Page 18 of Jax
“Black with one sugar.” He tilted his head at the coffee in my hand. “Hopefully you like it the same ’cause I figured we could share that one.”
My lips curved into a smile over the rim of the cup. “Works for me.”
“Good.” He stabbed the fork into the eggs and lifted a bite to my lips. “Now eat. You gotta be starving.”
This was more care than anyone had shown me in years, so I didn’t argue. We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before I found the nerve to ask, “Do you always look after people like this?”
He looked at me for a long moment before shaking his head. “Only you.”
Heat bloomed under my skin again, and I ducked my gaze to the plate, giving me something safe to focus on. “What about your family?”
His fork scraped against the plate, and when he answered, his tone had softened in a way I hadn’t heard before. “Tried to watch out for my sister, Alanna, growing up. She’s eight years younger.”
“Do you see her often?”
“Not as much as I’d like. Our parents didn’t approve of me patching into the Kings. They do their best to keep me away fromher.” He shook his head with a sigh. “But we still find a way when we can.”
I swallowed hard at the love in his voice. “She’s lucky to have you.”
His eyes flicked to mine, and the weight of his gaze pinned me again. “No. I’m the lucky one. She’s great.”
I sipped the last of the coffee to cover the way my throat had gone tight, but inside, I was a mess of warmth and nerves. It was dangerous how easy it was to picture more mornings like this. How tempting it was to let myself lean into the care he offered when I knew better than to let anyone too close. Even though Jaxton had already figured out my secret, the marshals wouldn’t approve of me building a relationship with him.
I tried to remind myself that this couldn’t last. That safety was fragile, temporary. But the way he looked at me made me wish that we could stay here like this forever.
I pushed the empty tray aside and glanced at the sunshine streaming through the blinds. “I should probably get home so I can change and get ready for work.”
“I’ll take you.”
Relief flickered through me. I’d expected him to argue. I shifted like I was about to stand, but his next words froze me in place.
“Pack a bag.”
My head snapped toward him. “What?”
His gaze slid to mine, his expression unreadable. “You’re staying here from now on.”
He said it like the decision had already been made, as though there wasn’t room for debate.
“Staying here?” My laugh came out thin and uncertain. “That’s not really necessary.”
“It’s a fuck of a lot safer,” he disagreed.
Safer. The word hit me hard. Safer than my tiny apartment with locks anyone determined enough could bypass. Safer than lying awake at night wondering if the shadows outside my window were just my imagination.
I swallowed, my fingers curling around the edge of the sheet. “You can’t just change where I live. That’s not how WITSEC works.”
“I can if it keeps you alive.” He leaned back against the headboard, stretching one arm across the space behind me, like he had all the time in the world to wait for me to realize he wasn’t bluffing.
I should’ve pushed harder. I should’ve argued, told him I didn’t need his protection, and reminded him that letting someone get this close to me could undo everything I’d worked for. But instead of fear, something else curled in my chest.
Belonging.
The thought scared me more than his command ever could.
Because for the first time in years, I felt like I found the place where I was supposed to be. Here, with Jaxton.
Finally, I blew out a shaky breath. “Okay.”
