Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Technique
“It wasn’t good anyway,” he admits, smirking so hard his dimples carve deep into his cheeks.
I glance past him. Vladimira is blushing, her gaze fixed firmly on her plate like it suddenly holds the secrets of the universe. He really has the nerve to talk about being “old enough to be her father.” And then it clicks.
Spain. When I mimicked her voice, he said it sounded like she was there. How would he know what she sounds like saying that?
My chest tightens for a second. I feel bad for her. No one else seems to notice—but I do. And the way he just exposed her without even realizing it…
Yeah. I’ve officially lost my mind.
“It’s not always the giver,” I say lightly, lifting my smoothie to my lips.
The room goes dead silent. Heads snap toward me like I just confessed to murder.
“I think too many females give head when they don’t want to,” I continue, shrugging. “And if you don’t want to do it, it’s not going to be good. The only thing running through your mind is—” I pause, smirking slightly, “‘fucking come already, my jaw is hurting…”
I take another sip.
Vladimira’s lips twitch, a quiet smirk lifting her expression.
Dimitri doesn’t look at me. His face stays cold, distant. Ivan, on the other hand, is barely holding it together, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
Before the silence can stretch any further, Taylor bursts into the room.
“Elle knows what she’s talking about,” he announces, grinning as he hands Vladimira’s dad a piece of paper. “But something tells me she gives 110% even when she doesn’t want to.”
Soft laughter ripples through the room.
“I think you got way too comfortable with me and my friends,” I shoot back, trying—and failing—not to laugh.
“What does Elle even know about that?” Jax asks, though it doesn’t really sound like a question. His eyes drag over me, amused. “You’re what… barely legal?”
Taylor folds in half, laughing.
“My man,” he says between breaths, “if you saw where this girl likes to hang out… she makes grown men cry.”
I shoot him a look sharp enough to cut.
“Where does she hang out?” Jax presses, curiosity thick in his voice.
“Taylor… shut up,” I warn.
His grin spreads like wildfire, uncontrollable. “The things I’ve seen have me questioning if I’m really gay,” he laughs. “There’s this place—the Red Rooster—”
I lunge at him, slapping my hand over his mouth. It’s useless.
He’s massive. He pries my hand away easily, laughter erupting around us as I keep trying to shut him up.
“She never took you there, Dimitri?” Taylor calls out, still laughing.
“No,” Dimitri chuckles, finally looking up. “A strip club, sure—but not a sex club.” He glances down at his phone, already searching. “Why did she take you there?”
“Don’t,” I snap.
That only makes it worse.
The guys burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter. I sound exactly like Dimitri did months ago—desperate, trying to keep his secrets buried.
“I’m not really sure why we had to go there,” Taylor continues. “Punishment for something she said during spring break—”
I kick him right above the knee, hitting the pressure point.
He drops instantly with a grunt, clutching his leg.
Jax sets a tray of hot pastries on the counter, grinning at me like he’s enjoying every second of this.
Vladimira suddenly stands, her chair scraping against the floor.
“Remind me never to use any of your guys,” she snaps. “So much for client confidentiality.”
The room quiets.
She just… stood up for me.
That surprises me more than anything else today.
I inhale slowly. Fine. If they want to play, I can play too.
I pull out my phone and send a video to Jax. His phone buzzes almost immediately. Every eye in the room turns toward him.
“Enjoy,” I say sweetly, giving him a small wink. “I’d watch that with the sound off.”
Those dimples appear again as he unlocks his phone. His finger presses over the volume button before he even starts the video.
Then his expression changes.
His eyes widen. He slaps the phone against his chest like it burned him.
“Fuck.” he breathes out.
“Delete it,” Ivan snaps immediately.
Jax glances down again, slower this time. Then back at me. Something in his gaze shifts—darkens, deepens—and it sends a spark straight through me.
“Is that who I think it is?” he mutters. “Holy fucking shit.” he pauses "You look..." he trails off, his head turns sideways as he watches the video.
“It’s exactly who it looks like,” I reply casually, moving to the sink to rinse my glass.
“Delete it, Jax,” Dimitri says, his voice tight. “Please.”
That one word—please—cracks something open. His father notices it too, his gaze lingering.
Jax studies his phone for one last second before exhaling.
“Deleted,” he says finally. “Only because you asked nicely, baby brother.”
There’s something unexpectedly soft in the exchange. Gentle. Different from the way Jax usually is—especially with Ivan.
Jax turns back to me, that smirk returning.
“Go wash up. We leave in two hours.”
“Thank you for saving me from Nicholas,” I say to Illia Sr.
He nods once.
I turn and walk out of the kitchen, Dimitri’s voice rising behind me as he asks his father what I’m talking about. Their voices fade as I climb the stairs.
The shower runs hot, steam curling around me as I take my time getting ready.
Why am I even entertaining another one of the Pavlov brothers?
To piss the rest of them off, probably.
I slide into a deep brown, strappy cami dress, tying the back loosely so it leaves my entire back exposed. It’s sexy—and I don’t bother wearing anything underneath.
Wedges. Purse. Denim jacket.
I skip down the steps. Walking out the front door, I see Jax leaning back on a vintage, dark green car. He looks like sin in his dark blue jeans and fresh white shirt. Jax runs his hand through his hair.
I close the distance between us, feeling the shift in the air as I get closer.
“You look… um…” His words trail off, caught somewhere between his mouth and whatever thought just hijacked his brain. His gaze dips—just for a second—before snapping back up to my eyes, like he’s trying to recover.
A slow smirk pulls at his lips.
“We’ve got an hour drive,” he says, voice lower now, edged with something teasing. He pushes himself off the car and steps around to open the door for me. “Just enough time for you to explain what you’ve been doing with both of my baby brothers.”
His eyes linger on me, amused, curious… and not entirely innocent.