Mafia's Ex Wife

Chapter Twenty

Elisabeth

"Why the fuck didn't you call me?" There is a bite to Jax's words as he makes his way over towards the bed, grabbing my hand and examining my wrist.

A flicker of hatred and rage flashes in his eyes when he sees the cut that Bruno left, and it's a look I recognize. A look I saw anytime someone hurt me, or I spoke to Jax about the things that happened to me in foster care. A look that scares me just as much as it excites me, because I know what comes next.

The revenge. The retribution. The punishment.

I don't know what exactly Jax will do to Bruno, but I know he won't let this go. He doesn't have it in him. Somehow, someway, he'll make Bruno pay for hurting me and that lights me up more than it should. I've always been independent and able to handle myself, but something about the way Jax takes it so personally when I'm hurt hits me right in the heart.

Maybe it's because no one else has ever taken care of me the way he did--and no one else probably ever will.

The idea strangles me, so I shove it away as best I can and rip my arm from his grasp. "Because about five minutes before he got there, you told me not to call..."

"Don't be ridiculous, Lizzie. You didn't think I'd want to know Bruno paid you a visit? That he attacked you?"

He speaks quietly, but with the intensity as if he were berating me.

"It's a small cut, Jax. I'm okay." I try to defend.

"But you might not have been. It could have been gravely worse and with Bruno, most of the time it is. You got lucky. He's not a man you want to mess with."

As if Jax wasn't the one who got me involved with Bruno to begin with.

"Speaking of that, why are you here anyway? Bruno made it very clear he would have people watching me."

"You mean the two clowns playing Candy Crush in the lobby? Yeah, they're going to catch a lot." He lets out an arrogant laugh. "You'd think Bruno would put a bit more effort into this whole thing if he was all that concerned with his guy sitting in jail, wouldn't you?"

"Jax..."

"I came in through the back. I have an understanding with the hospital administrator." He interrupts. "They know to let me handle my business when it comes up."

"Oh, I'm your business now?"

Jax narrows his eyes at me. "You've always been my business, Lizzie, and you always will be. No wedding ring is going to change that. Now, let's stop wasting time and get you stitched up."

The possessiveness should turn me off, but it makes my stomach burn in only a way that Jax Hale can.

Jax pulls the tray of supplies over and it hits me that he thinks he's going to suture my arm himself.

"Wh-what are you doing?" My voice is shaky as he picks up a syringe.

"This is lidocaine. It'll numb the cut so you won't feel the stitches." He explains so matter-of-factly that he almost sounds like he's a doctor himself.

"Have you gone to medical school since we split up? Because that's the only chance I'm going to let you anywhere near me with that thing."

Jax doesn't even bother to look up as he takes my arm, and when I try to resist, his grip tightens. "Can you just stop with all your obstinate bullshit? Your cut needs to be closed and I need to find out what happened."

I don't say anything, Jax's harshness shaking me to reality. Tears well in my eyes as the emotion of the day hits me.

Jax softens. "Relax, Lizzie. I've done this a thousand times. Remember the time we were in the limo and we got hit by the car? You had that little cut above your eye and you let me fix it then."