Page 59 of Jax

They had arrived here late last night, after a lot of celebrating with the others at The Den. Jax and his brothers had taken a while to find safe places for the women they had rescued to go to. Most of them had been checked into a private facility to help them come to terms with what had happened to them, along with a program to help them come off the prescription medication they’d been forced into taking. The facility was in a large old house on beautiful grounds, and kind of like a luxury spa, apparently.

Jax had asked Mia if she had wanted to attend the facility too, but she had declined. So, after a night of drinking and high-fiving, she and Jax had come back to her Daddy’s apartment. It was the first time she’d been here, and she’d had barely had any time to look around the place yet.

"Jax?" she called out, pushing back the plush duvet as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"Here," his voice echoed from the hallway.

Following the sound, Mia found herself standing in the doorway of Jax's office. The room was dimly lit, a soft glow from multiple computer screens casting shadows on Jax's face as he sat at his desk, completely engrossed in his work.

"Hey," she said, leaning against the doorframe. "Whatcha working on, Daddy?"

"Just a sec," he replied, his fingers flying the keyboard.

For a moment, as Mia looked at Jax, she worried that he was back to struggling with his screen addiction. Would she always come second place to technology? Her thoughts raced as she contemplated the implications for their relationship.

Mia's heart skipped a beat as she watched Jax, his face bathed in the eerie glow of multiple computer screens, fingers flying over the keyboard. Anxiety knotted her stomach; was he slipping back into his old ways, consumed by the digital realm? She knew all too well how his screen addiction had cost him precious time with his family and even contributed to his sister's disappearance. But now, Jax was supposed to be different.

"Jax?" Her voice trembled, betraying her concern. "Are you okay?"

He paused mid-tap, his head turning slowly to meet her gaze. A smile spread across his lips, reaching his hazel eyes, which sparkled with mischief. "I'm better than okay, little one. I have a surprise for you."

Her pulse quickened at his cryptic words, curiosity mingling with hope that whatever occupied his attention was for their benefit, not another obsession threatening to tear them apart. She took a deep breath, her green eyes searching his face for clues, but found none.

"Come closer," Jax beckoned, his voice low and inviting.

As Mia crossed the room, she couldn't help but wonder what lay in store for them. She knew they both carried heavy burdens from their pasts, but she also believed in the strength of their love, their bond. Together, they could overcome anything – even the relentless pull of technology on Jax's psyche. At least, that's what she hoped.

"Here," Jax patted his lap, a playful grin on his face. "Have a seat on my lap."

Mia hesitated for a moment, then obliged, her body sinking into his warmth and strength as he wrapped an arm around her waist. She felt the steady thrum of his heart against her back, a reassuring reminder of their connection.

"Remember that old bookstore in Bloomington?" Jax asked, his breath tickling her ear. "The one we hid in when we were on the run?"

Mia's eyes widened as memories of that harrowing time resurfaced – the fear, the adrenaline, but also the stolen moments of solace they found amongst dusty, forgotten tomes. "Yeah," she whispered, shivering at the recollection. "What about it?"

Jax's grip on her tightened slightly, as if to protect her from the shadows of the past. "Well," he began, his voice low and conspiratorial, "I bought it."

"You what?" Mia turned her head, her green eyes searching his face for any trace of deception. But all she saw there was sincerity and excitement.

"It's yours now," Jax continued, his hazel eyes alight with anticipation. "To restore and run, if you want it. I remember you saying once how you longed for a quiet life, surrounded by books."

For a moment, Mia was speechless, her mind struggling to process the enormity of the gesture. Then it hit her – the possibilities, the dreams she'd buried deep within herself,suddenly brought to life. A laugh bubbled up from her chest, rich and full of delight, as she envisioned the two of them building a sanctuary between the pages of countless stories.

"Are you serious?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion. "You really did this for me?"

"Of course," Jax replied, his eyes never leaving hers. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Mia. You're my world."

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as the weight of his words settled on her heart. In that moment, she knew with absolute certainty that Jax was offering her not just a bookstore, but a new beginning – a chance to reshape their lives and build a future free from the ghosts that haunted them.

"Thank you," she whispered, reaching up to brush a stray tear from her cheek. "I can't even begin to tell you what this means to me."

"Then let me show you," Jax murmured, his fingers tracing circles on her hip as he leaned in for a tender kiss, sealing their shared dream with the promise of all that lay ahead.

Jax's eyes sparkled as he opened up something on his computer, the excitement in his movements contagious. "I've been working on something," he confessed, opening up Photoshop and turning the screen towards Mia.

Her breath caught as she took in the digital drawing displayed before her. It was a stunning depiction of their future bookstore – the very one they'd hidden in during their time on the run. The design was clean and inviting, with warm lighting and cozy nooks for readers to lose themselves in. But what truly captured her attention was the logo: an artistic rendering of her Shere Khan tattoo, fierce and regal, a symbol of both her past and the new beginning unfolding before her. Beneath it read: “Tiger Tiger Books.”

"Jax, this . . . it's amazing," she breathed, her fingers brushing over the image on the screen. "You did all this?"

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