CHAOS (Beneath The Secrets Book 1)

The cook squints at me. “Are you sure that’s what they ordered?”

I let out a long sigh, blowing a strand of red hair away from my face. “No, sir. Let me go confirm.”

He always makes me feel like a fuckup, but I know I’m getting better at this waitressing gig.

Dolores told me so when she gave me a small raise at the end of my first week.

When I return from the very cranky family regarding how well to cook their steak, Gigi is dancing excitedly near the register.

“Sofia! You have a table of hotties in booth eighteen!” Her pink pigtails bounce as she hops from foot to foot.

“Oh?” I don’t care, as long as they don’t change their minds ten times regarding how rare they want their meat.

“Girl, their tats barely can cover all of those muscles.” She licks her lips and hands me a stack of menus.

I recognize the laugh before I see him.

Those wild curls and his broad shoulders are a dead giveaway as I arrive behind him.

“Why are you here?” I hope none of my coworkers hear me, but I’m not in the mood for the ‘correct’ welcome.

He leans forward on one elbow and turns to face me, that sinful tongue piercing popping against the back of his teeth.

“I’m here to eat, sweetheart. What are you gonna feed me?” His wide grin flashes as he winks at me.

There are two other huge guys with him, both covered in patterned ink. One even has it up the sides of his head. When he smiles, one silver tooth reflects the dancing lights.

“Jax, I—” What can I say? I can’t kick him out.

I hate how wet my panties are, seeing him.

“Fine,” I huff. “What can I get started for you?” Sugar oozes from my words.

I’ll just kill him with kindness.

“Hold on a sec.” He fiddles with his phone, then holds it up and it makes a snapshot noise.

Anger bubbles in me. “Did you just take my picture?”

He shrugs. “I gotta have something to look at tonight when I think about you. Unless you want to join me and give me the real thing?”

Fuck. I’m tempted.

I can’t stop dreaming about him.

“Funny. How about you? Are you here to give me a hard time, too?” I point the end of my pen at the biggest of the three, sitting silently with a flat expression and his arms crossed across his chest.

“Niet. I want to get the number eleven and a beer.” His heavy Russian accent takes me a moment to decipher.

The leaner one leans back on two legs in his chair. “I’ll have a number one and eleven beers.” He laughs as he throws a piece of his napkin at the quiet man. “Nah, make it just a single for now. Maybe a shot of tequila, too.”

“I like that idea,” Jax says as he hands me back the menus. “A round for all of us. You should be rich enough to pay, since you took all my money the other night.”

Our fingers brush, sending sparks up my arm.

“You were the one who broke into my dressing room. Let’s call that a finder’s fee.” When I playfully push on the bare skin of his shoulder, it’s hard to resist wanting to keep touching him.

“Tigritsa, I’ll be happy to be the X at the end of your treasure map.” His hand clasps over mine, holding my palm against his sweltering heat.

The leaner guy laughs loudly. “Jax, that has to be one of the cheesiest lines I’ve heard.”

My cheeks burning, I turn away and hurry back towards the kitchen. I can hear Jax yelling behind me.

“Stuff it, Alexei. You wouldn’t know a good woman if she came up and kicked you in the balls.”

I bite my knuckle to keep the giggles down.

Hiding isn’t an option. My heart races as I carefully place their drinks down.

Jax grabs my wrist and pulls me close as I try to leave.

“You know I was joking. I’d be happy to be your overflowing money chest, sweetheart.” His warm breath hits my neck and his dark eyes brim with sincerity.

I don’t know what to say, so I back away on weak knees.

He’s all talk. He has to be.

A guy like him probably flirts with every girl he sees. Famous boxer, rich, hot.

Oh, man, is he fine.

And the way he can use that tongue keeps me awake at night remembering it.

He’s a wild ride, but can’t be anything more. He wouldn’t want to be a father, it’d just cramp his image.

With a firm resolve, I make my way back with their food.

Despite the fire burning within me, and the urge to straddle his lap right here amongst the fake cacti and his friends watching, I keep my composure.

“Sof, what do you say? Sit with me after your shift? Have a drink?” His fingers sit lightly on my arm.

My pulse pounds in my ears. I want to so badly.

“I’m afraid I can’t. I have plans.”

His piercing clicks. “Break them, tigritsa. I want to spend time with you.”

The big man in the back stops with a taco halfway to his mouth and stares hard at Jax. His serious blue eyes flick between us and one dark brow raises.

“Jax, are you sick?” he asks before taking a large bite. “I can have Mikhail bring in the doctor.”

Jax scowls at him. “No, Niki.” He reaches across the table to the shot of liquor still sitting in front of his friend and takes it.

After swallowing, he looks back up at me. “I’m serious.”

Alexei laughs, leaning back in his chair with his cell poised. “I gotta get a pic of Jax getting denied for posterity.”

“Send it to me,” Jax says to him before turning to me. “I’ll make it my wallpaper as a reminder of when you broke me.”

This is too much.

“You can pay with Gigi. Maybe next time.” I run into the back of the kitchen. My shift ended three minutes ago.

Clocking out, I dart through the back entrance.

Any time I’m near him, my body wants to do things my mind tells me not to.

But Maeve owns my heart. I need to stay strong for her.