Page 18 of Amor Prohibido

I came up blurry-eyed and red with embarrassment as she continued to pat me. “Jesus, Mum. Stop talking.”

“You need to be more careful,” she tutted, going back to checking the apple pie she was baking.

With her back turned, Jax finally cut her attention to me and smirked sadistically. “What she said.”

My retort was cut off by Dad making an appearance, freshly shaved and hair slicked back.

His eyes lit up as soon as they landed on Jax. “Ah, I thought I heard another beautiful woman in the house.”

Mum scoffed while he opened his arms to Jax. She stepped into his embrace and winced a little against the vigour of his hug.

“Ooof, not too hard, Kip. I’m a little under the weather today.”

Dad held her at arm’s length and searched for signs of sickness. “How so?”

“She’s hungover, Dad,” I deadpanned.

A smile pulled his mouth wide, and he laughed. “Seems to be a common occurrence today.” He side-eyed me, then guided Jax to the living area. “Go have a seat, darling, and Jace will make you a coffee.”

“It’s honestly o—”

“Nope,” Dad cut her off. “Go on, put your feet up before your Mama and Papi, and Darren and Callie arrive. Make the most of the quiet.”

The sharp angle set into Jax’s shoulders relaxed a little, and she smiled softly at Dad. He treated her like a daughter, and likewise, my parents were her own in every sense of the word aside from biologically.

I tossed back the rest of my cool coffee, then set about making two more. Dad reached over Mum’s shoulder to pick at the outer shortcrust on the apple pie and got his hand slapped away, then he leaned his ass on the counter and chuckled.

“Thought I’d try my luck. You never know.” He shrugged while Mum admonished him under her breath.

The front door clicked open, and Maria’s cheery voice whipped through the house. “¡Quiubo!”

Mum hastily wiped her hands on her apron while hurrying to greet Jax’s parents, with Dad not far behind her. I snickered while carrying both coffees into the living room, then tempered my amusement as I approached Jax.

“Your parents have arrived.”

She rubbed at her temples. “I know. Mama’s voice carries. Is she always that loud?”

I passed her the coffee and failed to smother a laugh. “Yes, she’s always that loud. Like mother, like daughter.”

Christ, if looks could kill, I’d be ash on the wind. “Shut up!” Jax hissed.

I lowered myself onto the couch next to her armchair. “I wasn’t talking about…you know.I meant in general.”

She simply glared and flipped me off.

Undeterred by her attitude and seizing the moment alone, I leaned close to J and lowered my voice. “We need to sort this out before they notice. If they don’t, Darren and Callie sure as fuck will.”

“I’vegot nothing to sort out, Jason.”

“Jax,” I growled, then lowered my voice impossibly further. “I can’t deny that I’m constantly switching between berating myself that I went there with you and being pretty fucking stoked that I did. I can’t help but see you as more than the little girl with long curly pigtails and a fuzzy little unibrow.”

Her eyes flared comically, and her whispered voice pitched an octave. “Would you seriously just shut the fuck up? What we did was wrong, Jace, and it won’t happen again. You should regret it just like I do.”

I scoffed and leaned back into the couch. “Regret is the wrong word.”

She muttered something in Spanish, then took a little sip of coffee. Watching the innocent action tugged at my heart. Jax’s hard exterior hid her inner emotions well, but I caught a glimpse of innocence as she stared off across the room.

I angled closer and touched her forearm to get her attention. When her eyes met mine, I forced a thick swallow. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad I finally came home, J. I really did miss you.”

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