Through It All, There's You

by beanandberry

Summary:

When a rag doll moves into the unit next door to Jax, he's intrigued. No tenant has ever lasted as his neighbor for more than a few months, through no one's fault but his own. However, this time is different. With his landlord father's threat to kick him out if he causes any more problems hanging over his head, he certainly doesn't want her to leave; in fact, he wants to get to know her even better.

Ragatha is looking to start a new life with her young daughter, away from certain events-and people-of the past. When she comes across the opportunity to move to a new home in a nice neighborhood, she jumps on it, ready for her fresh start.

Notes:

This is an idea that randomly came to my head one day while driving through an old neighborhood. The buildings were old and historic looking, and as I passed by a beautiful duplex with this elaborate front porch, the image of Jax and Ragatha as neighbors began to form in my head. Ideas took root and grew. Now I present this little AU that I've been working on behind the scenes for the past few weeks.

Warning: The rating will change as the story progresses, and tags will be added accordingly. TW for smoking.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

It was hard to tell what exactly it was that woke Jax up on that bright and sunny fall morning. It very well could have been the moving van that had come to a screeching halt just outside his building, its brakes loud on the otherwise quiet street so early on a Monday morning.

Or it could have been the relentless buzzing of his cell phone, perched on his bedside bureau and threatening to fall off from the relentless vibrations that hadn’t stopped.

Regardless, now awake, Jax grumbled, blindly reaching for the phone and swiping his finger across the screen to answer the call.

“‘Lo?” His voice was raspy and thick from sleep. He glanced at his clock. It was nine in the morning. Too early.

“Jax,” came the all-too-familiar, deep voice on the other end. “Did I wake you?”

Jax resisted the urge to fling the device across the room. Had it been anyone else, he would have done so without a second thought for disturbing his sleep. Instead, he cleared his throat and put on his most neutral voice.

“Dad,” Jax said calmly. “To what do I owe the pleasure so early in the morning?”

There was a prolonged pause on the other end. It was several seconds before Jax’s father spoke again, after a heavy sigh.

“It’s nine in the morning, Jax. I’d have hoped even you would be up by now.”

Jax laughed dryly, flopping back against his pillow. His father was a master at passive aggressive insults. “That’s where you and I differ,” he said. “I had a late night last night, y’know…commitments to keep and all that.”

His father chucked on the other line. “Of course, of course…how could I forget? What’s this week’s commitment’s name?”

“What do you want?” Jax said, his tone shifting immediately to that of obvious annoyance.

His father cleared his throat. “I wanted to remind you what today is.”

Jax blinked. He had no idea what his father was talking about. “Okay, then remind me. What’s today?” He wasn’t in the mood for guessing games.

“The new tenant is moving in, Jax.”

Shit, that’s right. Jax’s face split into a wide grin. “Riiiiight,” he said, his spirits suddenly lifting. It was his favorite time of the year. “Now I remember.”

“The moving van is probably already there,” his father went on.

Jax slid out of bed and peered out his second floor window. Sure enough, the truck was there. The movers were already starting to unload furniture onto the sidewalk.

“Sure is,” Jax said gleefully.

“Jax,” his father’s tone was stern now. “I don’t expect there to be any more problems. Not this time.”

“No idea what you mean,” Jax said, watching as a sofa was loaded out of the back of the truck.

“You know exactly what I mean,” his father said. “You know exactly why the last four tenants left prematurely before their leases were up. You’ve cost me thousands of dollars. It will not happen again, not this time.”

“Listen Pops, I didn’t do anything,” Jax paced in front of the window. “It wasn’t my fault they left.”

“I know you don’t think I’m stupid enough to believe that, Jax.”

Jax refrained from saying anything. His next comment would get him into more trouble than it would be worth. He waited for his father to go on.

“Listen, Jax…I’m going to make myself clear. If this tenant up and leaves just like all the others, I’ll either kick you out or you’ll have to start paying rent, just like everyone else. That’s including back pay for all the time you’ve lived there rent free. I’m serious. I’ve discussed it with your mother and she agrees with me. Enough is enough. Time to grow up. You’re old enough to stop this foolishness.”

Jax clenched his jaw, but kept his cool all the same. He was usually able to call his father’s bluff, but this time seemed different. This time, he could tell he meant it, and quite honestly Jax couldn’t afford to find out.

“Dad—”

“Maybe it’ll finally force you to put that Master’s degree to good use, hm?”

Jax scrubbed his face with his free hand and sighed. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Anyway, I have to go, Jax. My meeting is starting in five minutes. Remember what I said. Are we clear on that?”

“Crystal,” Jax replied dully.

“Good. I’ll talk to you soon, then.”

“Sure.”

There was a soft click. Once he was absolutely sure the call had ended, Jax rolled over and yelled into his pillow, the sound muffled by the downy material.

So what if the other tenants left after a couple of months? Was it his fault they were all losers who couldn’t handle having him for a neighbor? No, not his fault.

Was it his fault that none of them wanted to stay?

Technically yes.

Jax liked his life the way it was, including his living arrangement. As the son of the city’s most successful property manager, Jax was blessed with living arrangements most people would be envious of. The duplex in which he resided was elegant in an old fashioned way. It was a beautiful brownstone building on a quiet street, just removed enough from the bustle and sounds of urban life, yet within walking distance to everything the city had to offer. Rent wasn’t cheap in a prime location such as this.

Jax had lived in the building for three years now, completely rent free. His father never pushed him to make any sort of payment, never hounded him for any type of monetary compensation for the lifestyle he and his wife bankrolled for their only child. However, his father did ask two things of Jax in return for this financial stability:

The first thing was that he made Jax promise to go to college and earn his Masters in Business Management, with the hope that he would eventually join the family business like his father and grandfather before him. Jax did so, as it was a simple enough request. He was smarter than most of his classmates, so he breezed through the courses with little issue and graduated early.

Second, he was asked to keep an eye on the property and assist his neighboring tenant with anything they may need, if only to take some duties off his father’s plate as landlord. Jax was not fond of this request.

He had a tendency of making it uncomfortable for anyone who tried to rent the adjacent unit, whether it be blasting his music at all hours of the night, throwing raging parties until the early hours of the morning, or flat out glaring at the neighbors whenever their paths happened to cross outside. As a result, no one stayed more than a couple of months at a time.

Apparently, Jax’s father had finally had enough of this. The constant paperwork that needed to be drawn up involving breaking a lease early time after time, and the process of putting an ad out to rent it once more had finally brought him to his breaking point.

As a result, Jax now realized his fun would have to end if he wanted to continue to live his comfortable life. If him playing nice was what it took, then he’d give it a try. He couldn’t afford (figuratively or literally) to mess up again if he wanted to maintain the status quo.

With an annoyed groan, he pulled himself out of bed and trudged to the shower, hoping the cold water would help wake him up. He ignored the several incoming texts from the girl he’d met last night. Hell, he couldn’t even really remember her name. He made a mental note to block her number when he dried off and got dressed.

By the time he’d made it outside, the movers were still unloading the truck. The air was crisp and cool, ideal for fall. Jax sat down on the cement steps leading up to his house, hoping to catch a glimpse of his new neighbors.

He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his sweatshirt pocket and plucked one from the carton, lighting it before taking a deep drag. The rush of smoke filled his lungs and he exhaled, enjoying the sting of nicotine.

He had just closed his eyes to savor the moment, when a tiny voice interrupted his peace and quiet.

“My mommy says smoking is bad for you.”

Jax cracked his eyes open. Not two feet away stood a little girl, who couldn’t have been any older than four or five. Her hair shone a fiery red in the glow from the sun, little curls of yarn that looked wild and untamable. She wore a blue checkered jumper and stared at him with bright, green eyes. She looked like a little doll. Jax had no idea where she’d come from, and she’d been so quiet he’d never even noticed her approach. He blinked a few times and sat up straighter.

“Yeah well, didn’t your mommy ever tell you not to talk to strangers? That’s pretty bad for you too.”

The little girl shrugged. “We’re not strangers, we’re neighbors.”

Jax glanced at the moving van. There was no one else in sight now, no sign of the movers or even anyone who could be the little girl’s parents. He stubbed out his cigarette on the steps.

“Your family is moving into this building?” He gestured with his thumb to the front door.

“Uh-huh,” the little girl nodded.

“What’s your name?”

“Annie,” she replied. She blinked her large eyes at him, and a tiny part of Jax warmed at her adorable innocence.

“I’m Jax,” he said, extending his hand for her to shake. She took it, his large palm dwarfing her tiny one.

“Why are you purple?”

Jax pretended to be annoyed. “What’s wrong with purple?”

“It’s a funny color,” Annie giggled.

“Oh yeah?” Jax grinned at her. He couldn’t help it. He normally hated kids, but this one was different. She interacted with him like she had no fear, and he admired that.

“Your ears are long, too,” she added.

“Well, rabbits have long ears, don’t they?”

“Yes!” Annie blinked at him, her large green eyes wide and curious.

“Hey, kid, where are your—?”

“Annie!”

Jax and the little girl turned their heads. A tall, burly, red-headed rag doll was running over to them from the back of the moving van, his face a mix of nerves and relief. He stopped just short of where Jax was sitting and grasped Annie by the hand. He stared at Jax suspiciously.

Jax stood up. This guy was taller than him by a couple of inches and about three times his width, with a mop of red yarn hair like the little girl.

“Is this your dad?” Jax addressed Annie again.

“No, silly!” Annie laughed. “This is my Uncle Denny!”

The other man looked at Jax warily before extending his hand. “She’s right, I’m her uncle. And you are?”

“Jax,” Jax said, gripping Denny’s hand firmly. “I live in the next door unit.” Denny nodded, giving him the once over. Jax was used to that look. He merely grinned back, unaffected by Denny’s unimpressed stare. “You movin’ in?”

“No, my sister is,” Denny said shortly. “I’m just helping out.”

“Nice of ya,” Jax nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pack of cigarettes. He held it out to offer one.

“No,” Denny shook his head, frowning. “I’m good.” He gave Jax one last look before he focused his attention on his niece. “C’mon short stuff,” Denny said, lifting Annie high into the air. The little girl let out a squeal of delight as she was hoisted under her uncle’s arm like a bag of flour. “Let’s finish unpacking. Don’t run off on me again, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, going limp in his arms. In turn he let out an exaggerated groan.

“Gosh, you’re heavy,” he pretended to strain as he carried her, grunting with imaginary difficulty. “We need to stop feeding you.” He tickled her belly. Annie shrieked with laughter as they walked back to where the movers had resumed their work.

“See ya around, kid,” Jax called after her.

“Bye Jaxy!” Annie called back, still giggling.

Jax’s ears twitched. Jaxy? Kid was lucky she was cute. He waved at her and sat back down.

He’d hoped to catch a glimpse of Denny’s sister, but in all the time Jax had spent on the front steps watching movers coming and going, he never saw anyone else. Finally, after about an hour, they’d finished. Jax watched them pack up the van and get ready to drive away. Bored now, he stood and started to head back inside. He was halfway through his front door when a car pulled up in front of the house. Jax’s ears perked at the sound of the door slamming and hurried footsteps. He turned around just in time to see a woman running up to the movers, panting and out of breath as if she’d run a mile. She was dressed in blue hospital scrubs and sneakers.

She was the spitting image of Annie if Annie were an adult. There was no mistaking this was her mother.

“I’m so sorry,” the woman said, waiving down the movers. “I’m so, so sorry! I was supposed to be here an hour ago but my shift went over! Did everything go okay?” She looked around nervously, as though expecting to see a disaster all around her.

“All good ma’am,” one of the movers said. “Your brother took care of it all.”

“Oh,” she visibly relaxed, her shoulders slumping. “Thank you…again, I’m really sorry I missed helping.”

“No worries. You’re all set. Take care now,” they said, waving.

Jax watched her as she watched them go. She hadn’t even noticed him standing in his doorway observing her. Her mind looked like it was in a million different places at once, and her expression was heavy and exhausted. Finally, she returned to her car to grab her bag.

He stepped back out onto his stairs. The woman hadn’t been expecting him and jumped when she turned around.

“Oh gosh!” She clutched her chest and closed her eye. It was then that Jax noticed her other eye was a blue button. She was a rag doll, just like her brother. “I’m—I’m sorry,” she laughed nervously. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to be right behind me.”

Jax grinned. “You’re good,” he said, looking her up and down. “I was just heading back in and I saw you pull up…thought I’d greet my new neighbor.”

“Oh! You live next door?” She glanced at the adjacent house and smiled.

“Sure do,” Jax nodded. He stuck his hand out, and Ragatha shook it. “I’m Jax.”

“Ragatha,” she said. “Nice to meet you, Jax.” When she smiled at him, the corners of her eye crinkled and her face lit up. It caught Jax off guard to see someone so genuinely happy looking despite their obvious exhaustion.

“So,” he said, quickly releasing her hand after realizing he’d been holding it for far longer than necessary. “You a doctor?” He gestured to her scrubs.

“Oh, no, I’m a nurse, actually.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, an emergency room nurse,” Ragatha nodded. “At the hospital in the city.”

“You must work a lot,” Jax said.

For a moment, Ragatha’s smile faltered. She recovered quickly. “I do,” she nodded. “It’s a demanding job, for sure, but I make it work.” She hoisted her bag on her shoulder a little higher. “What do you do, Jax?”

Fuck, how could he answer this one?

“Well,” he chuckled. “Actually, I—”

“MOMMY!”

Ragatha turned just in time to see Annie barrel out the front door. Ragatha dropped her bag and kneeled down in time to catch her daughter, enveloping her in a tight hug.

“I missed you!” Ragatha said, as the little girl giggled delightedly.

“Missed you more!” Annie replied.

Jax watched from the sideline, but it wasn’t long before he caught Annie’s attention.

“Mommy! Look, this is Jaxy! He’s our neighbor!”

“Jaxy?” Ragatha laughed, lifting her daughter up with her. The little girl leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder and smiled at Jax.

“That’s his name!” Annie whispered, loudly enough for them all to hear.

“Only to you, kid,” Jax winked at her.

“Annie!” Denny came running out of the house, looking frazzled. When he spotted his niece and Ragatha together, he visibly relaxed. “How many times do I need to ask you not to run away from me? Out the front door, no less! Hey sis,” he added, giving Ragatha a wave.

“Hey Denny,” Ragatha said. She turned her attention to her daughter, her face stern. “Is that true? Did you run away from Uncle Denny?”

Annie pouted. “One time.”

“Two times,” Denny added.

“Annie!” Ragatha sighed. “Please don’t do that! We’ve been over this.”

“Sorry Mommy,” Annie said in a tiny voice.

“Don’t say sorry to me, say it to Uncle Denny.”

“Sorry Uncle Denny.”

“Good girl,” Ragatha kissed her daughter’s cheek and lowered her to the ground. “Now go inside and I’ll be right there.”

Annie waved at Jax and ran inside. Jax returned the wave, grinning at her.

“Cute kid,” he said.

“Denny, have you met Jax?” Ragatha asked. “He’s my new neighbor.”

“I have, yeah,” Denny glanced at Jax briefly. He didn’t smile.

An awkward silence fell over the three of them. Ragatha shouldered her work bag again and glanced at her new home.

“Well, I’d better get in there. Lots of unpacking to do,” she said. “Very nice to meet you, Jax,” she smiled at him again.

Jax glared at Denny for just a moment before turning his attention back to Ragatha. If her brother thought he was being intimidating, he was sadly mistaken.

“Listen,” Jax said, directly to Ragatha. “Let me know if you guys need anything. My dad owns this building, and I manage it.” It was only half a lie, but Ragatha didn’t need to know that. “I’m always around. Just come knocking.”

“Oh!” Ragatha beamed at him. “Thanks, Jax! That’s so kind of you.”

“You got it, Dollface,” he said looking away just in time to see the flash of anger cross Denny’s face. It brought him immense joy. He loved messing with these dumb jock-looking types.

Ragatha blushed. “W-well, I’ll see you around,” she said. She gave him a shaky little wave before turning to head back inside. Denny waited until she’d disappeared through the door before he approached Jax. When he spoke, his voice was low.

“I have things under control here,” he said curtly. “If there are any problems, I’ll let you know.”

“Didn’t realize you lived here too,” Jax answered smoothly.

Denny ignored him. “Ragatha is a busy woman,” he said. “She’s got a lot of things she deals with on a daily basis. I’ll help her with the extra stuff.”

“That’s nice of you,” Jax said, taking out another cigarette and lighting it. “Sure you don’t want one?” He extended the pack to Denny.

Denny glared at him, but didn’t reply. Instead, he turned on his heel and marched back into the house.

Jax grinned as he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. He was going to have fun with that one, he could tell. The wheels in his head were already turning. As far as his new neighbors…it could be much worse. Ragatha was easy on the eyes and her kid didn’t annoy the shit out of him like most kids did. He supposed he could deal with them, at least for a while. Whether or not they could deal with him was another story.

He thought back to his father’s threat, his words reverberating in his ears. He couldn’t mess this one up. He’d be good this time. He had to be.

Chapter 2

Notes:

TW: smoking

Ragatha took a slow, deep, steadying breath.

She closed her eye and allowed herself to feel overwhelmed for just a tiny moment. One single instance where she was allowed to feel whatever she wanted, regardless of her situation and circumstances. The least she could do was give herself that indulgence.

Then, the moment ended just as quickly as it started, and Ragatha was back in her present, which involved the chaos of unpacking her belongings and settling into their new home while also keeping her four-year-old from making more of a mess then they already had to deal with.

“Annie?” She called for the little girl as she opened up several cardboard boxes labeled kitchen. “Can you come here, sweetheart?”

Annie was currently busy at work stacking tiny animal figurines into a tower in the middle of their soon-to-be living room. Ragatha had a clear view of her from her kitchen counter, and winced as the animal pile came crashing down. Little plastic figurines scattered across the hardwood floor.

“Yes Mommy?” Annie ran over to her mother. Her tiny cheeks were always tinted rose red, making her look like she was blushing. It was an adorable trait she’d had since she was a newborn.

“After you pick up your animals, can you please go in your room and start taking out your stuffies? I bet they’re gonna want to see their new bedroom, too.”

“Okay!” Annie said cheerfully. She ran off before Ragatha could say another word.

At least now she’d be contained to her room for a bit. Ragatha wouldn’t have to worry about her getting hurt or caught underfoot during the unpacking process, and she and Denny could move quicker to get it all done.

Speaking of her brother, Denny appeared around the corner with a stack of four boxes, all labeled bedroom.

“Woah, Den,” Ragatha said. “You don’t have to carry so much at once!”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” he shrugged, making his way up the stairs. He called down to her, “It’s like lifting a box of feathers!”

Ragatha shook her head and smiled. Denny had always been one to throw his strength around, to the point where it became a running joke between them. Though they were technically twins, he dwarfed her in size nearly three times over.

She glanced around again. They’d made good progress in the nearly four hours since they’d started unpacking. The kitchen and bathrooms were done, the living room was a work-in-progress, and the bedrooms were next. Ragatha figured she should get some sort of lunch going.

She grabbed a glass and filled it up with water at the kitchen sink, scrolling her phone for the number of their favorite pizza place, when she stopped in her tracks.

Peering out the window, she could see Jax outside in the front yard. He was lounging on the front steps, his long legs crossed and his back leaning against the railing. He had a cigarette between his fingers and looked like he didn’t have a care in the world.

He seemed nice enough during their first meeting. He was kind to Annie, which was the most important thing Ragatha could ask for as far as she was concerned. Maybe that meant he liked kids? That was one of her biggest worries when she’d signed the lease on this place. The only thing she’d learned ahead of time before she moved in was that her new neighbor was a childless young man. She knew how rambunctious Annie could be, knew how her squeals of laughter could be heard from across the yard, and her penchant for endless questions, and she feared that it would be an issue once they arrived. Hopefully that wouldn’t be the case with Jax. It had taken her long enough to find a place as good as this one in a decent area. She still didn’t understand why the rent was so low. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop and find something awful out about this place, but for now, she was relieved to be here.

Almost as though he could read her mind, Jax glanced up at her window. His golden eyes met hers, and after a few seconds he grinned at her. Ragatha smiled back and gave him a little wave.

“Who are you waving at?”

“Geez, Denny!” Ragatha startled and spun around. She hadn’t heard Denny come back downstairs. “You scared me!”

“Sorry,” he shrugged. “I was pretty loud, I don’t know how you couldn’t hear me coming.” He stood next to her and looked outside. When he saw Jax, he immediately frowned.

“What?” Ragatha raised her eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like that guy, Ragatha,” Denny said.

“What?” She huffed out a laugh. “Why not?”

“Something about him.”

“Oh, what a great reason,” Ragatha rolled her eye.

“Seriously, he seems sleazy,” Denny went on. “I don’t trust him. The fact that his father owns this building screams privileged brat, to me.”

“Denny…” Ragatha shook her head. By the time she looked back out the window, Jax was gone. “He seems perfectly nice. Annie already loves him and she just met him.”

“That’s another thing,” Denny said, as Ragatha dialed the number to order the pizza. “I don’t want Annie hanging around him.”

“Denny…”

“I mean it. As your older brother and uncle to my favorite niece, I need to look out for the two of you.”

“First of all,” Ragatha laughed, “you’re older by two minutes. Second, Annie is your only niece!”

“Doesn’t matter,” Denny said.

“What am I gonna do with you?” Ragatha sighed, shaking her head.

“Just do me a favor,” Denny said. “If you need anything, or have any issues, come to me first. I’ll take care of it so you don’t have to. You’ve got enough going on and you don’t need more responsibilities.”

Ragatha knew he was right. As overbearing and protective as Denny could be—to a frustrating level, oftentimes—he did take a lot off her plate and she was extremely grateful for that.

“Okay, I will,” she nodded. “Promise.”

“Good,” Denny looked relieved. “I’ll go check on Annie.”

“Thank you!” Ragatha called over her shoulder as Denny walked away.

She ordered the pizza, and the two of them busied themselves unpacking and organizing until it arrived.

-

Finally, they all were sitting around the tiny kitchen counter enjoying their first meal in Ragatha’s new house. For the first time in a while, some of the stress and anxiety that had been slowly building within her had begun to lessen. She watched her daughter laugh and smile with Denny as they enjoyed their pizza, and she felt full inside.

“So,” Denny said, looking at Ragatha. “You still planning on visiting mom and dad tomorrow?”

Just like that, the fullness evaporated. Ragatha’s heart clenched.

She took her time chewing and slowly swallowed, before clearing her throat. “Yes, I plan on it.”

Annie’s face lit up. “Gramma and Grampy? Can I come too?”

“Not this time, sweetie,” Ragatha shook her head. “Next time though, I promise.”

“I’d come if I could,” Denny said, “but I have to get back to the shop.”

“I know,” Ragatha sighed. “Believe me, I appreciate you taking a day off today. I’d never have been able to do this without you.”

“I’ll come next time.”

“Me too!” Annie piped up.

“Definitely,” Ragatha smiled. “We can all go. I know Gramma and Grampy will be happy to see you, Annie.”

They finished their meal quietly, save for Annie’s occasional commentary about why cheese is the best food in the world, making all of them laugh. The mood began to lift again.

Ragatha wished it could always feel this way.

-

Before she knew it, Ragatha had a fully functioning house. The major items were unpacked and put away. Annie’s room was perfectly set up to the little girl’s liking. Ragatha had a few more items to sort in her own bedroom, but otherwise she felt quite comfortable by day’s end.

After reading Annie a bedtime story, Denny packed up to head back to his own apartment on the other side of the city. Ragatha saw him off at the front door.

“Thank you again,” she said, suddenly exhausted. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

“You know you never need to thank me, Ragatha,” Denny said. “I’ll always help whenever you need me. No questions asked.”

Ragatha knew that all too well. She loved her brother fiercely for it.

“Goodnight Denny,” she said, giving him one more hug.

“Night sis,” he said. He kissed her head and gave her a wave before he got into his truck and drove away.

Ragatha watched until his truck disappeared down the road. Only then did she go back inside and lock the door behind her. She had specifically asked for a deadbolt and chain lock to be added if possible. The extra security made her feel more at ease. She offered to pay the landlord for the extra cost as well. Not only did he have the extra locks installed, but he kindly refused her offer to pay.

With Annie asleep and Denny gone, the house was eerily quiet. Not quite ready for bed, Ragatha decided to make herself some tea. She might even be able to get some more laundry folded and put away if she focused, but her mind was in a million different places.

Most notably on the text message she’d received barely an hour ago.

She hadn’t mentioned it to Denny. She didn’t want to worry or anger him, and she didn’t want to upset Annie with the obvious mood shift that would have occurred as a result.

