by Leela Ash
“Jax?” Layne’s voice met his ears and he felt a surge of peace settle his nerves.
It was strange and probably overprotective, but whenever she was out of sight, he found himself fighting pangs of anxiety. They had been separated far too many times for his comfort, and not knowing where she might be always brought a primal fear into his heart. It was the fear of a man who had lost too much. A fear that knew that life was cold and cruel, and would not make allowances simply for his pleasure. He could love Layne, love their child, love anything in general with his all. But there was a lot of risk involved in that. He had found it to be a lot safer to keep others at a distance after the tragedy struck. Even if he gave his all for his family, there was the terrifying chance that it would still mean nothing in the end, because anything could happen to take it away from him.
“Why do you look so gloomy?” Layne asked, smiling at him.
Jax stared at her, captivated by the immense beauty that radiated off of her in waves. And yet, she seemed to know nothing about how beautiful she was, or how much he truly loved her. She leaned her head against the doorframe and quirked an eyebrow. “You’re too pretty to be thinking that hard.”
Jax couldn’t help but laugh. He was far from a meathead, but she made casual jokes precisely because he was smart enough to see the humor in them. He could tell that in the world before devastation, she had been a firecracker. The kind of woman no man would ever get in the way of. These women were intimidating to Jax’s friends, even his own brother, but secretly Jax had always had a strong attraction to them. There was something sexy about confident women, especially the ones who were proud of their own minds. It was like he had been born to fall in love with Layne.
“Seriously, what’s wrong?” Layne asked, moving toward him and putting her hand over his forehead. He pulled away and gripped her wrists, his dark eyes shining mischievously.
“I can think of a couple of things,” he said, pulling her inside the bedroom and kicking the door closed. “And one of them is that you still have clothes on.”
“Easy, tiger,” she said, pushing him gently away and guiding his hand to the mound where their baby was growing. “I’m feeling kind of nauseated right now.”
“They call it morning sickness,” Jax sighed, sinking into the chair beside her desk. “But it never seems to go away.”
“It will,” Layne promised, kissing Jax on the top of his head. “How is the nursery coming along?”
Jax perked up at the mention of his latest project. The house where they had settled had only one small bedroom, and it was soon to be cramped with Tobi, Sam, and a new baby. The girls had made themselves a makeshift bedroom where the couch was, but Jax had decided that he would find a solution that was better for everybody. It had started out as a simple way to keep himself busy. Realistically he would be able to do little if their little settlement was caked with snow, but so far it had been a mild winter there. Up north where his brother was, however, was a different story.
“It’s great,” Jax said. “I have almost all of the wood ready. I just need to finish digging up the foundation and finding enough stones to make it secure.”
Layne smiled lovingly at Jax, and once again he felt overwhelmed by his love for her. He would do whatever it took to take care of their family.
Chapter Four
Layne sighed inwardly. Jax was working so hard to make sure that they would have a proper home to raise the baby in. But Layne was afraid. There was no telling how long the virus lay dormant. Any contaminated surface could very well still be contaminated. She would have no way of knowing. Most things would have been better off being incinerated if there was going to be any chance of a baby being safely born into this disgusting world with no immunities.
For all she knew, the home they lived in could be a source of contamination and heartbreak. Even if Jax worked his hardest, the virus might not even be dead in their home. There were extremely dangerous compounds experimented with by the greatest scientific minds of all time that had worked toward creating the virus, and it was this very strength that had made it so devastating.
But these types of things were far from Jax’s mind. He was focused on the present moment; building and working to keep his mind free of the devastating thoughts that haunted him. He didn’t think that she knew about it, but his dreams were plagued with the true depth of his sadness. The loss of his home and family had taken a strong toll on Jax. Although he was masculine, strong, and dependable, he was also a sweet, sensitive soul. It was no wonder that the tragedy had affected him so deeply.
