The unlikely bond

Chapter twelve

Amelia's father, Marcus, had sent the message earlier that day: I have the money. Let's end this. Simple, but the weight of it lingered. Jax wasn't buying it. He knew men like Marcus-men who didn't play fair. The money was the easy part. The hard part was getting out alive and keeping control.

Jax paced the room, the tension radiating off him in waves. He couldn't shake the feeling that Marcus wasn't telling the full truth. Alone? Yeah, right. Men like Marcus never went anywhere without their lackeys. But Jax wasn't a fool. He'd prepared for this. He'd spent the past few days gathering information, and every piece of it pointed to Marcus being ready for a fight.

Amelia sat quietly on the couch, watching him, her expression steady. She had changed in the past few days, hardened somehow. No longer the fragile girl he had taken, she now had a fire in her eyes-a determination that matched his. And she had an idea, one that had caught Jax off guard when she suggested it.

"Let me be there," she had said, her voice steady, unflinching. "At gunpoint. Make him believe you'll kill me if anything goes wrong."

Jax had been taken aback by her calmness, the cold practicality of her suggestion. He couldn't deny that it was a good plan, but it was also dangerous. If anything went sideways, if Marcus had even the smallest inkling that it was a setup, Amelia's life would be on the line. But Amelia was resolute. She wanted this. She wanted to confront her father, to be there when everything fell apart for him.

Now, as the time for the meeting drew closer, Jax turned toward her, his jaw clenched. "You still sure about this?" His voice was low, a mix of concern and admiration.

Amelia nodded, her eyes locked on his. "I am. He needs to see what he's done. This ends today, one way or another."

Jax exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He admired her strength, but it worried him too. This wasn't just a game. "If anything goes wrong-"

"It won't," Amelia interrupted. "I trust you, Jax. I trust that you'll get us out of this."

The words settled between them, heavy with meaning. Jax wasn't used to people trusting him. He wasn't even sure if he trusted himself. But he knew one thing for sure-he couldn't let anything happen to her. Not now.

He picked up his phone and dialed Marcus. The phone rang only once before Marcus answered, his voice tight with impatience. "Is it done? We meet today?"

"Yeah," Jax growled. "But there are conditions. You want your daughter back, you're going to give me everything. Not just the money-all of it. Every asset, every dime you've ever earned, or her life is over. You got that?"

There was silence on the other end, the weight of Jax's words sinking in.

"I'll be alone," Marcus finally said, his voice low, but Jax could hear the strain. "No tricks. I'll give you what you want."

Jax wasn't convinced. "If I see one of your men, if I get the slightest sense that you're trying to double-cross me, she's dead. Understand?"

Marcus hesitated. "Understood."

Jax glanced at Amelia, who was watching him intently. "Good. And she'll be there," Jax added, his voice cold. "At gunpoint. So, if anything goes wrong, you'll watch her die."

He could hear Marcus's sharp intake of breath on the other end, but the man remained silent for a long moment. "You wouldn't."

"I would," Jax replied darkly. "You've got two choices, Marcus. Your daughter's life, or the money. Which one's it going to be?"

The silence stretched again, but then Marcus spoke, his voice shaking with barely concealed rage. "I'll bring everything."

Jax ended the call, his heart racing as he shoved the phone back into his pocket. He turned back to Amelia, his expression unreadable. "It's set. We meet in an hour."

Amelia stood, her face pale but determined. "I'm ready."

Jax stepped closer to her, his hand brushing against hers for just a moment, the contact grounding them both. "You better be," he murmured, his voice softer now. "Because there's no turning back."