Taming Jax (First Wave Book 5) (13 page)

Reven looked down at the bright orange bowl in front of him and cringed at the thought of the other garish colors Jax had chosen to decorate her home with that he hadn’t seen yet. Everything about her home was at complete odds with the woman herself.

He’d never seen her wear anything but black. Ever. It was black tact pants or black jeans and the ever-present black tank top or T-shirt and jacket, depending on the weather. He’d never even considered that she might like colors at all by her clothing choices, but this… this explosion of hideous colors was not something he would have ever expected; he thought looking at the annoying bright purple rug he was sitting on with distaste.

Chapter Seven

Grai paced the patio area of the office building in Dillon, his thoughts in turmoil as he worried about his brother. Traze had somehow escaped David and the security detail he’d sent to retrieve him, and they hadn’t been able to determine where he’d gone.  

He knew his brother would not go along with leaving Dillon for a while, especially not when Grai had intended to send him to Koda’s ship to ensure that he couldn’t interfere with Reven and Jax while they tried to forge a relationship and a family. However, he didn’t expect the boy to run. Not like this, he thought as he raked a frustrated hand through his dark hair.

He almost jumped out of his skin when Lara spoke from just behind him. “I could feel your frustration and confusion. What is it that bothers you so greatly my friend?” She asked gently.

Grai looked out over the mountains for a moment before answering. “I think all of it does. Why would Traze find his mate when she is so young? Why does Tristan even have one when he can’t communicate effectively enough with his parents much less a child who is not a conductor like him? I understand none of it.” Grai said with a weary sigh as he sat heavily in one of the chairs.

Lara just chuckled at him for a second before pulling up a chair beside his. “It seems pretty overwhelming for one day doesn’t it?” She said with a grin before continuing.

“Traze will be found, so ease your mind on that. As far as his mate being young, you should be more concerned about her being laustio, a hunter. Not that she’d hurt him, but she’ll probably kick his ass pretty often.” Lara said with a grin that widened when she saw Grai crack a smile too.

“Even in his excited, confused and man-child state, Traze doesn’t have the capability to harm the girl. You know that from your own experience with Tricia, don’t you?” Lara hedged, knowing he’d never admit to the unreasonable paranoia he’d originally had over his own mate when he first found her.

“He will be fine when he begins to understand the enormity of the gift he has been given. And the responsibility. You fear needlessly for him. You raised him to be a good man and although not yet a man; he will surpass your expectations if given the chance. Remember that.” Lara said, placing a comforting hand on his arm and sending him calming energy.

The energy and words were helping Grai, but not nearly enough for his peace of mind. “And what of Tristan? What of my son? What chance does he have at a remotely normal life with that little girl? How can he protect her, provide for her or even interact with her as a mate should? What kind of life has been forced on that girl?” Grai said, his voice and heart breaking for his son and the little girl destined to be alone even if she became his mate.

Lara sighed. “You incorrectly assume that his condition is permanent. Does he not make major strides every day, now that he has his Sibiox companion? Does he not even speak now, if rarely?”

At Grai’s hesitant nod, Lara continued. “In other realms, your son is the man you wish him to be. One day, when the energy on this planet shifts, he will master this realm as he has the others. When he does, he and those who are like him will be a force to be reckoned with. Do not fear for the girl, she will one day be grateful for the man he will become.”

“You should be thankful that you continue to teach him, even when you believe he doesn’t understand. He takes those lessons to heart and will one-day show you just how much he has learned. Until then, show patience and understanding as you have and enjoy these moments.”

Lara stood and sent more calming energy to the man before leaving him to his own thoughts. Viper met her at the edge of the patio and swung her into his arms. 

“If you are done tending to the others in this town, then I think it’s my turn now mate.” Viper snarled teasingly as he nuzzled her neck.

*****

Reven was so busy looking around for more weapons that he was startled when Melina dropped her spoon in her bowl loudly and yelled. “Chew that first! She can’t chew!”

Looking over to Jax, he saw that she was poised to give the baby a hefty spoon of rocky road ice cream, and he took it out of her hand.  

“Hey!” Jax said with surprise.

“The nuts, Bayla can’t chew the nuts or the chocolate pieces. We don’t want her to choke.” Reven said by way of explanation as he took the baby’s bowl and dumped all but the vanilla into Melina’s bowl.

“Oh…” Jax said looking down at the now scrunched up face of the baby.

“Wait… wait don’t cry. We still have vanilla, and I will buy you some plain chocolate and strawberry tomorrow so you can have different flavors too.” Jax said as she scooped up the last of the vanilla for Bayla.

“Ok, now for the bedroom assignments! Melina, you and Reven finish the ice cream and put the bowls in the sink while Bayla and I check out the furniture they brought for you!” Jax said trying to interject some excitement into her voice.

She had no damn idea what she was doing. To call her a parent was an insult to parents. The children had been in the door only moments before they’d almost gotten hurt on her weapons, and she’d almost choked Bayla to death with ice cream!

She’d assumed since the baby had teeth, food was pretty much fair game. How the hell, was she supposed to know those two teeth are basically ornamentation right now and wouldn’t chew nuts or chocolate?  

