Текст книги "Until Jax "
Автор книги: Aurora Rose Reynolds
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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 14 страниц)
“I’ll be back,” I say, walking into the room and crouching down, kissing Ellie then leaning over and pressing a kiss to the top of Hope’s head.
“What do you want to do for dinner?” Ellie asks, and fuck me if that simple-ass question doesn’t do something to me.
“Whatever you want, baby. If you don’t feel like cooking, I’ll cook when I get home, or we can go out to eat.”
“I’d like to eat something that tastes good, and no offense, but the only thing you make with flavor is pancakes,” she says, making me smile.
“You don’t like chicken breasts and steamed vegetables?”
“If you add butter and mashed potatoes with gravy to that then yes,” she retorts.
“So do you want to cook?”
“I’ll cook, and then unwrap you a bar or something,” she says with a grin patting my abs.
Shaking my head I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her toward me kissing her, saying, “I’ll eat whatever you cook, babe.” Then I stand, saying goodbye to Hope before leaving the house and heading out to my truck.
*
“So what do you got?” I ask, taking a seat next to Uncle Nico, Sage and Tallon in one of the metal folding chairs around a large table in the middle of the compound’s open court. Taking in the other men at the table, I notice Z, Mic, Everett, Harlen, and Wes all have the same look on their faces.
“You know we’ve been keeping our ears to the ground, and there’s always a lot of chatter, most of it never panning out. But last night, Everett made contact with a source online. This person told him they had a lead about our guy, and then they sent over a name. When we did a simple search online, we were able to pull up a picture of a Yury Letov,” Wes says, and Mic slides a piece of paper across the table with the mug shot of a guy on the front of it toward me.
“He was in Tennessee when July was kidnapped, but has since disappeared,” Mic adds as my uncle picks up his phone and starts to send someone a message.
“I haven’t showed July this picture yet. I know that’s going to be the quickest way to find out if this is the guy, but I hate pulling this shit back up when she’s finally starting to relax,” Wes says, and I know exactly what he’s saying. Ellie’s not jumpy anymore. I don’t see the constant worry in her gaze, but I know I don’t have a choice in this matter. I have to show her.
“Fuck,” I growl, ripping my hat off and running my hand over my head then down my face. “I don’t want to have to show Ellie this, but I know if she finds out I kept it from her, she’s going to be pissed, especially when she wants to help.”
“Do you want me with you when you show her?” my uncle asks, and I shake my head.
“No, I won’t show her until after Hope goes to bed. I’ll send you a message when I get her answer.”
“I’ll talk to July tonight too,” Wes says, sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest.
“If this is the guy, it will be a lot easier to find him with a name attached to his face,” Tallon says, looking down at the picture.
“But this isn’t the guy who purchased Ellie,” I remind them, and Wes’s jaw goes hard.
“If we find him, he may know who the buyer was.” Mic adds.
“I still can’t believe some sick fuck is buying virgins,” Z grumbles from across the table.
“You and me both,” I growl, hoping like fuck that we catch this guy before any more women are taken. There is still no lead on the woman whose family contacted us when she was taken weeks ago. The only thing we know is she was meeting a guy she met online for dinner. The day she disappeared, so did her profile, along with the profile of the man she was meeting and their online conversations. It was like it never happened.
“We’re going to catch these guys. They will fuck up, and that’s when we’ll shut them down,” my uncle says, standing then looking at Wes and me. “Let me know what the girls say, and we’ll figure out the next step after that.”
“Will do.” I nod, watching him walk off, followed by Tallon, then I stand as well. “I’ll call after I talk to Ellie,” I say, watching Wes grind his jaw and lift his chin before getting chin lifts from the rest of the guys and leaving.
“You wanna talk to me about what went down with Ellie’s coworker?” I ask my cousin Sage, leaning back against my truck outside of the Broken Eagle’s Bike Shop.
“There’s nothing going on. We hooked up; she’s whacked; I told her to stay away; end of story.”
“She told Ellie she has a twin, and she’s the one who did what she did.”
“Heard that. Don’t buy it.” He shrugs, but I see something in his eyes that says he’s lying, or at the least that he doesn’t know what to believe.
“Have you ran a check on her?” I ask him softly, crossing my arms over my chest, watching his eyes go hard.
“Have I ever gotten involved in any of your relationships?” he asks, pointing a finger at me then growling “Fuck no, I haven’t. So drop it.”
“This isn’t about that and you know it. I’ve met Kim. She seemed nice, and definitely didn’t look like the kind of girl who would drug someone she was interested in.”
