Page 19 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
“Nope, just paying off a debt.” Leo’s gaze is serious. “Wouldn’t have my girl if it weren’t for you and your brothers. You know I’ll be paying that debt back for the rest of my life. A room for half price ain’t shit.”
Five years back, Leo’s daughter had fallen in with the wrong crowd—a motorcycle gang pretending to be misunderstood rebels. She’d tried to leave, but her asshole boyfriend wasn’t keen on letting her walk away. It’d taken Cole, Jax, and me two weeks to locate her, extract her, and disband the bunch of pussies permanently. By the time we finished, half the gang had been wiped out by “rivals,” the remaining cowards had fled to a new town, and Leo’s daughter was safely back home.
“Appreciate it,” I say gruffly, accepting the key card.
Leo nods once, solemnly. “Room twelve, like always. You need anything else, just holler.”
“Will do.”
I push back through the lobby door, the bell above it chiming behind me as I step outside. The cold air rushes over me again, sharp enough to clear my head and bring me fully alert. I make my way back toward the SUV.
I tug open the driver’s side door, meeting Ava’s eyes first. They’re tired but sharp—hazel and intense, laced with suspicion and something else. Something that makes it hard to look away.
“Come on,” I say, reaching down to pop the trunk. “We’re good to go.”
Ava nods, relief softening her features as she unbuckles and moves around the SUV toward Eli’s door. Jax shifts, gently trying to coax Eli awake, but the kid grumbles sleepily, stubbornly shaking his head. Ava’s already out of her seat and moving around the car. She gets to Jax’s door and tries to reach across him, sleepily, to scoop Eli into her arms.
“Hey, hey,” Jax coos at her, blocking her path gently. “How about you focus on putting one foot in front of the other? I’ve got him.”
She hesitates, but finally nods gratefully, shoulders slumping in relief. Jax unbuckles Eli, lifting him onto one shoulder, where Eli curls against his neck, still sound asleep.
Cole and I grab the bags, hauling them from the SUV as Jax cradles Eli against his chest and slides out of his seat. With one hand, Jax closes his door behind him, eyes scanning the empty parking lot before nodding to me and following Ava and Cole toward the hotel room. I hit the key fob, the SUV’s locks engaging with a click that feels too loud in the quiet night, and follow the three of them.
Our small group crosses the uneven gravel toward room 12, the worn numbers barely visible beneath the bright morning light. I slide the keycard into the slot, waiting impatiently for the green flash before pushing the door open, holding it wide as Ava steps past me, her movements gentle so she doesn't wake Eli. Jax and Cole follow, their heavy footfalls silent as shadows.
Once inside, I shut the door behind us, immediately flipping the deadbolt and engaging the security latch. Cole drops his bags onto the scratched, cheaply veneered dresser, one of only three pieces of furniture squeezed into the cramped space. I follow suit as Jax moves toward the bed and lays the kid down beforepulling the covers back and maneuvering his small body under them.
Ava hesitates near the bed, her gaze flickering between the single mattress and the tiny couch. Eli sinks deeper into sleep, small limbs sprawled in exhausted relief, and I can see Ava’s longing to lie down.
“Go ahead.” Her eyes snap to mine. “Go ahead and take the bed with him.”
Inside, Ava’s gaze flickers between the single bed and the tiny couch. “There are only two places to sleep.”
“And? Eli is getting the bed anyway, what does it matter to us if you share it with him?”
“What about you guys?” she asks, still concerned, but pulling the covers back on the other side of her kid.
Jax shrugs, flashing her his trademark grin. “Trust me, sweetheart, we’ve slept in worse places than that couch.”
She nods, though not happily, and sinks onto the mattress, eyes already heavy as she lies down and pulls Eli gently against her. Within moments, she’s joined him in sleep.
“I can take first watch,” Cole offers immediately.
“I’ll take watch with you,” I murmur back, settling against the dresser, leg crossed over another.
“Fine with me. I was up late the last three nights for the Hampton case surveillance.” With those words, Jax sprawls onto the couch, eyes closing the moment his head hits the raggedy throw pillow, in the way only military-trained men can manage.
Cole moves to the window, silently scanning the parking lot as he settles into position for first watch. From his place, his gaze flickers briefly toward Ava and Eli, his expression unreadable as usual.
“This job is going to be interesting.”
“Hmm,” is all I say back.
“She’s tougher than she looks.”
I grunt. “I noticed.”
“You think we’ll have trouble while we’re on the road?” he asks, voice calm, analytical.
