Days of Revelations (Night of Secrets #2)

Chapter 8 - A Necessary Confrontation

Jax

I see Dean so many times today, I almost think he wants me to come up and punch him in the face. And I would, too, if I was with Santos. But I only ever see Dean when I'm not with Santos. If I really want to get in a fight with him—not that I'd ever tell Adeline that I do—it's a good idea to have Santos as backup. But mostly because I promised Adeline, and I don't want to worry or piss her off anymore than she already will be.

"Have you talked to Dean yet?" Aart asks when I sit next to Adeline at our usual lunch table.

Adeline glances at me. "No. He hasn't."

"How can you tell?" Ty asks.

She gestures to me. "Look at him. He's still standing. There's not a bruise on him."

I roll my eyes, elbowing her. "Like Dean could hurt me to the point that I can't stand."

Adeline gives me a pointed look. "We wouldn't have to find out if you weren't preparing to get in a fight."

I take her hand. "I promised I would try to talk to him, didn't I?"

She yanks her hand away. "No. You didn't actually. But I'm holding you to that."

I nod, and she turns away. She managed to finish her homework this morning with our help, so she seems less stressed now. But she is still stressed. She hides it pretty well, but I know Adeline. There's a spaciness to her eyes. They're less sharp. More gray than silver right now as she nods to whatever Aart and Ty are saying. Sometimes she'll run her nails along her bandage. Not hard, but I still get worried about whether she'll accidentally break the skin open.

I glance across the cafeteria, zeroing in on Dean. He's laughing at something Cyril is saying and a surge of anger goes through me. The asshole shouldn't be enjoying his life right now after what he did yesterday. I can already feel the sting of my knuckles when I punch him in the jaw. I look to the cafeteria doors right when Santos walks in.

"I'm gonna go talk to him now," I say. When Santos is within earshot, I ask, "Wanna come with me to talk to Dean?"

"Oh, hell yes," Santos bellows, throwing his backpack beneath the table. "I'm gonna kill the bastard if you don't."

Adeline's head snaps to us. "Please don't."

Santos scoffs. "Why not? He deserves it."

Adeline's jaw clenches, and she glances away for a second. She shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath before turning back to us. "Can you please try talking first? I don't want either of you getting hurt because of me."

Santos waves her off. "We don't mind." He hits me lightly in the arm with the back of his hand. "Right, Jax?"

I open my mouth to agree, but Adeline's expression makes me stop. Her jaw is still clenched, and her hand is closed into a fist, her nails digging into her bandage. There's a desperation in her eyes as she looks up at me. A mix of fear, concern, and just a hint of anger. Thundercloud eyes. It makes something in me loosen, and for a moment, all I can think about is silver. 

I sigh and sit next to her, straddling the bench. She shifts, resting her knee on the bench as she faces me. I hold my hand out, and she slips her hand into mine. I give it a squeeze and smile at her.

"I promise not to do anything rash unless I absolutely have to," I say.

Her eyebrows knit together. "Define 'absolutely have to.'"

"If he says something fucked up about you."

She frowns. "That doesn't mean you have to do something rash."