“Yes.” She watches the kids and a smile comes to her face. “I just don’t want you to feel like I’m putting all this on you, you know?
“Baby,” I laugh, pulling her over to me. “If you told me that you were going to stay home from now on, that would fucking thrill me.”
“Why?”
“I like knowing that you’re at home when I get home, and that my kids are being taken care of by you.”
“Cash—”
“Hey, I didn’t say that you were going to stay home forever, but as long as you are, I’m cool with it.”
“Just promise me that you will tell me if you get to a point where you’re not cool with it anymore.”
“Where’s all this coming from?” I ask her, not understanding what’s bringing all these doubts to the surface when we have been doing so well.
“I don’t know. I’m just used to working, so me not working is messing with my head. I love being home with both the kids, but…” she trails off, shaking her head.
“But what?” I ask when her face pales slightly.
“Um…I…it’s nothing.” She shakes her head again and I know it’s not nothing.
“Lil, please talk to me.”
“Jules came by yesterday. The kids were down for a nap, and I answered the door not thinking, but I think she realized that I’m living there.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to be worried, and when she saw that it was me who answered, she left without really saying anything.”
“Next time she comes by, you need to call me.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine, babe, but I will not allow her to fuck with you or my kids.” I take a breath, trying to calm down. And speaking of the devil, my phone starts ringing, with Jules’ name coming onto the screen. “Yeah?” I answer on the second ring. Standing, I walk away from the where Lilly is and the kids are playing.
“So you moved in that chick?” she asks with venom in her voice.
“Lilly is not a chick; she’s my woman, the mother of my child, and soon, my wife. Second, you don’t ever get to question what I do, or when or how I do it. And third,” I growl when I hear her trying to cut me off, “you do not get to show up at my house unannounced ever.”
“I think I have the right to know if there is a criminal around my son.”
“Excuse me?”
“I heard that she is a criminal.” I can tell she is smirking; I’ve seen her smug face enough to know what she sounds like when she’s doing it.
“Who the fuck told you that?” I ask, my gut twisting.
“Don’t worry about who told me, just know that I know all about her.”
“You don’t know shit. Why are you calling me?”
“I want to see Jax,” she says nonchalantly.
“Not today.”
“Why not today?” she whines, and I clench my fist. She never wants to see Jax, and she never calls to check on him. Even when he had to stay in the hospital with strep, she wasn’t concerned enough to see him.
“It’s my birthday. We’re spending the day together.”
“So you could come too,” she says in what I’m sure she thinks is a sexy tone. All that shit does to me is make me want to punch something or cut off my dick.
“Have you lost your damn mind?”
“Please, I want to see our son.”
“I will call you tomorrow and set up a time to meet up with you,” I say, hanging up. I lean my head back, looking up at the sky through the trees. I hate that I’m going to have to deal with her ass for the rest of my life. I feel arms wrap around my waist, and my hands go to Lilly’s on my stomach. I look down when I feel arms around each of my legs, and I know that no matter what bullshit Jules pulls, if I have this, I will be happy.
Chapter 9
Lilly
“Don’t touch me,” Ashlyn says from the backseat.
“I’m not touching you,” Jax says.
“Don’t touch me!” Ashlyn yells this time.
“I’m not touching you,” Jax repeats, and I can hear it in his voice that he is smiling and really trying to piss off his sister.
“Mommy, Jax isn’t touching me! Stop not touching me!” Ashlyn cries and I laugh. Looking through the rearview mirror, I can see that Jax has a finger close to his sister, but far enough away that he is not actually touching her.
“Jax, leave your sister alone,” I say, trying to sound firm, but it’s really funny so it’s difficult. I never had siblings growing up, so I have no idea what it’s like, but I love how Jax is with Ashlyn. I love that she has someone there for her. And I know that, yes, he picks on her, but let someone else try to pick on his sister and he turns into a twenty-year-old and lays down the law. No one, but no one, picks on his sister except him. Things have been good—no, that’s wrong—things have been perfect…well, that is if you don’t count getting accused of check fraud and losing your job.