.

Jax's light snoring wakes me. My eyes slowly open, one at a time, allowing the sunlight to beam into the massive hangover I'm currently experiencing. The pain in my head is overbearing and suddenly I wish I would have drank the water he had offered me the night before instead of chucking it at him. I press my fingers to the corners of my eyes and push in hopes it will release the tension, but it's no use.

Well deserved, Gabby. Idiot.

His grip around me tightens and he pulls me back into him as I smile. A tiny kiss is placed on my shoulder giving me shivers.

"And how are we feeling this morning?" His chest shakes with laughter against my back.

"Like I was hit by a bus." I turn myself so that I am face to face with him. "Actually getting hit by a bus probably feels better than this..."

He smiles and leans in for a kiss. I close the gap between us, our lips press together and keep pace with one another before separating again into two smiles.

"Good morning, Books." Strong, tattooed arms snake around my naked body again.

"Morning, Alfie."

Every morning should start like this, minus the hangover of course. Obviously, this was not possible, I wasn't that big of an idiot. I still had a month of school left. He lived with his parents, my dad hates him. Well, sort of hates him. I think he likes him but doesn't want him with me, I get that. But I love him, and last night, he admitted to loving me back.

I look at the man holding me as he begins to fall back asleep.

"Jax?"

He eyes open as his lips form another smile.

"You didn't lie last night, right? You don't regret what you told me?"

He looks to me with a serious face, the smile disappears. "I wouldn't lie about something like that. Gabby I'm in love with you, I have no regrets."

My gut twists in the best way possible. That is exactly what I needed him to tell me.

"I love you too."

He sets his head up in his hand with his elbow down on the bed, dipping his lips to mine again as our naked bodies press firmly together. He places his hand on my back and it makes my skin tingle at his touch.

"Make love to me again" I whisper into our kiss.

The corners of his mouth turn upwards and all space between us closes as he rolls on top of me. My legs part and wrap around him, with one swift movement of his pelvis I feel him back within me.

His lips press down on mine as his slow thrusts begin.

This is exactly how I want to wake up every morning.

His lips leave mine and he places his face close to my ear.

"Is this what you wanted Books?" he whispers.

I wrap my arms around him tightly. "Oh yes" I moan and nod my head to him.

"Me too Gabby" His lips connect back to mine. His thrusts pick up speed, both of our bodies agreeing to the new pace.

It's taking everything in me not to release to him now. I want to do this with him all morning, but I know when this ends I need to get home.

"I love you" he whispers and kisses me again.

That's all it takes. My body quakes beneath his and I grip him tighter, my mouth falls open and a groan releases from it. "Jax I'm cumming!" I cry into his open mouth as I erupt around him.

"Shit Gabby..." he moans. His grip on my thigh tightens and I know he can't hold off any longer either. His thrusts increase in speed again before I feel his entire body tense up on top of me. His mouth hangs open and he places his sweaty forehead against mine.

"I love you too" I giggle as he collapses to my side smiling and panting.

I sit up in the bed and begin grabbing my clothes from the night before as he watches.

"Go steal clothes from Court. Your dad is going to smell the tequila."

"That's fine, he can smell it. I don't care." I shrug as I put my bra on.

He stares at me, I can see it in his face that I'm about to get a lecture. His look could give my dad's a run for his money. Part of me thinks my dad enjoys him because they are similar. They are both overly protective of me.

"Gabby you can't tell him about us, he's still my probation officer..."

There's a knock at the front door and both of our eyes lock.

"If that is him he is going to fucking flip when he sees it's just you and I here with no Courtney" he continues the lecture.

I roll my eyes and put my shirt on. Jax sits up in the bed and attempts to look out his window to see who could be here this early without luck.

"Am I answering your door or what?" I stare at him. Because that wouldn't be awkward at all...

He groans and gets out of the bed, kissing my lips and grabbing sweatpants from his hamper to put on.

He walks out to answer the door as I look at myself in a mirror at the end of their hallway.

Wow Gabby. You look like you were hit by that bus. I don't know how he kept a straight face during that morning sex.

My hair is frizzy from going straight to the bed with it wet and not brushed. I have huge bags under my eyes. We never actually finished showering, I still have a little dirt from the lake party above my left eye. I lick my thumb and press it to the dirt in an attempt to remove it but it's stuck there now.

"You look like ass."

