Chloe's mind raced as she walked through the school hallways the next morning, each step heavy with the weight of the decision she hadn't yet made. The previous day had been a whirlwind—her first day as a teacher, her brother's warnings echoing in her mind, and Jax Teller's piercing blue eyes lingering in her thoughts. He was everywhere she looked, even when he wasn't physically there. His presence had unsettled her in a way she wasn't prepared for.

After her conversation with David at Lumpy's, Chloe couldn't stop thinking about what he said. Was she really as naive as she felt? Had she really been so sheltered all her life that she had no idea just how dangerous the people in Charming could be?

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind as she reached her classroom. The door creaked open, and Chloe was met with the excited chatter of her fifth graders. They all turned their eyes to her, eager for attention, their innocent faces eager to soak up whatever she had to offer.

"Good morning, class!" Chloe said brightly, her voice steady despite the turbulence in her chest. She quickly dove into her lesson, finding comfort in the routine of teaching and the little smiles from her students.

But no matter how hard she tried to focus, her thoughts kept returning to Jax. His gaze had been intense the previous day, as though he was searching for something in her. What was it? Curiosity? Interest? Or was it something darker? Chloe knew one thing for certain—she couldn't shake the way he had looked at her. There was a quiet fire in him, a fire that seemed to burn only for the few who dared to get too close.

By lunch, Chloe felt drained, though she couldn't tell if it was from the lesson plans or the storm brewing inside her. She sat at a table by herself in the teacher's lounge, nibbling on her sandwich, when a familiar sound reached her ears—the rev of a motorcycle.

She froze, feeling a lump form in her throat. She knew exactly who it was. She had no way of explaining it, but the sound of that engine was like a siren call, pulling her out of her thoughts and into a place where her curiosity was the only thing that mattered.

Chloe stood up and made her way toward the window, her hands trembling slightly. Her eyes scanned the parking lot outside, and there he was. Jax Teller. He stood near a sleek black motorcycle, talking to another man who had arrived with him. The sunlight glinted off the chrome, making the bike gleam like a machine straight out of a dream—or a nightmare.

She swallowed hard. There was something about the way Jax moved that struck her deeply. His confidence, his relaxed posture, it all seemed to draw attention without even trying. The way he spoke to the other man, so effortlessly in control, made her feel small in comparison.

It wasn't just the way he looked—it was the aura around him. He wasn't like anyone else she'd ever met in Charming. Even David, who wore his own strength like armor, wasn't the same. Jax was something else entirely. He was dangerous, unpredictable. And yet, in that moment, Chloe found herself inexplicably drawn to him.

As if on cue, Jax turned his head, and his eyes found hers through the window. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly pulled back, hoping he hadn't noticed. But she knew he had. He'd seen her. And he was looking at her the way no one had ever looked at her before.

Before she could gather herself, the bell rang, signaling the start of the next class. Chloe quickly made her way back to her classroom, but the image of Jax stayed with her, hovering like a shadow in her mind. What was it about him? And why couldn't she stop thinking about him?

The afternoon felt like it dragged on forever. The kids were loud, the clock seemed to tick slower, and no matter how hard she tried to focus on the lesson, Jax's presence loomed in the background. It was as if he was following her, even when he wasn't around.

After the final bell rang, Chloe stayed behind in her classroom to organize her materials for the next day. She heard the faint hum of motorcycles approaching again, and this time, it was accompanied by the unmistakable roar of a larger engine—Jax's bike.

Chloe's hands froze on the papers she was sorting. A part of her wanted to run out and hide, but another part of her—something much stronger—wanted to see where this unexpected pull would lead. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in deeply, before she stood up, her heart racing in her chest.

As she stepped into the hallway, she saw him. Jax was leaning against the doorframe of the school's main office, his posture relaxed but still exuding an air of dominance. He wore his signature leather vest, his arms crossed over his chest, a slight smirk on his face as if he knew exactly the effect he had on her.

Chloe froze in her tracks, caught in the magnetic pull of his gaze. The air between them crackled with tension, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Ms. Hale," Jax's voice was low, almost playful, yet there was something dangerous in the way he spoke her name. "We didn't get a chance to properly meet yesterday."

Chloe's throat went dry. She hadn't expected him to approach her directly. "I'm sorry," she said, trying to muster her usual confidence, though her voice trembled slightly. "I don't think we have met, but I'm Chloe Hale. I just started teaching here."

"I know," he said smoothly, his blue eyes never leaving hers. "I heard a lot about you. I don't think I realized how... beautiful you were until now."

Chloe's breath hitched at the unexpected compliment, her cheeks flushing. She wasn't used to receiving attention like this, especially not from someone like him. She cleared her throat, her mind scrambling for something to say that wouldn't make her sound too flustered.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice betraying her nerves. She forced herself to meet his gaze, trying to regain her composure. "I'm just here to teach, Mr. Teller. I'm not interested in—"

"Call me Jax," he interrupted gently, a small smirk playing on his lips. "And I wasn't going to offer you a job at the garage or anything. But you should know, this town's got a way of pulling people in. Sometimes it's hard to escape."

His words lingered in the air between them, heavy with unspoken meaning. Chloe felt the weight of them settle into her chest, her curiosity piqued more than ever before.

"I'm not looking to get pulled into anything," she replied, trying to sound firm, though her voice wavered slightly. She knew she should walk away, should stay distant like David had warned her. But something in Jax's presence made it hard to take her own advice.

"I get it." Jax leaned a little closer, his gaze softening, his voice quieter now. "But I'm not so sure the town feels the same about you."

With that, he turned and walked out of the building, leaving Chloe standing there, breathless, her heart racing.