“I love you like a brother, but I’m telling you to stay the fuck out of it.”
“Run a check,” I say, watching his eyes flash.
“I ran a check; she’s an only child. So like I said, leave it the fuck alone,” he growls, storming off toward his car.
Watching him go, I shake my head, opening the door for my truck then pausing before getting in and looking in his direction. “Whenever you get your head outta your ass, I’m here,” I yell at his back, watching his shoulders sag before I hop into the cab, start up my truck, and take off toward home, where I know Ellie and Hope are waiting for me.
Chapter 10
Ellie
Sitting cross-legged on Jax’s bed, I stare down at the picture in my hands, feeling something ugly creep over me. Even though I remember the night July and I escaped from the house we were taken to, and even though I can still recall every single scary moment, I could never fully remember the faces of the men who had taken me. But now, looking at the picture in my hand, memories begin to flood back, more detailed than they ever were before.
“Hey, you’re safe here, remember?” Jax says gently, and I feel his fingers under my chin, bringing my eyes to his. “I promise nothing is going to happen to you.”
“I could never really picture his face until now, but it’s him,” I say, licking my bottom lip, feeling my pulse speed up and my hands shake.
“That happens sometimes. The rush of the moment clouds everything, making it hard to remember anything clearly, but then something will happen and the fog will clear, making it easier to remember,” he says, and that’s exactly what this feels like. When they asked me and July if we could help them make a sketch of the assailant, neither of us we’re able to paint a clear enough picture for the sketch artist and they had to give up.
“So what does this mean?” I ask, holding up the piece of paper then dropping it down onto my lap.
“Wes is showing this to July tonight. If she says the same thing you have, that this is the guy, then we will start tracking him,” he says as dread fills my chest.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you,” I say, watching him smile, which pisses me off. “I’m serious,” I growl in annoyance.
“I know you are, and that’s what makes it so cute,” he says, taking the paper out of my lap and tossing it to the floor. Then he crawls over me, pushing me to my back in the bed. “Do you think she’s asleep?” he asks against my ear as he settles himself between my spread legs, allowing me to feel his erection through the material of his jeans and the thin cotton of my sleep shorts.
“She was half asleep when we finished reading her book,” I murmur as he licks up the side of my neck, pulling a moan from the back of my throat.
“I think you need to be punished for all your back-talking today. What do you think?” he asks, causing my core to convulse, my knees to tighten around his hips, and my hands to wrap tightly around his shoulders.
“Okay,” I agree without thinking then close my eyes when I feel his chest vibrate with laughter against mine. “I mean no,” I retract, letting my legs fall open and my hands slip from his shoulders.
“Sure you do,” he says, raising his head above mine, smiling down at me and, not for the first time, I’m struck by how absolutely gorgeous he is. Lifting my hand, I run my fingers over the scruff along his jaw then over his bottom lip, remembering how it feels against mine every time he kisses me.
“The first time I saw you, my world stopped,” he says, catching me off guard, and my gaze goes to his. “Nothing else existed but you, and then it stopped again when I held Hope for the first time. And since that moment, there have been a million pauses, each one giving me something beautiful to remember,” he explains, and I feel my vision go blurry with tears. So I do the only thing I can: I lift up and press my face into his neck, where I whisper, “I love you,” while wrapping my legs and arms around him, soaking in the feeling of being in his arms.
“Let me check on Hope, baby,” he says, pressing a kiss to my temple after a few minutes. Letting him go, I roll to my side and watch as he leaves the room and walks down the hall, coming back a few seconds later and pulling off his shirt when he enters the room. “She and the puppies are asleep,” he whispers, leaving the door cracked behind him, then he turns on the monitor next to the bed that will let us know if she wakes as he toes off his boots and unhooks the buttons of his jeans.
Captivated by his torso, I blink up at him when he commands, “Loose the shirt,” so softly the words are barely audible. Looking at the door, my eyes fly back to him when he growls, “Now,” in a tone that has wetness gathering between my legs. Reaching for the hem of my shirt, I slowly slide it up my thighs then belly, pausing below my breasts when his eyes grow darker. Swallowing hard, I pull it over my head and drop it to my side, feeling my hair slide over my breasts.
“So perfect,” he rumbles, stepping toward the bed, running a single finger over one nipple then the other. “Now the shorts.”
Pulling my lower lip into my mouth, I sit up on my knees and pull my small sleep shorts down over my ass then sit to the side, pulling them off and dropping them onto my shirt.
