Page 27 of Ours to Keep

Jackson had all of the flats above our offices renovated, where we each have one. Not only is the security tight, but we’re also all on the same floor. She’ll be safe there with us until they need to leave.

After everything, I think we could all do with having her with us, even if it’s only brief, a way for us to be close and a chance to say goodbye.

Chapter Fourteen

JAX

We took no chances with Lily once the hospital finally discharged her—we took two cars—Elliot and River followed me, with Tommy and Lily in my car.

When I pulled into the underground car park leading to our flats, she was already exhausted, to the point she’d fallen asleep on Tommy’s shoulder.

Unbuckling her seatbelt, I scoop her out of the car and into my arms as carefully as possible.

“I can walk,” she whispers.

“But you don’t have to,” I reply and let out a breath as she snuggles into my chest. The guys follow me to the lift, and we all pile in. Besides our housekeeper, no one other than us has access to the flats. With our security here locked down tight, she’ll be safe until she and Tommy need to leave.

River scans his palm over the electronic sensor, and the door slides closed.

Lily looks around the small space, her eyes heavy with fatigue.

“Where are we going?” she asks groggily.

“Up to my flat. I have a guest room, Duchess. You can stayhere with me or…” I don’t finish my sentence, for all I know she might prefer to stay with anyone else but me.

She glances up at me, her arms loosely hanging around my neck.

“Hmm, I don’t mind, whichever is easiest. I don’t want to put anyone out.”

I shake my head. “Not possible.”

“Jax has the biggest flat, and his guest room has an en-suite,” River says in a playful tone, causing a blush of colour to flood Lily’s cheeks. I realise he’s trying to put her at ease.

“We’ll come with you,” Tommy offers. “Make sure you get settled.” I almost laugh at that as if they’d be anywhere Lily wasn’t.

Her lips rise slightly, her gaze moving to his. “Okay, thank you,” she whispers.

“Are you hungry?” River asks, shifting from foot to foot. It’s annoying as fuck in such an enclosed space, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Tommy, who hates small spaces, his fist clenched tightly around the straps of Lily’s bag.

“Not at the moment,” she replies. “Maybe later.”

Thankfully, the lift stops, the doors sliding open, revealing the top floor leading to our flats.

Tommy is unsurprisingly the first one out and heads straight for my front door, his palm resting over the scanner. We all have complete access to each other’s flats, and we can lock one another out, but none of us have felt the need to—well, at least not yet.

Opening the door, he stands aside, allowing me to enter first. I carry Lily over to my corner sofa and gently lower her to the soft cushions.

“Thank you,” she says softly, her voice croaky.

“Are you thirsty?” River asks.

Lily licks her lips. “Yeah, a little.”

He turns to face me. “Jax, please tell me you have somethingin your fridge,” he says, walking towards my kitchen, the floor completely open.

“Tap water is fine,” Lily replies.

But I quickly wave her off. “I’ll have you know, Gladys made sure of it.”

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