She took out her phone and stared at the message that she hadn’t replied to. It had come in on a new number, one she hadn’t blocked yet.

She’s my daughter too, Ragatha. You can’t keep her from me like this.

Ragatha’s hand shook as she read the message over and over, until the letters blurred from the tears that formed in her eye.

No, she was not going to let him get to her like this. Not anymore. She blocked the new number and shoved her phone in her pocket, and went to her room to put the rest of her clothes in her new closet.

-

After about an hour, the exhaustion seemed to hit Ragatha all at once. She’d done enough for today. She had a long shift tomorrow at the hospital and needed to be well-rested.

She changed into her pajamas and looked around her new room. It was sizable, much bigger than the one at her old apartment. She had her own bathroom and a small walk-in closet, but her favorite part had to be the little balcony that overlooked the backyard.

As she went to close the curtains and drown out the glow of the moon, she decided to take a quick peek outside. It was dark and quiet, with only the sound of crickets as a calming backdrop. The air was chilly and brisk. The sky was beautiful, glowing with the sparkle of thousands of stars.

“Evening, Dollface.”

Ragatha jumped at the unexpected voice. It was the second time that day she’d been caught off guard to the point where she’d gotten frightened. She needed to work on that. She turned her head to the left and saw Jax out on his own balcony, smoking another cigarette.

“Jax,” she exhaled shakily. “I didn’t notice you were out here too…”

“Did I scare ya?” he chuckled.

“Yeah, you did, actually.” Ragatha hugged herself, suddenly freezing.

“Sorry about that,” he said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. He looked at her for a few moments before his gaze shifted to the dark yard below.

“It’s fine,” she said softly. Even though it wasn’t. Even though her heart was still racing, because she felt like she was always looking over her shoulder these days. She watched as the cigarette smoke swirled in the air until it dissipated. “You know, smoking is really bad for you.”

Jax snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, so I’ve been told. Most recently by your kid, actually.”

Ragatha laughed softly. “Yeah, I’m sure she’s heard me say it dozens of times by now.”

“How old is she?” Jax asked. He snuffed out his cigarette on the balcony railing.

“Four.”

Jax’s eyes widened. “No shit,” he said. “Seems older. Talks well for her age.”

“She does,” Ragatha said proudly. “She’s so smart. She surprises me every day. I can barely keep up with her.”

“Heh,” Jax grinned.

“Do you like kids?” Ragatha asked hopefully.

“Not usually,” Jax replied. “But yours is the exception.”

“Gee thanks,” Ragatha rolled her eye. At least she didn’t have to worry about Annie.

Jax smirked. “So, what brings you out on the balcony this late at night?”

“Nothing in particular,” Ragatha shrugged. “I’ve never really had a bedroom with a private balcony before, so I wanted to check it out.”

Ragatha left out the part about wanting to make sure it was high enough off the ground so that no one could climb up, but Jax didn’t need to know that.

“It’s alright,” Jax shrugged.

“What about you?” Ragatha asked. “Why are you out here this late?”

“I don’t like to smoke inside,” Jax said. “Normally I’d sit on the front steps, but doing that this late just makes me look like a creep who lingers on their front porch in the middle of the night.”

Ragatha chuckled. He was right, because that’s exactly what she would think if she saw him.

“Good call,” she nodded.

They stood in silence for a bit. Ragatha felt the pull of sleep. She knew she needed to go back inside, but she found it was hard to walk away. Maybe it was because it’d been so long since she’d had an actual conversation with someone who wasn’t Denny, about something that wasn’t work related, but she didn’t want to stop just yet.

Apparently Jax didn’t either, because he kept talking.

“So,” he shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt. “How’d move-in go?”

“Oh, it went well,” Ragatha said. She shivered and hugged herself again, rubbing her arms. “Y’know, lots to unpack and organize, but we did fine.”

Jax eyed her. Wordlessly, he unzipped his hoodie and started taking it off. To Ragatha’s surprise—and slight embarrassment—he didn’t have a shirt on underneath. His purple fur was ruffled and messy where the fabric had rubbed against it.

“W-what are you—?”

“Here,” he tossed it across the balcony to her.

Ragatha caught it, her eye trying to look anywhere but at him. She felt her face heating up and thanked something that it was so dark out so Jax couldn’t tell.

Get it together, Ragatha!

“Th-thank you,” she stuttered, whether from the cold or her embarrassment, she couldn’t tell anymore. She slipped it on, and warmth enveloped her like a blanket.

She hadn’t gotten close enough yet to know what Jax smelled like, but from the sweatshirt alone she could imagine. There was a faint woodsy aroma, mixed with a minty smoke smell from whatever brand of cigarettes he used. It was oddly comforting. She hugged it tighter to her body.

“Better?” Jax asked.

“Much,” Ragatha nodded. “Thanks again. But aren’t you cold, now?”

“Fur comes in handy,” he said simply, gesturing at his torso.

“Ha, apparently.”

“Can I ask you something?” Jax was still staring at her.

“Go ahead,” Ragatha replied.

“Is it just the two of you living here?” Jax looked at her pointedly, those golden eyes boring deep into hers, like he could read her mind and sense her worries and fears. What unnerved her more was how she felt as though she couldn’t lie to him. Like somehow he’d know if she did.

“Yes,” Ragatha’s voice was soft.

“Where’s her dad?” Jax was blunt. He didn’t try to sugarcoat it. “Why isn’t he in the picture?”

Ragatha’s stomach sank. She didn’t want to talk about this, least of all with someone she’d just met not twelve hours ago. She was all for forming a friendly relationship with Jax as her new neighbor, but this was where she’d draw the line.

“I don’t really want to talk about that,” she said slowly. “He’s not here, and quite honestly that’s all that matters. I hope you understand.”

Jax raised an eyebrow. He didn’t push it though, and for that, Ragatha was grateful.

“Sure,” he said finally. “Forget I brought it up.”

“Thank you.”

He was still staring at her, his eyes searching. Even in the dark, she could see the moonlight reflecting off the golden coloring. It made him look even more rabbit-like.

Ragatha didn’t know what else to say. A heavy silence hung over them after his question. She wondered if her refusal had insulted him. It shouldn’t have, since it was a private question to begin with. She wasn’t obligated to answer it. She thought maybe she’d call it a night and head back inside when Jax spoke again.

“What does your bother do?”

Apparently they weren’t done talking.

“Well, Denny owns his own tattoo shop downtown,” Ragatha said. “It’s called ‘Rag Stitch Ink.’ Have you heard of it?”

“I’m not a tattoo connoisseur myself, but yeah, I’ve heard of it,” Jax nodded. He leaned his elbows on the side of the railing facing her. “He seems like a…nice guy,” Jax said with inflection, grinning. “I can tell he’s a big fan of mine.”

“Please don’t mind Denny,” Ragatha sighed, shaking her head. “He’s just…overly protective. If he comes off as unfriendly, it’s usually because he’s being cautious. He’s like that with everyone he meets.” This was only half true. He was like that with any guy that Ragatha meets.

“I’m not concerned,” Jax said casually.

Ragatha laughed. “He’s been like that my whole life, regardless of the fact that we’re twins.”

“Do you find it annoying? Overbearing?”

“Sometimes,” she admitted. “Sometimes I just wish he would lighten up, but then I remember how much he does for me. How much he still continues to do for me and I—”

“Mommy!?”

Annie’s wobbly voice rang out from her bedroom. Ragatha recognized the fear in her tone, had expected it, in fact. Her daughter occasionally had night frights, and being in a brand new and unfamiliar home would certainly trigger one.

Ragatha looked at Jax. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to get back inside. Annie’s awake.” She gestured with her thumb over her shoulder.

“Do your thing,” Jax shrugged.

“Thanks. Oh, here you go,” she said, unzipping the hoodie. She started to take it off.

“Keep it,” Jax said.

“What?”

“I’ve got lots,” he said. “Just keep it in case you want to take a nighttime stroll again.” He smirked at her.

“Thank you,” Ragatha smiled shyly. “It was nice talking to you, Jax,” she added, opening her sliding door.

Jax only winked at her. Then he turned away, staring into the dark yard.

Ragatha snuck back inside. She tried to lock the sliding door, but the latch was stuck. Panic surged in her chest for a moment. She fiddled with it for a minute or two before she ultimately gave up, and propped a chair against it just in case. She would need to call the landlord and have him look at this. Or maybe Jax? He did say if she needed anything to reach out…or maybe she’d mention it to Denny tomorrow before work. She’d promised to let him handle the little things, after all.

She would worry about it tomorrow. She closed her curtains, and hurried to her daughter’s room.

-

The nursing home next to the hospital had been recently renovated. New roof, new floors, new windows, and technological upgrades to offer its residents the best opportunities for care. As a bonus, it was within walking distance from Ragatha’s work. It was one of the main reasons she and Denny had chosen it.

She nodded at the familiar receptionist and scribbled her name in the visitor log. She was given a badge, and made her way down the same hallway to the same room that she’d been frequenting for the better part of two years now.

As she was about to walk in, a nurse was walking out, carrying empty breakfast trays.

“How are they doing today?” Ragatha asked.

“They’re both in a good mood today.” The nurse spoke as she moved, efficiently stacking the trays on her cart and checking items off her list. “They seem happy and they both finished breakfast.”

“Good,” Ragatha breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

She entered the small room. Her parents were both in their usual chairs next to each other, this time facing the window that overlooked the little lake behind the property. They were holding hands as they often did. They didn’t hear her come in, didn’t turn around at the sound of her softly calling their names. They remained engrossed in the goings-on outside, and each other.

Kinger and Queenie had come to this place almost two years ago now. It had started with the little things, like forgetting where they had left the house keys, or accidentally calling Ragatha or Denny the wrong names.

But Ragatha knew there was something very wrong when one evening, Queenie had left the oven burner on. She’d later claimed that she was about to make dinner, even though it was after nine o’clock and she’d already gone to bed, only to be woken by the blaring smoke alarm. It wasn’t until the fire department had called Ragatha and Denny in the middle of the night and told them what had happened that they decided something had to be done.

From that point on, the memory loss got worse and worse with each passing day. They didn’t remember where they were, didn’t remember their children or their granddaughter. The only thing they did miraculously remember was each other, and day after day Ragatha was beyond grateful for that.

She visited them as often as she could. Sometimes Denny came with her and sometimes she brought Annie, yet each visit was like a punch in the gut. She often left feeling worse than before. She loved her parents dearly, but it pained her beyond words that they couldn’t remember the incredible life they’d built together.

She pulled up a folding chair and sat beside them.

“I moved into my new house yesterday,” she said softly, gently grasping Queenie’s free hand.

Queenie finally turned to look at her. She gave Ragatha a soft smile.

“Oh, hello dear,” she said kindly. “What’s your name?”

“It’s me, mom,” Ragatha said, as always. “It’s Ragatha.”

“Ragatha?” Kinger turned to look at his wife. “Do we know a Ragatha, darling?“

“I-I’m not sure,” Queenie replied.

“That’s certainly a beautiful name, though, isn’t it?” Kinger added.

“It’s okay,” Ragatha smiled at them. “I’m just…here to visit. That’s all.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Queenie nodded. “Do you have family here, too?”

Ragatha swallowed the lump in her throat. “Uh-huh,” she said. “My parents are here.”

“Oh, I bet they’re thrilled to have a sweetheart like you for a daughter,” Queenie went on. “They must be so proud of you.”

“They are,” Ragatha said softly.

“That’s nice,” Kinger said.

“Yes,” Ragatha said. “It is. I’m…proud of them too. They love each other a lot, and I’m happy I get to witness that.”

“There’s nothing like true love,” Kinger said solemnly, nodding his head. “Right darling?”

“Right, my love,” Queenie said, squeezing her husband’s hand.

Ragatha sat with them for a little while longer. She didn’t bother trying to tell them about her move, since they didn’t have the faintest idea what she was talking about. Instead, she listened to them tell her about the various butterflies they’d seen just outside the window in the garden by the lake. As always, she listened intently, engrossed in their conversation. Before she knew it, it was time to leave.

She stood. “I’ll visit again soon, okay. Maybe Denny will come with me. And Annie. You remember Annie?”

At the mention of her son and granddaughter’s names, something shifted in Queenie’s expression. It lasted just a moment, and then it was gone, but Ragatha caught it all the same. It was these little moments that kept her hopeful, and kept her trying.

“That’s lovely dear,” Queenie said. “We can’t wait to meet them. Tell your parents we said hello, will you?”

Ragatha hastily wiped a tear from her eye. “I will,” she nodded. “I promise.”

She left them as she’d found them, holding hands and staring out the window. Then, she made her way to the hospital and the start of her shift.

Chapter 3

Jax woke abruptly to the sound of cheerful whistling and the clanging of pots and pans in his kitchen. His body jerked violently when one pan crashed to the floor, followed by boisterous laughter that travelled all the way up from the kitchen to his bedroom.

For anyone else, an early morning intruder making a ruckus in your kitchen would be cause for alarm. That wasn’t the case for Jax, unfortunately, though at this point he’d much rather have to deal with an intruder than what was waiting for him downstairs. He covered his head with his pillow and sighed deeply.

There was one third stipulation enacted by Jax’s father in order for him to maintain his living situation. It was his least favorite one of all…and right now, Jax had to deal with exactly that.

Grumbling, he trudged downstairs and into the kitchen, and was immediately greeted by his godfather’s smiling face.

“JAX! There you are! I was starting to worry you were hungover again. Or had one of your lady friends in your bed. Or both! We don’t want a repeat of that morning from last month, do we? Goodness, that was awkward!”

“Caine…” Jax growled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What the fuck?”

“Language, Jax,” Caine wagged his finger in Jax’s face before he spun around in the air to give attention to the bacon frying on the stove. The strips were near burned. The acrid smell permeated every corner of the first floor. “I think these are done. Have a seat, I made you breakfast!”

As Jax’s father’s business partner, Caine was also Jax’s godfather and unofficial “uncle,” and had known him for most of his life. At least once a month, Caine would drop by unannounced, let himself in with the key he was given by Jax’s father, and do a sort of “check in” to make sure all was well. The idea of these visits wouldn't be too terrible, if it weren’t for the fact that Caine never let Jax know when he’d be dropping in. He always joked that it “kept Jax on his toes at all times,” which Jax absolutely loathed. After the mishap last month, Jax rarely brought anyone back to his place anymore, and Caine had learned it was better for Jax to wake up on his own rather than barge into his bedroom for a wake up call.

Jax trudged to the coffee pot and grabbed a mug, pouring himself a heaping cup of the steaming black liquid. He eyed the bacon warily.

“No thanks, I’m fine with coffee.” He took a seat at the kitchen counter.

“Bacon is good for you!” Caine said. “Protein! You could stand to gain a few pounds. You’re so thin!”

“That’s bacon?” Jax raised his eyebrows. “Sorry, I thought for some reason you were frying up some tar.”

“There’s that sense of humor!” Caine guffawed. “Oh Jax…you rascal. You keep me young.” He slid the bacon from the pan into a dish and placed it in front of Jax.

“That’s doesn’t look healthy.” Jax glanced at the charred pork strips.

“I can assure you it’s healthier than those cigarettes you smoke,” Caine said briskly.

“Fair,” Jax said, taking a bite. When Caine wasn’t looking, he spit it into his napkin.

“So Jax,” Caine said, pouring himself some coffee. “I thought today it might be fun if you came with me when I close the deal on the new complex downtown! Won’t that be exciting?”

That was another thing Jax hated. Caine was always trying to get Jax to see how “the business” worked. He would occasionally even set him up for job interviews that Jax wouldn’t show up for. Honestly, he was shocked Caine even tried anymore.

“Oh shoot, sorry, I have plans,” Jax said quickly.

“Plans?”

“Yep,” Jax nodded, draining the rest of his coffee. “Normally I’d love to, but today I just don’t have the time.”

“Well, that’s a shame,” Caine said. “After that, your father asked me to check on the new tenant next door. Apparently there’s an issue with the lock on the balcony door and he wants me to go look at it since I’ll already be in the area.”

Jax’s ears perked. “Woah, hang on,” he said. “You mean Ragatha?”

“Is that her name?” Caine’s large eyes blinked. “Either way, yes, your new neighbor. I thought you might want to see what it’s like dealing with landlord duties. It’s a valuable learning experience!”

Why didn’t she ask me? Jax wondered. Didn’t he tell her to come find him if she needed anything? It was probably her damn brother holding her back.

Ragatha intrigued him and he didn’t know why. He wanted to learn more about her, and there was no way Caine was going to take away one of his chances. Suddenly, Jax’s plans for the afternoon were nonexistent.

“Y’know Caine, maybe I should help out a bit with this dilemma.” Jax grinned. “Hey, you know what? I have an idea. Why don’t you let me handle the neighbor situation? Why should you have to go close the deal downtown and then come alllllll the way back here to take care of something as simple as a lock on a door?”

Caine looked at Jax suspiciously. Regardless of his boisterous attitude and colorful personality, Caine wasn’t stupid. After all these years, he probably knew Jax better than his own father did.

“I thought you had plans?” Caine regarded Jax shrewdly. “Isn’t that what you just said?”

“I think my afternoon is actually pretty clear,” Jax shrugged and hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Stupid me…I’m thinking of next week.”

Caine suddenly grinned. “That’s okay Jax, I think I can handle it. I’d hate to inconvenience you after what will no doubt be a long morning. Unless, of course, you can make some time to come with me later when I close on that property. Maybe if you do, I’ll change my mind about this afternoon’s visit to Miss Ragatha. What do you think?”

Sly bastard, Jax thought. It’s no wonder he and my father get along so well.

Jax knew there was no way he would win this one. He was curious to see what Ragatha’s home was like, he wanted to talk to her, and Caine knew it. Quid pro quo all the way.

“Okay, sure…fine,” Jax grumbled. “I’ll come with you to your meeting or whatever.”

“Excellent!” Caine clapped Jax on the shoulder, his megawatt smile back and brighter than ever. “Be ready by two o’clock this afternoon. I’ll come back to get you then. Deal?”

“Deal…”

“Wear a suit!” Caine added, gathering his things to leave.

“Caine, seriously?”

“These are important meetings, Jax! You must look your best!”

“Do I even own a suit?”

“Best go check!” Caine winked at Jax and floated toward the door. “See you soon!”

Once he was gone, Jax grabbed the base of both his ears and groaned. Why did he do this to himself? And was it really worth it?

Then he remembered that he would get to see Ragatha later, and the thought placated him some. That wouldn’t be so bad.

-

Ragatha leaned against the vending machine in the hospital break room. Her bag of potato chips had long since dropped, but she was finding it hard to muster the energy to so much as reach for them. That would require bending down, and reaching, and pulling…and God, she just wanted to sit.

And sleep.

Plus, the cool glass of the machine felt so good against her forehead.

Then door to the break room opened, and Ragatha looked up at the voices that carried into the room. Pomni and Gangle had arrived to meet her for lunch break.

“There you are!” Pomni said, taking a seat at one of the round tables. Gangle joined her. “We waited for you at the nurse’s station but you never showed!”

Shoot, that’s right. She did say she’d meet them there, didn’t she? Man, she really needed sleep.

“I’m sorry,” Ragatha smiled sheepishly and finally extracted her bag of chips. “I must’ve forgotten.” She sat with her two closest friends as they began to eat.

The three of them had gone to nursing school together, and by some stroke of luck, they had all ended up in the same unit at the same hospital. She loved and trusted them like the sisters she never had.

“How did your move go, Ragatha?” Gangle asked. “Are you settled?”

Ragatha munched on a chip. “It was fine. It took a while to get everything unpacked and organized and I was late to help the movers, but thank God for Denny being there.”

“Does Annie like it?” Pomni asked.

“I think so,” Ragatha nodded. “Last night was rough for her, but it was only the first night. I ended up camping on her bedroom floor because she was scared, so I’m afraid I didn’t get much sleep. She was much better when I dropped her off at pre-school this morning.”

“You do look exhausted,” Pomni nodded. “I don’t know how you do it all.”

“Me either,” Gangle agreed.

“Honestly, me either,” Ragatha shrugged. Her phone buzzed. She pulled it out of her pocket and read the text message that came through.

She sighed with relief when she realized it was just her friend Kaufmo, who worked in the hospital with her.

“Woah, what was that face for?” Pomni asked. She raised her eyebrows. “For a second there you looked terrified.”

Was she that readable?

“I’m fine…it’s nothing. Just Kaufmo again.”

“Oooh, are you guys still going on your date tonight?” Gangle giggled.

“It’s not a date!” Ragatha rolled her eye. “He’s my friend! We’re just going out for a quick cup of coffee!”

“Just a heads up, that’s totally not what Kaufmo thinks,” Pomni said. “One of the other x-ray technicians he works with told me he wanted to take you out.”

“Well, he’s going to be sadly disappointed,” Ragatha said. “I’m not looking for a relationship right now.”

It was quite literally the last thing on her mind. She felt sorry for Kaufmo if he received mixed signals from her, even more so if he thought anything more would come of their coffee date. She’d only ever considered him a friend.

Maybe I’ll just cancel on him? I’m so tired anyway, and the landlord is coming after work to look at my door… She also felt guilty asking Denny to watch Annie again. Sure, he’d said it was never a problem, he’d said he wanted her to go out and have a good time with friends, but lately she’d been asking so much of him. All the thoughts and worries and guilt swirled around in her brain.

Some days she wished she could just turn her mind off.

So, right now Ragatha decided to focus on the present. She listened as Pomni talked about the cute Australian endocrinologist who’d just started that week, Gangle filled them in about the latest romance novel she was reading, and they all chatted happily for the remainder of their break. Before Ragatha knew it, it was time to go back to work.

She sighed, smoothing the wrinkles from her scrub pants as she stood.

A few more hours. She could do it.

-

Jax was losing his mind.

The closing he’d gone to with Caine had to be the most boring thing he’d ever had to sit through. All it involved was talking, paperwork, questions, bad jokes, more talking, more paperwork, handshaking (lots of it), and finally it was done.

Miraculously, he’d managed to find a rarely used dark gray suit in his closet. He’d flat out refused to wear a tie, even after Caine insisted, opting for a more semi-casual look. He’d completed his outfit with shiny black dress shoes that hurt his feet.

If this was how his father dressed every day, it was no wonder he didn’t have a sense of humor.

“What did you think, Jax?” Caine asked, as the two of them drove back to Jax’s house. “Really fun stuff, isn’t it?”

Jax looked at Caine. “Oh, it was a blast.”

“I knew you’d think so! Wait until I tell your father about this. He’ll be so proud.”

“Proud of what?” Jax rolled his eyes. “That I sat there and didn’t say two words?”

“That you tried, Jax. And that, my boy, is progress.”

“Sure,” Jax leaned his head against the window. “Progress…”

“So,” Caine went on. “As promised, I think it would be absolutely fine if you joined me this afternoon when I check in on your neighbor.”

Jax’s head whipped around. “You don’t need to come, Caine. I can handle it on my own, I’m sure.”

Caine glanced at Jax before bringing his attention back to the road.

“I don’t know, Jax.”

“Come on, Caine…”

Caine let out a heavy sigh. They pulled up in front of Jax’s house. As Jax reached for the door handle, Caine placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

“Listen Jax,” Caine said. “Promise me something. If I let you go alone, and that’s a big if, do you promise not to…try to get involved with this young woman?”

Jax’s eyes widened, the black pupils shrinking down. He yanked his shoulder out of Caine’s grip. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Your father asked me to bring this up. He knows how you are, Jax. I know how you are. It pains me to say it, but it’s true. You have a tendency to be…and I’ll put this delicately…a bit of a heartbreaker.”

“A heartbreaker, Caine?” Jax laughed mirthlessly. “Gee, thanks.”

“You know what I mean,” Caine went on. “Between your reputation with the ladies and your record with these tenants leaving every few months, your father has truly had enough.”

“I’m not gonna scare her away,” Jax said through gritted teeth. “I’m not gonna force her out, I’m not gonna make it inconvenient or uncomfortable for her, okay?”

“Do I have your word?” Caine tilted his denture head.

“Yes, damn it!”

“Okay,” Caine relented. “You can go. Go in there, check out the lock situation, if you can fix it, fine. If not, we will replace it for her. Then leave.”

“Noted,” Jax said. He opened the car door and was halfway out before Caine stopped him again.

“Jax?”

“What?”

“I’m proud of you. For trying today.”

Jax didn’t say anything. He hated when Caine adopted this…fatherly type attitude. He nodded once before he turned away and exited the car, closed the door, and gave Caine a final wave through the window. Then he watched him drive away.

