Jax: A Christmas Story: Cocky Cage Fighters, #10

By Lane Hart

Ho! Ho! Ho-ly shit! I've really screwed things up this time.

 

Now it's gonna take a Christmas miracle to convince my wife to forgive me.

 

This is the part of happily ever after that no one ever told you about, when real life turns Prince Charming into a giant Grinch.

 

No matter what it takes, I won't stop fighting for my family until we get back to where we belong.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lane Hart
• Release date: Oct 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223676768

Lane Hart

New York Times bestselling author Lane Hart was born and raised in North Carolina. She continues to live in the south with her husband and their two daughters. When Lane's not writing or reading sexy novels, she can be found on the beach in the summer, and watching football in the fall, cheering on the Carolina Panthers. Join Lane’s Facebook group to read books before they’re released, help choose covers, character names, and titles of books! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bookboyfriendswanted/ Connect with Lane: Twitter: https://twitter.com/WritingfromHart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lanehartbooks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlanehart/ Email: [e-mail]

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Jackson Jax Malone

Plowing my fist into this fucker's smug face feels amazing.

And just like all but one of the opponents I used to fight in the cage, the chump is out like a light before his body even hits the hotel’s floor. Instead of cheers, the crowd around us dressed in their formal wear gasps, and a few overdramatic women even scream.

Jax! Oh, my God. Jax, what have you done? Page exclaims when she comes running over in her long, red gown and heels to investigate the cause of the commotion. She’s not running to me but to check on the sleeping asshole. My wife glares at me one final time before she kneels on the floor beside a snoozing Preston McNair. He’s some up-and-coming major league baseball player she represents, but I wouldn’t have cared if he was the President of the United States after the shit he said. He deserved to get knocked the fuck out, and God, it felt good to be the one who put him to sleep.

I glance down at my right hand as I flex it. My knuckles are split open and bleeding, but again it was worth it. And damn if I haven’t missed this feeling, executing my dominance over an asshole who thinks he’s better than me.

After Page gives him a few shakes to his shoulders, the dickhead in a tux comes to, blinking his eyes open. Hopefully he’ll remember this shit next time before he opens his big mouth.

With all the freaked out looks I’m getting from everyone, I decide it’s probably time for me to call it a night and head on home.

When I see Page’s brother Logan pushing his way through the gawking crowd, I go over to him.

Can you give Page a ride home if she drinks anything?

Yeah…yeah, sure. Everything okay? Logan asks, eyeing the scene over my shoulder.

Peachy fucking keen, I mutter before storming out of the ballroom and shoving my way through the hotel’s open front door.

As I step into the cool night air in my tight, uncomfortable tux, I pull out my cell phone and punch a few buttons to bring up the Uber app and order a ride. I only had a few beers tonight, but I know better than to chance driving with snow and ice still on the roads from this week’s storm.

Jax!

I instantly recognize my wife’s voice and her tone. She’s pissed, of course, and my ass is about to get reamed the fuck out.

Jax, what is wrong with you? Page asks when she steps in front of me on the sidewalk. Her arms are crossed over her chest probably out of a combination of anger and the chilly air hitting her bare arms. Hating to see her uncomfortable, I take off my tux jacket and offer it to her. She shakes her head in refusal, causing the wind to pick up and scatter her long blonde hair in a million different directions. She’s so damn beautiful, especially when she’s angry with her ivory cheeks flushed and lips pursed. Fuck, how long has it been since she let me touch her? Three weeks? Maybe four?

Seriously, Jax, I want an explanation! Page says through clenched teeth. "You knew Preston was one of my new clients! Having my husband knock out the guys I represent isn’t exactly good for business!"

I know, princess, but he was running his mouth – I start to explain.

Who cares? Just because someone says something you don’t like doesn’t mean you get to punch them! Page exclaims. For the first time in my life I’ve finally found something that I’m good at and that people respect me for. It may not seem like much to you, but this contract business is important to me!

I know, I repeat, because I get all that. When the two of us first met, Page wasn’t earning the respect she deserved from her father or brother in their family law firm. But before our son Xavier was born, Page started helping athletes by reviewing sports contract. Her client list started out with a few MMA guys I knew, but has grown to include football, basketball, hockey and baseball players like the asshole I just took down. They’re all young, up-and-coming hotshots who think they’re the shit. And while I may trust my wife, I don’t trust any one of them. I’m happy that she’s successful; I just miss having that success for myself…

"If you know, then why would you do that?" Page asks, pointing back toward the ballroom in the hotel where she was hosting her first ever Christmas networking party.

Slipping my arms back into my tux jacket she turned down out of spite, I simply shrug in response. There’s no way for me to explain to her the inner struggle with my doubts and the insecurities I’ve had ever since I retired from cage fighting over a year ago. Or how that asshole was able to push my buttons with just a few words.

The way you’ve been so…so angry lately, it makes me think that…that you’re mad at me, she says, her voice wavering with emotion and making me feel guilty as fuck when it should be the other way around.

"You think I’m mad at you? I huff in disbelief. You’re the one who’s been pushing me away for weeks whenever I try to touch you! We may sleep in the same bed every night, but you might as well be a million miles away from me!"

Page scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest again. Did you ever think of maybe asking me what’s wrong instead of sulking around the house day and night, throwing stuff and cursing? Xavier can hear you, you know, even when he’s not in the same room! Last week he asked me if you were the angry giant from Jack and the Bean Stalk!

I wince internally from hearing that my son thinks of me that way, but it doesn’t alleviate my anger in the least.

Fine! You want me to ask, I’ll ask! I yell back at her, finally having the balls to get off my chest what I’ve been chewing over for weeks. Are you fucking cheating on me?

When Page lowers her eyes and hangs her head, I prepare myself for the bomb she’s about to drop before she quietly says, Sometimes…sometimes I worry that we rushed into marriage. That if I hadn’t gotten pregnant, things would’ve turned out differently…

I fucking knew it! I growl. Was it with that asshole? I ask, pointing back toward the hotel. It was, wasn’t it? My fists clench by my side, wishing I would’ve nailed him a few more times.

"You don’t know anything! Page replies, tears now streaming down her reddened cheeks. You think I’m a million miles away, well that’s because of this! For months, I’ve kept my distance from you because I’ve been terrified that you’ll lash out at me or Xavier. And I was right. What’s next? Are you going to hit me or him if we say something you don’t like?"

How can you even fucking ask me that? I reply, appalled that she thinks I could ever lay a hand on her or our son.

"You’re a ticking