Page 14 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
“How do I know that’s true?” she demands, voice tense and wary. Her focus flickers over each of us, trying to read threats in our body language. Smart girl. She shouldn’t trust anyone, given who’s chasing her. She has a child to protect. Her instinct is clear and powerful. I respect that.
Jax smirks beside me, unable to entirely suppress his reckless charm. “Sweetheart, if we meant harm, we wouldn’t have knocked.”
Her gaze narrows, clearly unimpressed. “Forgive me if I don’t immediately trust three strangers showing up at my motel room in the middle of the night.”
Liam shoots Jax a sharp look, silently demanding he shut his mouth before he makes things worse. Jax shrugs casually but wisely falls silent, allowing Liam to speak again.
“Morales told us to find you and your son, Eli,” Liam explains steadily, controlling the impatience creeping into his tone. “He sent us specifically because we don’t answer to anyone official. He knew you’d be safest with us.”
She doesn’t move or reply immediately, clearly torn between caution and desperation. Her hesitation is understandable. She’s probably spent years hiding, always looking over her shoulder.She’s alone, exhausted, and cornered. And she’s terrified—not only for herself, but for her child sleeping behind her.
Something shifts in her eyes as she weighs her options, but the lamp remains clutched, fingers white-knuckled around the base. I step forward, being careful to keep my movements deliberate and non-threatening. Liam gives me a slight nod, trusting my instincts. Ava tenses, watching me warily, ready to swing if necessary.
“Ava,” I say, my voice deep but gentle, choosing my words. “We’re not here to hurt you or your boy. Morales trusted us to protect you. You can trust us, too.”
She studies me closely, her hazel eyes searching mine, looking for lies or hidden threats. There’s intelligence and resilience in her gaze, along with a deep weariness from years of running and hiding. I see the battle playing out behind her guarded expression—instinctive caution warring against the hope of finally receiving help. I keep my expression calm, sincere, letting her take the time she needs.
The tension eases fractionally, her grip on the lamp relaxing as she steps back, finally deciding to unhook the chain. The door opens wider, and I get my first full look at the motel room. It’s small, dim, and shabby, barely fit to shelter anyone, especially a scared woman and her child. Eli sleeps soundly on the bed, curled up around a stuffed bear, oblivious to the danger surrounding him.
Stepping inside, I keep my posture relaxed, movements careful and controlled. Ava watches warily as Liam and Jax enter behind me, her suspicion far from gone. She’s not fully convinced yet, and I don’t blame her. Trust is a risk, and she’s been burned before.
Eli shifts in his sleep, murmuring softly as he hugs his bear closer. His innocent, peaceful expression softens my normally hard exterior. Ava’s gaze flicks to her son, worry briefly shadowing her eyes again before she visibly steadies herself.
Ava points out, her voice steady but still guarded, “You’re asking me to trust you, but you haven’t even introduced yourselves.”
The three of us exchange brief, surprised glances. Morales clearly hadn’t filled her in on much, and it’s obvious from her tight expression that she doesn’t appreciate being in the dark. Liam clears his throat, stepping forward first.
“I’m Liam,” he says. “This is Cole.” He tilts his head toward me. “And Jax.”
“How do you know Morales?”
Jax gives a small wave, a half-grin tugging at his mouth. “All of us are former SEALs. We used to work with Morales, but now we do odd jobs like this.”
Ava’s brows lift, like she’s processing but doesn’t intend to dig deeper. Our eyes meet, and I catch myself studying her closely. Even with exhaustion shadowing her features, she was strikingly beautiful. It’s not just her looks, though the delicate curves of her face and the hazel depths of her eyes don’t go unnoticed. She’s got this visible strength beneath her guarded expression, something I respect immediately.
“Are we leaving right away?” she asks, breaking my focus.
“Yes,” Liam answers firmly, glancing toward Eli on the bed. “The less time we spend in one spot, the safer you’ll be.”
Ava nods, accepting the logic without argument. She moves toward the bed, hesitating briefly before turning back to us, voice dropping to a cautious whisper.
“Listen, Eli doesn’t know what’s really going on. He thinks this is just some sort of adventure. I’ve been trying to keep the danger away from him as much as I can.”
Liam frowns, his expression hardening into something rigid and unyielding.
“That’s a poor choice as a mother,” he states bluntly, his tone matter-of-fact rather than intentionally cruel. “The kid needs to know he’s in danger so he can move with caution.”
The sharp inhalation from Ava is subtle, but I see the flicker of hurt cross her eyes before anger replaces it. She straightens, shoulders squaring defensively, eyes flashing with heat as she stares Liam down.
“I don’t give a fuck who you are or why Morales sent you,” she snaps, voice tight and controlled. “Stay out of trying to raise my kid.”
Turning her back deliberately, she crosses the room to wake Eli, clearly done entertaining Liam’s advice. Jax lets out a quiet chuckle he can’t quite hide.
“Damn, Liam. Managed to piss off the first beautiful woman we’ve been around in years, and it only took you ten minutes. New record.”
Liam scowls at him. “Shut up, Jax. What I said was logical.”
I meet Liam’s gaze evenly, feeling a surge of irritation on Ava’s behalf. “Maybe we aren’t exactly the best judges of how to raisekids, Liam. You think maybe Ava knows better than we do about her own son?”