Jax sighed. He was overcome with the urge to check how he looked. It was bad enough he had to wear this stupid suit. Maybe he should go in and change first? Furthermore, why did he care so much?

Nah, this will be fine. He walked up the steps to Ragatha’s house and rang the doorbell. There was a good deal of shuffling and talking from inside, and then the front door opened.

He knew right away Ragatha hadn’t been expecting him. She looked up at him with her eye wide, and Jax immediately noticed she looked ready to go out. Her hair was different, neatly clipped off to the side. She wore casual, dark denim pants and a cream colored blouse.

“Jax,” Ragatha said. “Hi!”

“Hey Rags,” Jax grinned, the new nickname rolling off his tongue like it was the most natural thing in the world. Where did that come from?

“What are you doing here?” Pink coloring dusted her cheeks.

“I heard you need someone to look at a busted lock,” he said. “Figured that person is me.” He shoved his hands in his pockets because he didn’t know what to do with them.

“Mommy, who’s here? Is it Uncle Denny?” Annie came barreling around the corner. When she saw Jax, her face lit up. “JAXY!” she squealed.

“Hey kid,” he winked at her.

“Are you here to babysit me?” Annie looked from Jax to her mother hopefully.

“Oh, um…no sweetie,” Ragatha laughed. “He’s here to help Mommy.”

“Oh,” Annie’s face fell. Just as quickly she perked up again. “You can see my room! And my stuffed animals! Can I show you? Please?”

“Uh,” Jax looked at Ragatha for help. He wasn’t around kids often enough to even know how to respond to this request.

Ragatha smiled and gave an imperceptible nod of her head.

“Sure,” Jax said to Annie. “Yeah, I’d love to see those stuffed animals of yours. Let me just help your mom out first, deal?”

“YAY!” Annie bolted to her room, leaving Jax and Ragatha alone.

Ragatha cleared her throat. “You look nice, Jax. You’re all dressed up.”

“You are too,” Jax nodded at her clothes.

“Oh, well,” Ragatha glanced down at her outfit. “I’m meeting a friend later for coffee.”

Jax’s ears perked. “Oh…” Was she going on a date? Then again, why should he care if she was?

“What about you?” Ragatha’s voice disrupted his thoughts.

“Ah…um…landlord meeting,” he invented in his head wildly. It was half true. It was a meeting, at least…

“Oh,” Ragatha nodded. “Cool! Well, follow me, then. I’ll show you the lock problem.”

Jax followed Ragatha through the house. The interior structure was set up identical to his own. It was such a bizarre feeling. He’d been in the adjacent unit before when it was between tenants, helping his father out with small tasks just to get him off his back, but it’d been a while since he’d last stepped foot in this place. He trailed behind her as she went up the stairs to the second floor.

He noticed there were still a few boxes scattered about from move-in day left in the hallway. He passed Annie’s room in the process, the little girl waving at him excitedly as he followed her mother.

“Jaxy!” she called out to him. “Hi Jaxy!”

Jax couldn’t help but smile.

“Okay, this way,” Ragatha said, leading him into her room.

Jax looked around, taking it all in. Her bed was carefully made, several pillows piled neatly on top of the comforter. She had a small vanity by the window and a large dresser by the closet. Even though she wasn’t completely unpacked, it was still more organized than his room would ever be. He’d be lucky if he made his bed most days.

“So, see how the latch doesn’t work?” Ragatha flipped the little knob on the slider to show him. Sure enough, it wouldn’t click to the adjoining piece to secure the lock.

Jax fiddled with it a bit. It didn’t take a genius to determine the lock was busted.

“Yeah, this thing needs to be replaced,” he said.

“Oh,” Ragatha looked worried. “How long will that take, do you think?”

“Not long,” Jax shrugged. “I’ll let my dad—I mean—I’ll get it for you, and once I do I’ll come and replace it.” I have no idea how to replace a lock.

“Really?” Ragatha looked up at him and smiled. Jax felt his heart pumping.

“Yeah, no problem. I’ll get started on it today.”

“Oh, thank you so much, Jax!” Relief flooded Ragatha’s face.

“Yeah, it’s no problem. I’ll just—”

“What are you doing here?”

Jax and Ragatha both turned to the doorway. Denny had appeared, looking annoyed, and dare Jax say, angry. Jax stood up straighter and narrowed his eyes.

“Oh, Denny! I didn’t hear you come in,” Ragatha said.

“The front door was unlocked,” Denny said, never taking his eyes off Jax. “What’s he doing here?” He asked again, pointing.

“He’s here to look at the lock,” Ragatha said, trying to sound cheerful. “It’s broken, so I called the landlord. Jax was kind enough to come take a look.”

“Yeah, I bet he was,” Denny said. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve taken care of it for you.”

“I didn’t want to bother you,” Ragatha shrugged. “It’s fine, Denny.”

“Yeah, don’t worry,” Jax grinned at Denny, but the smile was all for show. “I’ve got it.”

Denny pursed his lips tightly. Jax was loving every minute of his discomfort. Meanwhile, Ragatha shuffled her feet nervously.

“Ragatha,” Denny said, glancing at her. “Don’t you have to go? You’ll be late for your date.” He looked directly at Jax.

Prick. Jax felt his anger bubbling.

“Oh for God’s sake Denny!” Ragatha rolled her eye. “I’ve already told you, it’s not a date!”

“Whatever it is, why don’t you head out. Annie will be all set.”

Ragatha looked at Jax and gave a shaky smile.

“Thank you again, Jax. I appreciate you taking care of this for me. Denny’s right though, I do need to leave.”

“I’ll have Jax show me the lock before he leaves,” Denny said. “I’ll install it once he gives you the new one.”

“Sure,” Ragatha nodded. “I’m gonna go say bye to Annie.” She hurried out of the room.

It wasn’t until she was gone that Denny turned to Jax again, his eye narrow. His voice was low when he spoke.

“I don’t know how to say this without sounding like an asshole, so I’m just gonna go for it. Stay away from my sister.”

Jax blinked at him. Then he laughed. Was he serious?

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Jax said. “Like doodling bad decisions on someone’s skin?”

Denny smirked. “I mean sure, at least I do something. I’ll say it again. Stay away from Ragatha. She’s got enough going on.”

“She’s a grown woman. I think she can make her own decisions,” Jax said.

To Jax’s immense delight, that seemed to make Denny more angry. He stepped closer to Jax, but didn’t get in his face. Jax didn’t back up, either.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

“What’s going on?” Ragatha had appeared in the doorway again. She looked nervous, her eye wide as it looked from her brother to Jax. She didn’t miss the way they’d been looking at each other just moments before.

“Nothing,” Jax shrugged, turning away from Denny. “I’m just heading out.” He walked past Ragatha, gently brushing her side as he did so. He felt her tense at the slight contact. “I’ll drop that new lock off later,” he added. “Your brother says he’ll take care of it.”

Annie had snuck out of her room and was hovering at her door. When she saw Jax coming, she smiled wide and clapped her hands.

“Jaxy! Will you come see my stuffed animals now?”

“He’s got to go,” Denny said, following close behind. Ragatha was beside him, looking embarrassed.

Jax was about to tell Annie that it would have to wait until another time, that he promised he’d come back…but the look of hope and expectation on her face was too much for him to bear. Maybe he was getting soft, but he didn’t want to let her down. And plus, he was in a mood to stick it to Denny.

“You know what?” Jax said, glancing over his shoulder. “Yeah, I’d love to.”

“Yay!” Annie grasped him by the hand and pulled him into her room, directing him to her basket of stuffed animals.

Jax caught the annoyed look on Denny’s face, and it was enough to placate him for the time being, even if he wasn’t going to be able to come back later.

You won’t win this, Jax said, eyeing Denny. Then he turned his attention back to Annie, his smile wide and genuine.

“Alright kid, who’s this?” he asked, pulling a stuffed purple unicorn from the top of the pile.

-

“What is wrong with you?” Ragatha hissed at Denny, once they were out of ear shot of Jax. “Why are you being so rude?” She’d brought him back to her room where they hovered in the doorway, Annie’s laughter ringing out in the background.

“Ragatha, I already told you how I feel about him! Now I find him in your bedroom with you?”

“Don’t be so immature!” Ragatha rolled her eye. “So what if he was in my bedroom! That’s where the lock is! What did you think was going to happen?”

“Don’t make me answer that.”

“Oh my God,” Ragatha rubbed her temple. “You don’t know him!” she said, exasperated. “My God, Denny! He’s just being a good neighbor!”

“I know enough guys like him to know he’s not good news.”

“Oh please…”

“Ragatha, I’m not trying to make your life difficult!” Denny shook his head.

Ragatha shook her head in disbelief. “Denny, you know I love you, and you know I appreciate everything you do for me and Annie, but you need to calm down.”

The doorbell rang downstairs, temporarily distracting them both.

“Who is that?” Ragatha’s looked at Denny. She couldn’t help the instant anxiety that bubbled up inside. She’d agreed to meet Kaufmo at the cafe. There was no one else who would show up looking for her…no one else who knew her new address. Maybe Pomni and Gangle, but they would never show up unannounced.

Unless…

If you won’t answer my messages, I’ll have to come talk to you in person…

The latest text message had come in right at the end of her work shift, the words burned into her brain. A new number, instantly blocked.

“Ragatha,” Denny looked at her. “It’s just the doorbell. Are you okay? You look pale.”

She was frozen in place.

“Ragatha!” Denny shook her gently.

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

The doorbell rang again. When Ragatha didn’t move, Denny turned away and ran down the stairs to answer it.

Ragatha could hear low voices followed by quiet, awkward laughter. She felt her heartbeat pound in her ears, the repetitive pulsing and whooshing making her head spin. At the same time, Jax was leaving Annie’s room.

“See ya, kid,” he called over his shoulder. When he saw Ragatha, he stopped. His wide grin vanished. “Woah,” he said. “Ragatha, you okay?”

Ragatha shook her head, staring ahead at nothing.

“Hey,” Jax gently took her by the shoulders. “Ragatha?”

She felt him give her a squeeze. The pressure of his fingertips seemed to pull her to the present, and she locked eyes with him.

“Jax?”

“Right here,” he said. “You got him,” he spoke softly and deliberately, trying to get her to focus.

“Who’s at the door?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” he said slowly. He looked around. “Want me to find out?”

“Where’s Annie?” Ragatha looked toward her daughter’s room.

“She’s in her room, organizing her toys,” Jax said. “I met all of them. Nice guys,” he said, laughing nervously. He squeezed her shoulders again. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Ragatha!” Denny called from downstairs. “Kaufmo’s here.”

Just like that, Ragatha exhaled and her shoulders slumped. She felt dizzy and weak, leaning against the wall for support.

Kaufmo It was just Kaufmo. How did he get her address? That was something she’d have to figure out later. Right now, she needed to calm down.

“T-tell him I need a minute,” she called. “Please?” Her voice cracked. She slid down the wall, burying her face in her hands.

She heard Jax shuffle to sit down beside her. She felt her wrist being gently tugged away from her face.

“Rags,” he said softly. “What’s up?”

“I…can’t,” she sighed.

“Can’t…” Jax echoed. He gestured for her to continue.

“I don’t want to go out,” she whispered.

“Then don’t.”

“He’ll be so disappointed…”

“Who? Who’s that guy down there?” Jax asked.

“Someone from work,” Ragatha said. “A friend.”

Maybe she imagined it, but she felt Jax stiffen beside her. His ears straightened, and he glanced toward the staircase with a sour expression.

“Your boyfriend?” Jax asked.

Was Ragatha correct in detecting a hint of jealousy?

“No, not at all,” she said. “Just a friend.”

“Want me to tell him to get lost?” Jax asked. “I’m good at that.”

“Ha,” Ragatha chuckled softly, wiping a tear from her eye. “That would be so horrible of me to blow him off like that.”

“Nah, not really,” Jax shrugged. He wrapped his long arms around his knees as he waited beside her. “I’ll tell him you’re not feeling well.”

“He’ll see me tomorrow at work,” she said.

“So what? Tomorrow you’ll feel better,” Jax said.

Ragatha shook her head. “I shouldn’t be asking you to do this for me,” she said. “I barely know you.”

“Yeah, well, barely is still something,” Jax said.

Ragatha really really wanted to cancel. She’d wanted to cancel since she agreed to go out with him. Now even more so, since he’d somehow acquired her address. It left a bad taste in her mouth and an uncomfortable feeling in her gut.

“Okay Jax,” Ragatha finally relented. “I-if you could…please…”

“You got it,” Jax stood. He held his hand out to her to help her stand. She took it gratefully.

“I’m gonna go be with Annie,” she said.

“Sure,” Jax nodded.

“Thank you again.”

“I already told you, it’s not—”

Jax was cut off as Ragatha hugged him around his middle. She knew it was very inappropriate of her, and she likely made Jax uncomfortable, but she’d felt such momentary relief that she found it was the only way she could fully convey her thank you. She felt him tense up, but slowly his hands came to rest around her back, giving her an awkward little pat.

“Sorry,” she whispered, giggling softly as she let go of him.

“No, it’s fine,” Jax said quickly. “I’ll…go kick this guy out, okay?”

“Okay.” Ragatha smiled at him before she disappeared into her daughter’s room.

-

Jax could hear Annie’s delighted voice, and he smiled to himself as he made his way down the stairs.

Denny was standing in the kitchen with the guy from Ragatha’s work. It was hard to hold in his laughter at the sight of her coworker. He was a literal clown, dressed in mismatched clothes and dirty sneakers.

Was this how he was planning on taking Ragatha out? What a joke.

Denny and this guy—Kaufmo—stared at Jax.

“Where’s Ragatha?” Denny asked, looking at the staircase.

“Yeah, about that,” Jax said. “She, uh, isn’t feeling well.”

“She’s not?” Kaufmo frowned as he looked at Jax.

“Nope,” Jax shook his head. “Needs to lie down,” he added. “Wanted me to tell you she’s sorry, but she needs to cancel tonight.”

Kaufmo looked beyond disappointed. “Who are you, anyway?”

“Me? Oh, I’m her friend,” Jax said. He looked at Denny pointedly. “Someone should really go check on her.” C’mon man, don’t be as dumb as you look, he thought, watching Denny’s expression.

Finally, it clicked.

“Sure,” Denny said slowly, narrowing his eye at Jax. “Yeah, I’ll go check on her. Nice meeting you Kaufmo,” he added. Then he turned and bounded up the steps, leaving Jax and Kaufmo alone.

“Well, Kaufy, is it? Guess I’ll walk you out.”

Kaufmo still couldn’t shake the look of disappointment on his face that he wasn’t going to be going out with Ragatha that evening. It gave Jax a sick satisfaction as he walked him to the door.

“Aw c’mon. No one likes a sad clown! Cheer up, there’s always next time! Just not with Ragatha,” he added, right before pushing Kaufmo out the front door and slamming it closed behind him.

Jax waited until the buffoon had driven away before he snuck out the door and let himself into his own apartment.

He walked straight upstairs to his room. Then, he unbuttoned his suit and tossed it onto the floor. He was exhausted, but his mind wouldn’t shut off.

Something had seriously bothered Ragatha earlier. He’d never seen that look before on anyone’s face. It was a look of fear and worry, mixed with a tinge of paranoia. He hoped her idiot brother was taking care of her.

He climbed into bed, ignoring the urge to have a cigarette. He still felt the shock of her touch around his torso when she’d hugged him.

This was a strange and unbidden feeling. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t leave his brain.

He needed to see her again. 

Chapter 4

After a brief rest to collect his thoughts and a trip to the hardware store, Jax had returned to Ragatha’s house later that evening to drop off the new lock.

He’d somehow managed to find the correct one at the store, even though he’d refused to ask for assistance from the store associates for fear of looking stupid. Luckily it had worked out in the end. The last thing he wanted to do was ask anyone for help. If Jax had to resort to calling Caine, or worse, his father, they’d never trust him to do this sort of thing again. (Not that he’d ever be bothered to do anything like this for anyone else, but that wasn’t the point.)

He didn’t stay, didn’t even say much when Denny answered the door and took the lock from him with little more than a thank you. Jax wasn’t expecting much, anyway.

Still, that didn’t stop him from asking how Ragatha was feeling. Regardless of how her brother obviously felt about him, Jax was still concerned enough that he’d risk pushing for an answer if need be.

“How’s Ragatha doing?” he’d said, just as Denny was closing the door.

The rag doll looked at him. He cleared his throat and said, “She’s better now.”

That was all he was going to get, and he knew it. “Good,” Jax stuffed his hands in his pockets. “See ya, then…”

He’d started walking away. It was only when he was sure he heard the front door close that he stopped and turned. His gaze drifted up to the second floor window. He knew from the layout of the building that it was the window at the top of the staircase.

Ragatha was there, staring down at him. His stomach did a little flip. How he knew she’d be watching him, he had no idea. It was just a gut feeling.

She’d waved. Jax had quickly glanced at the door to make sure Denny was gone. Then he returned the gesture, studying her face. She smiled at him, but there was a distinct sadness in her eye.

Before he could think on it any further, she’d disappeared from the window and the hallway light clicked off. He’d gone to bed that night thinking of her, just as he had every night since the day she’d moved in.

-

For the first time in a long while, Ragatha felt an inkling of relief.

It had been extremely hard telling Denny about the text messages she’d received from Annie’s father. Hard, yet very necessary, now that it was done and the secret wasn’t hers alone any longer.

She’d wanted to hide them from him, if only to keep him from getting worked up. Little did she realize how much keeping that secret would have an effect on her, both mentally and emotionally. It had felt like it was destroying her from the inside. She didn’t know what to do.

After Jax sent Kaufmo away, Denny had found Ragatha upstairs, hiding out in Annie’s room. He’d pulled her away to her own room and asked her to be upfront with him about why she’d freaked out.

“What’s going on, Ragatha?” Denny asked. He looked worried. “Tell me the truth. I know something’s up with you.”

“It’s nothing,” she shook her head. “Believe me, I—”

“Please don’t lie to me,” Denny sighed. “You’ve always been the worst liar, Ragatha. Ever since the other day, you’ve been jumpy and nervous. It’s obvious something is wrong.”

Maybe it was the stress of her emotional buildup. Very likely it was a multitude of other things all rolled into one. But at that moment, Ragatha started crying.

“Woah, woah…what’s wrong?” Denny grasped her shoulders.

Ragatha looked up at him through tears. “Ricky has been messaging me.” She spoke in a small, scared voice.

The effect was immediate. Denny pulled away, his face contorted with fury. He closed the door to Ragatha’s room so Annie couldn’t hear them.

“Ragatha, how long has this been going on?” Denny ran his hand over his face. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

Ragatha hid her face in her hands, shaking her head. “I don’t know! I just…I was so shocked that he even tried and I just…I froze…panicked…It c-came in from a different number.”

“How many times?”

“Twice.”

“What about the restraining order?” Denny asked. “He can’t violate it!”

“It’s expiring soon, Denny,” Ragatha whispered. “It was only for a year.”

“RAGATHA!” Denny was shouting now. “Are you for real right now? You just decided not to tell me this crucial bit of information?”

“I didn’t think he’d actually be crazy enough to contact me anymore,” she wailed softly.

Denny inhaled a deep breath. He gripped Ragatha’s shoulders firmly.

“We have to call a lawyer and have the order extended,” Denny said. “It’s not an option. We have to.”

“What if the court doesn’t allow it?” Ragatha whispered.

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“So far, all he’s done is send me two messages. They won’t consider that dangerous enough to extend it further unless he becomes a threat like last time…”

“We need to try,” Denny said firmly.

“He doesn’t know where I moved to. He can’t find me.”

“But he still knows where you work. He knows where Annie goes to pre-school.”

Ragatha choked back a sob. It was too much.

“Hey, we’re gonna take care of it,” Denny said softly. “I promise.”

“Okay,” she sniffed.

“I mean it, it’s going to be fine. First thing we’re gonna do is change your number, though. Okay?”

Ragatha nodded, wiping her tears on her shirtsleeve. She should’ve done that right away.

“Okay.” Denny pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. “We’ve got this. He’s not going to come near you again.”

-

Mismatch was easily the best bar in town. Jax was a frequent patron, and he knew the owner, Zooble, very well.

He wouldn’t exactly call them buddies or even really friends, but solid acquaintances would perhaps be more appropriate for the relationship they had.

So, as usual, Jax found himself sitting at the bar with his favorite drink, several days after he’d dropped off the new lock at Ragatha’s house.

He hadn’t seen or heard from her since that day. He always woke up too late to catch her before she left for work, and the last few days he’d somehow missed her coming home. He chalked it up to bad timing, but in his gut, he worried she might be avoiding him. Even at night, when he’d go out on his balcony for a smoke, she hadn’t been out there again like she did that first night.

It didn’t make sense for her to be avoiding him, though. At least he didn’t think so.

“Why don’t you just go knock on her door, dumbass?” Zooble said, as they wiped down the counter.

“Because her stupid brother is over there nine times outta ten,” Jax rolled his eyes. “Dude needs to get his own life.”

“Since when does that stop you?” Zooble raised an eyebrow. “You afraid of him, or something?”

“Fuck no,” Jax growled.

“Then go knock, idiot!”

Jax knew how it sounded, like it was the most obvious thing in the world and he was letting her meat-head brother get the best of him. Aside from the obvious annoyance Denny was, the other thing holding him back was far more complicated.

He didn’t know how, he didn’t know why, but he’d developed slight feelings for her. Feelings he didn’t understand completely, but feelings nonetheless. They wracked his brain and kept him awake at night. It was like he was drawn to her. He couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Zooble went on, pulling Jax from his thoughts.

“I’m surprised at you, dude,” they said. “Since when do you let a girl get to you this bad?”

“I don’t fucking know,” Jax sighed. He checked the time on his phone. It was just after six o’clock in the evening. Ragatha should be home by now. Maybe Zooble was right. Maybe he should just drop in on her, maybe check in on how she was doing under the pretense of landlord duties. “I’m gonna head out Zoob.” He stood and tapped his fist on the counter. “Put this on my tab.”

Zooble rolled their eyes and scowled. “Your tab is up there, Jax. Planning on paying it any time soon? That last girl you brought here ordered six apple martinis!”

“Oh yeah, she was fun,” Jax smirked. “Next time!” He winked at Zooble as he walked backwards toward the exit.

“It’s always next time, dumbass!” Zooble called after him.

“Love you too, Zoobie,” Jax turned and waved, bolting out the door to the sound of a tinkling bell.

-

Ragatha tossed her dirty hospital scrubs into the laundry basket, grateful the workday had ended.

It had been a brutal one. The ER had been completely full for most of the day with nonstop activity. Autumn meant that flu season was picking up, and the influx of sick patients kept her on her feet with little time for breaks. When she did get to take a break, it was usually a quick one, and strictly to gain some stamina for the remainder of her shift.

She’d attempted to speak to Kaufmo, to apologize for cancelling their not-date last minute as well as ask—politely—how he’d gotten her address, but he was no where to be found. Another thing to address another day, she supposed.

Thankfully her night looked promising. She had comfortable pajamas, fuzzy slippers, and a lasagna she’d pre-prepared the night before already warming up in the oven. Maybe she’d even treat herself to a glass of wine. She deserved it, especially after the day—no, the week—she’d had.

She hadn’t received any more threatening text messages since the last one. She felt even better since changing her number after work that same afternoon.

Part of her felt like Annie’s father was bluffing. He didn’t know where she’d moved to, and he’d been ordered to have no contact with Ragatha or Annie. He wouldn’t dare break the restraining order he’d been placed under. She kept telling herself this. Even if it was almost expired now, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to come see her in person…

Finally confessing to Denny about what had been going on had taken a huge weight off her shoulders. Looking back, she probably should’ve done so sooner, but there was no time to dwell on the past. They needed to focus on the now. They’d hire a lawyer and get things sorted out, just like Denny said.

Still, in light of everything and to ease her mind, she made sure to speak to the owner of Annie’s preschool and confirm—as well as remind them—that no one was authorized to pick Annie up from school except for Ragatha herself, or Denny.

Fortunately, the school was very strict about these matters. Each child had a list of approved pick-up people, and that thought eased Ragatha’s worries. If you weren’t on the list, you couldn’t take the child home. Period.

She kept reminding herself: They were safe. Her ex was not allowed to come near her or Annie. She was going to get the restraining order extended, and everything would be fine.