Layne was a little bit different than he was. She was always the more level-headed, cool, collected one. While he had played hard to get when they first met and never opened up to her about his pain, even now, she hardly even gave herself a chance to process any of what had happened. She had gone through an extensive mourning period when it first happened that left her numb and detached. Part of her clung to that numbness and held tightly to the practical matters that allowed her to live her life to the fullest. She had a warm bed, frequent meals, and a plan. If she lost her child to the virus, she would bury it with the rest of her pain and feed herself stories about how it would be for the best. The baby wouldn’t have much of a chance in a world like this anyway.
She couldn’t be optimistic like Jax was. He was sure that everything was going to be okay, even though it was scary. He chose to believe, above all else, that they would find a way to make it work and he would be able to take care of his family. He would even make a testament to his hope – a permanent room that would remind them all of the loss they had endured, a gaping reminder of the injustice of the world they lived in.
But what remained unspoken between them was that Jax would surrender the room to Tobi and Sam if worst came to worst. And, without words, together they had already chosen the place in the garden most suitable to burying a loved one. But even if he was thinking the same awful thoughts that she was, she knew that he wouldn’t speak out loud to her about these things. And she wouldn’t make him. Jax would stay strong, full of hope, for the both of them. That was part of why she loved him so much.
“Well, I guess I’ll get back to work then,” Jax said, standing up and taking her hands in his. “I love you.”
He bowed down and kissed her cheek, and Layne watched him leave with a twinge of guilt. She didn’t actually feel sick. She was just obsessed with the knowledge Sam had just given her and needed sometime alone to process it.
Layne waited until she was sure that Jax was back to work and carefully opened the desk drawer where she was hiding the notebook she had been making notes in. There was somewhere they could go to get the materials they needed before the baby was born. Even if she couldn’t kill the virus, or cure it, there was a high chance she could, at the very least, create a vaccine. And Sam knew of people to the south who had other people, smart people. More importantly, they had materials. And she was willing to do whatever it took.
Layne’s heart hammered hard in her chest. She was only three months along. Winter had barely just begun. There were at least a few more months left of cold, and the baby was due in spring if they were lucky.
A pang of pain shot through Layne and she closed her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows. She wasn’t so far along that she was useless yet. Whether Jax and Sam liked it or not, she was perfectly capable of physical activity. And there was a chance that being brave enough to venture out on her own might reap rewards greater than their pathetic little world could even begin to imagine.
Layne fingered her abdomen absently, wondering what Jax would think if she knew about her plan. He would never let her go. But it was dangerous to let him go in her stead. He had a target on his back, and so did Tobi. If they were going to do this before the baby was born, she and Sam would have to work alone. And if their partners knew what they were up to, there would be no chance that they would ever accomplish what they set out to do.
Jax trusted her, but he was also just as o
verprotective as Sam. It’s not like they were very warrior-like. Jax and Tobi had been bred to be killers during their time in Hex. But it was exactly because of that that they were better off staying in hiding. If the tribe knew where its members had escaped to, there would be serious repercussions.
As far as Jax and Tobi were concerned, Sam and Layne were on house arrest. Especially because Layne was pregnant and Sam was the only one truly qualified to take care of her. But that’s precisely why it was so smart for them to stick together. Jax and Tobi would stop them, but if Sam was serious and she would be able to take the heat from Tobi when they got back, then there was nothing that could get in their way.
She knew what they had to do. And whether Jax liked it or not, she was going to take care of her baby.
Chapter Five
Jax slipped quietly into the bedroom. Night had fallen hours ago, and the little house had been very quiet. Normally, dinner was a festive occasion, but for some reason it seemed like everybody was feeling glum. Layne and Sam were particularly quiet. Usually they could find anything to talk about. Since Tobi and Sam had returned with him a few months before, the two of them had become fast friends. Maybe something had happened between them to make them feel upset.
“Layne?” Jax called softly.
Shortly after he had served dinner, Layne had returned to the bedroom. The lights were off. The only light came from the silver glow of the moon outside the window. Layne’s back was to him, but when she heard Jax’s voice, she turned and offered him a smile.
