Chapter 16

**SCARLET**

A few weeks ago
I saved all the information Jax sent me and used all the programming codes as a reference. I’d had a problem solving the bug with the RPG I’d been developing for almost nine weeks, and I hadn’t figured it out, but with Jax’s help, I’d finally found a way to remove it.
I called him to let him know.
“Good evening, Ericka,” he answered.
Ugh, his voice. I loved the sound of him. It was only a greeting, and I was already turned on.
“Umm…”
“You called me so I could hear you breathe? Tell me about the code.”
“Oh.” I cleared my throat. “It worked. You’re a genius.” I closed my laptop and then lay down on my back.
He laughed softly. “Are you sure you finished your major?”
I chuckled nervously as I felt the guilt pinch my chest. “Of course, I wouldn’t be able to register in the app if I hadn’t, right? But thank you, Jax. You’ve been very helpful to me.”
“Know your expertise. If this kind of program doesn’t suit you, then you should stick with building a website.”
“It’s not a simple RPG, though. It’s a 3D fantasy multiplayer online game,” I defended myself.
He chuckled. “But I like how you try different things.”
“Thanks again.”
“My pleasure,” he said. “Hey, I need to ask you something.”
“About RPGs?”
“No. I just want to ask you this. How much of my cock do you think you could take in your mouth?”
I held my breath, surprised by his sudden question. I loved how he could make me feel so hot, even if it was only over the phone.
“Ericka?”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to answer me?”
“It’s just, um…”
He chuckled softly. “Are you playing shy tonight?”
“I don’t know. I… I haven’t tried, um. I wouldn’t know about that.”
He was suddenly quiet on the other line.
“Jax?”
I thought I heard him gulp a drink. “What’s your height?”
I moved to the other side of the bed. “I’m 5’6. I remember you said you want tall, long-legged women.” I imagined Jax as a very tall man. “Disappointed?”
“No. A short-legged woman who’s never had another man’s cock in her mouth is an exception.”
I caught my breath. My hands instantly slipped into my panties. “Well, I mean. Are you disappointed that I don’t do blowjobs?”
“I need to see you, Ericka,” his voice sounded strained and needy.
“Jax, you know we can’t.”
“Listen to me. I need to see you. I’ll teach you. I need to feel you. I want to be buried inside you, including your mouth. I want to hear you scream. My name. My real name. I’ve been very patient.”
“No…” I sighed and thrust my finger inside, imagining it was his.
“I’m gonna make sure we’ll meet.”
“Stop.”
“I will see you. Trust me.”
My legs trembled. I was on the verge of coming. “Jax…” I moaned as I reached the peak of my pleasure. I hung up the call. I didn’t want him to hear me scream. But then I heard my phone beep.
He sent me a text.
I’ll take that sound as a yes – Jax

