Buffy

Chapter 2

Brenda stepped outside the club and looked for him. He was no where
to be found. Her heart sank. Had she misunderstood him? She knew it had
been three years since college, and even then the time they spent together
had been so brief. But she still knew how to read signals, and he wanted her
as much as she wanted him. She sighed. Nevertheless, it had been years, and
it’s quite possible he was never as interested in her as she was in him.
Wanting was wanting, plain and simple, and there was no guaranteeing that
he was interested in her beyond anything surface.
“Lois is really going to have fun with this,” she said, as she gathered her
nerve and turned around to go back inside the club.
“Change your mind?” he asked, coming from around a corner. She held
her excitement in check at seeing him again. It was dark, the neon signs in
the windows the only thing to illuminate their faces. She smiled and looked
down slightly.
“No,” she said, raising her voice slightly above the level of the music.
“But I thought you might have.”
“Not on your life,” he said, holding a hand out to her. She put her hand
in his, but he didn’t pull her to him. They held hands a moment, their arms
slightly swaying. After a few moments, they both burst out laughing. Brenda
doubled over, clutching her stomach, unable to contain her laughter. “Get
over here,” he said, pulling her into a hug that was so tight, she almost
couldn’t breathe. But she didn’t mind.
“Jasper Jacks,” she said.
“Brenda Barrett.”
“What ever happened to you?” she asked. “I waited and waited.”
“I know you did, and I’m sorry I didn’t stay. More sorry than you’ll ever
know.”
“What happened?” she asked. “You said to meet you on the bridge in
two hours, but you never showed.”
“Roxy, listen--”
“No, don’t call me Roxy anymore, okay? I’m not playing games. I want
to know why you made me wait, and then never showed up.”
“Brenda, it’s an incredibly long story, and I really can’t get into it right
now.” Brenda nodded, considering herself and if the situations were
reversed. She had some secrets of her own and she could understand why he
couldn’t give her answers. It just felt good to be in his arms, and even if they
weren’t due to have any more time than an evening, she would enjoy being in
his arms, and she wouldn’t think about anything or anyone but him until
tomorrow.
“I understand,” she said finally, out loud.
“You do?” he asked.
“More than you know.”
“Well, are you ready to go then?”
“Yeah,” Brenda said, “where are you parked?”
“Just around the corner.” He held her hand as they walked towards his
Ford F-150. She let out a low whistle.
“Very nice, very nice.”
“It serves my purposes,” he said, opening the door for her. “Where’s
your car?” he asked as he helped her climb inside.
“Just over there,” she said, pointing to a champagne colored Lexus. He
let out a low whistle of his own.
“Very nice, very nice.” She just laughed and closed the door as he
walked around to the other side and got in.
“Wow,” Brenda said, once he had pulled out of the parking lot. She
pointed to his dashboard. “What is that, some kind of a high tech radio or
something?” she asked, feigning ignorance.
“Yeah, you could call it that.” Brenda reached out to play with some of
the buttons, trying to get a music station. “Don’t do that, love,” he said,
putting his hand on hers and gently putting it back on her thigh. “You’ll jam
the signal.”
“Sorry,” she said, “I just thought it’d be nice to listen to a little music.”
Jax obliged her and turned on the radio, but kept it low so he could talk to
her. “So,” she said, leaning back and looking out the window, “what have you
been doing with yourself since college?”
“I got the h#ll out of New York, spent a little time in California.”
“Well how’d you get to Texas?” Brenda asked. “I mean this is a little far,
even for you.”
“I could ask you the same question. I thought you’d never leave New
York. What are you doing out here?”
“Lois lives out here, I came to visit her.”
“How long are you here for?” he asked.
“It depends,” Brenda said.
“On what?” On you, she wanted to say, but instead, she just looked out
the window as he drove on.

“Mmm. Yeah, yeah.
Hey, oh, yeah.
I know in my heart,
I know in my mind,
We were meant to be,
Are you feelin’ me, yo?”

