Lahat ng Kabanata ng Mommy, I found us a Daddy for Christmas : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

"Uncle Ethan, look!" Hazel's voice reverberated around the yard as she held her stuffed rabbit in the air. Its ears, so limp and floppy, bobbled as she ran towards him.Isabel stiffened beside me. My hands turned to fists at the sound of that name. Forcing myself, I took one deep breath, then another. I schooled my expression. This was not the time for me to lose my head. Not yet.Ethan turned; his face painted with the kind of smile that would fool most people. He knelt down to Hazel’s level, his hand reaching out to brush her curls. "Wow, sweetheart, that’s a fine-looking bunny you’ve got there," he said, his voice warm, affectionate. Too affectionate.I could see the nails digging into the fabric, her lips pursed into a thin line. She felt it, too-something was wrong.Hazel grinned, wholly oblivious to the crackling of tension around her. She hefted up the stuffed toy higher. "His name is Mr. Floppy! Wanna hold him?"Ethan chuckled and shook his head. "I'd love to, but-" He stammer

A soft knock.Isabel froze, her fingers clenching on the edge of the counter. It was late-too late for anyone to be at her door.Her heart slammed against her ribs. She already knew who it was.She hesitated, her mind screaming at her not to open it. But her body… her body had a different plan.She was walking toward the door with slow, measured steps, scarcely breathing.Another knock. Firmer this time.She swallowed, then unlocked it.The second she cracked it open, Jaxon pushed inside, shutting it behind him in one swift motion."What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, stepping back.He didn't answer. His eyes were dark, unreadable, locked onto her like she was the only thing in the room that mattered.Jaxon," she attempted again, quieter now. "You can't be here.""I had to see you." His voice came rough, like he hadn't spoken in hours.She crossed her arms, a weak attempt at a barrier. "You walked out on me. Told Ethan I meant nothing. So, what do you want now?"Jaxon blew

"Where is she?"Jax's voice was colder than ice, keen to slice through steel. His hands bunched at his sides into fists that betrayed the rage boiling inside.Standing next to him, Lucas shuffled uneasily. "We traced her phone to some abandoned warehouse on the east side. Ethan's guys must've gotten her on her way home."Jaxon inhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. Ethan was desperate, reckless. That made him more dangerous than ever."I’m going after her."Lucas grabbed his arm. "Jax, think this through—"Jaxon wrenched free. "There’s nothing to think about. She’s mine. And no one—no one—takes what’s mine."IsabelHer head throbbed. The taste of blood lingered on her tongue.She blinked in the darkness as raw skin from zip ties digging deep into her flesh was a new ache. Rough hands threw her into the back of a van; now she sat in a chair, roped to it somewhere in some damp, mouldy warehouse.A man marched up and down in front of her, partial shadow shrouding his features. Ethan's goon

"You think it's really over?"Isabel's voice came out soft, uncertain. She stood by the window, her arms wrapped around herself as she stared out into the quiet night. The city hummed down below, but up here in Jaxon's apartment, everything felt still. Peaceful.Jaxon leaned against the counter in the kitchen and watched her. He could hear the hesitation in her voice, the fact that she almost didn't believe it. And honestly? He got it. After everything, after years of looking over their shoulders, after the fear, the threats, the chaos-just like that, it was over."It's over," he said, his voice firm.She turned to him then, her dark eyes searching his. "How do you know?"Jaxon pushed off the counter and crossed the room to her. He took her hands in his, running his thumbs over her knuckles. "Because Ethan's not coming back from this. He's not some untouchable force anymore. He's just a guy in handcuffs now."Her breath caught slightly, and for what felt like the first time in forever

I have no idea how long I have been here. Five minutes. Five hours. When all that you think you knew about your life morphs into something else in a second, time tends to take on a weird bend.Jaxon hasn't said a word. Neither have I. I think we are both just…frozen.Ladd's words are no more than a nasty joke-ridicule-that lingered in my brain: You're pregnant.Pregnant. Me.I've always been careful. I always took precautions. Hell, I put in years into having my career on target, and just for one damn second, I really may have it figured out.Now?There is a baby growing inside me.I glance over at Jaxon. He's been pacing the room like a caged animal. His jaw's tight, his brow furrowed in deep thought. His eyes haven't left me since the doctor left, and I can feel the weight of his stare, as if he is trying to solve some complex problem.I really can't read his face.I really can't even guess what he's thinking.I try to speak, but my throat seems to close over. The words seem lodged