Until Lilly (Until, #3)(20)

“I don’t know.” I pick my dress up from where it fell into the tub when he surprised me.

“Baby, look at me.” My eyes go to his. “You look perfect; wear that suit.”

“Cash.”

“Our daughter grew inside of you. I loved your body before, and I love it even more now.”

“Fine, I’ll wear it.” I can’t help but smile. I put the bikini bottoms back on, then the top before pulling my dress over my head. Once I'm dressed again, we head outside. Cash was right; everyone is out around the pool, and all the kids are playing out in the large grassy area where a large kids’ playhouse is set up. Then I see it—a large dog the size of a horse. One of the little girls is laying over its back while it walks around the playhouse sniffing the grass.

“Is that Beast?” I stop, looking at Cash.

“Yep, and the little girl on his back is July.” He laughs as we watch her try to stay on the dog’s back; he acts like he doesn’t even notice her. Cash points out each of the girls; three of them are Asher and November’s July, May, and June, and one is Hanna, who is Trevor and Liz’s Daughter.

“So Jax is the only boy?”

“Right now, yeah, but Liz is pregnant, and they found out a few days ago that they are having a boy.”

“Wow.” I look around the backyard filled with people and all the kids running around. We walk around while Cash introduces me to everyone, then wander over to the grill where an older gentleman—obviously, Cash and his brothers’ dad—is standing with Asher.

“Dad, I want you to meet Lilly. Lilly, this is my dad, James.”

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Oh no, now I gotta train another one.” He points the spatula in his hand towards me. “You call me James or Dad—preferably Dad—none of this ‘sir’ business.”

“Okay.” I smile and laugh.

“I feel old enough with all my grandkids running around calling me papa or grandpa. I don’t need all my pretty daughters-in-laws callin’ me sir.”

“I'm no—”

“Oh, how sweet!” A woman’s voice cuts me off. “You want Cash’s new * to call you daddy.” I look up and see a beautiful woman with short shorts, a halter-top, and shoulder-length dark brown hair. She’s tall and wearing wedge heels, making her even more towering.

“What are you doing here, Jules?” Cash asks next to me, and I realize that this woman is his ex-wife.

“I came to see my son.”

“You know you’re supposed to call.”

“Why, so you can hide this bitch away? Like I don’t know that you have been sleeping around since before we got divorced.”

“Seriously?” Cash growls, then I feel a hand on my elbow and I'm being tugged back.

“Mommy.” I hear Jax’s voice and look over to see Ashlyn standing with him off to the side of his mother. “This is my sister, Ashlyn.”

“Oh no,” I whisper just as Jules’s eyes go to Jax, who is now holding Ashlyn’s hand.

“You don’t have a sister,” Jules growls.

“I do!” He stomps his foot. “Daddy said she’s my sister. He even said we have the same eyes, look,” he says, opening his eyes up wide.

I take a step towards them, wanting to grab both of the kids and get them out of this situation. A hand holds me back at my elbow. I look over my shoulder and am surprised to see it’s actually Nico. I glare, and then look back at the kids. “Ashlyn, Jax, let’s go inside so Daddy can talk to Jules,” I say as Cash walks over to where the kids are, picking them both up.

“My son isn’t going anywhere with you, you f*cking bitch,” Jules says to me, and Ashlyn starts to cry. Then Susan and November are there, taking them both from Cash and heading inside. I look towards the yard and see Liz and Trevor taking the other kids into the house.

“Jules, you know that I'm Jax’s granddad, and I would hate to put his mom in jail,” James says; his eyes are cold, and I don’t think he would hesitate to do what he says.

“Oh, like you would really give a f*ck,” she says leaning forward, and then looks at me. “Who the f*ck are you?”

“You need to leave, Jules. Now,” Cash says, taking a step in front of me. “Bro, take Lil inside for me.” He looks past me to Nico.

“Sure thing.” Nico puts his arm around my shoulder and starts to lead us inside.

“You should stay with him,” I say quietly, looking up at Nico. I don’t think he is a fan of mine, but I can tell he loves his brother, and I love—

Wait…love him? I shake my head. No, I don’t. I care about Cash. Yes, as the father of my child. And want him to be safe, and I can tell that woman is all kinds of crazy. “Please.” I fist my hand into his shirt.

His eyes flash something, but it’s gone before I can catch it. “All right, go on inside,” he says quietly. My stomach is in knots as I pull the door closed behind me. It’s not jealousy; it’s something else. I don’t like the way that woman spoke to her son, and I also didn’t like how she spoke to Cash and his family.

“She is never going to change.”

“What?” I look over at Liz.