~After two months~Isla lay on the bed, once again adrift in her thoughts. Lately, it had become a patternâever since the incident at the park.Ivy had been rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. She didnât make it. The weight of it all settled heavily on Isla, gnawing at her with guilt. Somehow, she kept thinking she couldâve done somethingâanythingâto change how things ended.âItâs not your fault,â Jaxonâs voice cut gently through the silence as he entered the room.Isla turned her head and offered a faint smile. âYouâre back,â she murmured, watching as he climbed onto the bed and moved closer, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.âI know Iâve said this a hundred timesâprobably moreâbut Iâll keep saying it until you believe me. It wasnât your fault. She was going to kill you. You were being protected... it just went wrong.â His voice was low, his face close to hers.Still wearing that soft smile, Isla let her eyes trace the lines of his face, flickering from his eyes to his l
Michael was fast asleep, and Alex needed him to stay that way for at least another hour. He had somewhere to beâspecifically, a visit to Idris. And the less Michael knew about it, the better.In under twenty minutes, Alex had showered, dressed, and slipped out of the house without a sound, leaving Michael undisturbed. As he stepped outside and made his way to the car, he dialed Jaxon.âHey, boss,â he said, fastening his seatbelt with a click.âAlex, talk to me,â Jaxon replied on the other end.âIâm heading to that bastardâs bar. Idris,â Alex said through gritted teeth as he started the engine.âIdris? I thought we were choosing to let him beâfor Islaâs sake,â Jaxon responded calmly.Alex shook his head. âThis is different now. He crossed a line with Michael. Iâm not letting that slide.ââWhat exactly do you plan on doing when you get there?â Jaxon asked, still composed.âIâm just going to talk some sense into him,â Alex replied. âAnd if I can help it, make sure he gets the hell out of
Alex lounged on the living room couch, fresh out of the shower, dressed in nothing but his boxer shorts as he waited for Michael to return.Even though he was worn out from looking after Jaxon, he wasnât too tired to catch up on everything heâd missed during Michaelâs absence. The TV buzzed in the background, keeping him companyâuntil the knock heâd been waiting for finally came.He jumped up and hurried to the door, heart pounding with anticipation. Heâd missed Michael deeply and couldnât wait to show him just how much.The moment the door swung open, Michael threw his arms around Alex and pulled him into a tight hug.âOh!â Alex breathed, hugging him back just as eagerly. âYou really missed me, huh?â he teased.Michael chuckled, âMore than you know,â he said, pressing a kiss to Alexâs lips. âIâve got something to show you.âAlex raised a curious brow, intrigue lighting up his face. He nodded, closing the door behind them as they walked hand-in-hand back to the couch.Once seated, Mic
Isla held the door open as Alex helped her wheel Jaxon into the house. He sat quietly in the chair, his expression unreadable.âThanks so much, Alex. Iâve got it from here,â Isla said, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she took hold of the wheelchair.Alex gave a small nod and stepped back, letting her take over. âYou should head home now, Alex. Weâll talk later,â Jaxon said, turning his head to look at him.Alex offered a faint smile. âTake care of yourself, boss,â he replied, dipping his head slightly before turning to go.âAlex?â Jaxon called after him. Alex paused and looked back. âThank you,â Jaxon added.Alex smiled. âAnytime,â he said with a nod, then stepped out the door.âJaxon!â a familiar voice called from the living room.He glanced up, surprised. âMaggie?â he frowned. âWhat are you doing here?ââWhat am I doing here?â she echoed incredulously. âYou got shot, and I had to hear about it after the factâand you're asking me that?âIsla let out a soft laugh and walked ov
Isla slipped quietly into the room, her eyes immediately locking onto Jaxonâs, which were barely open.âHey,â she whispered gently.Slowly, Jaxon turned his head toward her. âIsla,â he murmured, weakly lifting his hand. She reached out and clasped it without hesitation, sinking into the chair beside his bed. She brought his hand to her lips, kissing it softly as her eyes brimmed with emotion.âHow are you feeling?â she asked, her voice trembling as tears rolled freely down her cheeks.Jaxon gazed at her intently, though his strength was fading. âCome closer,â he murmured. She leaned in without hesitation, tilting her ear toward his mouth.To her surprise, Jaxon summoned the strength to lift himself just enough to press a tender kiss to her cheek. âItâs not your fault,â he whispered, and Isla squeezed her eyes shut, her tears flowing even harder. She turned her face to look at him, her heart breaking.âYou ran because you were scared⊠I could never blame you for that,â he murmured, his
Ivy was seated in the living room, nursing her baby, when her phone began to ring. She reached over to the couch, grabbed it, and saw her motherâs name flashing on the screen. With a sigh, she answered and switched to speaker.âHey, Mom,â she greeted, her tone flat and unbothered.âThey found your sister, Ivy!â her motherâs voice burst through the speaker, trembling with excitement.Ivy rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. âAnd let me guess... was she with Jeremy?ââJeremy?â her mother repeated, confused. âWhy would he be with her? Isla was kidnapped!ââOr she ran off with my husband,â Ivy replied dryly.Her mother gasped. âWhat are you even talking about, Ivy? I called thinking you'd be happy your sisterâs been found, and this is the reaction I get? Donât you even want to know how she is?ââIâm sure sheâs fine,â Ivy muttered. âShe just wants attention, and Iâm not giving her any.âBefore her mother could respond, the front door creaked open. Ivy looked up, her brows lifting in surp