“Are you wet?” he asks, pulling me to sit back up, with my knees in the bed in front of him. Nodding, because the words are locked in my throat, I feel his fingers slide down the middle of my chest, over my belly then my pubic bone, through my folds, collecting wetness before circling my clit. Causing my hips to jerk forward and my hands to land hard against his bare chest. “Easy, baby,” he says, gathering the hair at the back of my head into his free hand, forcing my head back and my eyes to meet his.
“I love this pussy. I love how wet you are.” He nips my bottom lip hard as two fingers plunge into me. “I love how tight it is,” he growls against my mouth, pulling those same two fingers out, only to thrust them back in. “I love how I can feel it begging for me to fuck it,” he says harshly before swiping those fingers over my clit in a tight circle as his hand in my hair tightens and his mouth covers mine in a brutal kiss. That has my hips rotating, fucking myself on his fingers so hard I feel the walls of my core clench.
“Not yet,” he groans, pulling his fingers away and bringing them up between us, swiping one over my bottom lip, which feels swollen then licking over it. “Lay back and spread your legs for me.”
Oh, God.
Doing what he orders, I lay back and timidly spread my legs then bring my hands up, covering my breasts.
“Unless you’re going to pull on your nipples for me, don’t cover them,” he demands, and my hands fall away to my sides as his slide down over my knees and inner thighs, where I feel his thumbs pull me open. Feeling my body shake with nervousness and excitement, I watch his face lower and his tongue come out, licking between my folds then curling around my clit, tugging it between his lips.
“Jax,” I whisper as my back arches, and my hands move back to my breasts, cupping them and pulling my nipples between my fingers.
“Show it to me, Ellie. Let me watch you as you come in my mouth,” he commands as his fingers move and two slide deep inside me, curling up and hitting that spot that pulls a mewl from deep within my chest. Pressing my tiptoes into the bed, I raise myself higher and grind myself against his mouth, coming so hard the world shatters around me, causing stars to cloud my vision and heat to race through my system like wildfire.
Coming back slowly, I hear the sound of plastic ripping then feel the weight of him settle over me. “So fucking perfect,” he says as our eyes meet, and he slides slowly into me, stretching and filling me. Pressing one hand into the bed near my head, his other wraps around the back of my thigh, pulling it tighter and higher against his side, causing the head of his cock to rub against my g-spot with frightening accuracy.
“Harder,” I beg into his mouth as his lips cover mine and his hips pick up speed. “Please, harder,” I tell him again when I realize he’s holding back.
Pressing my head into the pillow, I lift my hips with each of his thrusts, scrape my nails down his back, and then hold onto his ass, feeling the power of each movement as he slams into me over and over. Closing my eyes, I open them when he flips us over, settling me on top of him with his hands on my ass.
“Ride me,” he growls, rocking up into me.
“Jax,” I breathe, unsure, and then moan when his hands lift and drop me onto his length, bumping against something that sends a bolt of pain and pleasure through my core. “Oh, God!” I breathe, lifting my hips, falling over and over until my center begins to clench hard. As he fists my hair in his hand, my back arches, and my hands leave his chest and grip the hard muscles of his thighs behind me. His hips buck up into mine, and his free hand cups my breast, pulling my nipple, sending a spark to my womb that sets off my second orgasm, which sends me into orbit.
Letting my hair and breast go, his hands grab onto my waist and hold me tight against him as my name leaves his mouth. Falling against his chest, I feel his heart beating hard against mine and his chest moving in unison with my own as we both attempt to catch our breath.
“I gotta take care of the condom, baby,” he says gently, rolling me to my back and kissing me as he pulls out slowly, making me instantly miss him and my limbs to tighten around him, not ready to lose his weight.
“How do you feel about getting on birth control?” he asks, pushing my hair out of my face and pressing another kiss to my sensitive lips.
“I thought we were using condoms,” I whisper when his mouth leaves mine.
“We are, but if you get on birth control, we won’t have to.”
“Oh.” I bite my lip and tighten my thighs around him once more at the idea of nothing between us.
“Oh.” He smiles then murmurs, “Unless you want to give Hope her sister, then we can forgo all forms of birth control.”
“I’ll make an appointment with the doctor,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Just giving you options, baby.”
“I don’t want to have a child until I’m married,” I say quietly, dropping my eyes from his, only to feel his finger press up under my chin.
“We can make an appointment for the courthouse instead.”
“You’re so ridiculous.” I giggle, knowing by the look in his eyes he is completely serious.
