AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A nurse clears her throat several times before we notice her.
“Oh! Sorry.” I say, tapping several shoulders to disburse.
She smiles and crosses to my side, checking my chart and vitals. Jaxton refuses to move, wrapping his arms around me while the nurse works.
“Are you in any pain?” she smiles kindly.
“Not really. My muscles are sore, but I think that’s because of the baby.” Jaxton’s hand overlays mine, cupping my stomach.
“The doctor will be in soon. Do you need anything before I go?” she questions.
Again, I answer, no.
Once she leaves, Dad corrals everyone but Jaxton, leaving us alone. The relief of being free is enough to forget he was there—in the house.
My voice is soft when I glance over and ask, “There’s something I need you to answer for me.” Now the lump in my throat is there for an entirely different reason. The entire time that I was locked away, I convinced myself Jaxton would never be with Sarah again, but he was definitely at the house at one point.Why?
He hesitates, noticing the sudden change of tone. “Of course, Kitten. You can ask me anything, you know that.” Eyes searching mine for an answer I’m not sure I want to hear.
“You haven’t had a moment to soak in all the details—”
He cuts me off. “There’s time for that later. All I want is to be here with you—know you’re real—and touch every part of you and my baby.” His fingers splay across my abdomen.
“Sure, but there’s something I need to know now.” A deep breath of courage. “She kept me in the basement of her house. Told me all about your rekindled romance with her.” He opens his mouth, brows dipped in anger. “No, please. Let me get this out. I didn’t believe her for a long time… but then you came over, and it sounded like you had sex with her.” My eyes collide with his, both sets brimming with tears. “Did you get back together? Did you have sex at her house while she forced me to listen?” My lower lip trembles uncontrollably.
He closes his eyes tightly, letting the tears slip free, and run down his cheeks. “I remember that night. She’d reached out a month after your disappearance, offering any help if I needed it. I’m not a fan, but she has a large public following, so I took her up on the offer. I played nice, so she would request her fans to reach out with any information, in the hopes a lead would come to light. The night you’re talking about, she said she may have some information, and asked me to come by. Liam called while I was there and chewed my ass for going alone. When I returned from taking the call, she was dressed in skimpy lingerie and watching porn. I didn’t know what to do. When I tried to leave, she told me she was pregnant.” His voice cracks with pain. “To answer your question, no Kitten, I never slept with her orrekindledany romance. And now that I know you were there… I could have saved you months ago…” Tucking his face in my neck, he completely breaks down. “I’msofucking sorry, baby. I didn’t know you were there. I’m so sorry I left you. I didn’t know.I didn’t know.”
Gripping his hair and yanking his gaze back to mine, I scolded him. “Don’t blame yourself. Sarah did this—blame her. She deserves everything that’s coming her way.”
He tries to smile, but tears warp the vision. “I love you so much. You know that, right?”
“Yes.”
His orbs light up like stars in the sky when his attention diverts to the baby. “And I love this baby.” More tears chase after their friends. “We’re going to be the best parents. Have you thought of names?” When sadness droops my lips, his part in panic. “Kitten, you’re going to need to tell me what happened.”
“I will. And no, no names.” A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth as I rub my stomach. “Little bean is active and has always seemed healthy, but I’ve never seen a doctor. Sarah took blood a couple of times, but that was it. They said the baby was healthy and asked if I wanted to know the sex—”
“Did you?” Jax cuts me off with excitement.
I laugh. “No. You weren’t here yet and I can wait a little longer until the baby’s born. You okay with that?”
A deep chuckle vibrates against my neck. “I’m not sure. I’m so excited already.” His admission is adorable, intertwining my laughter with his. “How far along are you?”
“Oh, shoot! I forgot—they printed pictures during the ultrasound. They’re in the folder next to you on the table.”
Jaxton snags them quickly and stares at the little being in my belly. “Perfect,” he whispers. “Almost eight months.” His eyes turn to pools of gold. “I wish I’d been there to experience it with you.”
“It’s not the same, but you were here with dad, and I can’t thank you enough. You’ve both lost weight, but he would have been much worse if you’d left him be, so thank you.”
His eyes snap to mine from the baby picture. “You never have to thank me, Kitten. We’re family—and family’s there no matter what.”
The doctor comes into the room, his pearly white teeth showing as he greets me. “How are you feeling, Miss Dawson?”
“Sore, but good otherwise.”
“Good. And the baby? Still kicking?”
We share a laugh before answering, “Yes.”