If she’d been thinking clearly at all, she’d have remembered the chewed up burger and fries that Melina had set aside for the baby. But with the kids in the house, her place seemed to shrink around her, and it felt like the walls were closing in on her.

On the other hand, maybe it was Reven; she thought as she glanced over at the huge man taking up the entire side of the coffee table while she, and the girls shared the other side. There was something so intimate and strange about sharing a table with him, even if it was just a coffee table and a bowl of ice cream.

For some reason, it made her wonder what it would have been like if she’d ever joined him for dinner as he’d wanted dozens of times. She could picture in her mind, putting her best candles on the coffee table. The red ones with the purple swirls streaked throughout.

She’d put on her best music. Oh! She thought, that one song that seemed to sum up her entire non-existent relationship with Reven to begin with. Nada!

Bayla giggled and patted her cheeks with her cold, sticky hands. Shaking off her crazy thoughts and hoping to get the girls to bed so she could have a moment to herself to think, Jax stood with Bayla and headed down the hallway and away from Reven’s piercing blue gaze.

Opening up the door to her second guest bedroom, Jax sucked in a sharp breath. She looked around in stunned disbelief, unsure if it was a bad joke, or if she was really seeing this. It has to be a bad joke she thought as she went to the other guest bedroom and opened the door.

Looking around, everything looked like it normally did. The queen bed was covered in her lime-green  comforter with the pink stars and moons and the matching lavender sheets. There was nothing on the floor, and the tops of the night stands and dresser were clear.

Jax shook her head and went back to the other room as she listened absently to Melina and Reven quietly talking as they rinsed the ice cream bowls in the kitchen.

This time Jax went into the room, as best as she could, and looked around in stunned amazement. She weaved in and out of the new items in the room, not really seeing or understanding it. Until she saw the note.

Snatching it off the box, Jax opened the single page and could feel her anger and panic rising with every breath. “Reven!!!” Jax shrieked, shaking the note in her hand.

Reven heard Jax cry out and nearly dropped the bowl in the sink before turning and running down the short hall. He stood in the doorway and looked around the room with confusion as Jax shook a piece of paper at him.

“What is this?” Reven asked with confusion as he tried to step into the crowded room.

Jax looked at him incredulously. “This? This is a fuc… freaking joke!” Jax corrected as she looked down at the giggling Bayla in her arms. Damn if she didn’t need to start paying more attention to her bad language, she thought.

“I don’t understand. If I’m looking at this correctly, it isn’t funny.” Reven said with seriousness as he looked at the pictures on each of the boxes that he could see.

“Oh! Someone thinks it’s pretty daaa… darn funny!” Jax said as she shook the note at him.

Reven took the note and quickly scanned it while Melina looked at the pictures on the boxes with wide eyes.

“There is nothing more important than building a solid foundation for your family. To do that, you must have a foundation between the two of you. Working together, for the sake of the children will become a daily necessity for their well-being and growth. There is much to learn by starting that foundation in this way. G”

Reven finished reading the note aloud and stood there for a moment looking at the dozens of boxes littering what he assumed had been an empty guest room.

“Is this for me?” Melina asked Reven with hopeful eyes as she stood near what looked to be a white, four-poster bed with a frilly pink canopy. At least, that was what it was supposed to be if the picture she was standing near on the box was an indication.

Reven was just beginning to understand the situation when Jax set Bayla on the floor and erupted. “Can you believe this!” She growled out between clenched teeth.

Reven looked between Melina’s hopeful face and Jax’s angry one and made a decision. He clapped his hands together to get everyone’s attention.

“Ok! Jax and I have some talking and work to do! You two need to be cleaned up and put to bed so tomorrow night you can sleep in your new beds! Yay!” Reven said, trying to sound excited for the sake of the girls who also screamed ‘Yay!’ when he did.

Jax felt like an ass when she saw Melina’s excitement. They still didn’t know where she came from or what had happened to the poor child. For all they knew, this would be the first real bed either child had ever had.

Jax shot a determined look at Reven, whose expression matched her own. Yeah, they could do this; she thought to herself. For those little girls, they would do this. She also wouldn’t mind doing it just to shove it in Grai’s face that they did. Jax grinned as she turned to the girls.

“Ok! Clean up time! You guys come with me, and we’ll get you in the bath. Melina, you can help me get Bayla bathed, then take a shower yourself. Is that ok?” Jax asked the older girl, knowing she would feel better if she could stay with her sister.

“I don’t get to bathe?” Melina asked, her face showing her sadness.

What? Jax thought before Reven stepped in and kneeled in front of the girl. “Yes, little one, you get to bathe. Jax was referring to the adult way of having a bath. We take showers, not a bath.” Reven explained softly to the girl.

“Hey! Sometimes we still take baths, but we take showers, for the most part. It’s quicker. If you want to take a bath with Bayla instead we can do that.” Jax said with a gentle smile.

When the child still looked upset, Reven added. “How about you let Jax show you and Bayla how the shower works before you give Bayla a bath. If you would like to try it, then you can. If not, then you can have a bath. Ok?” Reven asked, hoping the little girl would pick the shower. If only to give her some time alone and away from Bayla. He knew she would have to stop being the baby’s surrogate mother in order to be the child she never got to be.