“I’m going to marry you one day, Ellie, and then I’m going to adopt Hope so you’ll both have my last name,” he says, causing the air to rush out of my lungs and my body to jolt.
“Jax.”
“Gotta take care of the condom, baby, then make a couple calls,” he says, rolling off me and out of bed, coming back a couple minutes later with a warm rag, which he uses between my legs before tossing it into the bathroom. Going to his dresser, he grabs a pair of sweats that he pulls on, while I slip back on my shorts and shirt.
“I should go back to my room,” I say, watching him grab the picture from the ground and his cell phone from the top of the dresser.
“Stay here,” he says, coming toward me, forcing me back into the bed.
“Hope,” I murmur softly, looking into his eyes then to the door.
“Is fine.” He cages me in with a hand on each side of me in the bed. “I’ll be back, so just try to get some sleep,” he says, kissing my forehead then lips and leaving the room.
Rolling to my back, I look up at the ceiling and feel a smile form on my lips as my eyes grow heavy.
Lifting my coffee cup to my mouth, I look at Jax over the rim and fight the urge to laugh at the look on his face as Hope tells me about her day with him yesterday. I guess in all the excitement with the new puppies, she forgot to tell me about her and Jax going to the nail salon and wearing her costume heels around town. But my sweet Angel is telling every detail now, and each of those details is causing Jax to look at me pleadingly.
I’m not even mad at him for giving Hope her way. I know he can’t help it. Looking at her now and knowing what she had taken from her, I want to give her everything her heart desires. But as a mom, I know that’s impossible and will only lead to problems down the line.
“It sounds like you had a good day, Angel,” I tell her, watching as she spins back-and-forth and side-to-side on the bar stool she’s sitting on, eating her breakfast.
“I love Daddy Ax days.” She grins as my heart stops and my eyes fly to Jax, who has a look on his face I can’t decipher.
“I…” He clears his throat then looks from me back to Hope. “I love spending time with you too, sweetheart.”
“I know, ’cause I’m da best.” She nods then dips her spoon into her cereal, shoving a large spoonful into her mouth like she didn’t just rock my world.
“Hello?” is yelled as the front door opens and shuts, and I look from Hope towards the door to the kitchen and watch Ashlyn walk in wearing a pair of simple black ballet flats, dark grey slacks, and a black blouse. It all looks good on her, but isn’t what she normally wears, and I wonder if this is the work uniform her new boss requested.
“Hey, princess,” she greets Hope with a kiss to her cheek then turns to look at her brother then me. “Am I interrupting something?” she asks, and I shake my head, knowing I won’t be able to talk to Jax until later tonight about Hope calling him Daddy Ax. Not that I really want to talk to him about it. I don’t know what I will do if he says he doesn’t feel comfortable with her calling him that.
“Nope, but I love your outfit,” I say, watching her eyes roll.
“My boss is an asshole,” she mutters as her nose scrunches up in disgust.
“Asshole is a naudy word,” Hope chimes in helpfully, making her cringe.
“Sorry, honey,” she tells her, watching as Hope shrugs then takes another bite of her cereal.
“I gotta head out,” Jax says, placing his cup in the sink and shoving his keys into his pocket. “I won’t be back until dinner.”
“We’ll be here all day,” I say, leaning up on my tiptoes when his arm bands around my waist.
“Be good.”
“Maybe.” I smile, watching his eyes darken right before his head dips and he whispers, “Or don’t,” kissing me softly then letting me go. Placing his hand on the top of his sister’s head, he rubs it roughly, messing up her hair and making her shriek before going to Hope and kissing her forehead.
“Men are jerks,” Ashlyn grumbles, running her hand down her hair, trying to tame it. Then, she looks toward the front door and back to me when we hear it close, signaling Jax’s departure. “He’s gone,” she whispers.
“Go brush your teeth, Angel, then come back down and I’ll tell you what we’re going to do today,” I tell Hope, watching her scoot off her chair and run for the stairs. “Did you bring the stuff?” I ask looking at Ashlyn, referring to the decorations for Jax’s surprise party.
“They’re in my car.” She smiles, and I feel excitement bubble up inside me.
“What time is everyone getting here?”
“Around five. I’ll be back at three to help set up,” she says, going to the coffee pot and pouring herself a cup. “Are you sure you don’t want me to pick up a cake?” she asks, going to the fridge and getting out the cream, pouring some into her cup.
“I’m sure. I figured Hope and I could make him one.”
