Morning came with the spare-room door still shut.Jimmy rose first, dressed, and walked to the kitchen without stopping at the main bedroom. Coffee waited. Jax stood at the counter. They drank standing up, the same way they had for days.Jax spoke first.“You meant that line yesterday.”“Yes.”“You’re not moving it.”“No.”Jimmy finished the cup and set it down. The tight feeling under his ribs had settled into something harder. He had drawn the line. He intended to keep it.Lily-Rose entered a few minutes later. Soft footsteps crossed the wood floor. She poured water and stood at the sink with her back partly turned. The three of them occupied the same kitchen, yet the space between them felt wider than the walls.Lily-Rose spoke without turning around.“I heard every word you said. If he comes back and I open for him, something breaks for good.”“That’s right.”She turned then and looked at him.“I still can’t promise my body would refuse him. That has not changed.”“I know,” Jimmy
Last Updated : 2026-08-17 Read more