“Yes, but I can’t find my mummy,” Jaxon says sleepily.
I get to my feet as guilt eats at me. I left him to wake up alone in a strange house.
“She’s downstairs watching Uncle Cal burn breakfast,” Ryder laughs,
Ryder walks down the stairs, carrying our son. Jax has arms wrapped around his neck and his head resting. on his shoulder. Ryder has this look of pure love on his face. The sight does something to me, breaks something in me.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” I say softly.
“Hi, mummy,” Jazon says with a yawn, not even lifting his head.
He’s content to be in his dad’s arms, cuddling him, and I feel a strange sense of loss. I love he has his dad. now, but I also feel like I’m losing a part of him. I’m not quite ready to share him after all these years of having him to myself.
I step closer and push to my tiptoes, pressing a kiss to Jaxon’s cheek, brushing his messy hair away from his face. “You hungry, baby?”
He nods against Ryder’s shoulder, still too sleepy or comfortable to lift his head.
“Let’s go get you some food then,” Ryder says.
He sits Jax at the island and Callen sets a plate in front of him, humming some ridiculous tune as he does.
“Breakfast is served, your tiny majesty.”
“Thanks,” Jaxon giggles, his eyes lighting up at the pancakes on his plate. “I love pancakes.”
“Me too, buddy,” Ryder says, settling into the seat beside him.
I move around the island, sitting opposite them, giving them some space to bond.
Callen and Ryder talk to Jaxon, making him giggle around mouthfuls of pancakes.
Is this how it will be from now on if I stay?
Is this the start of our family forming?
There’s an ache in my chest that I can’t quite place, and I have this creeping fear that all this could be taken away in a blink.
Called brushes his hand across my lower back as he walks by, dropping a plate of fresh pancakes in front of me. He doesn’t say anything, but I feel like he knows where my thoughts were headed and knew I needed his touch, a reminder that he’s here, and I’m not alone anymore.
I know I’ll have to tell them about Greg soon, especially if he’s going to become a problem. He messaged me last night after Poppy reached out to him, looking for me. The message unsettled me. It didn’t sound like him at all. My guess is he was drunk when he sent it, convinced he had some right to demand my address and will request access to Jaxon during the divorce. He’s never shown much interest in Jax before, and while Jaxon loves him, I’m not comfortable letting him back into my son’s life.
The sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs pulls me from my thoughts, and moments later, Parker walks
Into the kitchen.
“Morning,” Parker says brightly, his eyes flickering between us. “Everyone sleep well?”
His smile looks forced, polite, but uncomfortable.
“Morning,” I say cautiously. “You okay?”
“Fine. Totally fine.” He clears his throat. “Just… long night. Weird dreams.”
Remy walks in not far behind him, tension rolling off him. His eyes lock on Callen first, then drift towards me, and finally settle on Ryder. His jaw ticks.
“Glad to see everyone’s having a great morning,” he says, but there’s venom in his tone.
Ryder stiffens but doesn’t rise to the bait. He reaches over to cut Jaxon’s second pancake into smaller pieces, saying nothing.
“Can I get you some coffee?” Callen offers him.
“I can take care of myself, thanks,” Remy snaps.
Callen leans back against the counter, arms folded. “Problem, Remy?”
“Nope,” he says bitterly. “Just came to see how things were… progressing.”
“Well,” Callen says with a smirk, “as you can see, we’re all fine. Nobody’s marked or claimed, if that’s what you’re sniffing for.”
“Not yet,” Remy mutters to himself.
Callen and Remy seem to enter a silent conversation then. Staring at each other, their fists clenched, jaws tight. Remy takes a step towards Cal, his mouth opens as if he’s about to say something, but Parker stops him with a hand on his arm.
“Not now,” Parker says quietly. “Let it go.”
Remy exhales and turns away, heading for the back door like he needs air before he combusts.
“I’m sorry,” Parker says softly. “He’s… struggling. This isn’t easy for him.”
“What isn’t?” I ask, my voice sounding gentler than I feel.
Parker’s gaze meets mine, and for a second he seems to hesitate, trying to find a valid excuse for his brother’s behaviour. “Change,” he says finally.
He gives me a faint smile, then turns and follows Remy.
**Parker’s POV **
I follow Remy through the back door and into the morning chill. The sun is over the treetops, casting shadows across the grass, but the warmth hasn’t reached us yet.
Remy’s pacing along the tree line, his jaw tight, hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie like he’s trying to hold himself together.
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