Taking a step closer to her, I growl, “That’s my woman, so tread very lightly, Mellissa. I don’t give a fuck who your dad is.”
“She’s trash, Jax.”
“I suggest you leave,” Sage says, coming from across the street. “You don’t, and I’m calling my dad, Mellissa, and let’s just say if he searches your car, you’re going to jail, and I don’t think your daddy would be very happy with you if that happened.”
“I don’t have anything in my car,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest, glaring at my younger cousin.
“You don’t?” he asks then looks over her shoulder toward her car. “Saw your car parked outside of a house on fifth last night, the same house that got raided this morning. The house was clean, but I doubt your car is,” he says, and I watch her face pale. Then, without another word, she moves to her car, hops in, and speeds off down the street.
“What was that about?” I ask him, and he shrugs.
“Lucky guess. I know she’s been hooking up with a guy named Benji. He’s a low rank drug dealer, but this week, a large supply of meth came through, and the rumor is he was going to begin selling it. The cops raided his house this morning, but found nothing, not even a joint,” he says as I open the office door, and then he asks, “Why was she here?”
“She’s heard about Ellie, and has been spreading rumors that we’re getting back together to anyone who will listen. I told her to call me so I could tell her to cut the shit, but she showed up here instead.”
“You got the magic stick, Cuz.” He grins, following me down the hall.
“You’re an idiot,” I say, shaking my head. I head across the hall to my office, leaving him in the kitchen area to put on a pot of coffee.
Tossing my keys on the desk, I pull out my cell and pick up my desk phone, calling back the number that was texted to me this morning while I was making the girls’ breakfast.
“Jax?” my friend since high school, Mav, answers, picking up on the second ring.
“How’s it going, man?” I ask, picking up the mail and sifting through it.
“It’s going. Alexa is getting ready to pop at any minute. I’m hoping to close down this case in time to get home, so I can be there to watch my daughter take her first breath.”
I can’t imagine doing what he does. Living with the scum, working undercover, having to be away from my family for weeks on end, missing important events and life moments. I don’t think I could do it, but I respect Mav, because he does. All I know is that because of him, there are families that sleep easier at night.
“So, what new info do you have for me?” I prompt.
“Yesterday, Deborah Anthony was taken into custody on drug charges. There should be a call going through sometime this afternoon regarding the case of Ellie Anthony, and the roll Deborah played in her kidnapping.”
“That’s good, but I don’t understand why you’re calling me. You know my uncle would have gotten this information to me.”
“You’re right, but before she was taken into custody, she had a conversation with one of my informants about a way to make twenty grand easy,” he says, and I take a seat, feeling my brows draw together.
“How is that?’” I ask, not really sure if I’m ready to hear what he’s going to tell me, especially if this information has anything to do with Ellie.
“She told him all he had to do was find a virgin, and then tell Deborah who the girl was. The girl would be abducted, and they would get the money and could split it fifty/fifty.”
“She’s selling virgins?” I ask in disbelief.
“She’s selling virgins, and when my informant told her she was full of shit, she explained to him that she knows it’s legit, ’cause the first one she sold was her daughter.”
“You know Ellie has a kid, right?” It’s something he knows; he’s read the police report. He knew I was taking Ellie up to Kentucky to pick up Hope.
“She doesn’t have a kid, Jax. I’m not saying she doesn’t think of Hope as hers, but Hope is her brother’s daughter. He, his longtime girlfriend, and Hope were in a car accident. Ellie’s brother and his girlfriend died on impact. Hope survived with minor injuries, and Ellie was granted custody of her shortly after she was released from the hospital.”
“You’re kidding, right? She looks just like her,” I say, feeling something sour settle in the bottom of my stomach.
“They’re family,” he says quietly, understanding the distress in my voice.
“Jesus.” I rub my chest, feeling a stabbing pain where my heart is.
“She never told you? I figured she would have said something to you about it,” he mumbles, sounding distracted.