My body turns to the direction of Felix's voice. He stands there with Kane, both watching me attempt to make myself look somewhat normal again.

"I feel about the same" I roll my eyes.

Jax sits himself against the counter of the kitchen, eyeing Kane. What the hell was Felix thinking bringing him over here?

"We brought you clothes to change into. Dad isn't up yet and I'm not sure he believes the Courtney story. Jackson tried to call him last night which did not help."

I look up to Jax and he shrugs his shoulders. "I couldn't find you. I was worried. That party had way too many people and the kegs were too close to the fire. To top it off... you went with Tyler of all people! I'm not sorry for calling him."

"If he would have found that party I could have lost my liquor license ass-hat" Kane scoffs. "And my brother was not the issue last night, as I recall you were..."

I see Jax's eyes dart to Kane as his face goes red with anger.

"I don't give a fuck about your liquor license bar-boy. She was drinking on Xanax, I needed to find her. Maybe try not supplying minors with alcohol so you don't have to worry about it."

"Gabby why didn't you tell anyone you started those?" Felix yells angrily. "I would have never let you come out with us!"

Kane and Jax continue to argue about my dad as Felix turns into his typical protective brother-bear.

"Dad would have killed me Gabby! I had to lie to him, Courtney isn't even home! He can see the car isn't over here!"

Shut up.

"It's your fault she was out with us in the first place thug!"

Shut up.

"Bar-boy I've had it with the 'thug' references, I have a higher education than you..."

Shut up.

"Why didn't you tell me about Tyler?"

Shut up.

"My brother didn't do anything!"

"Shut up!" I yell. "All of you!" I hold my head in my hands attempting to stop the headache that is progressively becoming worse by the second.

All three of them cease fire and peer towards me with wide eyes.

"I'm fine. I'm safe. Kane didn't lose his liquor license, dad doesn't know I was drinking on my meds with Felix, Jax didn't lose his temper..." I look at him glaring at Kane. "...yet."

His eyes snap back to mine and he shakes his head.

"We are all fine. I'll change, we will act like I didn't lose my shit last night, okay? Great."

I grab the bag of clothes from Kane's hands and walk to the bathroom. As soon as the door shuts I hear the men of my life begin to argue again. I let out a sigh and place my head back into my hands.

I want all three of them to go away at the moment.

The only way to explain this headache is the feel of an axe splitting my head into two. And then someone stomping on the smashed up bits. I picture Gallagher using my head instead his iconic watermelon.

I pull my hands away and find my mud-stained chucks lying on the floor beside me. You can't even tell that they are red anymore. I smile at them, remembering last night when I wore only those for Jax.

I dress quickly and put the shoes back on my feet. Felix packed me jeans and a hooded Lux High sweatshirt. Not exactly stealthy there bro, it's like sixty-five degrees outside. It will have to do. When I leave the bathroom, they all halt their bickering and stare at me.

"Jesus guys, I'm not damaged. I have a hangover."

Jax smiles as Felix and Kane continue to stare at me as if I'm some sort of loon. This is why I love Jax.

"Thank you for keeping her safe last night" Felix let's out a breath and stares at Jax.

Jax just nods, not wanting to go any further into this conversation. He didn't exactly take me home and let me sleep like Felix believes. Kane apparently senses this.

"You two seem fine now... kiss and make up?" he asks bitterly.

Felix's expression turns cold as he looks back at Jax. Jax looks to me, letting me know it's my choice as to who we tell. I know that he doesn't want anyone to know. He definitely doesn't want my dad to know. The look of worry in his face says everything. I can't mess up his probation, even if I believe my dad likes him, he doesn't like him with me.

"No" I reply. "He's still an ass. Just an ass who helped me get home safe and sleep it off."

I see Jax attempt not to smile at this answer, the corner of his lips quiver upwards and he looks to the floor.

So I guess I need to pretend to hate him.

"Let's get home Gabby. Dad is going to go apeshit if he comes over here with no Courtney."

I nod my head in agreement and follow Kane and Felix out the front door, unable to kiss Jax goodbye.

I turn back to him longingly. "Call Chuck later."

He smiles and gives a chuckle. "Will do Books."

I smile back at him before walking across the street. Kane said his goodbyes to Felix and left without so much as glancing back to me.

Felix and I thought we likely got away with our night out.

We definitely weren't prepared for what was waiting for us at home.