“So you never told me what you do,” she said, as they drove on into the
night.
“No, I guess I didn’t. I’m a private investigator.”
“No way!” Brenda said, whirling around.
“Why, what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, it just happens to be what I do as well.”
“Really,” Jax said. “Well, I am impressed. But you certainly are the right
person for the job.”

“I’m the girl in your life,
I’m the one you call wife,
And I need to know,
Are you feelin’ me, yo?
Is there anyone else,
That can do it the best?
Get the things you need?
Well it must be me.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked.
“Nothing, except that you’re dark, beautiful, and mysterious, and you
could probably convince any man to tell you whatever you wanted to know.”
“Does that include you?” she asked playfully. He didn’t answer, instead,
he pulled into the parking lot of the motel he was staying in. She mentally
asked herself why a man who could afford such a nice truck would be in a
motel like this one. It looked clean and decent enough, she reasoned. All the
lights in the sign were working, so she supposed that was something in its
favor.
As she waited for him to make his way around to her side and help her
out, she mentally kicked herself for lying to him. He would figure her out
soon enough, she thought. But she didn’t want him to. He couldn’t know
what she really did for a living, no one could. The worry fell from her face as
he opened the door and held out his arms for her. She put her hands on his
shoulders to steady herself, though she could easily have gotten down by
herself. Any excuse for physical contact was fine by her, though.

“I got very good dreams,
And your fantasies,
But I need to know,
Are you feelin’ me, yo?
Boy, are you feelin’ me?
Cause I’m feelin’ you.
Something in my heart,
Tells me you’re the one.
Are you feelin’ me?
Cause I’m feelin’ you.
Something in my heart--
Are you feelin’ me, yo?”

The silence between them was filled with tension as he led her into his
room. It was immaculate, just as she remembered him always being. The
room had a soft glow to it as he turned on the lamp beside the door. He
tossed his keys and wallet onto the table and reached into a cooler that he
had, offering her another beer. She shook her head. “One’s my limit.” He
nodded and put back the one he had intended to have for himself. He stood
in front of her, looking at her expectantly. Suddenly, she looked as though
she were going to turn tail and run.
“Are you all right?” he asked. “You know, we don’t have to do this.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m fine. Just a little nervous, I guess.”
“Well why on earth would you be nervous?” he asked, pulling her to
the bed and sitting down a safe distance away from her. He seemed
genuinely interested in whatever it was she was about to say, and it reassured
her.

“I’m crazy for you,
I’m ballin’ for you.
I got feelings for you,
Are you lovin’ me yo?
Tell me if it’s that time,
Do I blow your mind?
Cause I need to know,
Put my life on the line.
Give you the key to my heart,
All the love that I own,
But before I do that,
Are you feelin’ me, yo?”

“I was sort of worried about opening things up again,” she admitted.
“Is that what we’d be doing if we spent one night together?”
“Would one night be enough?” she asked quickly. “From the way you
kissed me tonight, I’d judge that in three years, your feelings for me haven’t
abated.”
“They haven’t,” he stated plainly. She took his hands in hers and
scooted closer to him, kissing him softly on the lips.
“It isn’t you that I’m afraid of,” she said. “Three years ago, we spent 36
incredible hours together. After that, it ended, and I’ll admit, it took me more
than a little while to be okay with that. And now, here you are, looking as
gorgeous as ever, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to help it if my heart goes
right back to that same place.”
“Brenda--”
“I’m not asking you for a commitment, Jax, I just--” before she could say
another word, he was kissing her, and all thought went from her mind. Her
hands traveled up and down his chest intoxicatingly. He pulled her up from
the bed to a standing position and pulled her into a sensual embrace. She
moaned softly as he reached into the waist of her jeans and tugged slightly.
He pulled off her top and cast it onto the floor, his finger tips blazing trails all
over her skin. She deepened the kiss as she pulled his shirt out from the waist
of his pants and then over the top of his head. He let out a low grunt as his
hands slid down the back of her thighs, and pulled her up around his waist.
They fell onto the bed, giving in to their passion for one another.

“Anything for you,
Cause I’m big on you,
But I need to know,
Are you lovin me, yo?
Boy, are you feelin’ me?
Cause I’m feelin’ you.”