NOW
I went out after all, but I was late. It was after I let Luke leave first. His hate towards me had grown deeper. He would never accept me as a part of the family, but things got even more complicated when fate deliberately played with us.
Of all the men in the world who might be Jax, why did it have to be Luke? I would never think he would be Luke since Jax was too different in personality. He could be sweet at times, thoughtful even. He was difficult the first time I spoke to him online, but eventually, he’d been very helpful to me.
The friendship we’d built for the last three months was all gone. I was distraught and uncomfortable because of what had happened. We had a lot of phone sex and dirty talk, and I shared a lot of my experiences about my past boyfriends with him. He knew almost everything. Still, I couldn’t believe it. Thinking that Jax was Luke was making me fucking crazy.
I was an hour late when I finally met Nate at the restaurant. He understood when I explained the family matter and still waited for me.
“I am so sorry, Nate. It’s very complicated at home. Did you eat?”
Nate stood and greeted me with a brief hug. “It’s okay, Scar. Family is very important. I know that.”
Nate’s usually bright and lively gray eyes had become dark and gloomy. He had deep, dark eye bags. His dark brown hair was unruly. I always thought Nate was the boy next door type. But right now, every light in him was gone. I felt sorry for him. But Kath was my best friend too. I understood them both, so I wouldn’t take any sides.
“God, what happened to you?”
He sighed sharply. “I don’t know. I can’t sleep. I can’t reply to her or answer her calls. What should I do, Scar? I don’t know what to do.”
“She’s just surprised, but she loves you. She’s worried about you.”
“I can’t. I can’t go back home until she accepts my proposal. My dad, I told you, he’s in critical condition.”
“She’ll marry you, of course,” I assured him. “You can propose whichever you like, but you cannot marry her now. We’re seniors! Try to understand what her family would think. You’re both young and have a great future ahead of you. You can’t do that, Nate. Oh! Why don’t you just take her to your dad and tell him you’re engaged and have a small celebration with both families?”
“Can we do that? Do you think that’s enough to convince Dad?”
“I can talk to Kath about that and make it sound convincing.”
He shook his head. “But it’s going to be a pretense. I want a real one. I can’t involve her family. They’re going to hate me.”
“See? You understand the risk.”
“But it’s a good suggestion. Can you do that? Can you talk to Katherine?”
“Yes, but at least answer her calls, or you’re really going to lose her. I know it’s not over for both of you.”
“It’s not.”
“Good, because you are perfect. Both of you are perfect together.”
His face softened. “Okay. I’ll talk to her. Thank you. What would we do without you?”
“And I am here, always.” I smiled back.
“But hey, what’s going on with you in the house? Is what you told me real? That’s fucking crazy.”
I’d told Nate about Jax and Luke. I’d said to him that Jax was the guy I met online, and he was helping us with our thesis. It could also help him since I once shared the information with him on our group project. I still hadn’t told Kath about the news, but I would again when I spoke to her.
“I literally died inside.” My shoulders fell. “I’m going to fucking die of embarrassment.”
“You cannot live in that house anymore, don’t you realize?”
“I know. I realized that but I must have a good reason for Mom and my stepfather why I can’t live with them.”
“This guy… Well, you could say that you had an online romantic relationship with him, is that it?”
“It was never romantic. But yeah, I could say that there was something.”
“Do you want to go with me when I come back on Thursday? It could save you another day of misery,” he suggested, but I knew my mother wouldn’t let me.
“But I promised Mom I’ll stay with them for the rest of the week. Unfortunately, I still have four days.”
“But can you bear it? This guy is giving you a hard time.”
I sighed, then forced a smile. I realized that even if I lost one friend, Jax, I still had Nate and Katherine.
But things didn’t work just like that. I missed Mom so much, and I would bear everything just to be with her.
“I could bear a week, but I’ll try telling them I can’t stay with them forever. Not with my stepbrother in the house.”
“Are you sure?”
“Why don’t you come to our house tomorrow before you go?” I asked, and it would definitely help me to temporarily forget things. “Mom seems to remember you; besides, I tell her about you and Katherine all the time.”
“It would be nice if she was here.” He flashed a faint smile. “But yeah, sure. Any plans for house activities tomorrow?”
“But make sure to call Kath first today, promise?”
“I promise.”
“Yes!” I exclaimed in victory. “I was bored to death. But what do you think we should do?”
“Hmm,” he hummed, thinking of something. “Why don’t we review and work on our thesis? I can download all the data I uploaded to the cloud.”
“That’s a good idea. Then we should have a snack and watch a movie. I’ll show you around the pool. It’s fantastic.”
He chuckled. “Then it’s time you introduce your best friend to your parents.”
“Yeah! I’m excited.” My shoulders fell. “I miss Kath already. You’re right. I wish she were here.”
“Me too, Scar. Oh, you didn’t have breakfast. What do you like? My treat.” He grinned.
“I’ll have macarons and coffee.”
“Great. Wait for me here.” Nate stood and went to the counter.
I tried to think of what else we could do at the house tomorrow. I could also ask him to stroll by the beach. Oh well, at least I wouldn’t be bored.