone gathered in my motherās office. Without preamble, I stick my head around the door.
āAll of you, my office now!ā I command, heading to my office without waiting to see if they follow.
I pour a generous amount of whiskey into a glass, down it, and pour another. When I sit down at my desk, theyāre all there, my parents in the two chairs in front of my desk, the rest scattered around, all waiting for me to speak.
Iām seething. I want to go down to the basement and kill Giovanni with my bare hands, watching the life drain from his eyes as I choke him. But if I do that, I lose Austin.
On the other hand, I canāt show everyone in my office how weak I am when it comes to Austin, especially not my mother. Austin is my Achillesā heel. I need to keep my anger in check if this meeting is going to be productive.
My mother is the first to speak. āHow is she, Jax?ā
āI donāt fucking know. She wonāt talk to me about it. All she told me was that he didnāt rape her and that he wanted her to love him like she loves me. The best part is, she wants to kill him. And if he dies by my hand, sheās leaving me. Isnāt my life just wonderful, Mother?ā I respond sarcastically. I think this is one of the few times Iāve ever spoken to her with such disdain and disrespect.
āEveryone out now!ā she shouts, standing up and staring me down as if Iām a rebellious child she needs to scold without an audience. Everyone scurries out of my office except my father. Without even looking at him, she tells him to leave too.
I refuse to break eye contact with her. I blame her for all of this. She knew I never wanted to be part of this life. If it wasnāt for her, I wouldnāt be in this difficult position.
My father leaves after whispering a few words in my motherās ear. I see him in my peripheral vision, but I refuse to break the stare down with my mother. Iām beyond furious with her.
Once the door is closed behind her, she tells me to stand up. Still holding her gaze, I stand without a word. She slowly walks around the desk, and I brace myself for her tirade. But what she does next completely takes me by surprise.
She hugs me, whispering, āWhat Iām about to do is for your own good, son.ā
She steps back and delivers a powerful kick to my stomach. Weāve practiced this move countless times. I tumble backward, crashing into the drink trolley and shattering it as I hit the floor. She gestures for me to rise, already poised for the next round.
But I canāt bring myself to fight my own mother.
I push myself up slowly. āThereās no needāā I start, but she cuts me off with a punch to the gut. I double over, and she follows up with a knee to my face. Iām pretty sure my nose is broken now.
āStop! I wonāt fight you, Mom.ā
āYou shouldāve thought of that before your outburst,ā she retorts. āI thought youād accepted your role as the new boss. Even Austin adjusted faster than you. You can despise me all you want, but you accepted this when you agreed to take over. Now that itās getting tough, youāre whining instead of thinking clearly. Iām disappointed, Jax. I never thought Iād say that, but grow the fuck up. This is your life now. I wonāt be your punching bag every time something goes wrong. Life throws curveballs, and you should know that better than anyone. Now get up and fight, or I swear Iāll kick your ass until you do.ā
āI respect you too much to hit you, Mom. You know I donāt hit women.ā
āI donāt give a fuck about respect, Jax. Youāre angry, so take it out on me, the one who caused it all.ā
āDad will kill me if I hurt you, and you know it.ā
She scoffs, and before I know it, Iām on the floor again. Sheās landed one of her signature air kicks, knocking me off balance. I see red, my ears ringing, but I hold back. Sheās my mother, after all.
She comes at me again, her punches relentless. I manage to grab her hands, pleading with her through my eyes to stop. I donāt want to hurt her. But she ignores my silent plea, kicking me again with such force that I release her hands.
I know Iāll regret this, but I take a defensive stance. For the first time, I see the wildness in my motherās eyes, the adrenaline rush before she lunges at me. I barely dodge her kick, landing one on her stomach instead. She recovers faster than I expected. Iām not holding back either, trying to end this madness.
Every time we practiced, she kept this side of her hidden. Now, I feel it in every punch and kick she throws. Sheās like a woman possessed. Iāve never seen her like this. Maybe sheās imagining someone else as she fights me.
I know if we continue, one of us will get seriously hurt. She charges at me again, but this time Iām ready. Somehow, I manage to get her in a chokehold. But sheās still so strong. I drop to my knees, begging her to snap out of it. She claws at my arms. I canāt see her face, but I know sheās furious. I donāt want to choke her out. I couldnāt live with myself, and Dad would kill me.
āFuck! Mom, stop!ā
She doesnāt. Suddenly, her body goes limp, her hands stop clawing at my arms.
Did I just kill my own mother?
