➳T A K E   N O T E

This book will be told in DUO POVs. The chapters that have the header "In Which He..." is Jax's POV. The chapters that have the header "In Which She..." is Blaire's POV. Please take note, otherwise you will get confused!

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[ J A X ' S   P O V ]

Remember the time I said to my ex-girlfriend that I'll get out of town and turn over a new leaf?

Yeah. I only got the 'getting out of town' part right.

If we really want to get specific, I didn't actually tell her that I was going to change and all that bullshit. I had a weak moment—a very, very weak moment—in which I got drunk and basically told her that I loved her but also I don't love her—I know, it's complicated—and she, being the only sane one in this situation, told me to start over somewhere else.

And I did. Kind of. I'm in LA a.k.a the City of Angels—It sounds like a fucking Cassandra Clare book—and upon the first five minutes of being here, I don't feel any holier.

What a fucking disappointment.

I don't know what to expect when I came here. My father was the one who suggested that I moved here, at least temporarily, until I can get my shit together before heading back to university.

      And like an idiot, I took his advice, packing all my bags, and moved all across the fucking country only to realize that I didn't get a huge epiphany like I hoped about being a better and more peaceful person and turning into a damn priest.

Perhaps the priest thing was a little bit exaggerated, but you catch my drift.

I know, I know, you must be thinking that this Jax guy is really damn stupid if he thinks that he can just change just because he moved states. Well, obviously I knew that. I know change takes effort. I've seen the movies. I've read the books.

Seen it first-hand, actually.

Sienna Lane a.k.a said girlfriend had been a major bitch when I cheated on her with her sister. She lusted for revenge and craved it so much that she would put her quest for my blood above anything else. I don't blame her—she's been fucked up ever since her parents divorced three years ago. Mom left her for the Bahamas—or some place like that. She had to stay with her dad and watch him as he married and remarried over and over again.

When I found her, she was a god given mess. I saved her. I made her strong. I told her to hold two middle fingers up in the air and said fuck the world. And she did it. I played a major part in helping her become her worst. It's not something I would brag.

      But I have to admit, I thought I was doing her right. I taught her that anger is the only thing that's keeping us going in life. Anger is the reason why we fight.

And boy, she fought. With everything she got.

So naturally, when she found out I cheated on her with Beth, she was furious and her only priority was to watch me fall. She teamed up with my rival in the fighting ring—Kayden Williams—and she taught him everything she knew about me so he could beat me.

But I think somewhere along the way, she kind of fell in love with him—gag, I know—but their relationship couldn't really progress unless Sienna let go of her anger. And  in that time, there wasn't a chance in hell she was going to do that.

I think him leaving her sort of changed her because it made her realize that revenge isn't really everything. She changed in front of my very eyes. She learnt to let go, little by little. She was rarely in a bad temper anymore. She smiled more. She gave Beth the possibility of forgiveness.

She changed. She became a better person. And she told me to do the same. She pushed me to the direction of heading to LA. She told me to achieve my own happiness somewhere else because Boston sure as hell don't have anything to offer to me.

And I agreed. So here I am.

And no, I didn't change.

I'm pretty much the same fucking asshole she met three years ago.

Nobody actually tells you this but in truth, change is fucking difficult. In fact, it's a major pain in the ass. I saw what Sienna went through and it ain't easy. I've seen the pain she undergone, seen what the anger had done to her. It made a mark on her. Tainted her soul. Damaged her.

But she was still redeemable. It wasn't an easy road but she did it.

But it's different for me. I can't do it. I'm not damaged—I'm destroyed. There is nothing left of me to salvage. If you dug under all my layers, you would find nothing but ash and bone. And trust me, nothing good comes out of that.

I've done nasty things during my twenty years of existence. I don't deserve to be redeemed.

I don't deserve redemption.

Because you can't redeem someone who has no soul to redeem.

Yes, I don't seek what Sienna had found. As much as I want it, I've accepted the fact that I can't have it. If LA isn't going to make me feel otherwise, then it's never going to happen.

      That's when I come to the realization that seeking solace and peace and forgiveness and all that bullshit will never work on me. I'm a wicked person and I don't deny it. It has already become part of me—etched into my soul. I bathe myself in darkness and I embrace it. There's no possibility in cleansing me.

I've had my sins. I've cheated, manipulated, tricked, fought and in some cases, almost killed people.

I'm the devil. The flames of the fire kiss my feet. I burn everything I touch and everyone knows it.

That's why people tend to stay away from me. They want me but they don't get too close for me to destroy them too.

So you may be wondering, if I'm not seeking redemption, then why did I take all the effort to move to LA?

I would tell you that there is a reason behind it but I would be lying. I don't know myself. But I'm here now. And I'm not leaving.

Maybe I'll burn souls here.

Or maybe they'll burn me.

Regardless of the outcome, I have a feeling that the next three months is going to be absolute hell for me.

      Perfect.

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A/N: So this is just a sneak peak of Jax's story, Perfect Redemption. To those of you who have never read the Perfect series, welcome! It's perfectly fine if you haven't read any of the books. Perfect Redemption bears very little ties to the first two books. But if you're interested in seeing Jax's sort of 'prequel' story, then head on over to Perfect Addiction.

But if you've already read it and you're here for Jax, that's great! I know I said the Perfect series was only going to be a trilogy. But it technically still is—sort of. Perfect Redemption will only have a maximum of twenty chapters. It will not be a full length novel like Perfect Addiction or Illusion. It's sort of like a little novella just for you guys, since the demand of Jax's story was strong. So it's my gift to you (;

Make sure you check me out on my social links:

Twitter—claudiaoverhere

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I don't exactly have an updating schedule now because of my exams that are looming in November, but rest assured that updates will come, just not as often anymore. Please don't pester me for updates. I'm stressed enough already.

Stay tuned. And what do we call fans of Perfect Redemption? Redeemers? I kind of like that.

Love, Claudia.