Morning Serenade

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the apartment. The city outside was already awake, but inside, everything was quiet—except for the faint clatter of plates as Grace carefully balanced a tray in her hands.

Jax was still asleep, his black hair a mess against the pillow, one arm draped lazily over his face. He looked peaceful for once. No tension in his jaw, no exhaustion in his expression. Just... calm.

Grace hesitated for a second before clearing her throat. "Rise and shine, rockstar."

Jax groaned, shifting slightly but not opening his eyes. "Five more minutes."

"Fine," she said, setting the tray down on the bedside table. "But just so you know, I made breakfast. And if you wait too long, I might just eat it myself."

That got his attention. One eye cracked open, then the other. He frowned slightly, glancing at the tray, then back at her. "You? Cooked?"

Grace rolled her eyes. "Don't look so surprised. I do know how to make food, you know."

Jax smirked, finally sitting up. "Yeah, but is it actually edible?"

Grace huffed, grabbing a piece of toast from the tray and dramatically taking a bite. "Perfectly fine, thank you very much."

Jax chuckled, running a hand through his hair before reaching for the plate. "Okay, okay. I appreciate it. This is... nice." His voice was softer now, more sincere.

Grace sat on the edge of the bed, watching as he took a bite. "You deserve it," she said simply.

Jax looked at her then, something unreadable in his expression. A beat of silence passed before he swallowed and leaned back against the headboard. "You know, I'm not used to this."

"Used to what?"

"Someone actually... giving a damn." His fingers drummed against the plate, eyes flickering to hers. "It's kinda weird."

Grace shrugged. "Well, get used to it. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Jax's lips twitched, almost like he wanted to smile but was trying not to. Instead, he just shook his head, grabbing another bite.

For a moment, it was quiet between them—comfortable, easy. And as Grace sat there, watching him eat, she realized something.

She liked this.

Not the fake-dating, not the drama, not the chaos that surrounded Jax Riot.

Just... this.

The simple moments. The quiet mornings. The way he looked at her like she was something more than just a girl playing a role.

And maybe—just maybe—she wanted more of it.

Jax smirked as he set his plate down, stretching his arms above his head. His shirt lifted slightly, revealing just a bit of his toned stomach. Grace quickly looked away, but not fast enough.

Jax caught her.

"Checking me out, Gracie?" His voice was teasing, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement.

Grace scoffed, crossing her arms. "Please. I was just making sure you didn't choke on your food."

Jax leaned closer, his smirk widening. "Sure you were."

She rolled her eyes, but the way her heart skipped a beat annoyed her. He was too good at this. Too good at making her feel things she wasn't supposed to feel.

Wanting to change the subject, she cleared her throat. "So... have you heard from her?"

Jax frowned slightly. "Her?"

"Your ex," Grace said casually, though she was watching him carefully. "Did she ever respond?"

Jax exhaled, leaning back against the pillows. "Yeah. I sent her a long message. Said everything I needed to say." He grabbed his phone from the nightstand and tossed it onto the bed. "Then I blocked her."

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "She had enough space in my head for too long. I'm done."

Something in his voice told her he meant it. There was no hesitation, no lingering emotions.

"You're really over her?" she asked.

Jax tilted his head, watching her closely. "Why? You jealous?"

Grace scoffed. "Hardly."

He grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Good. Because I'm not thinking about her anymore." He reached for his coffee and took a slow sip, his gaze never leaving hers. "Got better things to focus on now."

Grace swallowed, suddenly feeling warm. "Like what?"

Jax smirked. "Oh, I think you know."

Her stomach flipped.

This was dangerous. Very, very dangerous.

Grace grabbed some clothes from her suitcase and headed toward her room to change. She needed a moment. A moment away from Jax and his teasing smirks, his stupidly blue eyes, and the way he always managed to get under her skin.

But of course, Jax had other plans.

Just as she pulled out a fresh sweater, her door suddenly swung open.

"Seriously?" she sighed, turning to find Jax leaning against the doorframe.

"Relax, I knocked," he said, grinning. "You just didn't hear it."

Grace rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Jax?"

Instead of answering, he held up a small Bluetooth speaker and wiggled it in the air. Then, without waiting for permission, he walked in and placed it on her dresser.

"What are you doing?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Jax smirked as he scrolled through his phone. A second later, music filled the room—a slow, rhythmic melody with a deep bass that made the air feel warmer.

"Dancing," he said simply.

Grace blinked. "What?"

Jax stepped toward her, holding out a hand. "Come on, Gracie. You owe me a dance."

She scoffed. "Since when?"

"Since you forced me to eat breakfast in bed like I was some sick patient." His eyes twinkled mischievously. "Consider this payback."

Grace hesitated. "Jax—"

But before she could protest, he grabbed her hand and spun her around. She stumbled slightly, landing against his chest.

Jax chuckled. "Wow. Grace, you suck at this."

"Oh, shut up," she muttered, feeling her face heat up.

But he didn't let go. Instead, he slid his hands to her waist, guiding her movements as the music swayed through the room. Grace, despite herself, relaxed. It was... nice.

Jax was warm. Steady. And for the first time in a while, there was no tension, no stress—just them, moving together.

"I didn't know you could dance," she murmured, glancing up at him.

He smirked. "I have many talents, sweetheart."

Grace rolled her eyes, but she was smiling now. "Of course you do."

They kept swaying, the world outside forgotten. It was stupid. Completely unnecessary.

And yet... she didn't want to stop.