Loving the Fighter

89

Jax's POV

The guards' kicks came one after another but I didn't have the strength to stop them. I lay there counting the hits until my mind couldn't think straight enough to keep things in order.

I tried letting the black dots in my vision consume me but they wouldn't allow it, leaving me here to lie silently in pain.

"I can't believe you are this useless," my father's voice echoed through the woods. My eyes try to search for him but he wasn't here. "I thought I taught you more respect than this. If I were there would you still treat them this way?"

I force myself to squeeze my eyes shut. My hands going to cover my ears in hopes to block out the sound of his annoying voice but it doesn't work.

"Answer me when I speak to you," his voice boomed. As much as I hated it, I flinched back into the kicks that were still claiming my body. "Would you be acting like this if I were there?"

He's not really here. This is a dream.

I tell myself this but I don't believe it.

"Jaxon!" My hands press harder against my ears as I flinch again. "Would you be acting like this if I was there?" He was seething at this point.

"No," I mumbled out as my chest began to rise and fall faster than before. The pain began to numb but I could still feel their feet drumming against my back.

"Then why are you acting like a spoiled rotten brat?" His voice returned calm as the kicking finally stopped.

"I don't want to do this anymore."

"Does it matter what you want?" I knew what he wanted me to say but I couldn't stop myself from letting myself mouth off a bit.

"It does if I'm the one making money," I snapped but before my sentence was even finished the kicking started up again, coming in harder than before.

I bit back a curse as I force myself to ball up more.

"Does. It. Matter. what you want?" He asked again, his voice rising more with each word.

"No," I mumbled again, my nails clung onto my ears as I try to push his voice away.

The pain stopped again as I waited for my father's next move but nothing came for a while.

"Maybe I should come to get you." My eyes go wide at his words as I look for him again. I didn't want him here. "You clearly aren't doing well here. I don't want you to suffer. Do you think I should come get you?"

"No," I say quickly as my eyes continue to look for him but he's still not here. The only people here are the three guards and I.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

"I'll do better," I pleaded.

"You'll do better regardless if I come to get you, do you understand me," he seethed out, making me nod quickly before he continued. "So why should I leave you here?"

I stay quiet. I didn't have an answer for him.

When I don't answer he only hums.

"If you can't think of a good reason then why should I make you stay? Come on and get up, it's time to go home."

This time when I look for him, I see him. He pushes through the shadows as if he had been there the whole time, just watching.

The sight of him makes me start shaking as he comes closer.