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, as he kissed a trail from a tender
spot just beneath her ear lobe to the base of her throat. Brenda bit her
bottom lip in anticipation as he gently pulled at her bra strap. It was about to
give when they both felt a small vibration between them. Brenda opened her
eyes, groaning to herself. She knew it was her.
“That’s me,” she said, as he got off of her. She pulled the pager from the
waist of her jeans and looked at the number. It was Lois. “D@mn,” she said.
“I’m sorry, I have to answer this. It’s important.”
“I understand,” he said, breathlessly. “Just hurry back, okay?” she
nodded, kissing him once more and grabbing her purse, she headed into the
bathroom. She dialed Lois’ number quickly and waited for her to answer.
“Lois,” she said, as soon as the phone was picked up, “this better be
REAL good.”
“Look, I’m sorry to interrupt your little rendezvous with eye candy over
there, but I have some news. Some big news.”
“Don’t tell me you found Mathers.”
“I found him all right,” Lois said, the disgust on her voice.
“Are you all right?” Brenda asked.
“I’m fine. I’m still in the club, I’m in the bathroom. Listen, this guy is
going to be so easy. I’ll just take him out, and that’ll be the end of it. I tell you
Brenda, I never expected to catch this guy so easily.”
“Lois, don’t you do it, do you hear me?” Brenda asked.
“What? Why not?”
“Because we never go alone, remember?”
“Yeah, but this little guy? Come on, you or I could take him easily by
ourselves.”
“Well I don’t wanna take that chance, is that clear?” Brenda asked.
“What’s wrong with you, anyway? You know I can handle this by
myself.”
“I do know that, but I’d feel better if you waited for me.”
“Are you coming back now?”
“No,” Brenda said adamantly. “I’m staying the night.”
“Well we could lose this guy over night. Look, I don’t know what the
big deal is, just let me handle this, I’ll be back to the hotel by morning, no
harm, no foul.”
“I don’t like this, Lois, and I don’t mind telling you.”
“Well I don’t mind telling you that I am not waiting until the morning
to let this sick pervert go. Now either you’re coming now, or you’re not
coming at all. I’m giving you one hour to get your butt back here, and if
you’re not, then I’m going on my own, and I’ll check in with you when it’s
done.”
“I guess that’ll have to be okay,” Brenda said, after a long pause. “How
long do you think it’s going to take you?”
“How long does it usually take me?” Lois asked. “One bullet in the
head, crash his car, walk away. Number 175 down the drain.”
“All right,” Brenda said, “but if anything goes wrong, you call me.
Where are you gonna do the job?”
“Ten miles east of the club.”
“How are you gonna get him there?”
“He’s going there himself, I heard him trying to sweet talk some girl
into going out there with him, he has a trailer or something.”
“No witnesses, Lois, you know that.”
“Of course I know that, why are you treating me like I’m new at this?
I’ve done this more times than you have. Listen, you just go have a good time
with eye candy, and take good notes so I can live vicariously tomorrow. I’ll
see you in the morning.” Lois hung up before Brenda could say,
“Lois--be careful.” Brenda paced in the bathroom for a few minutes,
and then a new resolve came over her. Lois would be fine. She had been
doing this long before she and Brenda started working together, and this guy
Mathers would be an easy mark. She shouldn’t be worried. She would go out
there, have a good time with Jax, make a few memories, as Lois would say,
and do her best to forget about him in the morning and go on with her life.
Yes, that’s exactly what she would do.
Brenda opened the door to find Jax still sitting on the bed, looking at
her with the passion still in his eyes. “Sorry about that,” she said.
“No problem,” he said. “Are we still on the same page?”
“Oh, you bet we are,” she said, coming over to him and moving easily
into his arms.

“Something in my heart,
Tells me you’re the one.
Are you feelin’ me?
Cause I’m feelin’ you.
Something in my heart--
Are you feelin’ me, yo?
Are you feelin’ me, baby, baby.”

