Chapter 21: Keeping a distance

Jaxon's POV:

Laura's words bled out the last of my hopes and dreams onto the sticky floor, smeared in cigarette ash and leftover beer. My mobile chimed with a text message, forcing me to peel my gaze from the ceiling.

Reene was reminding me I had to give a speech at some non-profit organization, sometime this evening. I threw the mobile back on the couch I was sitting on and slouched back into it's warm cozy feel. Chugging down a glass of beer.

“I swear to God, Paul.” I continued, picking up halfway from where I stopped. I was telling him how Laura had attacked me.

“Hahaha.” Paul doubled over, he nudged my shoulder with his foot.

What was he laughing at?

We were all sprawled over my auburn velvet sofa. Drinking and catching up on old times.

“But come.” Paul began getting over his laughing fit, scratching his nose. “Tell me something Jax.”

I picked up the remote and flicked through the channels. Reality show. Makeover show. Cooking show.

What the hell were they putting on display these days?

“What is it?” I continued surfing through the channels.

“How come you're always in a roll with this chick?” He asked before draining out his glass.

I ran a hand through my hair. I had found a channel displaying a fake-tanned chick having a meltdown over her wedding invitations, which were sent in the wrong shade of pink. I threw the remote across the room. It crashed against the flat screen,cracking it into a spiderweb impression.

Paul said nothing, just eyeing me curiously.

“Honestly, how am I supposed to know?” It was crazy. She always seemed mad and angry at me. From that first day in the elevator.

“She seems to me like someone who knows you pretty well.” Paul said, chuckling softly. “You sure, you both don't have a history of some kind, huh?”

He inquired.

I threw him a searching look. What was he driving at?

“I certainly don't remember her.” I had a few dozen regular bells in town. but she didn't look like any of them. She didn't act like them.

Paul's laughter suddenly burst out, earning a glare from me.

“You're saying that as though you've a list of every chick you've gunned down huh?” He countered.

Well, in a sense he was right. But Laura didn't feel like that.

I lay back on the headrest and closed my eyes. Even if she was one of those girls. I was changed now. No longer that Jaxon.

I stayed like that for minutes, hours even. Eyes closed and just enjoying the calmness and serenity which was occasionally broken by Paul's glass clicking each time he poured himself a fresh glass of beer.

The doorbell rang, I sluggishly opened my eyes.

“Are you expecting someone?” Paul asked, looking towards the door. I took a swig of my almost empty glass draining the last of them.

“Not that I can remember.” I replied, staggering to my feet. I stalked towards the door. every muscle in my body was tight and frayed with nerves.

I reached the door, and pulled it back. a teardrop-shaped face illuminated by the blond hue of the many lamps outside the room stared back at me. Unflinching.

Laura.

“Hello, Boss.” She greeted. I turned my back on her, ignoring her.

“Oh, Look who we have here?” Paul called smiling at her. I shot him a cold look that could freeze the hell out of hell.

What was he getting excited.

I amble past him and sank back into my couch and poured myself more beer.

“Why are you here?” I raised an eyebrow glaring at her. Even from down here, she still looked small. I was six-something. She was five-nothing.

She slung a black guitar over her shoulder and Ryan. Her baldie manager was just staggering into the house.

“I have a performance tomorrow night at Georgetown.” She quipped, nodding towards the glass patio studio.

I propped my forearm against the wall. Taking a lazy swig from my glass. “You can go right in, then.”

She made to leave when Paul perked up. “Jax, Ain't you going to introduce us.”

Huh?

I stared back at Paul's face, which were red from drinking while rummaging through my mind to know just what he was driving at.

“That's Vixen.” I waved my glass at her. “And her band. And This is Paul.” Her small hazel eyes did a casual flip to my face, then back to Paul's.

Who had ran over and was shaking her enthusiastically.

Minutes later she was scurrying away into the studio, with the rest of her band behind her.

I shot a glare at Paul. “What was that for?”

He chuckled. “I just wanted to see that one girl that successfully unnerved the Almighty Jaxon.” He paused, chugging down his beer. “She's a good one.”

He winked.

My gaze clung to his face still trying to process what he was blabbing on about.

Then it dawned on me, as he punched playfully hit my arm.

“Nah, you're mistaken pal.” I leaned down, dropping my glass on the table. “We're purely into business. And she's just a business transaction. Nothing more.”

Nothing more.

I repeated more to myself than I was telling him. It was all business.

He scoffed. “Whatever you say pal. Whatever you say.” He emptied his glass.

“I'll catch up with you later alright.”

I nodded at him, ignoring the sunbright smile. He flashed at me before walking out of the house.

I raked my calluses fingers through my hair and lay back on the couch. Soon, soft orchestral music filtered in, filling the entire room up. Rising slowly and steadyly but strangely in thick harmony with each thump the drum made. It made my blood surge forward like warm liquid.

I rubbed my palms together as the heat slapped on my face. The beat crawled through my veins.

My eyes were drooping slowly, threatening to doze off. The world soon slipping away from my reach. Then everything ended as suddenly as it started. The music broke off.

My veins twitched.

Why did it end?

I shot a glare at the glass patio, where the music had come from.

Laura's voice filtered in through the sudden calm. Warm and sultry. Filling up the sudden emptiness, I had just felt. And melting away my anger and hate…

She was like an enchantress. Using her voice to work her way round my heart, that was snoring slowly as if in sync with her tempo.

She had a good voice and a wack personality. And that. Suddenly made me uncomfortable. I tore my gaze from the studio. From her.

Like I told Paul, she was just a business. Another of my numerous investments that is meant to fetch me money. She was business.

She being in my house to rehearse was business.

I was wading the through the room. Ignoring her voice and charm. She was good business as long as she could fetch me money. Profits. And nothing more.

I stalked out of the room, slamming the door shut after me.

I need to be alone.