Jax (Titan #9)(38)

The little boy bounced, and his mouth never stopped. He fit his name, and Jax worried the kid never took a breath.

Then there was the little girl. Seven said she was tall for her age and acted much older than she was. She was contemplative and serious on the outside, but really a silly one who craved trust—but only with a select few.

"Nolan and Bianca," he tried their names out loud.

Cute names for cute kids, and watching Seven banter with Nolan painted her in a new light. She was every bit the mom his mother was. Odd how he could pick that out from a couple dozen yards away. Seven's world was her kids, and he respected that more than she would probably ever know.

The back door opened, and the kids crawled in.

"Hi, Mr. Jax!" Nolan shouted as he scampered to the buckles on his car seat. Seven grinned and tugged his car seat straps into place.

Already turned in his seat, Jax waved. "Hey, Nolan. Nice to meet you, buddy."

"Hello." Bianca's greeting was the prim and proper one he'd expected. She was noticeably quieter than she'd been before the car door had opened.

"Hi, Bianca." Jax focused on her. "That's a pretty bow in your hair."

Her eyes lit, but her mouth remained impassive, not allowing a smile to pass. "Thank you."

"It matches your shirt. I really like that." He turned back in his seat, catching her in the rearview mirror as Bianca glanced down.

"I chose it myself," she volunteered, a tiny crack of happiness allowed to cross her face.

Nolan started talking and never stopped as Bianca turned toward the window. Seven had predicted they would do this, and after she checked on Bianca's self-buckled harness, she joined him in the front and turned over the engine. "If I'd known you were coming, I might've cleaned up."

"She would've run around at the last second, putting things in closets," Bianca added, kicking her legs.

Jax laughed. "That's what I do too."

"The little truth-teller." Seven ducked her hand back as she pulled away from Adelia's apartment and squeezed Bianca's leg. "That's a good trait to have."

Five minutes later, they were in Seven's driveway. "Home sweet home."

Her house was cute. The front windows were stained glass, separating her from her neighbors, and her flowerbeds overflowed with colors.

"The flowers are all Victoria's doing." Seven shifted into park and reached back, unfastening car seats. "Wash hands when we get inside."

A moment later, Jax stood next to her car as the wave of energy blurred past, clambering for the door until she unlocked it.

Jax lagged behind, taking in Seven's personality and style but the house and hearth version—with kids. Her house warmed him from the inside out, and laughter rang from the walls as he followed them in.

"Nolan will give you a tour," Bianca announced. "He knows which light switches turn on all the lights."

That made sense to Jax, and he nodded. "All right."

"After everyone washes their hands." Seven walked back down the hall, free of her keys and purse. She held her arms out in welcome. "Make yourself at home."

It'd been a long time since he'd been in a house that was lived in, especially by children. Jax didn't socially hang out with many of his teammates, and his SEAL buddies were like him. They had home bases, and they were furnished with essentials and go bags. Furnishings weren't important. There wasn't much time for art on the walls. The closest he got to homey and comfortable was fake and at safe houses.

This house was lived-in, and he was glad Seven hadn't known he was coming. The place was as clean and neat as one with little kids could safely expect to keep and stay sane.

As he wandered around, he couldn't help but appreciate how they each had added their personality. Drawings and blocks, pillows and blankets, Lincoln Logs and Legos, dolls with all their dresses and multicolored hair.

And the Harley toys. Jax laughed. They were in the life…

Seven's walls were decorated with pictures, art, and occasional references to motorcycle culture. Her vibrant style carried through with leathers and bold colors—turquoise wall here, purple archways there.

He glanced over and saw her leaning against the cutaway to the dining room, watching him take it all in.

"What's going through your mind?" she asked.

"I like this. You three have a cool place."

"It was four. My mom recently moved to a nursing home." Her unreadable face gave nothing away. "But she wasn't in a good place to contribute much, and when she left"—Seven gestured—"I guess nothing changed, either."

Jax sat down on the couch, listening to the kids play in their rooms down the hall. "Do you miss her? Having another adult to help out?"

"She couldn't help before, and her doctor didn't know what made it worse. Old age, I guess. I couldn't take care of her very well for the past couple weeks." She lifted a shoulder. "It's better that way. For her."

"For you?"

Seven crossed the room, joining him on the couch. "No one wants to put their mom in a nursing home, especially now. I'm too young. She's too young. It's just… It sucks."

"I'm sorry."

"What about you?" she asked.