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I chuckled, a bit surprised, yet if he really wanted to go… “You can come with us, but I’m serious, Jax. You need to watch your back now more than ever. Like you said, Tomas will be there, or his goons will be watching us at the very least.”
“I swear, I'll be careful. And thank you, Evan.” Jax gave a genuine smile. “I also need to stop off at the bank. I feel like I've been freeloading off of you guys.”
“Please don’t think that. That’s not how it works with us. You’re part of the team now, which means in a way, you're family.” Words I never thought I’d be saying to him, of all people.
“Still,” he said, looking down and shuffling his feet. “I never had much money, anyway. Tomas was rich, but he wasn't big on sharing the wealth, even with his own son.” He rolled his eyes when he spoke of his father. “That's another reason I need to go, access my safety deposit box. There are things I need.”
“Say no more. You’re coming along.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “See you in the morning, then.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Jax gave me a grateful smile, then left to pack a bag for the next few days.
I walked back to my bedroom, opening the door to find Mariah lying on the bed with Sofia asleep on her chest. I smiled at the sight: my two favorite girls in the world.
“I’m starting to see why this little girl is so spoiled now,” I said teasingly as I climbed onto the bed next to them.
Mariah shrugged, her eyes full of affection as she looked down at our sleeping daughter. She rubbed her back in gentle circles. “Babies are meant to be spoiled. She won’t be this tiny forever.”
I placed a hand on Sofia's back as well, feeling the warmth, the steady rhythm of her breathing. All the worries that I’d been ignoring rose to the surface.
“Mariah, I'm scared,” I said. “I don't want to lose her.”
“Hey,” she said softly, reaching out to touch my arm. “Don’t talk like that. Don’t even think like that. We aren’t going to lose her. We'll get through this court thing, just like we get through everything else the world throws our way. Everything will be okay.”
I knew she was being comforting, but her words didn't ease the knot in my stomach. All I could think about was how much I loved Sofia, and the thought of losing her felt unbearable.
“I don't know why Rosalind hasn't stuck to her word,” she said, finding my hand and lacing her fingers with mine, providing me with strength without even realizing it. “But ultimately it doesn't matter, does it? If she doesn't show up to court, they'll see she doesn't care about being a mom. Honestly, this might be the best possible scenario. It could work in our favor.”
“Catherine said they'll likely set another court date unless we can prove Rosalind is unfit. But if she doesn't appear for the next court date, we’ll be granted full custody of Sofia.”
“Then, that’s what we’ll look forward to—the day Rosalind is no longer a concern,” Mariah said.
I could feel the tension in my shoulders loosening as Mariah moved closer to me, her head coming to rest against my shoulder. “Just keep thinking positively, Evan. We've got this.”
“God, I hope so,” I said, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. Her scent filled my senses, helping to soothe my uneasy spirit. “I’ll try to stay positive. For my girls.”
Mariah tilted her head up, gazing into my eyes. “We're a team, remember? You, me, and Sofia. Whatever happens, we face it together.”
Her words, ones she’d spoken many times before, hit me all over again, fierce determination stirring to life deep within me. I felt that sense of resolve, the promise that I wouldn't let anything tear our family apart.
“You're right,” I said.
“About time you realized it,” she said, eyes sparkling.
In that moment, as we lay there in the dimly lit room, all the challenges ahead faded into the background. For now, our world felt small and intimate, just the three of us against whatever fate had in store.
Mariah rested her head against my shoulder, and I sighed in contentment in this little reprieve.
No matter what happened when we returned to New York, I'd fight for my family with every ounce of strength I possessed, as if my life depended on it. Because it did.
Chapter 22
Mariah
As I stepped off the plane and looked down onto the tarmac, I shivered despite the hot summer air. Evan's hand found mine, squeezing it, but it didn’t soothe my nerves. This trip felt different, more dangerous than any we'd taken before. It wasn't just that I knew so much more about the true threat Tomas posed, but everything happening around me put me on edge, from the bodyguards who’d accompanied us from Texas, to the private security unit that was waiting for us, armed to the teeth.
I couldn’t pretend this was normal. While I eyed all the people who were waiting, ready to defend us at the first sign of danger, I tightened my grip on Evan’s hand.
“Are you sure about this, Evan?” I said. Part of me wondered if such an obvious entourage would just draw more attention to us.