“He’ll love that,” she says as her face goes soft.
“I hope so,” I mutter. This whole family thing is still kind of new to me, but this is what I have always wanted, and this is what I want Hope’s memories to be filled with.
“Have you talked to July today?” she asks, changing the subject and leaning back against the counter.
“We talked this morning,” I say, wondering if she knows about us confirming that the picture was of the guy who had gotten away.
“She told me that you guys identified the other assailant.”
“We did,” I say quietly, looking toward the hall in case Hope comes back down.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m glad we know who he is and that there is now a chance of him getting caught,” I say then drop my voice. “But it doesn’t feel real anymore. It feels like something I made up in my mind, like it never really happened.”
“I think that’s because you know you’re safe.”
“Maybe, but I worry I’ve let my guard down too much, that this is all to easy.”
“Maybe it’s your turn for easy,” she returns as I hear Hope’s feet on the hardwood floor and watch her run past the kitchen doorway. Then I hear the sound of her being followed by little paws a moment later, letting me know she let the puppies out of their pen in the living room.
“You got a puppy?” Ashlyn asks, and I fight back my smile.
“Your brother got Hope two puppies,” I mutter, holding up two fingers as Hope runs into the kitchen, followed by Chocolate Chip and Pancake.
“Wook at my puppies, Aunty Ashwyn!” Hope cries excitedly, and I notice she put her tutu on over her pajama bottoms.
“Oh, my God,” Ashlyn whispers, looking at me.
“I know.” I shake my head, watching her bend down to pick them up. “Careful, we need to take them out again. Last night that one peed on Jax,” I say, pointing to Chocolate Chip, who barks at me.
“No.” She laughs.
“Yes.” I nod, going to the backdoor, opening it for her, and following her down to the grass, where we watch as both puppies run around and play until finally handling their business. When we get back inside, I tell Hope what we’re going to be doing today, while Ashlyn goes to her car, coming back a few minutes later with her hands full of bags and a promise to be back at three.
Shutting the door behind her when she leaves, I turn to look at Hope and ask, “Are you ready to bake?”
“Yes!” She yells making me smile.
Looking down at the phone in my hand, I angrily type out the words: We are never having babies, to Jax before pressing send.
I don’t care if I’m being irrational. Taking care of Hope and two puppies has put things into prospective for me today. I’m completely exhausted, the house is messier than before I cleaned it this morning, and Jax’s birthday cake—which is sitting on the counter in the kitchen—is burnt and completely lopsided. I want to cry and sleep for a week, but I still have to attempt to decorate then cook for and host his surprise birthday party.
Feeling my phone vibrate in my hand, I look down and fight back the smile I feel creeping onto my face as I read his message: Babies are easier than puppies.
Hell no, they aren’t, I text back, pressing send as I walk into the living room, where I find Hope asleep in the crate with both puppies curled around her. Snapping a picture, I send it to him, saying: Okay, this is definitely cute, before taking a seat on the couch, needing to rest for a minute.
Blinking my eyes open when I hear Hope say, “She’s sleeping,” I come face-to-face with Ashlyn, July, and some guy I have never seen before.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, sitting up and looking around.
“I used my key and found you all asleep,” Ashlyn says as the guy picks up Pancake from the floor when she jumps up on his leg.
“Oh, what time is it?”
“Just after three. If you want to sleep, we can handle everything,” she offers gently, studying me.
“No, it’s okay,” I tell her, standing up from the couch and giving July a hug when she comes to my side.
“That’s Doctor Hottie,” July mutters into my ear before letting me go. She’s not wrong; the guy is good-looking. He’s tall with dirty blond hair that’s tied back away from his face in a man-bun, with a strong jaw covered in stubble, and green eyes that stand out against his tan skin.
“I’m Dillon,” he says, turning to look at me.
“Uh…nice to meet you,” I reply, looking at Ashlyn and wondering how he ended up here.
“Mom invited him,” she tells me, rolling her eyes.
“Oh…well, that’s nice.”
“Yeah…nice,” Ashlyn grumbles under her breath then looks around. “I’m going to start getting things set up.” Then she looks at Dillon, saying, “Why don’t you fill the balloons? You seem to have a thing for helium.”
Watching him, his eyes change as he looks at her muttering, “Sure, babe,” before dropping his gaze to Hope and asking, “Do you want to help me fill the balloons?”
“Are you Aunty Ashwyn’s boyfwiend?” Hope asks, tilting her head to the side and studying him.