“She never told me,” I confirm.
“Sorry, man.”
“Is she still on their radar?” I ask, knowing if they were paying that much for her, chances are they won’t give her up that easily.
“This is still an open case, so the guys are still out there, but if I had to guess, I would say no. These are not dumb men, and they know her story made the news. They are not going to want that kind of attention.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Still keep vigilant,” he warns.
“Will do, and let me know if you want me to go check on Alexa.”
“I will never send you to check on my wife, Mayson.”
“You know she loves me.”
“Don’t remind me,” he jokes then mutters, “We’ll talk soon.”
“Talk to you soon,” I agree, hanging up and sitting back in my chair, raising my arms above my head, locking my fingers together and putting them behind my neck, closing my eyes and trying to figure out what I’m feeling right now.
Hope isn’t Ellie’s daughter. I don’t even know if I should confront her about this, or if I should just wait until she comes to me with the information.
“Jesus.” Shaking my head, I pull off my hat, toss it on top of my desk, and run my hand through my hair.
She’s a virgin? What the fuck is that about? And is it even true? She’s gorgeous, and I have a hard time believing she’s never had a relationship. I don’t even think I’ve ever had sex with a virgin.
“Fuck,” I growl, feeling myself get hard. Apparently my dick likes the idea of her still having her virginity.
Getting up, I grab my hat and go across the hall to the kitchen, finding Sage and one of my new guys, Evan, talking quietly. Noticing the look on Evan’s face, I ask, “What’s up?”
“I just asked Evan to check into this new guy June is dating,” Sage says, and I look back at Evan, feeling my brows pull downward when I notice the look in his eyes from moments ago is gone, now replaced with a blank expression.
“Why are we looking into June’s new man?” I ask.
My cousin is going to college in Alabama, and I know she’s planning on moving home as soon as she graduates. I haven’t heard anything about her having a boyfriend, but that doesn’t surprise me. The females in my family have a tendency to play their cards close to the chest, and they sure as hell don’t tell us about the men they are dating.
“I overheard Willow and Harmony talking about him and didn’t like the vibe I got.” Sage shrugs.
“You’re looking into him based on a vibe you got from an overheard conversation?”
“I can’t explain it, and Evan’s mom still lives in the area, so I asked him to check in on it the next time he was up there to visit.”
“Are you good with that?” I ask Evan.
“Yeah, it’s no trouble. I should be up there this weekend, so I’ll ask around while I’m there,” he says casually, but I notice a tic in his jaw that wasn’t present before.
“You know the girls hate it when we interfere,” I say, slipping my hat back on and putting my cell in my back pocket.
“Yeah, but they always get over it.” Sage smiles.
“Well, this one’s on you.” I move to the door. I had enough drama when I was dealing with July and Wes when they got together.
/> “I’m stepping out for a couple hours, but I’ll have my cell on me,” I tell them over my shoulder, getting two chin lifts before I close the door behind me.
Getting in my truck, I back out, first thinking about going home, but I know I can’t do that yet. I need to take some time to cool off. I don’t know if I should tell Ellie I know about Hope, or if I need to let her come to me. Feeling conflicted, I drive, and before I even realize where I’m going, I pull up in front of my parents’ house.
Staring at the house I grew up in, I feel my gut get tight as I’m bombarded by happy memories. Without thinking, I shut down the truck, get out, and head up the front walk, tapping twice before opening the door.
“Mom?” I call into the house as I walk through the living room.
“In here, honey,” she calls back, sticking her head out the laundry room door that’s off the kitchen. “Give me a minute. Did you have breakfast?” she asks, and I hear the washer start up.
“Yeah, I had a protein shake,” I tell her, watching her face scrunch up as she walks into the kitchen.
“I have no idea how you drink those things; they taste like dirt,” she says, making me smile.
“You eat dirt often, Mom?” I joke, taking a seat at the island across from her.