As she passed her closet, she saw Jax’s sweatshirt hanging up. It was the one he’d given her out on her balcony that night. She thought about it for a moment, before she quickly removed it from the hanger and slipped it on. She felt that immediate warmth and smelled the lingering scent of him from last time. It brought her comfort, and she didn’t question it. Why shouldn’t she be comfortable?

“Annie?” she called, making her way downstairs. “Go wash your hands for dinner, okay?”

“I don’t wanna, Mommy…” Annie whined from the living room, where she was watching cartoons.

“Now, honey,” Ragatha said firmly.

Annie frowned and stomped her little feet as she walked to the bathroom. Ragatha shook her head. Her daughter was many things, but stubborn was one of her most prominent traits.

“Is Uncle Denny coming for dinner tonight?” Annie asked, climbing into her chair. Her little hands were still damp from washing.

“Not tonight, baby,” Ragatha said, scooping a portion of lasagne into Annie’s dish. “Just us tonight.”

“I don’t want this,” Annie wrinkled her nose.

“You love lasagne,” Ragatha reminded her.

“Not anymore, I loved it last week. This week I love tacos.” She pushed the dish away.

“Well.” Ragatha inhaled slowly. She wasn’t in the mood tonight, but she kept her calm. “We’re not having tacos tonight, we’re having lasagne. So you need to eat it, because that’s all there is.”

Annie was about to retort, but was interrupted when the the doorbell rang. Ragatha froze.

“Who’s that?” Annie sat up, trying to peer out the window. The curtains were closed, as they usually were.

Ragatha’s heart was pumping. “I don’t know, honey. Just…just stay here and give me a minute. I’ll check. Don’t leave the table, okay?”

She approached the front door slowly. It couldn’t be Denny, who Ragatha knew was out with one of his friends. Unless he cut his evening early, which would be odd for him to do only to come back here.

It’s nothing. It’s okay, her mind whirred, each step to the door heavier and more difficult than the last.

When she peered through the peephole and saw Jax, she exhaled in immediate relief. He as standing on the steps with his hands stuffed in his pockets. She unlatched the locks and opened the door.

“Jax? What are you doing here?”

Jax looked up when the door opened.

“Hey Rags,” he said. His eyes widened a bit when he saw she was wearing his sweatshirt. Then he grinned.

Why did she like his silly nickname for her so much?

“What’s going on?” Ragatha asked, looking around. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah, everything’s good,” he nodded. “I just haven’t seen you around lately and I wanted to make sure you…y’know…don’t need anything else. That everything is okay and the new lock is working out.”

Ragatha was well aware that she hadn’t been very social lately. She left early in the morning to drop Annie off at school before heading to work, and by the time she got home, she was too tired to chat with anyone at all. She usually hurried into her house and closed her curtains.

“Oh, everything’s fine,” she half lied. “And yeah, the lock is great. No issues.” She shuffled her feet awkwardly. When Jax just lingered there, not speaking, she opened the door wider for him. “Did you…want to come in?”

“I—”

“Jaxy!”

Annie came running around the corner, nearly crashing into Ragatha in the process. She bounced on the balls of her feet when she saw Jax standing there.

“Hey kiddo,” Jax grinned.

“Annie,” Ragatha sighed, exasperated. “Honey, please don’t run in the house like that.”

“Sorry,” Annie said quickly. Then she flung herself at Jax’s legs, hugging him tightly. “Will you eat dinner with us? It’s not tacos.”

Ragatha saw Jax freeze when Annie grabbed him. She would’ve been more nervous had he not immediate smiled after the fact, patting her daughter awkwardly on the head.

“Nah, I’m just checking in,” Jax shook his head.

“We’d love to have you,” Ragatha said. “If you’d like, of course. Annie’s right, it’s not tacos,” she laughed. “It’s lasagna, and there’s plenty…I always make too much, anyway.”

Jax hesitated. His eyes darted from Ragatha, to Annie, and back again. Zooble’s voice was still in the back of his head.

“Sure,” he shrugged. “Why not?”

“Yay!” Annie cheered. She immediately grabbed him by the hand and led him into the house.

-

Jax let Annie lead him to the kitchen. In the background, he could hear Ragatha securing the many locks on the front door. He was still processing the fact that he was here, in her house and about to have dinner with them, when just an hour ago he wasn’t sure if he’d even have enough determination to knock on her door.

She’s wearing my sweatshirt. What should he make of that?

They sat at a little table in the kitchen. Annie pushed Jax into the seat next to her with her little hands on the back of his long legs.

“Easy kid,” Jax laughed. “Geez, you’re strong.”

“I eat my veg-tables,” she replied knowingly. “Mommy says that’s what I have to do.”

“That’s right,” Ragatha chuckled. “Glad you remembered.”

“I remember everything,” Annie said, eyeing Jax.

“That so?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Somehow, I believe that,” Jax chuckled.

Ragatha placed a dish in front of him containing a huge slice of lasagne. It looked and smelled amazing. His ears perked excitedly.

Jax was used to living on a diet of prepared foods and frozen dinners. He had no idea how to cook, and when he tried it was usually a disaster. He’d never bothered to learn, and no one had bothered to teach him. His stomach rumbled at the sight.

“Hope you’re hungry,” Ragatha said, sitting on his other side and opening her napkin.

“I am,” Jax nodded. “Thanks, Rags.”

“Oh, I forgot!” She stood up. “What can I get you to drink?”

Alcohol, he thought to himself.

“Water would be—”

“Wine?” Ragatha was looking at him like she read his mind.

“Um…yeah. Definitely.” One glass Jax. One glass, or you’ll embarrass yourself.

Ragatha poured them both a healthy-sized glass before she finally took her seat.

Jax was hooked from the first bite. Conversation flowed freely after that, no doubt with the help of the wine loosening them up.

Ragatha talked about her job, about Annie’s school, and about her old place she used to live. Jax listened intently, soaking up every word. He was eager to learn as much about her as possible. She also asked him questions, like where he grew up, what his parents were like, if he liked being a landlord…most of which, especially anything related to work, he skirted around as best he could.

Before he knew it, the wine bottle was nearly empty. His brain felt fuzzy, and when he glanced over at Ragatha she was wearing the same comfortable, buzzed expression. In fact, it was the most relaxed he’d seen her since she’d moved in.

“Mommy, I’m done,” Annie said, after a while.

Ragatha looked at Annie’s plate, seemingly satisfied. “Good job, honey. You can go play for a little while if you want, okay?”

“Okay!” Annie scooted down from her chair, but instead of going to play she gently tugged at Jax’s shirt sleeve. “Will you come play with me, Jaxy?”

“Um…”

“Annie, let Jax finish eating, okay? Right now we’re still having dinner.”

Annie looked disappointed. Jax ruffled her hair.

“How about this, kiddo,” he said. “Let me finish up here and I’ll come by after, okay? Before I go?”

“Why do you have to go?” Annie looked at her mother, then back at Jax. “Why can’t you just stay here?”

“He’ll be here for a little while longer,” Ragatha assured Annie. “He’s not leaving just yet.”

“No, I mean why can’t he just live here with us?”

The question caught both Jax and Ragatha off guard. Jax looked at Ragatha and raised his eyebrows, trying to silently will her to answer this one for him. She was better at this than he was, obviously. The wine certainly wasn’t helping his cognitive skills at the moment.

“Honey,” Ragatha said gently. “Jax has his own house he lives in. You’ll see him another time, I promise. Now go play a little before we get ready for bed.”

Annie sighed. Her little face looked defeated as she walked to her toys in the living room and plopped heavily on the rug.

Jax turned to Ragatha and grinned.

“Sorry about that,” Ragatha sighed. “Annie is a master at asking uncomfortable questions.”

“It’s okay, it doesn’t bother me,” Jax shrugged.

Ragatha eyed him, smiling. “She really likes you, you know.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes,” Ragatha nodded. “She brings you up a lot, actually. You really have a way with kids.”

“I don’t really…just yours,” Jax said. “She’s different. In a good way, I mean. Most kids want nothing to do with me.” That much was true. Normally, kids drove him insane.

“Well, whatever it is about you,” Ragatha went on, “thank you for being someone she can trust.”

Jax didn’t know what to make of that statement. Sure, he could take it at face value for what it was, but he couldn’t help but notice the the subtle shift in Ragatha’s tone, or the way her eye looked down when she spoke. There was deeper meaning in her statement, and he wanted to understand. He sipped his wine because he wasn’t sure what else to say just yet.

Ragatha must’ve realized he noticed, because she immediately perked up again. “You want seconds?” She gestured to his dish.

“Wish I could,” Jax said. “I’m pretty full.”

“Well, I’m sending you home with some.” Ragatha stood and began collecting the dishes and silverware. “Let me get a container for you.”

“Thanks,” Jax stood awkwardly, swaying a bit. How much wine did he actually drink? “You want some help or—”

“No, no,” Ragatha shook her head, slicing a large portion of lasagna and placing it in a plastic container. “Go see Annie. She’ll be disappointed if you don’t.”

“Sure,” Jax nodded. On wobbly legs, he made his way over to where the four-year-old was seated on the living room rug. She was building some type of structure out of colorful, magnetic tiles. He sat down beside her, crossing his legs.

“Jaxy,” Annie grinned when he sat. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he replied. He leaned back on his hands, watching. “What’re you makin’?”

“A house,” she said. She carefully placed the tiles one-by-one, connecting them at different angles.

“Cool,” Jax nodded. “Is it this house?”

“No,” Annie shook her head.

“Another house, then?”

The little girl nodded.

“Whose house?”

“My old house,” Annie said, matter-of-factly.

Jax raised his eyebrow. “You miss your old house?”

Annie shrugged. “Sometimes.”

Jax tilted his head as he spoke. Annie wasn’t looking at him. “You like this new one, though, right?”

Annie nodded. “My old house had a big backyard.”

“Yeah?”

“And swings.”

“Cool.”

“I wish I had swings again,” she said. Then, she gently pushed the tiles so they collapsed into a pile. She began stacking them one-by-one. “Mommy says to clean up when I’m done.”

There was a mournful tone to Annie’s voice that Jax wasn’t used to. He watched her curiously.

“That’s smart,” Jax said. “Want my help cleaning those up?”

“Okay.”

Together, they picked up the remainder of the tiles. Jax watched as Annie neatly placed them in their basket, before yawning widely.

“Someone’s tired,” Ragatha said, walking over from the kitchen. “Why don’t you say goodnight to Jax, sweetheart. I’ll get you to bed.”

Jax took that as his cue to head out. He stood and stretched, still not quite steady on his feet. He’d already gotten much more out of the evening than he’d anticipated.

“Night Jaxy,” Annie said, throwing her arms around his leg to hug him. Then she ran toward the stairs.

“Night kiddo,” Jax called after her.

Ragatha waited until Annie disappeared upstairs before she turned to look over at Jax again.

“Did you…want dessert?” She spoke softly, not meeting his eyes for more than a few seconds.

Something inside Jax’s stomach fluttered. His heart was pumping faster than usual. He found himself nodding without thinking too much about it.

Screw Caine’s warning.

“Okay,” Ragatha smiled, looking relieved. “Just…give me a few minutes. I’ll put Annie to bed and I’ll be right back. Make yourself comfortable.” Then, she hurried up the stairs after her daughter.

-

Ragatha was quick to get Annie into bed. She skipped bathing her, helped brush her teeth, got her into pajamas, read her a quick bedtime story, and finally tucked her in. It was only when she was tiptoeing back down the hall to the stairs that her nerves caught up to her.

What am I doing? she thought to herself. I barely know him. There had been no real reason to ask Jax to stay longer. None at all.

Yet…

Everything in her wanted him to. She didn’t want him to leave yet. She enjoyed his company, enjoyed his smooth, easy voice, his lazy smile, and his seemingly carefree attitude.

But the thing she enjoyed most of all was the way he looked at her. It was the way you looked at something you wanted more of. She knew this, because she often found herself looking at him in the same way. All those times she’d meet his stare through the window, or when she’d see him outside smoking a cigarette and he had no idea she was watching him. When he would interact with Annie. When he would talk to her. She would look at him, and she wouldn’t want to look away.

That look took away some of her anxiety and stress, even for just a moment. It made her feel like a person again, not just a mother, not just a nurse, not just a sister. Interacting with him made her feel something. She didn’t want to give that up so easily.

She walked downstairs and found Jax sitting on her couch. He was tapping his fingers casually on the arm rest, looking around the living room. He turned at the sound of her approach.

“Hey,” he smiled. That lazy smile.

“Hey,” she smiled back.

“All good?” He gestured to the top floor.

“Yup,” Ragatha nodded. “She’s already out like a light.” Her stomach was in knots. She willed it to calm. “So…um…dessert…”

What did she even have to offer him? She started to head back to the kitchen.

“Rags.”

She spun around. “Yes?”

“Don’t worry about dessert,” Jax said. “Just come sit down and relax for once.” He patted the sofa cushion.

“Are…you sure?”

“Positive,” he nodded. “From what you told me earlier, you don’t get much of a break. Don’t spend what little free time you actually do get trying to take care of me, too. I’m a big boy, I don’t need dessert.”

Ragatha’s heart fluttered madly in her chest. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone looked out for her well-being. Well, anyone aside from Denny, that is…

“Okay.” She smiled.

Her legs felt like jelly as she made her way over to the couch. She knew she’d had too much wine, knew from the second glass she’d poured for the two of them that it was too much, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. She sat down heavily, on the opposite end of the couch from where Jax sat.

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “I don’t bite, y’know.”

Ragatha laughed nervously. “I—I know…” Oh God, her heart was going to pound out of her chest. She could feel it. She tried to breathe, to steady herself.

Jax tilted his head. “You okay?”

“Fine, I’m fine…” Ragatha nodded. “Just tired, is all.”

“I can leave,” Jax said. “That way you can rest—”

“No!” The word came out of her faster and louder than she’d intended it to. She could tell from Jax’s widened eyes. “I—I mean, if you want, but…I wouldn’t mind if you stayed. F-for a bit.”

“Okay, then I’ll stay,” Jax said softly. He leaned against the couch and stretched his arms over the back.

Ragatha wasn’t sure what to say. She felt ridiculous, and had already probably made a fool of herself. She exhaled, before slowly inching closer to the middle of the couch. She wasn’t sure what to do with her hands, so she settled on putting them in her lap.

“Thanks again for dinner,” Jax said, watching her. “I haven’t eaten that well in a long time.”

“Can you cook?”

Jax snorted. “No.”

“Oh Jax,” Ragatha said, feeling some of her nerves begin to fade with the return to casual conversation. “What do you usually eat?”

“You don’t wanna know,” he replied.

“Jax!” Ragatha faced him, bringing her legs onto the cushion and crossing them. “You have to eat well! You’re already too skinny. And smoking isn’t doing you any favors!”

“Wow, Rags, somehow you’ve gone into both mom and nurse mode on me.”

Ragatha felt her face flush. Damn it, he was right.

“W-well, it’s true!”

Jax laughed. “What do you suppose I do?”

“Well,” Ragatha rolled her eye. “For starters, quit smoking.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Can you at least try?” She looked at him imploringly.

Jax stared back at her, his smiled slowly fading. Maybe he realized she wasn’t joking after all. Maybe she’d actually offended him? Either way, he cleared his throat.

“Okay Ragatha,” he said softly.

“Okay?” She tilted her head. “Okay what?”

“Okay, I’ll try,” he shrugged.

Ragatha’s eye widened. “You will?”

“Sure,” Jax shrugged, letting out a long sigh. “How can I say no to that pleading face, huh? Plus, if something happens to me, I’ll never be able to eat your cooking again.”

Ragatha gently smacked him with her pillow. “Don’t joke about that,” she warned, but smiled all the same.

“Sorry, sorry…”

“You better be,” she joked, trying to sound threatening and undoubtably failing.

Jax laughed, and a comfortable silence descended upon them for a few moments. Ragatha felt herself relax.

“Hey,” he said suddenly. “Whatever happened to that loser guy who tried to take you on a date?”

“Oh, Kaufmo?” Ragatha said. “Nothing, honestly. He’s been avoiding me since then. I think he got embarrassed, actually.”

“Oh?”

Ragatha couldn’t help but noticed the self-satisfied smirk on Jax’s face.

“And for goodness sake, it wasn’t a date!” she sighed. “Also, I never asked you. What did you end up saying to him?”

“Nothing big,” Jax shrugged. “Just that you weren’t gonna be going out with him.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, of course,” Jax said. “Rags, you made the right choice. That guy’s a loser. You should’ve seen the way he was dressed to take you out. He should’ve been ashamed of himself.”

“We were just going to get coffee, not anywhere fancy…”

“Stop defending him,” Jax said. “He wasn’t worth your time. If you take a girl out, you need to look presentable. Even if it’s not a date. That guy was a clown.”

Ragatha giggled softly. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you’re probably right,” she sighed. “Gosh, it’s been so long since I’ve been out anywhere for fun, date or not.”

She noticed Jax’s ears perk at her words. He sat up straighter, facing her.

“Maybe I should take you out sometime, then,” he said.

Ragatha stared at him, her eye wide. Did he just ask her out? That was…bold.

Jax seemed to realize the insinuation he made as well. “I mean…as friends or whatever…to…go…for fun.”

“I…” Ragatha wasn’t sure what to say. He did ask her out, sort of. Whatever way you could spin it, there was no doubt he asked if she would go out to a place…with him. “I’d…like that.” She found herself agreeing automatically. The wine buzz wasn’t helping.

“Yeah?” Jax’s head turned sharply to look at her.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I’d like that a lot, actually.” She wouldn’t bother worrying about what Denny would say. That would be an issue for another day. Right now, her brother’s disapproval was the last thing on her mind.

Jax visibly relaxed. His calm composure had been momentarily rattled. He’d looked like a deer in headlights, so unlike his usual confident nature.

“Okay, well, let’s plan on it,” he said. “Where d’you wanna go?”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Ragatha said honestly. “Anywhere.”

“You’ve gotta have a favorite place,” Jax said. “Don’t ya?”

“Not really,” Ragatha shrugged. “I don’t have much time to really ever go anywhere. I’m a bit out of the loop on what’s fun these days.”

“Okay, okay…fair enough,” Jax nodded. “I’ll surprise you, then. Is there anywhere you don’t want to go?”

Ragatha looked thoughtful for a moment. “The circus,” she finally said. “I hate clowns.”

The two of them burst into laughter. It felt so good, so freeing to feel this way. Ragatha was addicted to it. She hadn’t even realized she’d scooted closer to him in her seat.

“Okay,” Jax said, his laughter fading. “No circus. Got it.” He turned so he was facing her completely, and Ragatha noticed he’d scooted closer to her too. Their knees brushed together. “When’s your next free night?”

“Well—”

“Mommy!” Annie wailed from upstairs. Ragatha spun her head around toward the staircase. Just like that, her reality set in again.

“Oh,” she said. “Annie…” She turned to Jax. “I’m sorry, I need to—”

“No need to explain,” Jax shook his head. “I get it.”

“I need to get her back to sleep. It’s…the nightmares again.”

“I know.”

“I’m sorry, Jax.” She felt the need to say so.

“Why are you apologizing?” He looked at her, genuinely surprised. “She comes first, Rags. I get it.”

At those words, something shifted in Ragatha’s chest. If she could have, she probably would’ve started crying on the spot. She wouldn’t do that, though. She’d probably freak Jax out, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. Instead, she did the only other thing that came to her mind, and hugged him tightly around his torso.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Before she could convince herself otherwise, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Jax’s ears straightened out in an almost comical way, and his eyes went wide, the black irises lost in a vast expanse of gold. It made Ragatha giggle. She felt him slowly hug her back, his arms tightening around her shoulders.

”MOMMY!”

Shoot. Focus, Ragatha!

They broke apart and stood hurriedly, both looking disappointed at the sudden and abrupt end to their evening. Ragatha grabbed Jax’s leftovers and walked him to the door.

“Goodnight Jax,” she said. “Thanks for coming by tonight.” She opened the door for him. “I really enjoyed having you over.”

“Night Rags,” Jax replied. “Thanks for the food.” He started walking across the yard to his own house. Just as Ragatha was closing the door, Jax turned. “I meant what I said about taking you out.”

Ragatha felt herself blush. “I know you did.”

“Good,” Jax winked at her. “Just making sure.”

With that, he turned and headed into his own house. Ragatha shut and locked her doors, before hurrying upstairs to Annie.

-

The next day, Ragatha couldn’t get Jax out of her head. She’d successfully gotten Annie back to sleep in a matter of minutes with some soothing words, but by the time Ragatha had made it back downstairs, she was already wishing she’d asked Jax to stay longer.

What would have happened if he’d stayed? she wondered. Her mind took her to dangerous territory that she hadn’t traveled in quite some time. It’d been so long since she’d even had an inkling of feeling like this, this subtle longing for another person’s attention and presence and touch.

Not since Annie’s father…

It was another busy day. She couldn’t afford to be daydreaming. The ER was packed with a constant flow of patients, and she was running on little sleep, several cups of coffee, and a granola bar.

“Ragatha?” Pomni approached her as she was typing some medical notes into one of her patient’s charts. She barely looked up from her work, lest she get distracted.

“Hey Pom,” she said, clicking away at the keyboard. “What’s up?”

“This is kinda strange, but…there’s a guy in bed twelve asking for you.”

Ragatha’s hands stopped mid-type. She looked at her friend. “What do you mean when you say a guy? Do I know him?”

“I…don’t think so?” Pomni frowned. “I’ve never seen him before.”

Ragatha exhaled. If it was Ricky, Pomni would’ve known. “Okay, but why does he want to see me?”

“That’s what I don’t get! He’s complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath, and he won’t let me examine him! He says it has to be you. He won’t let anyone else touch him.”

“What does he look like?” Ragatha asked, narrowing her eye.

“He’s a purple rabbit,” Pomni said. “His name is—”

“Jax!” Ragatha’s heart sank.

“That’s it!”

Ragatha closed her laptop and sped away, leaving a very confused and very concerned-looking Pomni in her wake. She passed the closed curtains of the occupied ER beds, her heart pounding in her chest. When she reached bed twelve, she yanked the curtain open, expecting the worst.

“Hey Rags.” Jax was sitting on the bed, looking completely healthy and totally fine. He grinned up at her, before leaning back against the mattress with his hands locked behind his head. “Finally! Someone who knows what they’re doing. That other girl is an idiot. Thank God you’re here.”

Ragatha didn’t know if she wanted to laugh, to cry, or to yell. Instead, like she often did before she lost her temper with Annie, she took a deep steadying breath.

“Jax,” she said calmly. “Do you have any idea how scared I just was when I found out you were in the ER?”

“Aww, I’m sorry Dollface,” he said, actually sounding sincere. “I didn’t mean to scare ya.”

“You’re fine?” She folded her arms and looked him up and down. “There’s nothing wrong with you?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I’m totally fine.”

“Then why did you come here?” She pinched her forehead between her eyes. She honestly wasn’t in the mood for this, regardless of her burgeoning feelings for him. She was too busy, too tired, and too confused about how she felt about him showing up here like this.

“Because,” he said, much more softly. “I wanted to see you again.”

Those words stirred something in her. Something long buried. She closed the curtain around the bed, blocking them from the view of anyone who passed by.

“Jax…”

“When’s your lunch break?” he asked, sitting up in the bed.

“I already had it,” she shook her head.

“Okay, well, when’s your next break?”

“I don’t get another break long enough to do anything worthwhile, Jax.”

“Okay, what about after work?”

“I need a babysitter for Annie,” Ragatha sighed.

“Ask your brother.”

“My, someone’s persistent.”

“I usually am when I want something.”

Ragatha stiffened. Jax was looking at her in all seriousness, regardless of the fact that he showed up here in the first place, feigning illness just to see her. Part of her—the very unprofessional part of her—was actually flattered about that.

“I said I was gonna take you out,” Jax went on, much more softly. “We never got to plan a night, and I realized even though we live right next to each other, I still don’t have your number. So I thought, why not come visit you and see how you work, and plan our night out? Two birds, one stone.”

“Jax,” Ragatha sighed. “I’m flattered, I really am. But believe me, this place isn’t glamorous and I won’t be able to hang out with you. I’m swamped.”

Jax sighed. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

Ragatha shook her head, smiling. “I know one thing, no one’s ever gone to such lengths to hang out with me. I’m just glad you’re really okay and not having a heart attack like I originally thought.”

“Do I still get an exam?” Jax looked at her curiously. “I mean, I’m here, aren’t I?”

Ragatha froze. She looked at Jax sitting there on the stretcher bed and staring back, a neutral expression on his face as he waited for her to respond.

“I…suppose you do,” Ragatha said slowly. “I mean…I have to discharge you, and I can’t do that without making sure you’re okay enough to leave.”