“There you are,” she said warmly. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Oh yeah?” he asked, slipping into bed.
“Yeah,” she said, moving close to him. His heart rate quickened when she put her hands on his shoulders and climbed onto his lap. He was suddenly surrounded by her smell, and she pressed her lips onto his, stealing a long, languid kiss that sent a thrill of longing rushing to his groin.
“I take it you’re feeling better?” he asked, pulling away to grin. He frowned when the question seemed to make her darken.
“It comes and goes,” she said, turning her soulful eyes onto the pure white sheets of the bed.
Before he could ask her if something was wrong, if they should leave it at that and go to bed, her cool hands were on his face and once again he was overpowered by the suggestive tugging of her lips on his. It had been a while since she had taken charge like this, and he had to admit that if she kept it up, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to stop himself from taking her.
“Touch me,” she breathed into his ear.
She moaned when she felt him harden beneath her. Jax ran his hands up and down her body, slipping them under the slip of her nightgown and feeling her silky skin against his hands. They were rough and calloused from all the building he had been doing, but Layne almost seemed to enjoy them more that way.
Her lips parted in anticipation when Jax’s fingertip brushed her nipple, and he smiled at her before seizing her mouth in his. Their tongues started a sensual dance as the curves of his palms cupped her breasts and he gave a gentle squeeze. Jax felt Layne tense up in pleasure as he massaged her nipples, burying his face in the nape of her neck and planting slow, sultry kisses on her flesh, tugging it gently with his lips.
Layne sighed loudly into his ear and he gritted his teeth. Jax loved feeling her slight body on top of him, and the sharp, erotic sighs that he brought to her lips. He knew exactly how Layne wanted to be touched, and when she challenged him on this knowledge, it was gratifying for both of them to be reminded that their bodies were completely in tune.
Jax smiled when he felt Layne’s gentle hands slip under his shirt. Her gorgeous face was totally self-possessed as she tugged it over his head and dropped her hands to his belt loops. She took a moment to study his muscular abdomen and traced the mounds of his six-pack, leaving trails of fire where her fingers had been.
Jax closed his eyes and shuddered in pleasure when his shaft was suddenly seized by Layne’s firm grip. She gave it a gentle tug and his body was awash with the familiar, indulgent sensations of her generous hands and sensual lips.
“I want you to do whatever you want to me,” Layne whispered, baring her body to Jax.
His heart hammered hard as he took in the sight of her beautiful body. He hadn’t been sure whether or not it was okay to touch Layne now that she was pregnant. He didn’t want to overstep any of the unspoken boundaries that she was trying to uphold, and if he was trying to get her into bed all the time the way he had when they had first found their home, it would be a tremendously difficult time for her. Layne was never the type to submit if she didn’t want to, but she was also considerate of his feelings and needs. If he kept on her strongly, she might cave whether she wanted to or not, and Jax wouldn’t forgive himself for that.
“Are you sure?” Jax asked her, eyeing her curiously. Was she just trying to make up for holding out on sex earlier in the day, or did she legitimately want it?
“Why are you still talking?” she groaned, forcefully pinning his shoulders down on the mattress. Jax cried out softly in surprise. “I told you I needed touched.”
That was the last of Jax’s self-control. He thrust hard between her legs and moaned in gratification when the head of his penis became submerged briefly in the heat of Layne’s middle. She smiled down at him, moving her hips sensually over his before sinking down on his throbbing groin.
They both cried out in pleasure when they felt Jax successfully buried inside of her, and neither of them moved for a moment, relishing in the sacred feeling of their bodies intertwined. Part of it was a game. They were each fascinated to find out who would break the embrace first. Usually it was Jax who took Layne by surprise, thrusting powerfully inside of her and causing her body to contract tightly around his anticipating muscle.