“No, but I’m sure that’s what it tastes like.” She smiles, but then her eyes search my face and her smile disappears. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” I sigh, pulling my hat off my head and setting it on the bar, and then I scrub my hands down my face. “Hope isn’t Ellie’s daughter,” I blurt, needing to get it off my chest.
“Yes, she is,” she replies immediately, frowning.
“She’s not. Hope is Ellie’s brother’s daughter. He and Hope’s mom died in a car accident when Hope was just weeks old, and Ellie was granted custody shortly after that when she was nineteen.”
I watch tears from in her eyes then slip silently down her cheeks as she studies me. “You’re not my blood, Jax,” she whispers softly, and I feel my throat close up. “I love you as if I gave birth to you, but you don’t have my blood pumping through your veins.”
She tilts her head back as more tears fall from her eyes.
“No one…no one could ever tell me you’re not my son. I love you with the same fierceness I love Ashlyn with. You’re my boy. This is where you belong to me,” she says, pointing at her heart.
Swallowing, I choke on the emotions that seem to be suffocating me as I look at the woman who raised me, the woman I have called mom since I can remember. Watching her eyes light with a fire for me has my vision going cloudy.
“Hope is Ellie’s daughter, honey,” she says quietly, and I blink until I can see clearly again. “You don’t have to give birth to a child to love it as your own.”
Nodding, I swallow again, get up from the stool I was sitting on, walk around the island, and then take my mom into my arms as she cries.
“She’s so strong, Jax, so strong, and beautiful, and she loves Hope with everything she has inside of her.” She leans back, placing her hand on my cheek. “Please, understand that before you go to her with what you found out. If she thinks you feel like Hope isn’t her daughter, it will really hurt her.” She shakes her head, closing her eyes, and I can hear the anguish in her voice as she says, “She’s was just a baby herself when she took on the responsibility of raising a child that she didn’t give birth to. That tells me everything I need to know about the kind of woman Ellie is, and I hope you understand the amazing woman you have sleeping under your roof right now.”
“I understand,” I say quietly, kissing her cheek then letting her go, moving back to the stool I was sitting on. “Should I let her tell me?” I ask quietly, still unsure of what to do with the information.
“Let her tell you, and know that when she does she’s trusting you. I don’t think she has really trusted anyone in a long time.”
“She trusts you,” I point out. Ellie is very picky with who she allows to watch Hope, and so far, that list only consists of me, my mom, and my dad. Even Ashlyn had to pass inspection before Ellie allowed her to take Hope with her to her house.
“I think a lot of people have taken advantage of her,” she says softly, grabbing my hands from across the counter. “I don’t know why she trusts me, but I love her like a daughter. I would jump in front of a bullet for her or Hope, the same way I would do for you or Ashlyn. I want to be someone she trusts, someone she can depend on. I don’t want her to feel like she’s alone, and that girl I met at the hospital was alone,” she confides, crying again, which causes my chest to hurt.
I know a lot of this sadness stems from her and my father’s past. She had my sister on her own for years, thinking my dad had abandoned her to be with my biological mother. She had no idea my dad was suffering just as badly as she was.
“I’m falling in love with her…her and Hope,” I admit, watching her eyes close.
“Then be there for her, and when she tells you her story, understand she’s believing that she’s safe with you, that her heart is safe with you.”
“Thanks, Mom. For everything, not just this.”
“I will always be here anytime you need me, honey.”
Nodding, I let her hand go and lean back. “Do you have time to make me breakfast?” I ask, watching her face go soft.
“Of course.” She straightens her spine, wiping the tears off her cheeks, giving me a smile before moving to the fridge.
Breathing a little easier, I sit back on the stool and watch her move around the kitchen as she makes me breakfast.