“Hope,” I say, watching Dillon smile, showing off two dimples.
“We’re just friends,” he tells Hope as Ashlyn snorts, folding her arms across her chest.
“Um…I think we’re going to need to get another cake,” I throw in, trying to break the awkwardness that has seeped into the moment. “I burnt the one I made.”
“I’ll go pick one up from the store,” July says, taking Ashlyn’s hand and pulling her out of the living room.
“Thanks,” I call to her back, hearing her say something to Ashlyn about “Being nice.”
“Are you weally not her boyfwiend?” Hope asks, and I can’t help it; I cover my face and laugh.
*
“He’s here,” I say, turning off the light, which causes the roomful of people to instantly go silent. Walking to the front door, I meet Jax as soon as he comes inside then take his hand without saying anything and start to lead him, chuckling, down the hall behind me toward the living room, where everyone is gathered.
“Did my mom come pick up Hope?” he asks, spinning me suddenly and pushing me up against the wall. Before I can answer him, his mouth comes down on mine, silencing anything I was going to say and making me forget we have a roomful of people waiting for us.
“Surprise!” The loud roar sounds through the house, and he pulls away just enough to see my face.
“Surprise,” I whisper, watching his face go soft then laugh when Hope runs to us, yelling, “Happy Birthday, Daddy Ax,” before throwing herself against us.
Picking her up, he smiles then wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Thanks, sweetheart,” he tells her, kissing her forehead.
“Happy Birthday, honey,” Lilly says, coming over and kissing his cheek.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Happy Birthday,” Cash says, patting his son’s back.
“Thanks, Dad. Thank you all. This is definitely surprising.” He laughs, leaning over and pressing a kiss to my hairline, making all the stress of the day worth it.
“I’m ready for my real gift now,” Jax says, coming into his room and closing the door halfway before taking off his shirt. The party was a hit and everyone had a good time. I even caught Dillon and Ashlyn laughing together a few times, which was unexpected, since there seemed to be some major tension between them. Jax even insisted on eating a piece of the cake Hope and I made him, which was sweet, considering he could have ended up in the hospital.
“I already gave you your gift,” I say with a laugh as he pushes me back into the bed and pulls my shirt off over my head.
“I love that gift, baby, but the one I really want is right here,” he says, shoving his hand down the front of my shorts, in between my legs, making me gasp.
“You can have that one too,” I moan into his mouth before giving him exactly what he wants, though I’m pretty sure I was the one who got the best gift of all.
Waking up, I roll over and see Jax is gone then lift my head and look at the clock. It’s after eight-thirty, and I don’t have to be at work until eleven today.
Hearing giggling coming from down the hall, I slip out of bed and make my way quietly to Hope’s door, where I find her wearing her pajamas, and Jax shirtless, wearing sweats, sitting at the small table his mom had gotten for her. Leaning against the door, I watch Jax take a drink of his coffee, while Hope places a piece of toast on a small plastic plate in front of him.
“Thank you, princess,” he tells her, picking up the piece of toast, taking a bite, and smiling when Hope giggles.
Lifting her glass of orange juice, she takes a sip then looks at her doll that is pulled up next to the table in her stroller. “Would you like some milk?” She asks placing a plastic bottle in the dolls lap, making Jax laugh.
Last night, after Jax made love to me, he told me he loved that Hope called him Daddy, and I know if my brother had a say in the kind of man Hope would consider her father, Jax would be that guy. Feeling tears burn the back of my eyes, I move quietly across the hall to the bathroom and get into the shower, letting the water wash away my happy tears.
*
“Kim, are you okay?” I ask, knocking on the bathroom door, when I hear her getting sick.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” she calls back, and I hear the toilet flush and the water turn on. I know exactly what is going on, because I heard the same thing when Bonnie was pregnant with Hope. And everyday I have worked with Kim in the last week, she has gotten sick.
“Kim,” I whisper when she walks out of the bathroom, holding a paper towel to her mouth. Handing her a bottle of water, I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “What’s going on?”
“It’s not what you think,” she says, shaking her head and turning to face me with tears in her eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she says, pulling me into the bathroom and shutting the door behind us, and then she lowers her gaze to the floor, shaking her head.
“What’s going on?” I ask gently after a long moment.
“Two years ago, I started to get sick, and I found out my kidneys were in the beginning stages of shutting down.”
“Kim,” I whisper, grabbing onto her hand.
“That was also when I found out I was adopted and that I have a twin sister. My sister is obviously a match, but every time things get tough, she takes off.”
