The unlikely bond

Chapter evelen

Jax's POV
Over the past few days, things had shifted in ways Jax hadn't seen coming. He had expected Amelia to be a complication-an obstacle in his quest for revenge. But somehow, she'd slipped into the cracks of his plan, embedding herself deeper into the group than he thought possible.

The club had their doubts, of course. They weren't quick to trust, especially when it came to someone tied so closely to their enemy. But Amelia had a way of softening people, even the hardest of them. They'd all seen her standing up to her father, heard her plotting right alongside them, and slowly but surely, the tension in the air had thinned.

Even Jax had started to let down his guard around her, something he never allowed himself to do with anyone. His crew had noticed the change, and though they'd joke about it, he could tell they liked seeing him a bit looser, more human. The constant pressure of being in charge, the weight of revenge on his shoulders, it had all started to ease when Amelia was around.

He didn't let himself smile much, but lately, in her presence, he found it harder to keep the mask on. The nights by the fire, the late conversations where Amelia would poke fun at him, or when she'd share stories of her life before all this chaos-those moments stuck with him more than they should have. And the crew? Hell, they were eating it up. They hadn't seen him this relaxed in years.

But he couldn't shake the awareness of who Amelia was. The daughter of the man who had ruined everything for him. The source of all this pain. He could never let himself forget that, even if he was starting to feel something for her. He could see it in the way she watched him, her eyes softer now, not filled with fear or anger. She was starting to trust him. And that was dangerous. For both of them.

Still, he couldn't help but enjoy the way things had been lately. The jokes, the way his crew laughed a little louder, even with the tension still looming over them. It felt like the calm before the storm, but he knew better than to get comfortable. Things wouldn't stay this way forever.

Jax found himself walking more with her, talking more, opening up in ways he hadn't done with anyone in years. He told her about his past, about his brother, about how everything had fallen apart. She listened in a way that made him feel heard-really heard. He didn't expect that, didn't expect to feel anything but hatred toward her, but it was undeniable. Amelia had a way of getting under his skin, and not in the way he'd originally thought.

But it wasn't just him. The club was changing, too. He could tell that even though they were still wary of Amelia, they'd started to see her as more than just leverage. They laughed with her, shared meals with her, and while the suspicion hadn't vanished, it had faded into the background. There was still a long way to go, but things were different now. And for the first time in a long time, Jax didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Amelia's POV
The days had blurred together since she'd been taken, but strangely, they hadn't been as awful as she'd expected. Sure, the first few days had been terrifying-filled with confusion and anger. But now, something had shifted, and she found herself getting more comfortable around the club, even finding moments of joy with them.

It started small-quiet dinners where she listened more than she talked, learning the dynamics of the group. Lea still eyed her with suspicion, but even she couldn't hide the fact that she was starting to accept Amelia's presence. The others? They were softer than they let on, cracking jokes, telling stories of their own lives outside the madness of revenge and violence. It was like getting a glimpse into their humanity, something Amelia had thought was lost in them.

What surprised her the most was Jax. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized there was so much more beneath the surface. He was quieter around the others but opened up to her in unexpected ways. They'd shared long walks down hidden paths, late-night conversations by the fire where he told her things she never thought he'd reveal. The darkness in him was still there-always simmering-but now, there was something else, too. Something vulnerable.

She'd grown to like that side of him, the one he let show only when it was just the two of them. She couldn't explain it, but it was like he understood her in a way no one else ever had. He didn't look at her like she was fragile or broken. He saw her strength, saw the fight in her, and respected it. And even though they didn't say it out loud, there was a bond forming between them. One that scared her just as much as it comforted her.

The club was still careful around her, but she had noticed a change. They'd started joking with her, sharing moments that felt almost... normal. And that was the strangest part of all. Amid the chaos of everything, there were slivers of normalcy, laughter, and warmth.

But there was always the looming reality of what was happening outside this cabin. Her father. The danger. The plan they were concocting to bring him down. She knew she had to be a part of it. She had to help. Jax and his crew had become more than captors to her-they were people who had been wronged, just like she had. And maybe, just maybe, she could do something to fix the damage her father had caused.

Still, there was the ever-present question of what this meant for her and Jax. They were growing closer, the tension between them undeniable. That kiss on the beach had been a tipping point, and neither of them had tried to stop what was happening. It scared her, but at the same time, it felt inevitable. Something neither of them could resist.

Now, as the days stretched on, Amelia found herself looking forward to the moments when it was just the two of them. There was safety in his presence, something she never expected to feel. But the conflict inside her was just as strong. Could she really trust him? Could she trust herself in all of this?

The lines between captor and captive were starting to blur. And Amelia didn't know if that was a good thing or a dangerous one.