Beneath the Fire
Chapter Three: Sparks in the Dark
Serena couldn't shake him.
Even after she and Lily had left the party, even as she lay in bed hours later, staring at the ceiling, she could still feel the weight of Jax's gaze.
It was stupid.
She had no business thinking about him.
And yet—
"Maybe you should."
His voice echoed in her head, smooth and teasing, but there was something else beneath it. Something she couldn't quite place.
She turned onto her side, pulling the blankets up to her chin, trying to push him out of her mind. But her body still felt wired, restless, like she was standing too close to an open flame.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
This was dangerous.
And she was smarter than this.
Right?
—
The next day, Serena barely made it through school without Lily ranting about Jax every chance she got.
"I swear, he has a radar for ruining my life," Lily huffed as they walked toward the parking lot after the last bell. "He just shows up whenever things are finally normal."
Serena kept her eyes on the pavement, gripping her backpack straps. "Maybe he was just… I don't know, hanging out?"
Lily snorted. "Yeah, right. He's never just hanging out, Serena. He always has some stupid, selfish reason for everything."
Serena swallowed hard, guilt twisting in her stomach.
She should agree. She wanted to agree.
But she couldn't get the way he looked at her out of her head.
She forced a smile. "You're probably right."
Lily groaned. "Of course I'm right."
She unlocked her car, and Serena climbed into the passenger seat, trying to shake off the lingering unease.
But fate had other plans.
Because the moment they pulled out of the parking lot, Serena's eyes caught on a familiar figure leaning against a black motorcycle near the entrance.
Jax.
And he was looking right at her.
Her breath caught.
Lily hadn't noticed—she was too busy fiddling with the radio—but Serena's hands clenched in her lap as Jax's lips curved into the slightest smirk.
It was subtle. Barely there.
But she felt it everywhere.
Then, before she could even process what was happening, he lifted a hand—two fingers in a lazy, knowing wave—before turning and straddling his bike.
The engine rumbled to life, and then he was gone.
Serena exhaled shakily, pulse racing.
What the hell was she doing?
—
That night, she told herself she wasn't going to think about him.
She wasn't going to let some cocky, arrogant bad boy crawl under her skin.
But when her phone buzzed on her nightstand, she nearly dropped it when she saw the text.
Unknown Number: Couldn't sleep either?
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
She sat up, staring at the message.
How did he—?
Another text came through.
Unknown Number: Relax, princess. Your number wasn't hard to get.
Princess.
Her face burned.
She hesitated.
She shouldn't text back.
She should block him.
And yet, her fingers moved before she could stop herself.
Serena: How did you get my number?
Jax: I have my ways.
Serena: That's not an answer.
Jax: Neither was yours.
She chewed on her lip, glancing toward her bedroom door as if someone would catch her.
This was reckless.
But something about the way he got under her skin made it impossible to stop.
Serena: Why are you texting me?
A pause.
Then—
Jax: Because you looked at me like you wanted to.
Her breath hitched.
Heat curled low in her stomach, a slow, dangerous burn.
She should end this.
She should.
But instead—
Serena: I didn't.
Jax: Liar.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she stared at the screen.
She should put the phone down.
Should walk away.
But then—
Jax: Meet me.
Her throat went dry.
Serena: Why would I do that?
Jax: Because you want to know if the fire is real.
A shiver ran down her spine.
He was playing a game.
And she was playing right into it.
But for the first time in a long time, she wanted to.
And that scared her more than anything.
Want Chapter 4? Things are about to get even more intense.