Page 57 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
I sigh, feeling tears sting the corners of my eyes. How do I explain something so complicated to a five-year-old? How can I let him down without breaking his sweet, innocent heart?
“Honey, being a daddy is a big deal. There’s more to it than just deciding you want someone to be your daddy. I’m not sure they’re able to be daddies right now.”
“But Cole said he’d be okay with it,” Eli blurts out earnestly, eyes wide and hopeful.
I stare at him silently, my chest aching. “He said that?”
Eli hesitates with a grimace. “Well, not all the way because he said that mommies choose daddies. And he promised me they’d always be there for us. So, I think he would if he knew you were okay with it. Jax and Liam, too. I just know it.”
I can’t even begin to figure out how to explain the complexities involved, or how to break it to Eli. How do I tell my sweet, hopeful little boy that the family he’s dreamed up is impossible?How do I take away something that has already given him so much hope?
Eli watches me intently, waiting patiently, his small hands twisting nervously together. My heart aches fiercely. The silence stretches painfully between us, my mind scrambling for the right words. But the truth is, I don’t know what to say.
How do I break my five-year-old’s heart without shattering my own in the process?
The front door creaks open. Liam steps inside, pausing as he takes in the scene. His intense gaze moves between Eli and me, registering the heavy tension hanging in the air.
“What’s wrong?” he asks gruffly. It’s the first time he’s looked me in the eye in days, and my stomach clenches nervously at the sudden intensity of his attention.
I open my mouth, searching for words, but Eli beats me to it. He steps forward, staring up at Liam with serious eyes and an earnestness that breaks my heart.
“Liam,” Eli says, his voice small but firm, “do you love me?”
The room seems to still completely, my heart pounding furiously as I watch Liam’s reaction. Liam visibly hesitates, glancing at me before dropping to one knee, bringing himself eye-level with my son. I brace myself for Eli’s disappointment, silently cursing myself for not handling this better. But then, Liam’s expression softens completely, and to my surprise, he reaches out, pulling Eli into a gentle hug.
“Yeah, buddy,” Liam says, his voice thick with sincerity. “I do love you.”
Eli pulls back, eyes wide and hopeful. “Then will you always be around? Cole said he would be, and Jax, too. Will you stay with us forever?”
Liam hesitates just for a heartbeat, and I hold my breath anxiously, waiting for his response. But then his eyes soften even further, and he gives Eli a gentle nod.
“Yes. We’re all staying with you and your mom until we’re sure you’re both completely safe.” His gaze shifts to me then, emphasizing the words deliberately. “Completely safe.”
Swallowing hard, I force myself to look at Eli, offering him a weak smile.
“Eli, sweetheart, why don’t you go play upstairs for a little bit? I need to have a grown-up talk with Liam.”
“Okay!” Eli says brightly, clearly satisfied and utterly oblivious to the turmoil within me. He bounces up the stairs, leaving Liam and me alone in tense silence.
“Liam, I’m sorry,” I start awkwardly, the words spilling from me in a nervous rush. “I didn’t mean for Eli to put you on the spot like that. He was asking questions, and I didn’t know how to answer them, and?—”
“Ava,” Liam interrupts, but firmly, stepping closer. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I meant what I said. Eli’s a great kid. It’s not hard to love him.”
I exhale shakily, my nerves still on edge. “You really meant it when you talked about you guys staying until we’re safe?”
He nods, watching me intently. “We decided a while ago. Cole and Jax feel the same. We’re staying at least until Randy is no longer a threat.”
I blink, stunned by his sincerity. “But…how? Don’t you have a business or something? This was supposed to be temporary, right?”
Liam smiles faintly, a smug look flashing briefly across his features. “Money will never be an issue for us, Ava. We’re staying as long as it takes.”
I recognize the same cockiness I’ve seen in Jax before. I briefly wonder what all they really do for work, but my heart pounds furiously in my chest, emotions spiraling out of control.
“You’re serious,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “You’re really planning to stay?”
He steps forward, closing the distance between us until he stands just inches away. His gaze is intense, unwavering, as he reaches up, cupping my face in his hand.
“Jax told us what you told him,” he murmurs. “Afraid of going back to protecting Eli alone. But as long as we’re breathing, Ava, you’ll never face that again. You have us now.”