He was on top of her in moments, undoing her belt and quickly
making history of her jeans. His pants soon joined their other clothes in a
heap on the floor. They lit a firestorm of passion as his hands roamed all over
her body. “Jax,” she said weakly, when his mouth traveled down past her
collar bone and to her chest. Her hands tangled in his hair as favored her
upper body then her lower body. Unable to take anymore, she pushed him
onto his back and joined them quickly. They established a pace quickly that
lasted well into the night....
 

It was pitch black outside and inside the room when Brenda opened
her eyes and remembered where she was. She felt Jax’s arms in a tight grip
around her as his body spooned hers. She could feel his heartbeat against his
back, and his slow, deep breathing slightly tickling the side of her face. There
was no way she could make a move without him feeling her, so she just
decided to lay there and enjoy these few moments before dawn.
She couldn’t help but think of Lois. It had been late when she’d called,
but now it was hours later, and the job had to be over. Shouldn’t Lois have
called? Then she remembered, Lois probably didn’t want to risk her own life
with Brenda if she interrupted again, just to tell her that everything went fine.
And if things hadn’t gone fine, she would have heard by now. Wouldn’t she?
But what if Lois wasn’t in a position to get in touch with her? Oh, why didn’t
she just go back to the club with Lois last night? Being in Jax’s arms, she
answered her own question. If she never saw him again, it was fate that
they’d run into each other, several states away from where she thought they’d
said goodbye forever.
Brenda played last night over and over in her mind. How it had been
Lois’ idea to go out and have a good time. She would never have imagined
that they’d run into both Jax and Mathers tonight. Jax in Texas, and Mathers
seven counties away from where he should have been. She supposed she was
just lucky. The more Brenda thought about this, though, the more nervous
she got. She shot up in bed, not caring if she disturbed Jax. He didn’t seem to
wake up, he just turned over, settling back into a deep sleep. Her
conversation with Jax played over and over in her mind.
“I’m a private investigator,” he’d said. And that high tech radio in his
truck?
“That was no radio,” Brenda said, her hands rushing to her mouth. She
turned to look at Jax, asleep in the bed. “That was a police scanner!” she
whispered with urgency. She got out of bed and dressed as quickly and
quietly as she could. She went into the bathroom and called Lois’ pager. She
put in a message for Lois to just come and get her, don’t call, just come. ‘Rally’
was the message she sent to Lois. She then put in the name of the motel and
hoped Jax would stay asleep until she got there.
Brenda went back into the bedroom and paced the floor in front of the
bed, staring at Jax, hating him more and more with every second that passed.
How could he do this to her? Was he even doing this to her? Part of her
hoped that she was wrong, but she knew that she wasn’t. She couldn’t be, she
had too much sense, and she had been in this too long. She should have been
able to spot a cop at forty paces, she mentally berated herself. Well fine, she
had learned from this mistake, and she wouldn’t make it again. Brenda went
over to the window and felt such relief when she spotted Lois pulling into
the parking lot. She parked next to Jax’s pickup truck and waved Brenda to
hurry. Brenda nodded and closed the window back, her hand on the knob.
She felt a tight grip on her shoulder then.
“Where are you going, love?” Jax asked. Brenda’s entire body filled
with tension.
“Uh, nowhere,” she said, turning around to kiss him passionately. “I just
wanted a soda.”
“Well I’ve got some in my cooler,” he said.
“I looked, it didn’t have the kind that I liked. The machine’s just at the
end of the sidewalk outside, I’ll be right back.”
“I don’t think so,” Jax said, the expression on his face suddenly
becoming very serious.
“Why not?” Brenda asked, the fear growing on her voice.
“Because you’re under--” before Jax could finish his statement, Brenda
brought her hands up and decked him as hard as she could. She knew it
wouldn’t be enough to knock him down, so she hit him repeatedly in the gut,
and when he staggered back enough in surprise, she kicked him back onto
the bed, and was out the door before he knew what had happened. “D@mn
it!” He yelled, going for his gun and following her out the door. Lois had
already turned the car around and Brenda ran to jump inside. Lois took off
before Brenda could even close the door. “Stop!” Jax yelled, holding his gun
in the air. It was too late. Brenda and Lois were long gone.

Song Credit: “Are You Feelin’ Me?” by Aaliyah from the Romeo Must Die
Soundtrack.