“Exactly,” Jax said, relaxing a bit. “Protocol, right? I get it.”

“Right,” Ragatha inhaled deeply and released her breath. “Okay, let me check your blood pressure first. Roll up your sleeve.” I can’t believe I’m doing this…

Jax immediately did as he was told. Ragatha took the blood pressure monitor and fixed it over his arm, steadily inflating the cuff. Jax didn’t move a muscle, only stared at her intensely as she went through the motions. When she was finished, the cuff deflated, releasing pressure.

“One-twenty over eighty,” Ragatha said softly.

“Is that good?” Jax smirked.

“Yes, it’s normal,” she replied, smiling. “I’m surprised, especially with how often you smoke. Now let me check your heart.” She glanced at Jax’s torso. He wore an unzipped sweatshirt over a button-down shirt. “Can you…um…unbutton your…your…” She gestured stupidly at his clothes.

Jax looked down at himself. When he met her gaze again, his face was tinged with pink, no doubt matching her own.

“Yeah, sure,” he said, clearing his throat. He removed the sweatshirt and tossed it aside. Ragatha couldn’t help but notice the way his fingers fumbled on the first button of the shirt underneath. Was he nervous? Ragatha removed her stethoscope from around her neck and put it on.

Jax’s upper chest area was covered in a fluffy layer of longer fur. Ragatha noticed she was staring and quickly diverted her gaze. She held the stethoscope out.

“Ready?”

“Do your worst,” Jax said.

“I’m only warning you because it’s kind of cold,” Ragatha chuckled, tapping the bell of the device with her finger. “Okay, here we go.”

“Good thing I have fur, then,” Jax remarked.

She pressed the metal chest-piece against Jax’s chest and listened. A strong, steady beat filled her ears.

Badum…badum…badum…badum badum badum badumbadumbadum…

His heartbeat sped up as she moved the device a fraction of an inch in either direction. She became aware of how close she was to him, how she could feel his steady breaths on her skin. She wondered if her own heartbeat was as loud as his, because right now, she felt like it would burst from her chest.

“Jax,” she whispered.

“Yeah?” His voice came out in a low rasp.

“Try to calm down a little, okay?”

“Heh, yeah…keyword is try, Rags.”

Ragatha listened for a bit longer and stepped back. “Your heartbeat is out of control,” she said softly.

Jax looked at her. “Can you blame me?”

No, I can’t. Her face was on fire.

“Okay, well, I’m almost done,” Ragatha said. “Let me just check your breathing and then you’re good to be discharged.”

“Sure.”

Ragatha leaned in and pressed the bell to Jax’s chest again. “Take a deep breath in and out,” she instructed.

Jax did. This time, she felt every bit of his proximity. The heat from his body was reflecting back at her. His breath was warm as the exhale fluttered against her skin.

“Another breath,” she murmured, moving the device lower on his chest.

He breathed again, leaning in a bit closer as he did so.

“Good,” Ragatha said. She slid the metal bell to the opposite side. “Again,” she said.

Now he was closer than ever. Ragatha could feel his bent ears brushing against the back of her head. She tilted her head up and was within inches of his face. Jax stared at her. His dark pupils were blown. The stethoscope slipped from her hand as she focused on his parted lips. Her heartbeat was in her throat as she impulsively moved closer to him, while Jax moved at the same time…

Then suddenly, the curtain was yanked open behind them with the screeching of metal hooks. Pomni’s voice rang out.

There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!”

Ragatha and Jax jumped apart like they’d been shocked by electricity. Ragatha whirled around, her face flushed and hands shaking as she looked at her friend.

“Pomni! I w-was in the middle of an exam!”

Pomni glanced from Ragatha, whose face was no doubt betraying her, to Jax, who was still sitting there with an unbuttoned shirt and wide-eyed stare. She had the good sense not to say anything, though the look on her face was all Ragatha needed to know she’d be getting an earful later about what Pomni had walked in on.

“Sorry,” Pomni said slowly, narrowing her eyes. “It’s just…your patient in bed eight is asking for you.”

Ragatha cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Right, thank you. I’ll be right there.” She glanced at Jax quickly and looked away again just as fast. “Jax is ready to be discharged. He’s perfectly fine. No follow-up visit with the doctor will be necessary.” She quickly clicked some buttons on the computer by his bed and printed his discharge papers. Hastily, and without Pomni noticing, she scribbled her phone number at the bottom, folded it up, and handed it to Jax without looking at him.

“Got it,” Pomni said, still looking at her friend curiously.

“Nice seeing you,” Ragatha said awkwardly, nodding in Jax’s direction.

“Yeah,” Jax said. “You too.”

As Ragatha speed-walked away without looking back, she couldn’t help the thoughts swirling.

She had potentially been one bad decision away from losing her job. What would’ve happened if Pomni hadn’t walk in?

Ragatha wasn’t stupid. She knew exactly what would’ve happened.

She was sad it didn’t.

So, as she tended to her other patients, she spent the rest of her shift thinking only of Jax, and the date that they still hadn’t planned.

Chapter 5

Notes:

I just wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for the outpouring of support for this fic. I always read each and every comment and even though I may be slow to respond, I appreciate it beyond words!

Thank you so much for enjoying this fic. :)

TW: smoking/drinking

*Please note the rating change*

“Okay Ragatha. What was that?”

Ragatha could feel Pomni’s intense gaze as she packed up her belongings at the end of her shift.

Since Jax had left, Ragatha had been avoiding her friends for hours. The questions were sure to follow after Pomni had interrupted Jax’s so-called examination, and there was no doubt Pomni had filled Gangle in about all of it.

Well, question her they did, and Ragatha didn’t know how to answer. She shouldered her bag and shrugged.

“What was what?”

Pomni rolled her eyes. “Ragatha, don’t play dumb. What was going on between you and that rabbit guy?”

“Spill,” Gangle said. “Pomni told me all about him and how he almost made a scene in the ER just to see you.”

“There’s nothing to tell!” Ragatha said, trying to mask her growing frustration. “He came in, I examined him, and he was totally fine. So I sent him home.”

“Oh please,” Pomni said. “You were as red as your hair when I opened that curtain, and so was he. You looked like you were caught with your pants down.”

“Pomni!”

“It’s true!”

The girls started their walk to the parking lot. Ragatha kept a few steps ahead of them, wanting nothing more than to be back in her own car and away from the conversation.

“What do you want me to say?” Ragatha sighed. “I don’t have anything to add.”

“He obviously knows you somehow,” Pomni said, hurrying to keep up with Ragatha’s quicker strides. “Why else would he go out of his way to ask for you?”

“Was he cute?” Gangle asked.

“Eh…” Pomni shrugged.

“Okay, enough,” Ragatha finally reached her car. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She unlocked the door and tossed her bag inside. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“We’re supposed to be your best friends,” Pomni frowned.

“Yeah!” Gangle added.

“And you are!” Ragatha smiled, falling into the driver’s seat. “But right now I’m exhausted and I want to go home. I’ll talk to you both later.” She closed her car door and started the engine.

“Lame!” Pomni yelled out, loud enough that Ragatha could hear her through the window.

Ragatha waved and quickly drove away. She had too much to think about and she needed to be alone to do it.

As she passed familiar buildings and houses on her drive, her mind finally had time to process what had happened.

Holy shit.

Her heart had never beat so hard in her life. The energy she felt radiating off of Jax had been palpable. His body had mirrored hers in tension and warmth. It had been so intimate.

Her mind began to wander. What if Pomni had never interrupted them?

She shouldn’t think about that. It didn’t happen. Thank goodness it didn’t happen. If she’d been caught…

She turned onto her street and spotted Denny’s car parked in front of her house. He always picked up Annie from pre-school on the days where Ragatha wasn’t able to due to work. She peeked at her reflection in the rear view mirror, somehow worried her internal nerves were affecting her outwardly appearance.

Just as she clicked off her seatbelt, she heard her phone vibrate. Her hands fumbled as she dove for the phone in her bag. Even though she didn’t have his number saved yet, she just knew the unrecognizable number flashing across the screen was Jax.

Tell your short friend she has the worst timing in the world.

Ragatha smiled, and quickly typed out a response. It wasn’t really her fault…how would she have known?

…

…

She should’ve minded her own business. We were in the middle of an exam! She invaded my privacy! I might file a complaint with the hospital board.

Now Ragatha laughed out loud. Well, faking a heart attack wasn’t exactly the smartest thing to do, either…

…

…

Fair enough. Now can we plan our date?

I would love that, Ragatha responded. Blushing, she glanced up at Jax’s window. No sign of him, though she was sure he must’ve seen her car pull up.

Another text came through. Ragatha was still grinning when she looked down and saw Denny’s name instead.

Why are you sitting in your car? Is everything okay?

Shit.

Sorry! Just finishing an online order. I’ll be right inside!

Ragatha fumbled and hurried out of the car. She grabbed her bag and rushed to the front door, hoping she wasn’t blushing has hard as she felt.

-

Jax was sprawled out on his couch.

He kept rereading Ragatha’s last text.

I would love that, she’d said, regarding their future date.

He grinned to himself. He’d heard her car rolling up (perks of being a rabbit) and figured now was as good a time as any to reach out to her. It had given them both enough time to process the moment at the hospital, at least.

Fuck, he’d been so close to kissing her. Another second was all he would’ve needed. Then her idiot friend had gone and ruined it for both of them.

He’d never been so flustered before. If it had been anyone else, he’d have felt embarrassed and ashamed at himself.

He never let a woman get to him like this before. Hell, most of the women he’d been with had been nothing more than a couple of days of fun. He was never looking to have something serious with any of them. The thought made his skin crawl with the discomforting itch of commitment.

But Ragatha was different. He craved her attention like no one else. The idea of her walking in and out of his life, casually, like it was no big deal, just like all the others, didn’t feel right to him.

He was just about to type another message to her when an incoming call from his father stopped him in his tracks.

Always the worst timing. Always. He took a deep breath and answered.

“Hey Pops,” Jax drawled. “How goes it on this fine evening?”

“Evening Jax,” his dad replied. “Are you home?”

“I am,” Jax sat up abruptly, glancing toward the window. Please don’t say you’re outside… “Why?”

“I just assumed you’d be out, but I don’t hear the sounds of city life in the background. I’m just surprised, is all.”

Jax slumped back down. “Nope, just home... What’s going on?”

“Caine told me how you accompanied him to the meeting the other day,” his dad said. “He said you did very well.”

“I guess I did.” Jax said. “It was nothing.”

“Well, I’m proud of you.”

Jax froze. It wasn’t often he heard those words.

“Uh…thanks…”

“Your mother and I just wanted to let you know that.”

“Cool.”

There was an awkward pause, where both father and son weren’t quite sure what to say.

“How goes it with the new tenant?” his father went on, breaking the silence.

Jax tensed. It wasn’t like his father could see him, but much like he’d felt throughout his entire childhood and well into his teen and young adult years, the feeling that his father just knew more than he was letting on hovered over him like a cloud.

“Good,” Jax said cautiously. “All good.”

“No issues?”

He knows about the lock. Tell the truth, you have to.

“Just a little issue with the lock on the slider,” Jax said, trying to remain casual. “All set. I took care of it.”

“So I heard.”

I knew you did. “Yeah, so…it’s fixed. Handled.”

Another pause. Then…

“Good job, Jax.”

“Thanks,” Jax said. Then, for some reason unknown to even himself, Jax felt the need to add more. “Did you know she has a kid?”

“No, I wasn’t aware of that,” his father said. “How old?”

“Four.”

“That’s a good age. Challenging, but good. Believe me, I should know.” He chuckled a bit.

“Yeah… Well, I gotta go,” Jax said, growing impatient. “I’ve got stuff to do.”

“That’s fine, Jax. Enjoy doing your stuff. I only wanted to call and check in.”

“I appreciate it.”

They ended the call, and Jax immediately reached for the pack of cigarettes on his coffee table. It was like a nervous tick, whenever stress started to creep up on him. He already had a cigarette between his fingers and was on his way to the back porch when he stopped in his tracks, thinking of Ragatha.

He did promise her he’d try to quit. He was regretting making that promise too, a promise made under the influence of too much wine.

Groaning, he put the cigarette back in the carton and shoved them into his cupboard. He could do this. He wasn’t weak.

He started to walk away, but turned right back around again.

One last one for the road. Then I’m done for good.

On the back porch, Jax texted Ragatha again.

How about this weekend? Saturday? That should give you plenty of time to figure out a babysitter.

She started typing almost instantly.

…

…

That works. :)

I’ll come get you at 7.

Looking forward to it.

Jax took one more drag of his cigarette before stubbing it into the ashtray. Grinning, he walked back into his house.

-

“Denny?” Ragatha had to keep her voice neutral. The idea of going on a date with Jax was literally making her heart flutter and her stomach do flips. She hadn’t been looking forward to something like this in a long, long time.

“What’s up?” Denny was helping her clear the plates after dinner. He handed them to her while she rinsed them in the sink.

“I hate to ask on such short notice, but…would you be able to take Annie this weekend?” She didn’t meet his gaze. She was afraid the blush on her cheeks would give her away.

“Sure,” he said, eyeing her. “What’s the occasion?”

“Pomni and Gangle wanted to have a Girls Night,” Ragatha lied. “It’s been a while, and I could use the break.” She hated herself for lying, but if Denny knew, he’d say no immediately and never let her hear the end of it.

Really, it wasn’t his business anyway. She was a grown woman and her love life wasn’t up for discussion.

“You want Annie to sleep over?” Denny asked, lowering his voice so Annie couldn’t hear. “Give you even more of a break?”

Ragatha’s heart leapt. Not that there’d be any reason why she would need Annie to stay overnight. It’s not like her and Jax would stay out that late…but the freedom to do so was too tempting to turn down.

“That would be great, Denny,” she nodded. “Thank you so much. She’ll be thrilled.”

“Anytime,” he said, handing her the last of the silverware. “By the way,” he added. “Did you call the lawyer?”

Ragatha had been so busy lately that she’d nearly forgotten, but on her lunch break she’d called and left a message with the lawyer she’d worked with a couple of years back who’d helped them with the original restraining order.

“I called. I’m waiting for him to get back to me.”

“Okay,” Denny frowned. “Let me know when you hear from him.”

“Will do,” Ragatha said. “I’m sure it’ll be soon.”

“I mean, this is important,” Denny went on. “If I need to go down there myself, I will.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” Ragatha shook her head as she dried her hands on the dish towel. “I’m sure it just takes some time.”

“Yeah,” Denny sighed. “Anyway, thanks for dinner tonight. See you tomorrow when we visit mom and dad?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Ragatha nodded. “And you don’t have to thank me for dinner, Den. You know you’re welcome anytime.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Denny grabbed his jacket and put it on. “Hey sis?”

“What’s up?”

“Just wanted to let you know…I don’t know what it is, but you seem happier today.”

“I do?” Ragatha’s eye went wide. Was she that obvious?

“Yeah,” Denny smiled. “It’s a good look on you.”

Ragatha didn’t tell him it was because of Jax. She only smiled and shrugged.

“Well, guess I have been feeling a little better…”

“I’m glad,” Denny said. He hugged her goodbye and made his way over to high-five Annie, who was plopped in front of the TV. “See you both tomorrow.”

Once he was gone, Ragatha checked her phone. Sure enough, there was a message from Jax.

I just had my last cigarette, FYI was all it said.

Ragatha’s mouth quirked into a smile as she started to type out a response.

It was inevitable, at this point. She’d caught feelings, and she’d caught them hard.

-

The nursing home was unusually quiet that Friday afternoon. The halls were normally bustling with activity, with attendants darting between rooms and visitors coming and going.

Ragatha, Denny, and Annie sat with Kinger and Queenie. Sunlight poured through the open window and a gentle autumn breeze blew in.

Annie was coloring with Queenie, several crayons scattered over the little tabletop by the bed. Meanwhile, Kinger watched happily, while keeping in discussion with Denny about the new type of beetle he’d seen while strolling the garden in the facility’s yard. Ragatha sat by her daughter, braiding her curls.

The older couple might not recognize their family when they came to visit, but they still enjoyed having them as “company,” as Queenie always liked to call them. Ragatha knew that to Kinger and Queenie, they were little more than a trio of visitors whom the couple was very fond of.

Ragatha had gone to great lengths to help Annie understand that her grandparents may not recognize her, but they still loved her just the same, and that fact would never change. To Annie’s credit, she handled it remarkable well for her age.

“You color beautifully, dear,” Queenie said to Annie, patting the little girl’s hand.

“Thank you,” Annie said, smiling.

Ragatha watched with love in her eyes and pain in her heart. It never got easier, no matter how much Ragatha tried to tell herself that she made peace with the situation. Her parents would never recognize her the way they used to. That was unfortunately the way it was. She was just grateful they could still have this time together.

“I’m hungry, Mommy,” Annie suddenly announced, putting down her crayon.

“Wanna take a trip to the vending machine?” Denny asked Annie, before glancing at Ragatha. “Is that okay, Ragatha?”

“Of course,” Ragatha said. “Just no candy. We still need to have dinner later.”

“Got it,” Denny said. “C’mon kiddo, let’s go get a snack.” He led an excited Annie out of the room, holding her little hand in his own as they walked down the hallway.

Queenie watched them go, a faraway expression in her eyes. Kinger was staring out the window, silent.

“I’m so glad I could bring Annie and Denny today,” Ragatha said softly, moving to sit where Annie had just been.

“They’re both so sweet, dear,” Queenie said. “What a wonderful family you have.”

“Thank you,” Ragatha whispered. She began picking up the crayons one by one. “Also, I wanted to tell you both…I met someone,” she added softy.

“Oh?” Kinger turned his head.

“A man?” Queenie looked at Ragatha.

“Yes,” Ragatha nodded, smiling. “I’m actually going out with him tomorrow.”

“How wonderful!” Queenie said. “Is he decent? Do your parents like him?”

Ragatha’s heart clenched. “I’m not sure if they like him…they haven’t met him yet. But I like to think they will, once they do.”

“A lovely girl like you is sure to attract a good man,” Queenie added knowingly.

“Ha, yeah, you’d think,” Ragatha said, thinking suddenly of Ricky. “Not always…but this time, I really think so.”

“As long as he’s a gentleman, like mine,” Queenie winked at Kinger, making the old chess piece blush.

Ragatha giggled, marveling at their love. It never failed to make her smile. “I think he is,” she said.

“Don’t accept anything less,” Queenie said pointedly.

“I won’t.”

Ragatha meant it. After all, she’d already made that mistake once. She would never do it again.

-

The next day, Ragatha woke up feeling excited. She hummed as she made breakfast, she helped Annie pack her bag for her sleepover at Denny’s, and she’d done household chores with more enthusiasm than she’d felt in a long time.

Around four o’clock in the afternoon, she dropped Annie off at Denny’s house, thanking him again for taking her for the weekend.

“Have fun with the girls,” Denny said, as Ragatha hugged him goodbye. “Tell them I said hi.”

Ragatha froze, smiling awkwardly. “Oh…I will. Thanks Denny.”

With that half-lie, she hurried back to her car. She still had three hours to kill before Jax would come to get her, so she decided to treat herself to some well-deserved alone time.

Her first stop was to get a facial and a massage. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had either, and the stress of the past year had weighed heavily on her. Why shouldn’t she pamper herself once in a while? When else did she ever have the time? Plus, if she was being honest with herself, her stomach was in knots from nerves in anticipation of her date. A massage would help tremendously.

She spent an hour there, soaking in every second. A whole hour where she could shut her mind off and just relax.

Ragatha’s second stop was to her favorite bookstore. She used to love going there when she was younger and childless, just a student in nursing school, browsing books and magazines with her friends and sipping coffee at the cafe.

She made her way down familiar aisles, pausing now and then to look at the various books. She wished she had more time for reading. In a world that was mostly digital these days, she still preferred the feel of an actual book in her hands compared to the electronic version.

She’d just found the latest book in one of her favorite series when she paused. An eerie feeling washed over her for reasons she couldn’t understand. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She had the sudden feeling that she was being watched.

Looking around, Ragatha didn’t see anyone she recognized, but the feeling lingered. She shoved the book back on its shelf and hurried out of the store without a second glance.

What the hell was that?

Ragatha inhaled deeply as she drove. She hadn’t felt that type of uncertain fear in a long, long time. Not since…

No. No way.

The idea that Ricky was somehow following her suddenly chilled her to the bone. There was no way he would be that bold. The restraining order, though coming to an end, wouldn’t expire for another month.

She took another deep breath. It was nothing, Ragatha. Go home, get ready, and enjoy your night.

-

Jax paced his living room, staring at the clock. Why was her nervous about this? It was just another date.

Don’t be stupid, he thought to himself. This isn’t a regular date. This was so much more than that.

He dressed in slim fitting pants that hugged his lithe form, and a casual button down. He made sure to have them dry cleaned beforehand so the lingering smell of smoke would hopefully be gone.

Speaking of which…he couldn’t stop thinking about how good a cigarette would be in that moment. At least to calm his nerves.

Fuck.

No, he’d be good. He’d done so well. Okay, maybe he’d slipped up yesterday and had one. But now he was done for good.

He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes to seven.

-

Ragatha looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. She’d never felt unhappy about her body, but it was simply a fact that it had undoubtedly changed since she’d given birth to Annie. Her hips weren’t as slim as they used to be. She had stretch marks hidden under her clothes. Breastfeeding had taken a toll on her breasts. She often felt undesirable…and Ricky never failed to remind her that she wasn’t quite the same as she used to be in the months after Annie was born.

She didn’t know what she was expecting tonight from Jax. She wasn’t sure where it would go. She was being honest with herself, or at least trying to be, but the truth was that he was a just little bit younger than her, and she feared that once he spent more time with her, he might realize she wasn’t as attractive as he originally thought she was.

She tried to push those thoughts away. What did it matter? They were going out, nothing more. Why was her mind taking her to these places, to the land of what-ifs and maybes? It was only their first date.

First, but hopefully not the last, she found herself thinking.

The doorbell rang and Ragatha froze. There was no more time to dwell on things that might not even happen. She gave herself a final once-over. She wore slimming jeans and a light blue sweater. Good enough. She adjusted her curls, reapplied her lipstick, and hurried to greet Jax at the door.

When he saw Ragatha, Jax froze. He looked her up and down with wide eyes.

“Hey Rags,” he said, clearing his throat.

“Hi Jax,” she said, shyly. “You look very handsome.” And he did. He cleaned up very well.

“And you look…beautiful,” he said, grinning at her.

Ragatha blushed. She let him take her by the arm and lead her to his car, which she’d never actually seen before. It was a sleek little sports car, jet black and shiny. He opened the door of the passenger seat for her.

“Thank you,” Ragatha smiled at him once he was in the driver’s seat.

“So, where’s Annie tonight?” Jax asked, as he took off down the street.

“She’s at Denny’s for the weekend,” Ragatha said, watching as houses and trees sped by at an alarmingly fast rate. “Do you always drive this fast?”

Jax glanced at her and smiled. “Sorry…I’ll slow down. Did you say she’s away for the weekend? As in, she’s staying overnight?”

Ragatha felt her heartbeat quicken “Yeah, she is.”

“Huh,” Jax hummed. “Well, that’s nice.” He glanced at her again, his smirk unwavering.

“It is, isn’t it,” Ragatha said. Oh God… flirting was never her strong suit, but she found herself doing it anyway. “So, where are you taking me?”

Jax focused on the road again. “Dinner…and then just a couple of my favorite places in the city.”

“I’m excited,” Ragatha said truthfully. “Like I said, I don’t get out much…”

“You’ll love it,” Jax promised. “And if you don’t, then you can berate me for it all you like.”

“I doubt that’ll be necessary,” Ragatha said.

They drove for a little while in silence. Ragatha caught Jax staring at her out of the corner of his eyes every so often while he drove, only to glance away quickly when he realized she was looking. It was sweet.

It wasn’t long before they parked in front of a fancy-looking restaurant in the middle of the city. Jax told her to stay put, while he walked around and opened her door for her. Then, taking her arm, he tossed his keys to the valet and led her inside.

-

Jax could’t stop staring at Ragatha. Their conversation flowed easily—partially helped along by the bottle of wine they’d ordered—and Jax found that he could be quite an attentive listener when he wanted to be.

He was transfixed on anything she had to say. Usually, the girls he took out would drone on and on about the most trivial things. Jax got bored easily, and found himself zoning out halfway into their conversation.

