Lies for Truth

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Ariana and Jax took an even bigger risk getting caught when they snuck into the bathroom to shower together. The closet was too small and they made more of a mess then anything else and laughed more then the situation called for.

Ariana slapped his hand from her thigh. “We’re supposed to be showering and nothing else.” She whispered frantically from the fear they’ll get caught.

“I can be quiet.”

Ariana blushed. “But I can’t.” she grabbed both his wrists. “So stay to your side.”

“Fine, fine.” He grabbed the bar of soap.

Ariana turned away from him and busied herself with washing her hair. She should’ve known Jax wouldn’t have given up that easily. As she was rinsing the shampoo from her hair she felt his large hands moving up her hips to her waist.

She opened her mouth to yet again remind him why they shouldn’t be doing this when she felt his mouth grazing the curve of her neck as he stood behind her. His hands found her breasts and she was a goner.

Jax was on cloud nine when he made it back to his room that night. His great mood started to dwindle when he noticed his father inside his room waiting. Whatever it was couldn’t be good for him to come down now to talk instead of waiting until tomorrow.

“I’ve been here twenty minutes, where were you?” Mitch asked.

“The shower down here has been running cold so I was using the one upstairs.” His hair was wet, there was no way he could lie about it and at the same time it gave him a good cover for being upstairs. “What’s up?”

Mitch walked over to the door and closed it. “For a fresh shower you smell awfully a lot like Ariana. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice something changed?”

Jax groaned. “I tried to fight it but I couldn’t.”

“You’re going to have to. She’s your step sister for heaven sakes, how far has this gone?”

“It’s too late for me to try and push her away and I don’t want to. She’s mine.” The predator came to life in his soul.

Mitch sighed and started to pace. “How could you be this stupid?”

“I’m in love with her.” there was no point in trying to lie to his father, especially now that he knew the truth about Ariana.

“Of all the girls in the world.” He ran a frustrated hand through his short hair.

“There’s something special about her dad, I couldn’t push it away and now I have to lie to her.” Jax walked over to the bed and sat. Now that his father knew the truth he might as well get his advice. “Did you tell Mary?”

“No, it’s not an easy subject to bring up. No one wants to accept the world isn’t as simple as they believe. If I tried to tell her I can walk on four legs she’d laugh and think I was joking.” Mitch explained after joining his son on the bed.

“Ariana suspects something is up, she noticed how a cut healed too quickly. I had to lie to her and make her feel guilty for questioning me. I hate this.” he rubbed his hands together and prayed for the answer. He wanted to tell Ariana, he couldn’t continue their life as a lie like his father was doing.

“You have to end it Jax. She can’t know the truth.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s doomed.”

“Like you and Mary are doomed?”

Mitch sighed. “It’s not the same. I’ve already had my children and I’m happy with Mary as things are. You would have to sacrifice so much while lying to her the whole time. It won’t work, you’ll break both your hearts in the long run.” He was worried; it was evident in his tone and the concern in his eyes.

“I don’t know how to walk away.” he had thought about this over and over, the pros and the cons and at the end of it he didn’t care. He was in love with Ariana and for her the risk was well worth it, even if she came to hate him in the end.

“We same to be in the same ship because I don’t know what to say. I can give you advice but in the end this will be your choice.”

That shocked Jax. “You won’t tell Mary, you won’t force me to break up with Ariana?”

“I know you well enough to know if I gave you an ultimatum you’d still find a way to see her. I don’t have a problem with the relationship its self; my problem lies with my fears for you because of all the lies. A love like this can destroy you.” Mitch cupped his son’s shoulder. “I’ll support you the best way I can.”

“Have you thought about telling Mary, maybe one day?”

“I think about it all the time but it always ends up with her walking out and hating me so I convince myself its best to leave her in the dark.”

Jax laughed, his father’s words were serious but he had a lighthearted way of explaining them. “Thanks for trying to give me hope.”

Mitch smiled sadly. “Your mom was always the one with the hope while I dished the sad truths. She always knew how to balance me out. You two were so close and she’d want you to be happy no matter what it took.”

“Ariana makes me happy.” Jax whispered as he thought back to his mother and her blue eyes, her special way of making everything better. He could really use some of that right now.

“I see that, the second you started interacting more around here and smiling I knew something had changed. I was scared you’d never come out of the shell you built after your mom’s death. I want you to be happy.”

“But you’re scared, I get it dad and I do understand it. How did you rationalize being with Mary? You know deep down it can’t stay like this, especially when Julie’s turns sixteen and learns the truth about our family.” Jax was grateful he had always known he was different, he first shifted at sixteen but he had known it was coming since he could have coherent thoughts. His parents had decided to keep Julie in the dark for her own well being, they wanted her to be normal and not hide from people the way Jax had.

“I’m selfish deep down. Your mother’s death ripped me in half, I didn’t think I could ever get rid of that pain and then one day there was Mary with his big smile I couldn’t forget. I didn’t want to let her go.” Mitch explained, revealing he understood completely what Jax was feeling. “There’s three years before Julie is sixteen, I hope to grow a pair by then and tell my wife the truth with hopes she’d love me too much to care. Or I’ll come up with another way to keep her in the dark.”

As Jax listened to his father he became sure he didn’t want that to be him. He didn’t want to be in that deep with Ariana and lie to her everyday about who he was. If he wanted any type of life with her then he was going to have to tell the truth or give her up completely.