“Do you want me to keep Hope for you and Ellie one night?” she asks. Caught off guard by the question, my fork is in the air with a piece of fluffy pancake hanging off the end, syrup still dripping onto the plate below it. “Honey, I’m not dumb, and I remember what it was like when me and your dad got back together and had both you kids at home.”
“Mom,” I groan, and she laughs.
“What? Your dad is a very attractive man.”
“You can stop.” I shake my head, setting my fork down, my appetite suddenly gone.
“Well, just remember that I offered.” She smiles, and I throw my hands up in the air, giving up on finishing my pancakes.
“Thanks for ruining my breakfast,” I tell her, watching her laugh.
“You have to leave anyways. Ellie’s bringing Hope here in,” she looks at the clock over my shoulder, “fifteen minutes.”
“Are you kicking me out?” I ask with amusement.
“Yes, Hope likes you more than me, so when you’re not here, I get her to myself.” She smiles.
“She does like me more then you, doesn’t she?” I ask smugly.
“Don’t rub it in,” she says, kissing my cheek. “Now go, and you know I’m always here if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I mumble, slipping my hat back on my head then pulling my keys out of my pocket. “I’ll be here to pick up Hope before dinner, so don’t let her trick you into giving her ice cream.”
“Honey.” She rolls her eyes, putting her hands on my arm, giving me a gentle shove toward the door.
“Love you, Mom.” I smile, kissing her cheek before walking out to my truck, feeling the weight’s gone from my chest.
*
“Thanks for picking up Hope from your mom’s,” Ellie says quietly as she takes a seat next to me on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her.
She came home an hour ago, but as soon as she walked in the door, Hope was on her, so all I got was a quiet greeting before she disappeared with Hope upstairs to put her in the bath then into bed.
“You can thank me with your mouth,” I tell her, wrapping a long piece of her hair around my finger then watching as her cheeks turn a dark shade of pink.
“Jax,” she murmurs, ducking her head, which causes her thick dark hair to fall in front of her face.
“C’mere,” I say, pulling her hand until she’s pressed up against me, with her hands against my
chest and her big eyes looking up at me. “You okay?” I ask, running my thumb over her bottom lip.
“Yeah,” she breathes quietly as her eyes roam over my features. “I like when you don’t wear a hat.”
“Why’s that?’ I ask just as quietly, feeling the intimacy of the moment wrapping around us.
She studies my face for a long time before saying with a shrug, “I don’t know. I can see your eyes, I guess.” She ducks her head again, making me wonder what she’s really thinking.
“Liar,” I whisper, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Her head lifts, her eyes meet mine again, and she licks across her bottom lip, causing my eyes to follow the sultry movement.
“Okay, I lied, but the reason just sounds so stupid now that I think about it.”
“Tell me,” I say on a squeeze, tilting my head lower until our eyes lock again.
“I like thinking I’m one of the few people who sees you like this.”
Pulling her toward me with my hand wrapped around the back of her neck until we’re sharing the same breath, I tell her softly, “I like that reason,” before covering her mouth with mine, licking across her bottom lip, pulling it between my lips and tasting her on my tongue. When her tongue touches mine timidly, I lift her, hearing her squeak as I adjust her on my lap to straddle me.
“Jax,” she exhales heavily, leaning back to look at me.
Seeing the trepidation in her eyes, I run my hand over her hair, settling on the underside of her jaw then back up to wrap into her hair. “Slow, Ellie. I promise we’ll take it slow.”
“Slow,” she repeats against my mouth as I pull her forward. Sweeping my tongue between her lips, I groan when her hands slide from my chest to my hair and her fingers move through the stands.
Dragging her tighter against me with one hand on her ass and the other in her hair, I pray I don’t come in my pants like a sixteen-year-old kid that’s never had a chick on his lap before.
Slipping my hands up the back of her shirt, my fingers roam over her smooth skin. Her tongue moves lightly against mine as her hips circle. I don’t even know if she understands what she’s doing to me, and to herself, as her core bumps against my erection.
Until Jax Page 9