Ragatha talked about work, about Annie, and about her parents, who Jax learned were in a nursing home not far from the hospital. They lived there longterm due to their memory loss, and Ragatha visited them as often as she could. Jax marveled at how she managed to juggle it all at once.

Yet, the one thing he was most curious about was the one thing she refused to mention, which was Annie’s father. Not once did she bring him up, or anything alluding to him and where he was. Jax wanted so badly to ask her, but ultimately kept his mouth shut.

After dinner, he decided to take her to Mismatch for more drinks, and to meet Zooble.

“That was so good,” Ragatha said, as she took a seat at the bar. “I’ve never had steak that tender before.”

“Told ya, it’s my favorite place to go for expensive food,” Jax said, looking around. “This is my other favorite place. I know the owner.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Jax nodded. His hands fidgeted on the bar top. He had to make sure Zooble knew not to mention the others he’d brought here before. He relaxed when he saw them enter the bar area from the kitchen. “And here they come now…”

“Why am I not surprised?” Zooble walked over, hands on their hips and shaking their head.

“Zoobs!” Jax said loudly and quickly. “This is Ragatha, my neighbor I told you about.”

Zooble’s eye’s widened. Jax knew they got the message and felt himself relax.

“Nice to meet you, Ragatha,” they said, shaking her hand.

“You too! Have you and Jax known each other for a long time?” Ragatha asked.

“A few years, yeah,” Zooble said. “What can I get you?”

“Whatever you want,” Jax told her. “It’s on me.”

“I heard the apple martini is good,” Zooble looked pointedly at Jax, holding back a laugh.

If looks could kill, Jax’s glare would’ve put Zooble in the grave.

“Ugh, no thanks, not a fan,” Ragatha shook her head. “Red wine is fine with me.”

“And I’ll have my usual,” Jax said darkly, still glaring at Zooble as they walked away, chuckling to themself.

Dick.

Jax turned back to Ragatha. “You having a good time?”

“Yes I am, thanks,” Ragatha nodded. She scooted her barstool closer to him so her knee was resting between his legs.

Jax’s eyes flicked downward and back up to her face. “I’m glad,” he said. “Glad I could take out out and show you a good time.” He meant it.

“Me too.”

Zooble brought them their drinks and a bowl of bar-nuts.

“Thank you,” Ragatha said cheerfully.

“Yeah, thanks,” Jax growled. He was still annoyed with them.

Zooble didn’t seem to mind. “You want any food? On the house,” they said.

“Oh…I don’t think I could,” Ragatha said. “I’m so full. We just had an amazing dinner.”

“Yeah Zoob,” Jax said. “We’re good. You can leave, now.” He waved them away with his hand.

“You know,” Ragatha said, not noticing Zooble give Jax the finger as they walked away, “Zooble should meet my friend Gangle. I don’t know why, but I feel like they’d like each other.”

Jax raised an eyebrow. “Is that the friend who disrupted my exam?” He didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in his voice.

“No, that was Pomni,” Ragatha giggled. “You haven’t met Gangle. She’s my other friend.”

“Does she also have the worst timing ever?”

Ragatha laughed loudly at that, and Jax loved the way her eye lit up in her genuine happiness. He decided to be daring, and reached over to put his hand on top of hers, where it was casually resting on top the bar. Ragatha’s eye darted up to meet his.

“Y’know,” he cleared his throat. “I like hearing you laugh like that. You should do it more often.” He gave her hand a squeeze.

“Well, it’s not often that someone is able to make me laugh like that,” Ragatha replied. She returned the gentle pressure on Jax’s hand.

She was closer now, somehow she’d moved nearer to Jax without him realizing. He couldn’t stop staring at her.

“Another round?” Zooble asked, their eyes darting from Jax to Ragatha and their clasped hands.

“Absolutely,” Jax replied, without looking away.

-

Ragatha’s head was spinning, but in the very best way. She knew she’d definitely had too much to drink, but she was feeling exhilarated and free, neither of which she’d felt in forever.

After their second round, which they finished rather quickly, they walked hand-in-hand the short distance to their third destination of the evening, a rock club that was down the street from Zooble’s bar.

Jax paid their cover and they entered the building to the sounds of blasting music and loud, shouting voices.

Ragatha would be lying if she said she didn’t feel too old to be here in this place full of young adults and college kids, but she was having too much fun to care.

All around them, people were dancing, singing, and drinking, all while a rock band played on stage. Colorful lights danced around them, bouncing off the ceiling and walls. The pounding of the music shook the floor.

Jax immediately led them to the bar and ordered two more drinks, holding Ragatha’s hand in his while he drummed his fingers on the bar top.

“Let me know if this place is too much,” Jax said loudly, leaning over her so his mouth brushed against her cheek. Ragatha shivered at the proximity.

“It’s fine,” she said. Jax grinned as he handed her a vodka soda, clinking his own whisky against her glass.

Ragatha had just taken a sip, savoring the strength of the alcohol, when a loud squeal sounded loudly nearby, drowning out the wail of the electric guitar on stage.

“JAAAX!”

Ragatha watched as Jax looked over his shoulder, and his eyes widened in horror as a young woman stumbled over to where they stood.

She was another rabbit, her fur bubblegum pink, her skin-tight dress an awful shade of yellow. Ragatha felt like she had to squint her eyes to look at her.

“Wherrrre have you beeeen?” the girl slurred, all but throwing herself on top of him in a hug. “Why haven’t you been, like…returning my messages?”

“Trina,” Jax muttered. “Wow, you’re here too, huh?”

“A friend of yours?” Ragatha chuckled.

“Uh—”

“Nooooo,” the girl went on, sloshing some of her apple martini down her front. “I’m more than his friend. Right Jax?”

Jax gave Ragatha what was probably the most apologetic look she’d ever seen. She’d also never seen him look so off his game in the short amount of time she’d known him. The total confidence and swagger was gone, replaced by fear and nerves, like this poor drunk girl was about to ruin his chances.

“No, we’re not more than friends,” Jax finally said. “We went out one time.”

Trina’s smile disappeared, replaced at once by an angry pout.

“You never called me back, you asshole!” She suddenly shouted. “Now you show up here with some new girl? You’ve got a lotta nerve.”

“Okay, I think we’re gonna walk away now,” Jax said to Ragatha, trying to remain calm. “See ya, Trina.”

“You gonna do the same thing to herrr that you did to meee?” she called after them, stumbling in her attempt to keep up. “Gonna schmooze her up and drive her around in your fancy car, take her home, an’ fuck her, am I right? Then jus’ disappear, like all the others?”

Jax froze. Ragatha felt his grip tighten as his body tensed. He glanced over his shoulder at the drunk girl standing there with her hand on her hip, smiling like she’d just caught him in some sort of trap.

It was Ragatha who moved first. She gently tugged him forward, leading him away through the crowds of people surrounding the stage. When they were a good distance away, Jax finally cracked. He turned her so she was facing him.

“Rags, listen to me, I’m not like that, okay? I’m not—she’s—we were never more than a casual thing—”

“Jax—”

“She’s drunk and crazy, she just can’t—”

“Jax!”

“Fuck, I can’t believe she’s here, of all the places—”

“Jax!” Ragatha put her hand on his cheek, immediately silencing him. “Calm down.”

He blinked at her. She could tell he was expecting worse from her. Little did he know, Ragatha wasn’t the type to get jealous so easily.

“It’s okay,” she went on, rubbing her thumb across the fur of his cheek. “I honestly don’t care what she said.” She felt him exhale at her words.

“I’m…uh…sorry you had to witness that,” he finally said.

“I’ve seen worse in the ER on a Friday night,” she shrugged.

Jax gave her a lopsided grin. He looked relieved. “I don’t know want you to get the wrong idea about me.”

“I won’t,” Ragatha said firmly. “Now forget what just happened and come dance with me.”

Before he could say another word, Ragatha led him by the hand closer to the stage.

-

Jax was still processing the last fifteen minutes. He watched as Ragatha danced to the music beside him, his eyes focused on her carefree smile and bright red curls bouncing with her every movement.

That interaction with Trina could have gone south very quickly. In fact, Jax was expecting it. He hated to admit it, but that wasn’t the first time he’d gotten himself into a situation like that.

Jax wasn’t trying to mask it. He’d slept around. He wasn’t stupid, he was always safe about it, but the fact of the matter was that it never bothered him until now. It never had a reason to. Now, he didn’t want to fuck this up. Not with someone he actually gave a damn about.

But Ragatha brushed that whole thing off like it was nothing. Would she have done the same if she knew it wasn’t the first time? Would she still think of him the same way? The idea of it made him uncomfortable and upset inside.

“Hey,” Ragatha stopped dancing and reached for his hand, noticing his expression. “Are you okay?”

Jax shook the bad thoughts away, trying instead to focus on her face, cheeks tinged pink with excitement.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I’m good.”

“Stop thinking of that girl who tried to ruin the night,” Ragatha said, staring directly into his eyes. “I don’t care what she said, Jax.”

“I—”

“Just dance with me,” she said, tugging at his hand. Her smile faltered, and she moved closer. “Or did you want to get out of here? Did you want to leave? We can, Jax.”

Jax shook his head. “Leave when you’re having such a good time? No, I don’t think so, Dollface.” He watched her blush at the new nickname, grinning to himself. “Like that one, huh?”

“C’mon,” she said, pulling at him with a shy smile.

-

Ragatha’s head was spinning after they left the rock club. Not from the alcohol, as she’d expected, but from the pure rush of adrenaline after a good time. Yes, she was certainly tipsy, but the dancing had counteracted the alcohol nicely.

One great thing about living in a small city was that almost every place was in walking distance. From the club, they walked to an ice cream parlor, where they split a large cone of chocolate. Ragatha had started shivering in the cold, after which Jax took off his jacket and quickly placed it over her shoulders as they walked. She loved the way it smelled like him, but noticed the absence of the heavy cigarette smell. She gripped his hand tightly.

“You holding up okay without smoking?” she asked softly.

“Eh,” Jax shrugged. “It’s hard, but…I’m managing.”

“I’m proud of you,” Ragatha said truthfully. “I know it’s not easy.”

“It’s easy when you have something worth sticking around for,” Jax said, looking directly at her. “Or someone.”

Ragatha’s heartbeat was frantic. She pulled him closer and hugged his side. In return, Jax wrapped his arm around her back as they walked.

-

It was after midnight by the time Jax pulled into his garage. Ragatha allowed him to open her car door again for her and take her by the arm, walking her to her own front door.

The light above Jax’s front steps flickered madly, the bulb hanging on by a thread, while Ragatha’s burned bright and strong. It made shadows dance on the front of the house, casting abstract shapes on its surface.

“Did you have fun?” Jax asked her, looking down at her with a smile.

“I did,” Ragatha said. “I had the best time, Jax. Thank you.”

They faced each other, staring in silence while they held hands. Ragatha didn’t want him to leave. Everything in her being told her to bring him into her house. She bit her lip.

“Did you want to come in?” she asked softly.

Jax’s ear twitched. His eyes were large and dark. He replied instantly. “Yeah,” he nodded.

Ragatha didn’t waste another moment. She unlocked her door and led Jax inside, locking the door again behind them. The absence of any sound weighed heavily on them both as they started at each other.

Did she offer him another drink? Somehow, that didn’t seem like a good idea. They’d had far too much as it was.

“You know,” Jax’s voice was husky and low when he suddenly broke the silence. “You still didn’t finish my exam from the other day.”

Ragatha lifted her head quickly to look at him. Her eye was wide, blinking fast. Her cheeks were a soft red.

“I…think you’re right,” she whispered, breathing shakily. “That’s not very professional of me.”

“So, do you have time for a patient right now?” Jax’s voice was unsteady as the words tumbled from his mouth.

Ragatha took a steadying breath.

“Huh, would you look at that,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I think something just opened up in my schedule.”

Jax stared at her with lidded eyes. His hands held her around her waist. “Thank God.”

They both moved at once, crashing their lips together. Hands held each other tight, grabbing at the other like they’d lose them if they let go, built up feelings spilling over enough to drown them both.

Ragatha sighed against Jax’s lips, before opening her mouth for the welcome pressure of his tongue.

She felt his hands grip her tighter, pulling her until she was flush against him. Her hands dug into the fur of his upper back, just beneath the collar of his shirt.

Never breaking the kiss, Jax lifted Ragatha into his arms with ease. Her legs locked around his waist.

She didn’t object when Jax carried her up the stairs to her bedroom.

As far as Ragatha was concerned, nothing else mattered in that moment.

Chapter 6

Notes:

Time for some long-awaited answers…

I’m estimating there to be two more chapters after this one. Thanks for sticking with me!

CW: This chapter briefly mentions past trauma/abuse. Please be aware.

The air was still and calm, yet heavy. Ragatha shifted under the comforting weight of Jax’s arm, her body lax and slightly trembling. He held her protectively, like he didn’t want to let her go.

Both of them were panting. Ragatha’s heart threatened to beat out of her chest as it struggled to return to a normal pace. Her back was pressed comfortably against Jax’s body, his heart hammering in sync with hers. She could feel its strong, steady pulse. His lips pressed a shaky kiss to the back of her neck.

“Wow, Rags,” he breathed against her skin, making her erupt in goosebumps.

“Wow yourself,” Ragatha replied, feeling the blush creep across her cheeks.

Jax laughed, before Ragatha felt his lips moving down her neck and across her shoulder blades, pressing kiss after slow, gentle kiss.

-

Ragatha’s mitten hands fumbled with the buttons on Jax’s shirt as they stumbled to the bedroom. Somehow, she’d managed to undo them all so that she was able to break from his lips and tug insistently at his shirt, pulling it down his arms. She ran her hands through his fur, enjoying the silky softness. It was just as she’d remembered from when he’d shown up at the hospital to see her, only this time there was no unspoken rule preventing her from exploring him all she wanted. She could take her time and actually enjoy it.

At the same time, Jax’s eager hands grasped at her. When they finally reached her bed, he laid Ragatha down, his lips never leaving hers as he hovered over her. He tugged at her shirt until she lifted her arms. Only then did they separate so he could pull it over her head and toss it aside, drinking her in. His eyes were two large black squares, transfixed and unblinking.

Ragatha sat up enough to undo his belt buckle before unzipping his pants. She helped pull them down his slender waist until he could kick them to the side.

Her turn. She watched Jax with bated breath.

Very gently, he popped open the button on Ragatha’s jeans. His eyes darted up to hers, asking for permission. She was staring at him expectantly, her chest rising and falling with each breath she took. She nodded. Please. The sound of a zipper broke through the heavy silence before he tugged her jeans down her legs. Then, he ran his hands back up her hips, feeling every inch of her skin in the path of his palms. Ragatha leaned in, only to pull him back down for another kiss.

-

Jax’s head was still trying to wrap around what was happening, but it was proving increasingly difficult to form coherent thoughts while Ragatha’s arms were locked tight around his neck, kissing him with an eagerness that mirrored his own. He managed to break away and kiss down her jaw, trailing a path to her neck. The little noises she made would live in his brain forever.

Eventually they separated, so Jax could finally catch his breath and look at her. With his arms on either side of her head, he lifted himself up into a kneeling position. He stared for a bit at the black, lacy lingerie she was wearing, but Jax wasn’t nearly as interested in that as he was in Ragatha’s expression.

Her cheeks were flushed. Her eye never left his, lidded and wanting, as she tried to catch her breath. Jax studied the rest of her. He’d just made out the scripted font of a tiny tattoo, right above her heart, before Ragatha crossed her arms over herself, looking away as though she was suddenly embarrassed.

What’s that about?

“Hey,” Jax tugged at her arms. “Don’t hide yourself. I’m pretty sure you’re underestimating how gorgeous you are.”

Ragatha hesitated, biting her bottom lip as she glanced at him. “I…”

“…am beautiful?” Jax raised an eyebrow. “See? I finished your sentence for you.”

Ragatha laughed softly. “Jax…” She hesitantly lowered her arms.

Jax exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding as he took in all of her. He ran his fingers over every stitch, every freckle on her perfect skin. He looked at the tiny tattoo. It read, 5-6-20.

Ragatha still seemed nervous. As if she has anything at all to be ashamed of… Jax needed to tell her how wrong she was.

Something inside him had shifted. Some strange, strong, powerful feeling surged through him, something he’d never felt before with anyone else. It was confusing, and it was bizarre, and it fueled his passion and desire in that moment.

“You are beautiful,” he spoke softly, but he made sure his words were firm. “I’ve thought you were beautiful from the moment you stepped out of your car on the day you moved in. I haven’t stopped thinking you were beautiful since.”

Ragatha’s breath hitched. Jax noticed the tears gathering in her non-button eye. He wiped them away with his thumb and kissed the trail they left behind.

“Don’t hide, Ragatha,” he whispered. “Not from me.”

His mouth captured hers as he climbed on top of her.

-

“Ragatha?” Jax spoke her name softly.

Ragatha’s eye opened. She’d nearly dozed off, exhaustion overwhelming her while being lulled by the safety of Jax’s arms. She felt his grip tighten around her, and she melted into the comforting pressure of his hold. She felt safe. She felt secure.

“Mhm?” She felt his lips on her shoulder, right at the base of her neck. She wanted to close her eye again and sleep. She was so exhausted.

“I wanna ask you something, if you’re cool with it.”

“Sure,” she yawned. “Ask away…”

“What’s your tattoo mean?” The words came out muffled with his mouth pressed against her.

“My…tattoo?”

“Yeah.” His hand came around her side, so his fingers could brush the area above her heart.

Ragatha sighed. She knew it was only a matter of time before he asked.

They’d come this far with each other. She’d share as much information as he wanted to know.

“It’s Annie’s birthday.”

A pause. Jax leaned his forehead against the back of her head. “I figured.” He was silent for a bit while Ragatha waited. She knew there’d be more. “Did your brother do that tattoo for you?”

“No.”

Jax was silent. Expectant.

To tell him meant to dive into the murky waters of her past. Was she willing to do that? Would he want to hear it? She wasn’t sure. She honestly didn’t know if she wanted to hear it all again.

She rolled onto her back. Jax lay beside her, his head propped up on his hand. Distracted, golden eyes raked over her body, coming to rest on her face. Ragatha gave him a tiny smile.

“Did you still want to hear about it, or…”

“Sorry,” Jax snapped out of it. “I can’t help but look. I’m only human, y’know,” he paused. “Well, a rabbit, but you know what I mean.” He flashed her a grin.

He stared at her like she was the only thing that mattered to him. How long had it been since someone had looked at her that way? With such obvious desire? How long had it been since she let someone look at her that way? Could she trust him with the thoughts and memories she kept buried so deep?

You just slept with him, Ragatha. It doesn’t get more intimate than that, now does it?

More so, she wanted him again. She didn’t want this to be a one time thing. She took a deep breath in and out, steeling herself.

“Annie’s father did the tattoo, actually.”

Jax stiffened beside her. She could feel his eyes searching her face. She met his stare and offered a soft smile, while her hand came up to pet one of his ears. No going back.

“Tell me about it,” Jax said. He ran his finger slowly across the ink. His touch was gentle. She could feel him tracing each number.

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” Jax replied immediately. “I’m sure.”

-

Jax waited for Ragatha to explain. He tried not to appear too eager, but he’d been wanting to know more about her past since the day he’d met her. Maybe it was hypocritical of him, what with not wanting to tell the truth to her about himself and his lack of life motivation…but that was an avenue they would explore another time. Maybe. Right now it was all about her.

“His name is Ricky,” she began.

“Sounds like an asshole,” Jax said immediately, knowing full well he had no information to go off of yet, but instinctively wanting to trash this guy as much as possible.

Ragatha giggled. “You’d be correct.”

“Knew it,” Jax rolled his eyes. “Sounds like an asshole name.”

“Anyway,” Ragatha sighed. “He worked with Denny…at the tattoo shop.”

“They knew each other?”

Ragatha’s smile faltered. “They were best friends, actually.”

Oh… That would explain a lot. Jax had so many questions, but he listened quietly as Ragatha went on.

“They were roommates in college,” she said. “They both went to study illustration. Obviously, over the course of four years, they grew incredibly close, just like bothers. Then they graduated and went their separate ways for a bit, but eventually Ricky reached out looking for work when he found out Denny opened up his own shop.”

“When did you two get involved?” Jax asked. Why was he feeling jealous at the very mention of her old relationship? Especially considering it was dead and in the past, and had zero chance of ever happening again.

“About a year after Ricky started working with Denny.” Ragatha said. “We hit it off right away. I’d met him before, like when Denny would come home during school breaks. Sometimes Ricky would tag along with him. He always told us he didn’t have the best home life, so tagging along with Denny was like a relief to him. My family loved having him over. He was always so helpful and kind to our parents. It didn’t take much for me to fall for him.”

“I’m guessing your brother hated it.” Jax thought of the way Denny looked at him whenever their paths crossed. Suddenly, it all made so much sense.

“He absolutely hated it,” Ragatha said, reaching out to twirl her finger in the longer fur of Jax’s chest. “But…they were best friends and he trusted Ricky, so he eventually warmed up to the idea. We started getting serious pretty quickly. We’d only been together for about a year before I got pregnant. It wasn’t planned, as you can imagine.”

“Was he excited?” Jax asked. He often feared something like that would happen, considering the numerous girls he’d been with… It was constantly on the back of his mind, regardless of how careful he made sure to be.

“Yes, he was very excited…at first,” Ragatha nodded. “After the initial shock, we both were.” She stared off at some focal point beyond Jax’s gaze. Her eye became distant. Her expression was sad. “Then…I don’t know what happened, Jax…but he changed.”

“Changed?” Jax frowned. “Changed like how?”

“Annie was just a baby. Not even six months old yet. She was always so needy. She cried a lot, she didn’t sleep well…I was exhausted all the time and trying my best trying to balance being a mother with my job, while also keeping our relationship going. We talked about getting married, but we were always so busy and beyond exhausted. I kept pushing the idea further and further out…I just wasn’t ready. Ricky didn’t like that.”

Jax narrowed his eyes. “What d’you mean he didn’t like that?” He felt anger working its way up his throat like bile. He didn’t even know the full story, he wasn’t exactly sure where it was going to go next, but one thing was certain: if the next words out of Ragatha’s mouth involved that son of a bitch putting his hands anywhere on that little girl or on Ragatha, Jax wouldn’t be held responsible for what came next. He would find him and make him pay.

“I—”

“What happened, Ragatha?” Jax’s voice was low and dangerous. Ragatha must’ve noticed the tone shift right away. She squeezed his hand in hers.

“He got jealous. Very, very jealous,” she said softly. “Of Annie, of my relationship with her, of how much time I devoted to her. Of his own daughter, Jax. He wanted nothing to do with her after a while…and when I confronted him about it…it was like a switch inside him flipped. He became…abusive.”

Fuck! Anger flared. Jax sat up straight, breathing hard.

“Jax—”

“What did he do?” Jax growled. “Tell me, Ragatha. Did he put his hands on Annie? On you?”

“Never Annie,” she said, and Jax saw tears gathering in the corner of her eye. “Only me, and it was usually verbal or emotional abuse. Only one time did he ever put his hands on me in that way, and that was when I left him.”

Jax was shocked and angered into silence. He ground his teeth. That settled it. Ricky was a dead man. There was no two ways about it.

“Why didn’t your brother say anything about this?” Jax said, his voice thick with venom, hating Denny, looking for someone to blame. “Why didn’t he stop his supposed best friend after he went psychotic and abused his sister?”

“Don’t blame Denny,” Ragatha said softly.

“Why not?” Jax bit back. “Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because he didn’t know,” Ragatha shook her head. “Because I didn’t tell him.”

Jax looked at her sharply. “Rags—”

“I didn’t tell him until the night Ricky hit me. I left our apartment with Annie and drove to Denny’s and confessed everything that’d been going on since Ricky had started to change. Denny was…oh God, I’ve never seen him so angry. He drove to my apartment and beat the crap out of him. He fired him on the spot, told him he never wanted to see him again and if he ever came near me or Annie he would kill him.”

Jax felt some relief in hearing those words. Maybe her idiot brother wasn’t as stupid as he thought.

“There’s one thing you have to understand about Denny,” Ragatha said. “He’s overprotective because he feels like everything that happened…everything that went wrong, all of it, is his fault. He brought Ricky to our home, he hired him…he thinks that what happened to me was all because of him, and he’s never been able to forgive himself. Not to mention, his best friend, who was close enough that he considered him a brother, betrayed him like that. As a result, he has trust issues.”

“Yeah…I’ll say he does,” Jax said. “I mean…I get it. He sees me as a threat too.”

“A little…yeah,” Ragatha nodded.

