The Ride Home

The moment Jax and his entourage got ready to leave, the energy in Ernie's Diner shifted.

People were still whispering, and Finn? Finn looked like he was about to pass out.

"This is insane," he muttered under his breath. "Like, I'm never gonna recover from this. Grace, do you even realize what just happened? You were just standing with Jax Riot. Talking to Jax Riot. And now he's leaving, but like—he knows your name."

Grace sighed, rubbing her temples. "Finn, I—"

But before she could finish, Jax's band members started saying their goodbyes.

"Alright, we're out," Drew, the band's lead guitarist, clapped Jax on the back. "We'll see you tomorrow , yeah?"

Jax nodded. "Yeah."

Victoria smoothed down her blazer. "Let's go, then. The limo's waiting."

Finn's eyes went wide. "A limo. Of course, they have a limo."

Jax turned to leave, but then—at the very last second—he looked at Grace.

His gaze lingered just a little too long.

"See ya, waitress," he muttered.

Then he was gone.

Grace blinked. Waitress?

Finn gasped. "Did you hear that? He has a nickname for you! Oh my god, Grace—"

She groaned, shoving him lightly toward the back. "Finn. Go take out the trash before you explode."

—

Inside the Limo

Jax slid into the leather seat, exhaling sharply as the door closed behind him. Finally, some peace.

Or so he thought.

Jax barely had time to breathe before Victoria dropped the bombshell.

"She's your new girlfriend," she said, perfectly calm, as if she were discussing the weather.

Jax froze, his hand still halfway through unbuttoning his leather jacket.

"What?"

Victoria adjusted her bracelet. "Grace already agreed to it."

Jax blinked. His pulse kicked up. "What do you mean, she already agreed?"

"I mean," Victoria said smoothly, "that I spoke to her privately, and she said yes."

Jax let out a sharp laugh. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not."

His jaw clenched. "Mom, I don't even know her."

Victoria's gaze didn't waver. "Then you'll get to know her."

Jax ran both hands through his hair, staring at her like she'd lost her mind. "This is insane. You can't just—"

"I can. And I did."

Jax exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Mom. You're seriously expecting me to fake-date a random girl I met, what, an hour ago?"

Victoria sighed. "Jax. We both know your image needs work. The press is already buzzing about the two of you, and if we don't control the narrative, it'll spiral." She paused, letting the words sink in. "This is the best move for you."

Jax turned his head, staring out the window.

The city lights blurred as they passed, but his mind was racing.

"This is a terrible idea," he muttered.

Victoria tilted her head. "Is it?"

Jax clenched his jaw.

The paparazzi were already running with the story. If they didn't control it, they'd twist it into something worse—something messy.

And Grace...

Grace was just some girl.

A waitress.

Someone with zero reason to want this—except, of course, for the money.

His mother must've offered her something big for her to agree to something this crazy.

Jax turned back to Victoria, eyes narrowed. "What did you promise her?"

Victoria's lips twitched. "Enough."

Jax's fingers curled into a fist.

She was being vague on purpose.

His mother was always playing games.

But then she leaned forward, her voice dropping just slightly.

"This isn't optional, Jax," she said. "You will do this. You will keep it quiet. And she will, too. Because if this gets out—if the press finds out this relationship is fake—it will be even worse for you. Understood?"

Jax felt his stomach tighten.

He had no choice.

None at all.

And tomorrow?

Tomorrow, his fake relationship would officially begin.