The unlikely bond

Chapter six

Amelia's POV:

I couldn't take it anymore.
Every second in that cabin was like being trapped in a cage with no way out. The walls were closing in, the silence choking me, and Jax's calm, measured demeanor was the final straw. I had to do something-anything-to remind myself that I still had power, that I wasn't just a pawn in his twisted game.
I watched him carefully, waited for the moment when his back was turned. He didn't know how long I'd been planning this. He thought I'd given up, that I was breaking. But I wasn't. Not yet. I still had fight left in me.
The second his hand left the doorknob, I lunged.
I don't know what I thought I could do-maybe make a run for it, maybe get my hands on something sharp. But I wasn't thinking. All I knew was that I had to get out. I slammed into him with all the force I could muster, my nails digging into his arm as I tried to wrench the door open.
But Jax was faster.
Before I could get two steps, his arm shot out, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me back with a rough yank. I kicked out, my heel connecting with his shin, and for a moment, I thought I'd made progress. But then, in an instant, he spun me around, pinning me against the wall. His grip was like iron, his body pressed against mine to stop me from moving.
"Stop," he growled, his voice harsh in my ear. "You're not getting out of here."
I thrashed, but his hold only tightened. My pulse pounded in my ears, fear and rage battling for control. "Let me go!" I screamed, shoving at him with everything I had.
But it wasn't enough.
His face was inches from mine now, his breath hot against my skin. "You think you can fight me?" His voice was low, dangerous. "You think you can just walk out of here?"
I glared up at him, my chest heaving with the effort of fighting him off. "I'll never stop trying."
For a second-just a second-something flickered in his eyes. Something almost like regret. But then his grip tightened, and the cold, calculating mask slipped back into place.
"This isn't a game, Amelia," he said, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. "You're not leaving. Not yet."

Jax's POV:
Damn it.
I'd seen it coming. The way she'd been watching me, the way her eyes had started to flicker with that defiant fire again. I should've known she'd make a move. I should've expected her to fight. But when she lunged at me, something in me froze for just a second-just long enough for her to get too close.
She was fast, stronger than I'd given her credit for. But not fast enough.
When I pinned her against the wall, I felt her heart pounding against my chest, her breath coming in quick, furious gasps. Her eyes blazed with anger, her whole body trembling with the effort to escape.
And God, the way she looked at me-the hatred, the defiance-it almost made me want to let her go. Almost.
But I couldn't. This was bigger than her, bigger than the moment we were in.
"Amelia," I warned, my voice lower, "stop this."
"I'm not your prisoner!" she spat, her voice laced with fury. "You don't get to decide what happens to me!"
I stared at her, my own breathing ragged from the fight. She didn't understand. She didn't see what was really going on here. She thought this was just about control, about keeping her locked up. But it was more than that. So much more.
"I don't have a choice," I said, softer now, my grip loosening just slightly. "If I let you go, you'll end up dead. You think your father's the only one looking for you? You think I'm the worst thing out there?"
Her eyes narrowed, doubt flickering across her face. But before she could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I froze, then let go of her completely, stepping back as I yanked the phone out. Marcus's name flashed across the screen.
It was time

The car was silent as I drove to the meet. Amelia was in the backseat, her wrists bound in front of her, a dark cloth draped loosely over her eyes. I wasn't taking any chances. I didn't trust Marcus not to pull something at the last minute, and I sure as hell didn't trust Amelia not to try to make another break for it.
She hadn't said a word since the fight.
I parked the car in the middle of an abandoned lot, the empty buildings looming around us like shadows. Marcus had chosen the place. Typical. Always hiding behind neutral ground, always too much of a coward to face his enemies head-on.
I stepped out of the car, leaving Amelia inside as I approached the meeting point. Marcus stood there, surrounded by two of his men, his face twisted with barely concealed rage.
"You have some nerve, Jax," Marcus growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Touching my daughter."
I stood tall, meeting his glare with one of my own. "This is on you, Marcus. I warned you what would happen if you kept pushing. You brought this on yourself."
He stepped closer, his fists clenched at his sides. "Let her go, and maybe I'll consider not killing you where you stand."
I smirked, shaking my head. "It's not that simple."
Before Marcus could respond, a gunshot rang out, echoing off the empty buildings. I ducked instinctively, pulling my own weapon as chaos erupted. Marcus's men scrambled, shouting orders as more shots were fired from somewhere in the distance.
"Get down!" I barked at Amelia, wrenching the car door open and pulling her out. We couldn't stay here. This had gone south faster than I'd expected, and I wasn't going to risk her getting caught in the crossfire.
I didn't know who was shooting-one of Marcus's enemies, maybe, or some rival gang trying to take advantage of the situation. All I knew was that we had to move.

Amelia's POV:
The gunfire was deafening. I didn't even have time to react before Jax was pulling me from the car, his grip firm but not harsh. Everything happened so fast-the shots, the shouting, the blinding rush of adrenaline as he dragged me toward the nearby alley.
"Stay close," he hissed, his hand gripping my arm as we ducked behind a stack of crates.
I was shaking, my heart racing so fast I thought it might burst out of my chest. This wasn't what I'd expected. This wasn't part of any plan.
But even in the chaos, even with the fear clawing at me, I couldn't help but notice the way Jax shielded me, the way his body moved to protect mine without a second thought. He was focused, determined, his eyes scanning the area for threats.
I should've hated him. I should've fought harder, tried to get away in the chaos.
But I didn't. I stayed close.
And that terrified me more than anything.

Jax's POV:
This wasn't supposed to happen.
The plan had been simple-get Marcus here, make the exchange, force him to pay for what he did. But the second those shots rang out, everything changed. Now I had to get Amelia out of here, had to protect her from the very world I'd dragged her into.
I wasn't sure when it happened-when I started caring whether she lived or died. But now, as we crouched behind those crates, as bullets whizzed past and the situation spiraled out of control, I knew one thing for certain:
I couldn't let anything happen to her.
I grabbed her arm again, pulling her to her feet as we ran deeper into the alley. "We're leaving," I said, my voice rough with urgency. "I'm taking you somewhere safe. Somewhere no one can find you."
Her eyes widened, fear flashing across her face. "What? Why?"
"Because if we stay here, you're dead," I snapped. "And I'm not letting that happen."
Before she could argue, I pulled her toward the back of the lot, toward a black SUV I had stashed for emergencies. We had to disappear. Now.
And this time, there would be no going back.