“Hey,” Jax reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You know I would never hurt you, right? You know that, Ragatha?”

She looked at him. Jax hated that she even had to think about it for more than a few moments.

“I know,” she said, though still, there was a shadow of uncertainty in her voice. It bothered Jax to no end.

“So, what happened next?” Jax pressed for more. He’d focus on her worries after. There’d be plenty of time to prove to her that she’d never need to feel afraid again. Not while he was around.

“Ricky stayed away, at least for a while. We were completely broken up. I moved back in with my parents. It was before the memory loss began.

Annie and I stayed with them for a couple of years before I found my own apartment. It worked out really well, because my parents loved being close to us and I could help them around the house. Things started to feel normal again. I felt like it was going to be okay.” Her expression shifted. “It was nearly another year before the stalking started.”

“The what?!”

God damn it.

“He started following me,” Ragatha whispered. “He started sending me texts and e-mails. He’d call my phone and leave long voicemails. Always saying he knew that he messed up and he wanted me and Annie back. He started showing up in the parking lot at the hospital. We ended up getting a restraining order against him.”

“Rags…”

Ragatha pointed to the spot just above her heart.

“I kept this tattoo because it’s for Annie. And no matter what, as horrible as he became…without Ricky I wouldn’t have Annie, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything in this world. I would do it all again if it meant I could have her.”

Jax noticed how Ragatha had started to tremble. As much as he wanted to hear it all, he was smart enough to know when enough was enough. This story had taken a lot out of her. He wouldn’t be selfish enough to push for more.

“Hey,” he said, wrapping his long arms around her. “Ragatha…you don’t have to talk about this anymore, okay? Come on, let’s just relax now.”

“Okay,” she sniffled, curling up against him.

Jax hugged her close, keeping her secure against him.

-

Ragatha was vaguely aware of Jax’s words in her ear. Telling the story of the last four years was like opening a wound that had never truly healed. Try as she might to put a bandaid over it, it was just as raw as ever. She wondered if she would ever feel normal again.

Dare she tell him about how the restraining order was expiring? How she’d started receiving those messages again, just like the first time? Would that be enough to push Jax away for good?

He didn’t need this. He was young and free to do whatever he wanted. He didn’t need to be saddled with her, a single mother with a round-the-clock job, two disabled parents, and ex-boyfriend issues resurfacing. He could do so much better than her. She knew it, and it scared her.

“Ragatha?”

Ragatha hadn’t even noticed she’d started to cry.

“Woah…hey…”

She felt Jax tug her against his chest. She shivered, suddenly freezing. How could it be that they’d just had the most intimate of nights and now here she was, a crying, emotional wreck?

“I’m s-sorry,” she managed to get out.

“For what?” Jax asked gently. “For answering my questions? For giving me the exact information I asked you for?”

“For not being able to hold it together,” she whispered, wiping at her wet cheeks.

“Fuck that,” Jax said softly. “You don’t have to hold anything together. Not with me.”

Ragatha chuckled softly at his words. Why was he so good to her?

For too long she’d been taking care of others and neglecting herself. For too long, she’d bottled up the things that weighed on her for fear of driving others away with her stress. Yet, Jax was here. He stayed, he listened, he didn’t run away.

“Thank you, Jax.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” was all he said.

Exhaustion suddenly overcame her. She slumped against him, resting her face on his shoulder.

Jax laid down with Ragatha in his arms, pulling her back into the position they’d started in. He made sure she was tucked comfortably against his chest before he draped his arm over her side and pressed his face into the back of her curls.

“Mm,” Ragatha hummed. She tugged her comforter up and over them both, eager for sleep.

As much as she was hoping for another round with him, she was simply too exhausted.

-

“Ragatha?”

Surely she was dreaming. The voice faded in and out of her consciousness, echoing in the cavernous space surrounding her.

“Ragatha?!” The voice was louder now, concerned…worried.

She slowly blinked her eye open. She felt Jax’s warm body pressed against her, one of his heavy arms draped over her side. She could hear his deep breathing. He was so comfortable. She hadn’t slept that well in years, and she longed to fall back into that peaceful rest. Surely a few more minutes would be okay.

“Mommy?”

Ragatha sat bolt upright. Annie.

“Ragatha!”

Denny.

Suddenly, she was wide awake. She heard Denny calling for her downstairs, heard Annie’s tiny voice, sounding slightly off. It was like everything hit her at once. Then she realized…

Jax.

“Oh God,” she murmured. “Jax!” She whispered his name as she shook his shoulder hard. “Wake up!”

He grumbled, burrowing deeper into Ragatha’s sheets.

“Jax, I’m so sorry but you need to get up. Like right now.” She gave him another shove, this one much firmer.

Jax sat up groggily, blinking in the light of the morning streaming through the half-closed curtains.

“What…?” He yawned. “Why?”

“No time to explain, just get up and get in my closet now!” Ragatha stood and pulled his hand.

“Your closet?”

“Denny is here! With Annie!”

Jax’s eyes widened.

“Fuck!” He didn’t waste another moment. He jumped out of bed, gathered his strewn-about clothes, and ducked into Ragatha’s closet. Meanwhile, Ragatha threw on some pajamas and a bathrobe.

She scooped up her own discarded clothes from the previous night, as well as their shoes, and shoved them beneath her bed, just as Denny reached the top of the stairs and came face to face with Ragatha in her doorway. He looked both nervous and relieved.

“Ragatha? Where the hell have you been?”

“W-what? What are you talking about? I’ve been home!” She tucked hair behind her ears with shaky fingers. Her heart was pounding from nerves and adrenaline.

“I’ve called you like five times!” Denny said. “Why didn’t you answer?”

“I—”

“Annie is sick,” Denny said, gesturing downstairs.

“Sick?”

“She’s got a fever, that’s why I had to cut the sleepover short,” Denny said. He eyed Ragatha up and down. “Were you still asleep?”

“Y-yes,” Ragatha said, a little too shakily.

She already knew her phone lay abandoned in her purse, which she’d left downstairs last night before she and Jax had stumbled to her bedroom. In the heat of the moment, nothing else had seemed to matter. The fact that she’d been negligent made her feel absolutely awful and guilty, like the worst mother in the world.

“You know what time it is, right?” Denny narrowed his eye at her.

Ragatha glanced at her clock, which read 11:45AM. She hadn’t slept that late in years.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, I…was out so late with…with Pomni and Gangle...”

Denny sighed. “I know I told you to go have fun, and I’m glad you did, but it’s not like you to not be glued to your phone when Annie isn’t with you.”

At that moment, Annie trudged into the bedroom. Ragatha could tell right away that she was sick. She was pale, had dark circles under her eyes, and looked exhausted. She ran to her mother and hugged her tightly.

“Hi baby,” Ragatha immediately bent down and pulled her daughter into a hug. She was definitely feverish.

“I don’t feel good,” Annie cried softly.

“Okay baby, it’s okay,” Ragatha soothed. She kissed her clammy forehead. “C’mon, let’s get you to bed.” She looked at Denny. “I’m so sorry…I’ll take it from here. Thank you for having her overnight last night. I’m sorry you had to cut the fun short.”

“Yeah, no problem,” Denny scratched the back of his head. “I’ll take off. Feel better Annie,” he said, ruffling Annie’s hair. “See you soon, okay? We’ll do this again when you feel better. Rest up.”

“Okay Uncle Denny,” Annie sniffed.

“Sweetheart, go get into bed and I’ll be right there with some medicine,” Ragatha said. “Then we can read a story and cuddle up. You need to rest.”

“Okay,” Annie sniffed. She did as Ragatha asked and walked to her bedroom.

“Oh, Ragatha, one more thing,” Denny added, turning back to her, now that Annie was out of earshot. “I looked up a couple more attorneys in case we don’t hear from this one.”

“You did?” Ragatha blinked, unsure how to respond. Her mind was in a million different places.

“Yeah, just in case,” Denny said. “I really want to have a backup plan. Get ahead of things…just to be safe. If Rick keeps contacting you or starts his stalking…well, we just can’t let that happen.” He sighed. “Keep me posted. Call me later and let me know how Annie’s doing.”

“Will do,” Ragatha said. “Thanks…”

She listened for the sound of the front door closing before she exhaled in relief.

Only when she was sure the coast was completely clear did Ragatha fling her closet door open. Jax was lounging on the floor, stretched out as much as he could within the small space, his hands relaxed behind his head. He sat up when he saw her.

“I’m so sorry,” Ragatha said. “Annie is—”

“Sick, I know,” Jax stood. Ragatha noticed that he’d gotten dressed. “I can hear pretty well with these things.” He pointed to his ears.

“I feel so embarrassed,” she groaned, covering her face.

“Why?” Jax raised an eyebrow.

“Shoving you in the closet like that…cutting our morning short—”

“It’s okay, Rags,” Jax said. “Seriously.” He put his hands on her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Plus, now I just have an excuse to do this again with you.”

Did she hear that right?

“You…still want to do this again…even after I unloaded my mess of a life on you last night?” She gave him a small smile. A tiny part of her was worried that once the post-sex euphoria from the night before had worn off, Jax would come to his senses and realize he was getting involved in something he didn’t want or need.

“Course I do,” Jax chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I…just…”

“Hey,” he squeezed her shoulders. “Stop overthinking it.” He tilted her chin up.

“Okay…”

Jax leaned in for a kiss. Ragatha melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Memories of the night before came flooding back to her, invading her brain. The way he held her, touched her, how she enjoyed every moment… Jax’s hands traveled down to grip her hips, squeezing, eliciting a squeak from her. She wished she had more time with him right now, wished she could—

“Mommy?” Annie’s voice was enough to make Ragatha pull away from Jax at lightening speed. Her daughter stood in the doorway. She looked from Ragatha to Jax, confusion etched all over her tired face. “Why is Jaxy here?”

“Fuck,” Jax muttered, closing his eyes.

Ragatha recovered quickly. She needed to do damage control.

“He was helping me, sweetheart,” she said, rushing forward to take Annie’s hand. “The…lightbulb in my closet was broke. Jax replaced it for me.”

“It was broken?” Annie repeated, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“Yes,” Ragatha lied. “C’mon, let’s head to your room.” She turned to Jax with the most apologetic look she could muster. “Jax, I’ll give you a call later and let you know how it’s going, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah…sure,” he nodded. He ran his hand through the fur on his head. “Feel better, kiddo,” Jax said to Annie.

“Where are your shoes, Jaxy?” Annie pointed to his bare feet. Ragatha’s eye widened.

“My…shoes…uh…”

“Ohhh,” Ragatha laughed. “Well, he took them off. They were muddy.” She bent down to grab them from where she’d shoved them beneath her bed. “Here you go!”

“Thanks…” As Jax passed Ragatha to head downstairs, he leaned close to her cheek and spoke softly. “Call me later.”

Ragatha nodded. She absolutely would.

-

Jax had barely made it through his front door before he was on the phone, but not with Ragatha.

He dialed his father’s number, pacing in his living room.

Ragatha might not have realized he’d overheard her conversation, and he wasn’t about to get into it while she was trying to tend to Annie. But the words spoken—and unspoken—between her and Denny were enough for him to understand what was happening.

It all made sense. The locks on the doors. The panic attacks. The extra precautions. The fact that she was always inside, curtains drawn…

That son of a bitch was contacting her again, or trying to.

Jax wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Jax?” His father picked up on the second ring. “Is everything okay?”

“Sorta,” Jax said. “Listen, Dad, I need a favor.”

A pause. “What kind of favor? You need money?” There was a heavy sigh. “Jax, you’re not in jail, are you?”

“What? No!”

“Did you get a girl pregnant?” In the background, Jax heard his mother gasp.

“Dad! What the f—JEEZ, NO!” Jax groaned. “Just listen to me!”

“I’m listening,” his father said. He let out a relieved sigh.

“I need you to call Abel.”

“Abel?” Jax’s father paused. “What for? Are you in legal trouble?”

“It’s not for me.”

“Jax, if you expect me to do you a favor like that, I need a little more information to work with.”

Jax stopped pacing. He leaned against the wall, rubbing his hand over his face. “It’s for Ragatha.”

“Ragatha?” His father repeated. “That’s the woman who lives in the next door unit, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s her.”

“Why does she need a lawyer?”

“It’s messy but…think her ex is stalking her, Dad.”

There was another heavy pause. It was several seconds before his father spoke again.

“And this concerns you, how?”

“Dad…”

“Jax, how did you get involved in this?”

“I’m not involved!” Lies.

“Then why does it concern you so much? Why do I need to contact the most powerful, most expensive lawyer in the city, if you’re not involved?”

He was caught. There was no other option.

“Okay, you want the truth?” He didn’t want to beat around this any longer. Time was was of the essence. “I care about her, Dad. She’s got a little kid, she’s alone, and I care about her.”

“You care about her how? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know what I mean!”

His father sighed deeply on the other end of the line. Jax could just imagine the face he was making, the expression he’d seen his whole life.

“So you’ve slept with her. I understand, Jax. Just like all the others you cared about? The hundreds of dollars in bar tabs? The extravagant meals at expensive restaurants? The ones you bring home and never see again? Do you care about them too?”

“Dad—”

“No, listen, Jax. I specifically asked you not to get involved with this woman. From day one, I told you to stay away. Did you listen? Of course not. You never do.”

“I’m not going to drive her away!” Jax shouted, angry now. “I told you, I wouldn’t!”

“Maybe not now,” his father said. “What happens later? When you grow bored as you inevitably will? When you realize that a woman who is older than you, who has a child, a career, and baggage you can’t even imagine isn’t something you can handle? This isn’t a game Jax. It’s not a joke. This isn’t something you can dip into and out of at your leisure.”

“I’m not dipping in and out, okay?” Jax bit back, his voice low. “This isn’t like all those other times.”

“You just met her.”

“Sometimes that’s more than enough.”

“I’m sorry, Jax,” his father said. “I’m not getting Abel involved in this.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jax couldn’t believe it. “You know he’ll say yes! He’s Caine’s brother! He’ll do whatever you ask him to!”

“Jax—”

“NO!” Jax growled. “Listen—”

“This conversation is over.”

No, it isn’t.

“I’ll come work for you!” The words left Jax’s mouth before he could process them. He instantly regretted them.

There was a long, heavy pause. Jax tapped his food in frustration, waiting.

“You’ll start working?” His father finally spoke the words slowly, cautiously, like he didn’t quite believe what he was hearing.

“Y-yes,” Jax muttered. “At the company. I’ll start whenever you want me to.”

“Jax, this is a big step,” his father said. “I’ve been asking you to get involved for years now.”

“I know,” Jax grumbled.

“And now, after all this time, all it took was some woman you barely know, and you’re willing to change your entire lifestyle?”

“Will you call him, or not?”

The silence hung in the air. Jax could hear his mother in the background trying to get more information about what was happening. He heard the ticking of the clock on the wall. The sound of the cars driving by. Time seemed to stand still.

“Fine.”

Jax exhaled, releasing the breath he’d been holding.

“Thank you,” he said curtly. “I…appreciate it.”

“I hope this is worth it, Jax,” his father said.

Jax thought of Ragatha, who had already been through more than anyone should have to go through in life. He thought of Annie, the innocent little girl who through no fault of her own had no father-figure, who Ragatha loved more than life itself.

He’d fucked up a lot in his life. He didn’t try. He was lazy. He was selfish. He was a twenty-four year old child who lived off his father’s money and never had to work hard in his life.

Then there was Ragatha, who worked hard her entire life. Who was doing her best to protect the one incredible thing that came from a nightmare situation. Who spent her days taking care of other people, hours on end, and parents who didn’t even remember her name.

His life was a joke compared to hers. He’d be the first to admit it. He’d help her, even if he never saw her again for the rest of his life. It’s what she deserved.

“Yes, it’s worth it.”

Chapter 7

Notes:

TW: smoking, suggestive content

It was midafternoon the following day when Caine’s car rolled up along the curb in front of Jax’s house. Oddly enough, the usually active street was quiet for such a beautiful fall day.

Peeking through the passenger side window, Caine was expecting to see his godson outside on one of his typical smoking breaks or people-watching binges. However, the front steps were empty.

He assumed Jax would be awake by now. Though he was known for occasionally sleeping into the early hours of the afternoon, even this time of day would be considered excessive. Caine wanted to be sure Jax was awake for this visit. As opposed to his usual check-ins, this time the subject matter was far more serious.

The neighbor Ragatha’s car was gone. Caine assumed she must be working. Just as well…this visit had everything to do with her. Caine opened his door and floated out of the car.

Caine had know Jax’s parents, John and Mariela, since he and John were in college together. John and Mariela were high school sweethearts, something Caine loved to endlessly tease John about. It was all good natured, however, because both of them knew that Caine would do anything for John, and vice versa. They were closer than bothers.

When John and Mariela got married, Caine was  the best man. When John wanted to start his own business, Caine didn’t think twice about becoming his partner. When John and Mariela found out they were expecting their first child, Caine was elated for them. Then, when they lost that first child in a devastating miscarriage, Caine was there to console them.

When Jax was born, thankfully completely healthy, his parents doted on him. Safe to say, he grew up loved, but extremely spoiled, as it was originally determined they couldn’t have any more children. Jax was their miracle baby.

So, when John appointed Caine to be Jax’s godfather, again Caine agreed without a second thought.

Caine watched Jax grow from a spoiled little boy who liked to cause trouble and play pranks, to a moody teenager who closed himself off from the rest of the world, to a young adult with no real responsibilities and no sense of consequence.

Mariela tried to make excuses for Jax’s behavior his entire life. He was her baby boy and her special miracle. He could do no wrong in her eyes.

John did everything he could to get Jax to shape up, to try to connect with him, but with the demands of his job and his tendency to work long hours, bonding between father and son wasn’t nearly as often as it could’ve—or should’ve—been.

They loved their son. Caine never denied that for an instant. However, now Jax was a twenty-four-year-old with no goals, no direction, and no motivation. Caine had tried to help shape him into someone John could be proud of. He was disappointed to say that he hadn’t been successful.

Now, just as they had numerous times in the past, Caine and John were relying Abel’s help to get Jax out of a tough situation he’d gotten himself into.

Caine thought back on all the times before.

The first time had been after an act of petty vandalism. Jax was thirteen, and he and some buddies had decided to graffiti the side of the school with lewd symbols and curse words. Abel got involved, a generous donation was made to the school in Jax’s name, and the incident was swept under the rug. Had it not been for Abel, Jax and his friends would have faced expulsion, and likely legal action.

The second incident happened at age seventeen. Jax had gotten his fourth speeding ticket in a span of one month. His license was on the verge of being revoked, but because Abel knew the judge, Jax walked away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist and a reduced ticket fine.

The third and most recent incident—and decidedly the worst—had occurred when Jax was twenty-two. After a night of partying, Jax was pulled over for a DUI and then immediately arrested when he drunkenly tried to punch the officer who pulled him over. Once again, Abel knew the judge and the police commissioner. Once again, Jax skirted punishment. Any regular person would’ve been thrown in jail and stayed there. John posted bail for his son within an hour, and the incident was discreetly scrubbed from Jax’s record.

All three events were now distant memories, yet each memory felt like it’d happened just yesterday. Each instance was a reminder that Caine was failing at the task he’d set out to do.

Caine wasn’t exactly sure what Abel would do this time, or if any of it would matter in the long run. Jax wasn’t good at commitment. Whatever infatuation he had with this woman would likely change and fizzle out in the weeks to come, and all of this would be another memory to move on from.

As he approached the front door, Caine was distracted by banging and clanging sounds coming from the backyard. He changed direction and floated over the back fence. There, he saw Jax sitting cross-legged in the grass, surrounded by a pile of metal cylindrical shapes and plastic pieces. He had a cigarette between his teeth while he worked.

”FUCK!” Jax cursed loudly when his hammer missed its intended target and came down hard on his finger instead. He sucked on the wound and grumbled, before he noticed Caine watching him.

“What?” Jax said, by way of greeting. He glared at Caine and shook his hurt hand in the air. Then he took one long drag on the cigarette before he stubbed it out on the empty cardboard box by his side.

“Goodness Jax, what in the world are you doing?” Caine tilted his denture head curiously.

“I’m building a swing set, what does it look like I’m doing?”

“I was going to ask if you were setting up some sort of industrial size hamster tubing, but that wouldn’t make sense,” Caine chuckled to himself. “Why a swing set?”

Jax stood and dusted himself off. “Because Annie wants one,” he said simply.

The little girl, Caine thought to himself.

Jax never liked kids, as far as Caine could remember. This new turn of events was strange to him. How was it possible that Jax cared enough about this woman in such a short amount of time that he was willing to purchase and go through the work of setting up a swing set for her child? Jax had never done that much work in his life.

“Jax,” Caine said. “Can we talk?”

“Did Abel say yes?” Jax asked immediately.

“He did.”

“Okay, good,” Jax exhaled in relief. “What do we need to talk about?”

“Can we go inside first?”

Jax glanced toward the front yard. “I guess so. I wanted to get this done before Annie got home, but fine…” He turned and led the way into his house, with Caine floating behind him.

-

Once inside, Jax grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He needed to wash the taste of the cigarette out of his mouth. He’d been doing so well…he hadn’t touched one in forever. Then he caved. He blamed it on both the stress of waiting for an answer from Abel, and the frustration of setting up that damn swing set. He was annoyed with himself for what he perceived as a temporary moment of weakness.

“You want anything?” Jax looked at Caine.

“No thank you, Jax. I won’t be long.” Caine sat at the kitchen counter. “I wanted to talk about Abel…and your neighbor’s situation.”

“Okay,” Jax leaned on his elbows, crossing his arms on the countertop. “When can he start? Did he call Ragatha?”

“He’s going to reach out to her as soon as possible,” Caine said. “He’ll go over details and start drawing up the necessary paperwork for a restraining order against Ragatha’s ex once she gives him the okay. Did you tell her yet?”

“Not yet,” Jax said. “I wanted to wait until I knew for sure that Abel would go for it.”

“Well, he’s all in,” Caine said.

“Good,” Jax nodded. “I also want that bastard found and followed.”

“I’ll talk to Abel about that. Your father already briefed him on the major details.”

“Okay, great,” Jax shrugged. “What else?”

“This is going to cost money, Jax.”

“Yeah,” Jax said. “And? My dad is paying for it, you know that.”

“And in return for all this, you’re coming to work at the company?”

“Yup.”

Caine seemed taken aback by the surety in Jax’s voice, but Jax didn’t care. He’d made his decision, and he was going to follow through with something for the first time in his life. If it meant that Ragatha and Annie would be safe, it was worth it.

“Jax…I’m…well, I know I say this a lot but…I’m very, very proud of you for stepping up like this. It’s a huge deal. I want you to know that.”

Jax shifted uncomfortably. He hated when Caine got this way, all fatherly and sentimental and serious…but he accepted the compliment with a stiff nod nonetheless.

“You really like this girl, don’t you?” Caine asked.

“Yeah, I do,” Jax shrugged.

“I must say, I am surprised.”

“Why?” Jax looked at Caine sharply. “About what?”

“Well, she’s older than you and she has a child.”

“So? She’s not that much older than me. And I like Annie. She’s smarter than any other kid I’ve ever met before.”

“Just as well. It’s a change from your usual. A good change, I might add.” Caine nodded. “I’m afraid your parents—and I—never thought you’d find someone who interested you this much.”

Jax laughed dryly. “I guess I’m just full of surprises, huh?” He shook his head and scrubbed his hand over his face, suddenly exhausted. “Will Abel call me?”

“Well…I suppose I could ask him to. He was going to reach out to me, but I can have him keep you informed. He’ll want to meet with Ragatha as soon as possible.”

“Okay, good,” Jax nodded. “I’m coming with her when she meets him.”

“Abel knew you’d say that, Jax,” Caine sighed. “He said no, he only wants to meet with Ragatha and her brother.”

Fuck no.

“Why? Her brother doesn’t need to go,” Jax said. He failed to disguise the bitterness in his voice. “I can go with her.”

“It’s not an option,” Caine said. “Abel wants to meet with both of them alone. Her brother knows more details about this than you do.”

“So?”

“So, he needs to hear from both of them without your…well, your temper, as he put it delicately…getting in the way of the process.”

“My temper?”

“You know what he means,” Caine rolled his eyes. “Don’t pretend, Jax.”

Jax grumbled. Okay, so maybe he did have a temper, and maybe Abel had been on the witnessing end of that temper whenever he’d had to bail Jax out of trouble in the past. But for Abel to deny him being present at the meeting because of it when Ragatha surely needed him…that was bullshit. What was her brother going to do? Who cares if he knows more about it all? Her brother was technically the reason she was in this mess in the first place.

