Page 72 of Bound

Jax leaps up, moving to one side so that the nurse can administer the meds. Before I can step away, Janette grabs my hand, forcing me to look back down at her.

“You have formidable blood in you, Lilly. Don’t let them make you forget it,” she says, her voice quiet but intense, giving my hand one final squeeze before letting it go as she closes her eyes.

I look up into Jax’s eyes, finding him looking down at his mother as if seeing her anew. He definitely heard her cryptic remarks, and it’s clear that he has no idea what she is talking about.

She’s just confirmed that she knew my mum, and by the sounds of it, quite well. What did she mean she was strong, the bravest of them all?

Why does it feel like I’m getting more questions than answers the more time passes?

And the biggest question of all?

Who was Laura Darling?

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

JAX

Isit on the chair next to my mom’s bedside, listening to the bleep of the machines and watching the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes. I’m all alone, having sent the others back to Highgate with Lilly, who looked dead on her feet.

I’m gonna fucking kill him, that cuntstain of a father of mine. My lip curls, a sour taste in my mouth as I think of him. I know it was him, I can practically make out that shitty signet ring he wears on his right hand in the bruises on her face.

My fists clench as I catalog her injuries once again, knowing that she won’t tell me the truth, and she won’t report him. I remember the time that I beat the shit out of him, a grim smile pulling my lips up with the memory of his blood coating my hands for once. Looks like he’ll need a little reminder of the lesson that I thought he’d learned that day.

“Be careful, baby.” I hear her rasping voice say, and I look up into eyes that reflect my own. Only hers are full of concern and worry. “I know that look, Jax. nothing good will come from revenge.”

I take her hand once more, which is so much smaller than my own.

“He won’t get away with this,” I vow, righteous fire filling my black soul until it’s ablaze. “He will pay.”

“Oh, baby,” she whispers, shifting with a small moan, which only adds fuel to the fire of my anger. “And what if Lilly gets caught in the crossfire?”

The fire goes out, cold dread sitting like a heavy weight in my stomach.

“What you said to her earlier, about her mom…” I trail off, seeing her gaze turned pained and knowing that I won’t get anything else out of her.

“I shouldn’t have said it, but she looked so downtrodden, so broken,” she replies, swallowing painfully. I reach for her cup, bringing the straw to her lips so that she can drink. “ I can’t say any more, Jax. I promised…” she starts, getting restless, and her heart monitor picks up slightly.

“Hey, don’t worry, mom. I won’t force you, just rest,” I assure her, feeling pleased as she relaxes into the pillows again. Suddenly, I have the overwhelming need to tell her about the baby. She’s always loved children, and she desperately needs to smile. Plus I know that I can trust her, she’s clearly good at keeping secrets. “Lilly’s pregnant.”

Her whole body goes still as she looks at me, joy warring with desperate sadness in her eyes.

“Oh, baby. Is it, I mean, are you…” she trails off, looking away and blushing. I can’t help the grin that splits my lips in a rare smile.

“Loki,” I say, feeling a twinge of...something at the fact that it’s not my child she’s carrying.

“I guess, it doesn’t really matter,” she surprises me by saying, my mouth hanging open. “I know that you’ll all be fathers to that baby, and damn fine ones too.” Her eyes shine as my chest goes tight. “You’ll take care of them both, my sweet boy.”

“I will,” I croak out, clearing my throat which feels tight all of a sudden. A part of me may wish that Lilly’s baby was biologically mine, but mom is right. It doesn’t matter if we share the same genetics, that baby belongs to the five of us as we belong to each other.

“Julian has other things planned,” Mom says into the weighted silence, the room filling with tension at her words. “I don’t know what, but I think he’s trying to teach you all a lesson for disobeying him. Be on your guard, son.”

My stomach rolls, my heartbeat feeling sluggish as I take in what she’s telling me. It seems that Julian’s ire is not yet sated.

I just hope we are ready for his next move.

* * *

LILLY

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