Page 15 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
Liam’s frown deepens, as if the possibility that he might have crossed a line is only now sinking in. “It’s what my father would’ve told me.”
I arch an eyebrow at him pointedly. “That’s the parenting blueprint you’re running with?”
Liam exhales, clearly unhappy with the reminder, but he doesn’t push the argument further.
Silence settles over us again, tense but short-lived as Eli begins to stir awake, noticing us standing nearby. His eyes blink open, immediately brightening with curiosity, and within seconds, he’s fully alert, peering up at us with wide-eyed wonder.
“Mommy?” he asks, sleep still clinging to his voice. He sits up, clutching his stuffed bear. “Who’re they?”
“They’re friends of someone Mommy knew a long time ago,” Ava says calmly, her voice carrying a gentle but firm note of warning as she glances pointedly at Liam, silently telling him to stick to her vague story or risk her wrath again. “They’re going to help us on our adventure.”
Eli’s face splits into an excited smile as he scrambles off the bed, his small feet landing on the worn carpet. “Are they real-life heroes or something?”
Jax immediately picks up the thread, flashing Eli a grin. “Definitely heroes. We’ve even got a secret car ready for special missions. Cool, huh?”
Eli’s mouth drops open, his eyes sparkling. “Whoa.”
I can’t help the faint twitch at the corner of my mouth, appreciating Jax’s effortless charm. Eli takes it all in stride, full of innocent enthusiasm. My gaze shifts back to Ava as she gathers their things, her movements swift and efficient. It doesn’t take long. They hadn’t unpacked much, just a single duffel bag that Ava now slings over her shoulder.
“We’ll leave now,” Liam says, still stiff but trying to soften his voice a fraction after Ava’s earlier reaction.
Ava nods. “Okay, but I need to grab Eli’s booster seat first, and something else, from my car.”
“What something else?” Liam immediately questions, suspicion lining his voice.
Ava meets his stare, defiant even in her fatigue. “Something else I need. It’ll just take a minute.”
She doesn’t wait for permission, already stepping outside. Eli trails close beside her, practically skipping as we follow them out into the cold night air. Ava moves to her old, beaten-down sedan parked in the shadowy corner of the motel lot. Unlocking the door, she glances back toward us, forcing a bright, reassuring smile for Eli.
“Eli, baby, why don’t you ask Jax to help you get your booster seat out, okay?”
“Sure thing, little man,” Jax says warmly, already lifting Eli into the back seat to unbuckle the seat.
As they busy themselves, Ava darts to the front passenger side, pulling open the glove compartment. Her movements are swift and practiced, and her hand emerges clutching something small but unmistakable. A gun. She tucks it neatly into a concealedholster at her side, completely unaware that I’m watching closely from behind.
When she turns, she startles, finding me standing beside the car.
“Oh god,” she breathes, voice shaking as she tries to steady herself. “I-I didn’t…I didn’t see you there. Look, I?—”
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” I say, keeping my voice low, calm enough to ease her panic. “Your safety and your son’s safety are your business. You don’t have to justify anything to me.”
Her shoulders relax, but her guard stays firmly in place. “It’s just—this isn’t—I mean?—”
“You don’t have to trust us yet,” I continue quietly. “Trust built from words alone is flimsy as hell. You’ll know us by our actions soon enough. In the meantime, you carry what you need to feel safe. That gun of yours, the safety’s on, right?”
Her eyes narrow, pride flaring behind them. “Safety’s always on unless I’m engaging it.”
I nod approvingly. “Have you ever engaged it?”
She hesitates, then answers firmly, “Not outside of practice.”
“Good,” I say, meeting her wary gaze steadily. “I plan to make sure it stays that way.”
From behind us, Eli lets out a victorious shout, drawing Ava’s attention.
“Got it!” Eli beams, holding up the booster seat triumphantly as Jax offers him a playful high five. They’re both oblivious to the quiet conversation Ava and I just had.
“Good job, honey,” Ava calls warmly, and the three of us turn away from the car.