They locked eyes. Usually, Layne would be waiting, bracing herself for Jax to make his move. He could tell by the way her body tensed up beneath him. But this time, Layne was on top looking down, and instead of waiting for him to move, she seemed to be calculating something. He couldn’t begin to guess what she might be thinking.
Suddenly, Jax cried out in a combination of surprise and pleasure. Layne had started grinding her hips on top of him, dragging her body up and down his long, awaiting shaft. She had buried her hot lips against his neck, sucking and nibbling him fervently as she worked his body beneath her, taking her pleasure from him and pausing to let him thrust his hips. Her soft gasps were muffled by his hair and the flesh she was gripping between her teeth.
Jax was shocked by her forwardness. It wasn’t the first time he had seen it. There were times she would get so worked up that she would take charge, and it was always a pleasure for both of them when that happened. Maybe it was her hormones. Something about her seemed different.
Jax didn’t have enough time to think about it. He was quickly distracted by the movement of Layne’s hips, the primal longing that she was inspiring within him. When she stopped grinding on top of him and he looked up into her face, he could tell that she was on the brink of her climax.
This was her invitation to him, and a way of prolonging their time together. Jax gripped Layne’s wrists and threw her onto the bed, climbing on top of her and thrusting himself as deeply as possible into her. Layne squeezed her eyes closed in pleasure and ran her nails down his biceps as he unleashed all the power within him that had been building up. He wasn’t used to being dominated, and now he was going to make up for lost time.
They cried out in pleasure together as Jax’s member rammed into her, sending her on wave after wave of ecstasy. Finally, the contractions of her body suctioning around him was too much for him and he was unable to hold himself back any longer. He uttered a low growl as a hot, tingling sensation began low in his abdomen. Jax wanted to hold it back, but when he looked down at Layne, the beauty of her body in the moonlight overloaded his senses.
Layne arched her back as he unleashed the hot flood of his longi
ng deep inside of her and they reached the height of their climax together. They laced their fingers together and lay panting on the bed. Jax reached his other hand over to Layne and brushed the soft wisps of hair off of her face.
She smiled sweetly at him and then abruptly turned away, so that her back was facing him and she was facing the doorway. Jax draped his arm around her waist and sighed. Her hormones had been really difficult for both of them to handle lately. But he didn’t mind being there for her until things were back to normal.
“Good night, Jax,” she whispered from the other side of the bed.
“Good night,” he whispered back.
Jax kissed Layne’s shoulder, and soon he was asleep.
Chapter Six
Layne stared at the light streaming in from the bottom of the closed doorway. Her body ached from the force of their lovemaking, but she liked it that way. She nuzzled in closer to Jax, feeling the familiarity of his body. She would miss it when they left to seek out the tribe of doctors and scientists, to find what it was that they had to offer in the way of solutions to the dangerous world plague that threatened her child.
Jax’s breathing soon became steady and rhythmic, and she knew that he was asleep. Layne had been thinking all day about what it would mean to leave Jax behind as they searched for the cure. She knew very well the panic and anxiety he would experience. Should she write him a note? Tell him that everything would be all right and what they were doing?
Of course not. It would be foolish. He would go right through enemy territory, where the members of Hex had it in for him. Hex, and however many other tribes he had angered in the past. Why put him in harm’s way just to look for her, when she and Sam would have everything under control?
What was Sam thinking right then, Layne wondered. Would she be having the same thoughts about telling Tobi? The same anxiety about their plan? Sam was no fool, and knew that time was of the essence. If they were going to bring the baby into the world safely, they would have to leave as soon as possible and bring back a solution and the equipment. Layne had plenty of beer to barter with. Since she had gotten pregnant, her hobby of brewing beer hadn’t stopped. However, Jax had quit drinking in silent support of her healthy pregnancy, and Sam and Tobi weren’t comfortable enough to get into her stash whenever they wanted to. They preferred to drink together on special occasions, and so the small collection of alcohol had quickly become a large one. Maybe it would be enough to trade for the equipment. Bunsen burners, maybe a microscope, the vials and dishes…
