Page 29 of Jax & Knox

"I think we need to be prepared for anything," Jax says. "I think we need to make sure you and Owen are as protected as possible. That's all."

I nod slowly. It makes sense. It's practical. It's grounding.

"Thank you," I say quietly.

"You don't have to thank me," Jax says. "You're not alone in this, Ainsley. You're not alone anymore."

Later, after Lucy brings Owen back and I've held him for what feels like hours, Tessa, Lucy, and Hadley show up at the cottage with takeout and wine.

"We heard you had a rough day," Tessa announces, setting bags of food on the kitchen counter.

"I'm fine⁠⁠—"

"Bullshit," Tessa says, pulling out containers of Thai food. "You had a panic attack. You're allowed to not be fine. Now sit down and eat."

Lucy smiles gently and starts setting out plates. Hadley takes Owen from my arms and settles into the armchair with him, making silly faces that make him squeal and babble "Mama-mama-mama" in response.

We eat at the small dining table, and for a while, no one talks about what happened. Instead, Tessa launches into a story about the time she accidentally ordered fifty pounds of coffee instead of five.

"I didn't realize until they started delivering it," she says, her eyes wide. "Fifty. Fucking. Pounds. Cole thought I'd lost my mind."

Lucy snorts so hard she nearly spits out her wine.

"What did you do with it all?" I ask, surprised to find myself smiling.

"Gave it away," Tessa says with a shrug. "To the fire department, the police station, literally anyone who would take it. We were drinking coffee for months."

Hadley laughs. "That's the most Tessa thing I've ever heard."

"Right?" Lucy says. "Remember when she tried to make her own pasta and it exploded in the pot?"

"It didn't explode," Tessa protests, but she's grinning. "It... overflowed."

"It exploded," Hadley says firmly.

I find myself laughing, really laughing, for the first time since I got to the cottage. The sound feels foreign in my chest, but good. Right.

"I'm so sick of him stealing every good moment from me," I say suddenly, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.

The room goes quiet.

"Justin," I continue, my voice getting stronger. "I'm so sick of being terrified all the time. I'm so sick of him taking away moments like this, moments where I could just be happy and laugh with my friends. He doesn't get to do that anymore. He doesn't get to control me."

Tessa reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. "Damn right he doesn't."

"You're stronger than you think," Lucy says softly.

"You're going to get through this," Hadley adds. "We're going to make sure of it."

By the time they leave, it's late. Owen is asleep in his crib, and I'm sitting on the porch swing, watching the sun dip below the horizon.

There's a knock on the door, and I tense.

"It's just me," Jax's voice calls.

I exhale and stand, opening the door.

He's standing there in the fading light, his cut slung over his shoulder, his green eyes dark and intense.