Jax (Titan #9)(40)
"How'd you do that?"
"I was in the military."
Nolan ohhhed, and Bianca didn't react. "You shoot people?"
"Um…" Where was Seven when questions like this popped up? "Bad guys."
"How do you know they were bad?"
"I ask questions." Maybe he should've gone to help Seven with dinner even though she'd said no.
"Some people think our parents were bad guys."
Foot in mouth. Fucking hell. "I would not hurt your parents, Bianca."
"They hurt themselves. It's their fault they're gone. Not our fault," Bianca recited.
He shifted on the floor as Nolan pulled on his hair. Jax had no idea what to do with this conversation. Hell, he hadn't known they weren't Seven's biological kids. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Sometimes it's hard for grown-ups to understand tough stuff like this." He crawled closer to her as Nolan paid no mind but clung to his neck and hung down his back like a cape. "I can't imagine it's easy for you."
Watching him down on his stomach, she crouched down too. "Hi," Bianca said.
"Hey." He smiled. They both put their chins on their hands and propped their elbows on the floor. "I don't have a lot of friends in Sweet Hills. Your mom is my friend—"
"She's everyone's friend."
He could see that. "I could use another. Got any ideas?"
"I could be your friend too," she offered.
"I'd like that."
Bianca's smile beamed. "Okay. I'm going back to my doll."
"Okay. I'll go back to my block-building." Jax pushed onto his hands and knees, letting Nolan stay on his back for a ride to the couch.
The little boy threw his arms in the air. "More! Kweep going!"
Jax turned his head. "More what, buddy?"
"He wants you to give him a ride," Bianca explained.
Then it clicked. Nolan was on his back, and Jax crawling to Bianca had been a ride. Game on. "I can do better than that."
Jax held on to Nolan's leg and bounced around the living room to shrieks of laughter ringing out. When he stopped, it wasn't just Nolan laughing. Bianca was too.
"Come on, my new friend. You too."
Hesitantly, she gathered her two dolls—one with green-dyed hair, the other with pink—and set them against the wall. "Can they see?"
"Sure."
As though no one had ever given her a ride before, Bianca beamed and jumped behind Nolan. Both kids bounced on his back, and Jax couldn't remember a time when he'd cared less about what he looked like or had that much fun.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
"Do you do this every night?" Jax was sprawled on the couch, positive he hadn't been so tired in all his life.
Seven laughed. "Do what? Go to work? Pick my kids up? Feed them?"
"They never stop moving."
"True." She folded the kitchen hand towel in that way she did, once then twice. "You just got off a job, though."
He stretched his arm out. "I'm never tired after a job."
She took his hand, and Jax reeled her in. "Sounds like a load of macho crap to me."
"If there was any doubt that I didn't come here to have sex, I can barely move." He laughed. "Kids are hard."
"You've been here for half a day, Mr. Navy SEAL."
"You're a strong woman, Seven, and a really good mom."
She nestled against his chest. "You don't have to say that."
"Those kids, they think you walk on water."
"They didn't have much to compare to."
"Bianca mentioned something about that."
Seven sighed. "It's an ugly story for another time."
He ran his hand up and down her back, yawning. "No worries, babe." He pulled her close. "My mom, she's about as good as they come. I can tell you, you're a good mom."
Seven squeezed him. "I knew you weren't magically conjured into the world."
He closed his eyes, relaxing with her draped over him. Not even a day ago, he'd been halfway around the globe, hunting down a terrorist, and now he was relaxing before bed and…
###
Seven blinked as Nolan bounced on her legs, and daylight spilled, urging her awake. The morning had come too soon, and she'd had the best dream. She could even still feel it. Feel him. Jax. His warm breath and sure hands. The scratch of dark scruff on his cheeks.
"Is she alive?" Bianca asked. "Her shoes are on."
Nolan giggled. "She's vwery bouncy."
Jax cleared his throat, shifting underneath her—and that wasn't a dream. Seven's eyes flew open, and she was nose to nose with Bianca.
"She's alive," Bianca announced.
"Is he?" Nolan asked, peering over her shoulder.
Oh God… "Yes," Seven whispered, trying not to panic as she best decided how to handle this monumental parenting fail. "Go to your rooms for a few minutes."
"Why?" Bianca asked, and Nolan bounced on Seven's legs for good measure.
Seven was ninety-nine percent sure that Jax was very much awake and playing dead, as if that was going to help anything.