“This is fucking stupid,” Jax growled. “You know it is, Caine.”

Caine tapped his fingers on the countertop and gave Jax a hard stare. “Jax, this is a personal situation that is bigger than all of us, in which none of us—except for Ragatha and her family—have any claim. Let Abel do his job. You know he’ll do it well.”

“I have no claim?” Jax raised his eyebrows. “You sure about that?”

“Jax…”

“I’m literally gonna start a job I know I’m gonna hate because I care about her, Jax said, his voice low, teetering on the verge of explosion. “I care about her. When the fuck have I ever cared about anything or anyone?”

“Believe me, I know.”

“You don’t.”

“I do.”

“You DON’T, Caine!” Jax slammed his fist on the countertop, ignoring the shot of pain to his hurt finger. “Stop acting like you know me so well!”

“Jax,” Caine shook his head. “Of course I know you well.”

Jax glared. “Will you just leave?” He pointed to the door. “You told me what I needed to know, and I need to get back to finishing the damn swing set. I’m done talking.”

Caine got up from his chair. “Understood. I’ll make sure Abel fills you in.”

“Whatever.”

Caine floated toward the door. “You’re doing a good thing, Jax. Remember that.”

Jax turned away, waiting for the sound of the front door closing before he finally turned around again.

He knew he was doing a good thing. Caine didn’t need to remind him. As long as that bastard Rick stayed away from Ragatha and Annie, he didn’t care what he had to do.

He thought back to the day before, when Ragatha had called him just after he’d asked his father for the favor. Jax had wanted to tell her his plan then, but she was already dealing with enough with Annie being sick and having to cut their morning short. He also needed to wait until he had the official OK from Abel before he started making promises he couldn’t keep.

He headed back outside to finish the swings, though his mind was going in far too many different directions to properly focus.

-

Ragatha’s phone vibrated just as she unlocked her front door and pushed it open. Annie was fast asleep in her arms, exhausted and still feeling under the weather from her sickness the day before. Ragatha kept her home from school, so Denny offered to babysit for the day.

Ragatha and Denny had both agreed that Denny should watch Annie at his own apartment, even though it was less convenient. If Rick was stalking her, Ragatha didn’t want Annie to be home while she wasn’t there, even if Denny was. It was a precaution more than anything.

She carried Annie up to her bed and laid her down before she retrieved her phone. There was one missed call from Jax. When she dialed him back, he picked up on the first ring.

“Hey,” she said, smiling.

“Hey,” he replied. “How’s the kiddo doing?”

“A little better,” Ragatha said, putting the phone on speaker as she changed out of her scrubs and into comfy clothes. “She’s still a bit sick, so I kept her out of school. She was at Denny’s today.”

“Why didn’t he just come over your place?” Jax asked. “Would’ve been easier for you.”

Ragatha paused. How could she explain this to him without arising suspicion?

“I dunno,” she said. “It just worked out better that way.”

“Okay…well, I need to talk to you about something. Can I come over quick?”

Ragatha’s heart leapt. It was silly, just the very idea that she’d be seeing him again got her excited.

“Sure,” she said, trying to keep her voice neutral. Truthfully, he was all she’d been thinking about since their night together.

“Great, I’ll be there in a few,” Jax said. Then he hung up.

Ragatha paced her living room, wondering what Jax wanted to talk about. The excitement she had been feeling a few moments ago about seeing him suddenly shifted to worry. Did he come to his senses and decide he didn’t want to see her anymore? Was the time away from her enough to change his mind?

Suddenly her stomach was in knots.

A knock came at the door. Ragatha was still shaky as she unlocked her many locks. Jax stood there, grinning lazily at her.

“Hey Dollface,” he said. “Can I come in?”

“Of course you can,” Ragatha smiled back, moving aside for him. She locked the doors again behind Jax as he made his way to the couch. “What’s up?”

“C’mere,” Jax said, patting the cushion beside him.

Ragatha joined him. Immediately, he pulled her against his chest and held her, resting his chin on top of her head. Ragatha instantly melted into him, wrapping her arms around his thin torso.

“I’ve been thinking about you since yesterday morning, you know,” Jax said softly.

“Me too,” Ragatha said.

“I need to talk to you about something important.”

Ragatha tensed. She felt Jax squeeze her tighter.

“Okay…” she whispered. “Um…”

“It’s not bad, Rags,” Jax said. “Stop worrying.” He pressed a soft kiss to her head.

The tension released. Ragatha pulled away from him to look into his eyes. “So what’s up?”

“I have a lawyer for you.” Jax was staring at her, his expression firm but full of care. “I know you need one.”

Ragatha’s stomach flipped. “W-what? Who told you that?”

“You did.”

“What?”

“I heard you yesterday,” Jax explained. “I told you I could hear you from the closet. Is Ricky contacting you again?”

Oh no…

“I…”

“Ragatha, be honest with me. Is he?”

Ragatha took a deep breath. She didn’t want Jax to find out, especially not this way. This was too much for him to have to deal with and it was bound to push him away. She didn’t want to lose the newfound comfort in him, or the safety he’d brought her. She felt so selfish…

“Y-yes…I think so,” she said, her voice incredibly small.

Jax pressed on. “What did he do?”

“He texted me a couple of times a few weeks ago…not long after I moved in.”

“What else?”

“I…I’m not sure? I mean…the other day when I was out…I kept getting the feeling that someone was watching me but I brushed it off as being paranoid. I’m sure it was nothing.”

Jax’s ears twitched. Then, he gripped her gently by the shoulders. “Listen to me, okay? I have a lawyer for you. A good one. He’s gonna take care of everything, and I promise that bastard won’t come near you again.”

Ragatha shook her head. “Jax…it’s okay, really. I have one already who—”

“Did he call you back yet? Jax pressed.

“Well, no, but I’m sure he will.”

“Fuck that guy, you’re gonna use mine. My family has relied on him for years. He’s the best, Rags.”

“Jax, this sounds expensive…”

“It’s all set,” Jax said immediately. “I’ve got it covered. Trust me. You won’t owe a cent.”

Ragatha opened and closed her mouth, unsure what to say. This was way too generous of an offer, one she certainly shouldn’t accept.

Then again…

It was true, she hadn’t heard from her original lawyer yet, even though it had been days ago since she’d reached out.

If Jax’s family used this other lawyer, he must be good…Jax’s father was well known and must keep similar acquaintances.

Would this be enough? Could this stop Rick in his tracks? Keep him away for good? Her head was starting to spin from all the thoughts and possibilities.

She would need to talk to Denny about this. He’d probably refuse the offer, but then again, it wasn’t exactly up to him. This was her choice, her decision.

Ragatha turned to Jax and slowly nodded. He responded by pulling her into a tight embrace, relief radiating off of him.

“Good,” he whispered into her hair.

There it was. That same safety she’d felt from the night before when he’d held her in bed. It felt so good to have someone looking out for her like this. She finally felt like she could be a little selfish for once, and let someone else handle it.

Ragatha tilted her head up. Jax immediately leaned in, catching her lips in a deep kiss. Warmth bloomed from Ragatha’s chest, radiating throughout her body.

She craved so much more of this.

Breaking away, Ragatha pushed Jax down onto his back, flat against the couch cushion. She straddled him, leaning down to resume their kiss.

Jax held her tight. One of his hands wrapped around the back of her head, fingers tangled in her hair. The other held her lower back, trailing a path beneath the hem of her shirt.

Ragatha’s skin buzzed with excitement. Before she knew what was happening, her top was on the floor. Her hands were already working the buttons on Jax’s shirt when a voice cursed loudly nearby.

“What the fuck is this?”

Ragatha separated from Jax and sat up, horrified to come face to face with Denny. One of his hands was frozen in mid-air, holding a key, the other was clutching Annie’s favorite stuffed doll. His face was pale and seething with anger.

“Denny!” Ragatha gasped, covering herself up.

Jax sat up. His eyes were wide, his black pupils shrunk small, looking almost equally as pissed. Denny was looking at Jax like he wanted to kill him.

“Dude,” Jax growled, coming to his senses far sooner than Ragatha had. “Don’t you know how to knock?”

“Jax, shh,” Ragatha said, hiding her face in her hands.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Denny seethed. He turned his gaze to Ragatha.  “Ragatha…you can’t be serious right now. Him?” He pointed a finger at Jax.

“Denny,” she sighed. “Please…”

Jax stood up and handed Ragatha her discarded shirt. He adjusted his own clothes and approached Denny, despite Ragatha’s pleas for him to stop.

“You need to calm the fuck—”

Jax’s words were lost as Denny’s fist collided with the side of his face. He staggered back, but caught himself before he fell.

“DENNY!” Ragatha screamed. She ran forward and yanked his arm back, which he’d pulled backwards as though ready to strike Jax again.

“GOD DAMN IT!” Jax rubbed the side of his cheek, just below his left eye. “What the HELL was that for?”

“You bastard,” Denny seethed, as Ragatha rushed to Jax’s side. “I told you to stay away from her! I TOLD YOU!”

This was insanity. Ragatha was shocked. She knew what was Denny was capable of, knew from firsthand knowledge that Jax was no match for him in strength.

“Stop! What is wrong with you, Denny?” Ragatha seethed, glaring at him. “You hit him!”

“Weak-ass punch,” Jax mumbled, rubbing the side of his face.

Ragatha shushed him, gently pulling his hand away from his face so she could examine him. The area was already swelling and starting to bruise.

“You need ice,” she said softly. “Sit down, Jax.”

“No, I’m fine standing,” Jax growled.

“How about you get the fuck outta my sister’s house?” Denny said, taking a step forward.

“How about you mind your own damned business and butt out of Ragatha’s life?” Jax countered.

“You have no idea about her life,” Denny said bitterly. “You have no idea what she’s been through, you self-centered piece of—”

“Denny!” Ragatha shouted. “Stop it!”

“I know more than you realize,” Jax countered.

“Oh God,” Ragatha hid her face in her hands.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Denny was staring daggers at Jax.

“I dunno, maybe you should worry less about me and more about your shitty taste in friends? Maybe you should be more concerned about how your psychotic best buddy is literally stalking your sister? Who can trust your judgement on anything after allowing something like that?”

Denny’s eye widened. Ragatha gasped.

“Jax,” she whispered. “Don’t…”

Denny looked sharply at Ragatha. “You told him?”

“Yes…I did.” No use hiding it.

“Why?” Denny asked her softly. “Why does he need to know any of this?”

“Because…” Ragatha whispered. “He…we…I care about him, Denny.” She reached for Jax’s hand. “I’m not sorry. He and I…we’re taking it slow but…”

Understanding seemed to dawn on Denny’s face. He looked incredibly disappointed.

“Ragatha,” Denny shook his head. “You can do so much better than him.” He pointed at Jax. “You know what I found out about this guy?”

Jax’s head jerked up. “Shut up,” he growled. “Whatever you think you know, you don’t.”

Denny glared at Jax before he continued.

“He has no job. He has no life. He lives here because his daddy owns the building and pays for everything. The fancy car? The clothes? The cigarette addiction? All of it is funded by his rich dad.” Denny narrowed his eye at Jax, speaking to Ragatha but never breaking eye contact. “He’s not a landlord. He’s not anything. He’s a womanizing, jobless lowlife.”

-

Jax could hear the pounding of his heart. He wasn’t sure what to say at first. His walls were going up faster than his brain was able to process what was happening. He stared at Denny before his gaze flicked over to Ragatha.

“Rags…”

“Jax?” She was stared at him in confusion.

“Nothing to say?” Denny said bitterly. “That’s new.”

“You son of—”

“Why is everyone fighting?” A tiny voice rang out, stopping them all in their tracks.

Annie stood on the stairs, her little face peering through the wooden banisters. She looked on the verge of tears.

“Oh, no baby,” Ragatha said immediately, hurrying over to her daughter. She pulled her into a tight hug. “No one is fighting. It’s all okay.” She kissed Annie’s head. “Go back upstairs and I’ll be right there, I promise.”

“Okay…” Annie hurried back to her room. Ragatha watched her go, looking devastated that her little girl had walked into such a mess.

Jax was wracked with guilt. He was also scared, though he’d never admit it out loud. He was scared that whatever he had with Ragatha was about to fall apart right in front of his eyes. He wasn’t about to break down here for everyone to see.

“Tell him about the lawyer,” Jax pointed to Denny while he spoke to Ragatha, his voice curt. “I’ll give my guy a call and tell him you’re in. Or not. Either way, let me know.” He turned and walked straight out the door, despite Ragatha calling after him.

-

Ragatha rounded on Denny immediately.

“How could you do that?” She struggled to keep from exploding on him. She loved her brother dearly, but in this moment, she could barely look at him.

“Why are you defending him?” Denny asked, aghast. “After everything I just told you? You’re seriously taking his side?”

“What are we, in high school?” Ragatha fumed. For Annie’s sake, she tried to keep her voice level. “Since when are there sides? The only sides are us and Ricky! There is no other side!” Ragatha covered her face and shook her head, holding back a scream. “Jax is on our side, Denny! He has a lawyer for me! A good one! And he’s helping us for free!”

“Ragatha please…you know how I’ve felt about that guy from day one!”

“It’s not up to you!” Ragatha exclaimed. “This is about me! My love life, not yours!”

“I thought you were done falling for loser men,” Denny said. “Yet here you go again!”

Ragatha wanted to slap him. “What a thing to say,” she muttered. “Really, Denny…”

Denny must’ve realized he’d struck a terrible nerve, because he looked immediately apologetic.

“I didn’t mean that,” he said quickly. “I’m sorry.”

“He’s not a loser,” Ragatha said softly. “So what if all that is true? No, it’s not ideal, but he’s been nothing but kind to me and to Annie, and that’s what matters to me. I’m not perfect, Denny. I never expect to be. I don’t expect Jax to be, either.”

“I’m only trying to look out for you,” Denny mumbled. “That’s all I’ve ever tried to do, Ragatha.”

“I know,” she replied. “But when will you stop acting as though every person I become interested in is a threat? I haven’t been in a real relationship since Ricky. Every other guy I was even remotely interested in, you somehow made me feel like they’re not good enough. I’m an adult, and I made some stupid choices in the past, but that wasn’t your fault then and it’s not your fault now!”

Denny looked away. A terribly awkward stretch of silence fell between them.

Ragatha sighed heavily. “I need to check on Annie, and I need to check on Jax,” she said. “No thanks to you.”

“Mommy!” Annie’s voice cried out from upstairs again, but this time, it was radiating with excitement. “MOMMY! There’s a swing in the backyard!”

Ragatha peered out the window. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed when she got home. Right in the middle of the backyard was a brand new metal and plastic swing-set, its silver poles gleaming in the sunlight.

Jax. He did this for Annie. Ragatha closed her eye to steady her emotions, lest they spill over.

“Who told you those things about him?” she asked Denny suddenly. “The stuff you told me.”

Denny’s face reddened. “Well…I mean, I’ve been working on this really complicated tattoo for a new client of mine. I’ve, uh, seen her a few times in the last month.”

Ragatha raised her eyebrow.

“At the shop! I’ve seen her at the shop!” Denny clarified quickly. “A-anyway, we were making small talk and somehow I brought you up and where you live and…how I can’t stand the landlord. We got to talking even more, and it turns out her friend dated him for a little bit. I learned all about him.”

Ragatha sighed. “I don’t care what one of his ex-girlfriends thinks, Denny. It doesn’t define how he’s been with me.” She slipped her shoes on.

“Where’re you going?” Denny asked.

“I’m going to see Jax,” she said. “You go see Annie. I’ll be back soon.”

Ragatha rushed out the front door. She tried Jax’s door, but it was locked. She knocked, she rang the doorbell, she called for him, but it was no good. He didn’t answer.

Just as she turned around, she noticed a cloud of smoke coming from the backyard.

She found him on his back patio. He held a cigarette between his fingers while he stared straight ahead, his elbows propped on the railing. It was so similar to that first night she’d run into him out here, it was almost eerie. Though it hadn’t been that long ago, it felt like another life. So much had happened between them in such a short span of time.

“Jax?” she called up to him.

Jax’s eyes darted down to her. Ragatha could tell he didn’t expect her to come after him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, glancing away.

“Will you come down? Or can I come in?” Ragatha asked softly.

Jax didn’t say anything. He took a deep breath and a drag on his cigarette.

“Please?”

“Sure,” he whispered. “C’mon, I’ll let you in.” He turned to head inside.

Ragatha ran back to the front door and waited, wringing her hands. When Jax opened it for her, she hurried inside without a second thought.

As Jax closed the door behind her, Ragatha realized she’d never actually been inside Jax’s home before. She looked around. The layout was just like hers, only opposite in structure. His furniture was simple and neutral. There wasn’t much in terms of decorations. The walls were mostly bare. A coffee table sat in front of a giant TV with a gaming console on top.

Ragatha turned back to Jax. He was staring at her. The bruise on his cheek was a nasty shade of dark purple, visible through his fur, and had started to creep up around his eye. His cheek was swollen.

“Oh, Jax,” she sighed, covering her mouth.

Before he could protest, before he could try to push her away, Ragatha ran toward him and pulled him into a tight hug. She felt him stiffen, and it was several seconds before she felt his arms hesitantly wrap around her.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered into his chest.

“For what?” he replied dully. “What are you sorry for?”

“For what just happened.” She nuzzled her face closer.

“Why are you apologizing to me?” Jax said. “I’m the fuck-up, not you.” Even as he said the words, Ragatha felt his arms tighten around her.

“You’re not,” Ragatha said.

“I kind of am,” Jax shrugged. “I’ve made peace with it a while ago.”

“Jax,” Ragatha said. “I don’t care what you did before. Why should I?” She pulled him close. “What happened before doesn’t change the way you’ve been with me since I’ve met you. My only wish is there you would’ve been honest with me from the start. Just like I should’ve been completely honest with you about my situation.”

“Yeah, right, I’m sure a jobless lowlife would’ve been really appealing to you…”

“Stop it,” Ragatha said firmly. “Don’t try to tell me what would appeal to me and what wouldn’t.”

Jax shrugged, nuzzling the top of her head. They stood together hugging for a while. Neither seemed willing to let go of the other.

“I thought you quit smoking?” Ragatha asked softly, a few moments later.

Jax shook his head. “It’s harder than you think, especially when I’m stressed out.”

“I don’t want you to feel stressed,” Ragatha whispered. “Nothing is going to change between us.”

“You say that now,” Jax replied. There was a bitter sadness in his voice that Ragatha wasn’t used to. This was a version of Jax she hadn’t met, and she assumed he was used to the type of rejection or disinterest he seemed to be expecting from her. She made a point to ask him about it, when he was ready of course. Now, she looked up at him to meet his eyes.

“I mean it now, and I’ll mean it later.”

“Sure…”

Ragatha reached up to physically turn Jax’s head to face her. He tried to avoid meeting her stare, but she was persistent. Eventually his golden eyes locked into hers.

“You built Annie a swing set,” she said.

“Yup,” Jax exhaled.

“Why?”

“Because she told me she used to have one, and she misses it,” he said simply. “We’ve got a big backyard, so I figured why not? I may or may not have broken one of my fingers with a hammer, but it’s a small price to pay.”

Ragatha wasn’t prepared for the surge of affection or love that washed over her upon hearing those words. It caught her by surprise, and she was taken aback by what it stirred within her.

No one other than herself, Denny, and her parents (before they’d lost their memories) had ever cared so much about Annie before. Unexpectedly, tears formed in the corner of her non-button eye. She hid them in Jax’s shirt.

She felt Jax shift against her, and suddenly, she was lifted into his arms, bridal style. He silenced any potential words with a kiss.

When they broke apart, Ragatha touched her forehead to his. His thumb came up to wipe the wayward tears. It was the most affectionate act from him yet.

“Please,” Jax whispered. “Please use the lawyer, Rags. I know your brother—”

“I am,” she said immediately. “It’s not Denny’s choice, it’s mine.”

Jax visibly relaxed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Good.”

Ragatha kissed him again. “Don’t worry about that. Let’s focus on right now. We need to get some ice on your cheek,” she said.

“Fine,” Jax sighed. “But only if you’re the one who holds the ice pack.”

“I can do that,” she giggled softly. “No problem at all.” She kissed his cheek, making him wince in pain. “Sorry! Okay, put me down so I can help.”

She instructed Jax to have a seat on his couch while she grabbed some ice from the freezer. Wrapping it in a plastic bag, she took a sheet of paper towel and joined him.

“Tilt your head back,” she ordered.

Jax leaned his head against the back of the couch, never taking his eyes off her. Gently, she pressed the ice pack to his bruised cheek.

“Fuck,” Jax mumbled, momentarily closing his eyes.

“Better?”

“Yes…”

“You know,” Ragatha smiled fondly at him. “I like taking care of you when you’re not faking an injury to see me.”

“Me too,” Jax grinned at her. “A house call, at that. I’m one lucky guy.”

“Now we just have to get you to really quit smoking. I kinda want you around for a long time, you know.” She played with the collar of his shirt.

Jax’s smile slightly faltered. “I promise, I’m gonna quit. And I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”

Ragatha shifted the ice pack to get nearer to his eye. “Okay…good.” She leaned in to kiss him softly, using her free hand to cup his other cheek.

After a few moments, Jax broke the kiss. Gently, he tugged her so she was seated in his lap, facing him. His eyes searched her face. He seemed so vulnerable, so very unlike himself from what she’d known of him so far.

“What’s wrong?” Ragatha asked softly. “Is it your bruise? I swear, I’m going to give Denny hell for this…” She moved the ice pack back to his cheek.

“It’s not that,” Jax shook his head. “Your brother’s punch isn’t as strong as you think.”

He’s lying, but that’s okay, Ragatha thought to herself.

“Then what?”

“I’m…uh…starting a new job on Monday,” Jax said. “Just thinking about how I’m not exactly looking forward to it.”

Ragatha blinked. “You are? Where?”

“With my dad’s company, actually,” Jax said.

“What will you be doing?” Ragatha was confused. Why hadn’t he mentioned this before? Why would be hide it? This was nothing to be ashamed about!

“Not exactly sure yet,” Jax chuckled softly. “Guess I’ll find out.”

“I’m sure you’ll do amazing, whatever you end up doing.”

“You give me too much credit, Rags,” Jax muttered.

“You don’t give yourself enough,” she countered.

“Sure…”

Ragatha lowered the hand holding the ice pack. Carefully, she cupped both his cheeks and tilted his head up so he was looking directly at her. She felt his hands settle on her hips.

“Listen to me,” she said firmly. “A month ago, we didn’t know each other. I’ve gotten to know you in a short few weeks, and you know what I’ve learned?”

“Do I want to know what you’ve learned?” Jax deadpanned. “It’s probably not good. Unless it’s that I’m good in bed. In that case, that’s good.” He flashed her a devious grin.

Ragatha ignored him. “I’ve learned that I don’t care who you were before these last three weeks. I’ve learned that whatever you did before doesn’t matter to me, because I didn’t fall for that person from over three weeks ago. I fell for the person you are right now, right here, with me.”

Jax tightened his grip on her hips. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but no words came out. Ragatha went on.

“I was looking for a new life, a fresh start, and I just felt so…lost. I’d forgotten what it was like to be cared about and I didn’t realize how much I missed it. My life is messy and complicated, Jax, and through it all, there’s you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “And I think…I’m falling in love with you.”

-

As she said those words, Ragatha looked directly into his eyes.

Jax could feel the frantic beating of his heart. He felt a tightness in his chest, the blood rushing in his ears, and suddenly the pain from where he’d been punched in the face seemed like nothing more than a minor itch in the far corner of his consciousness.

How was this even happening?

“It’s good you let me know,” he said finally, pulling her closer to him. “Because…I think I’m falling in love with you too.”

He’d never thought or said those words to—or about—anyone before.

He would remember the way she looked at him in that moment forever. He would remember the way her lips tasted when he pulled her to him in a kiss, and the way her hands felt as they clutched at him like she was terrified to let go.

Most of all, he would remember the way her body felt pressed against his as they let their feelings wash over them both like a tidal wave.

Notes:

Note about Abel: When I first mentioned Abel briefly in the previous chapter, I had his name originally spelled “Able” and thought I had made a mistake, so I changed it. I didn’t realize this is the common way the fandom actually spells it. Regardless, I’m keeping it as “Abel” for this fic. It just looks right to me. :)

Chapter 8

Notes:

I’m so sorry for the long lapse between the last chapter and this one. It’s been a busy couple of months. This is the second to last chapter. One more to go after this! Thank you for sticking with me. <3

The phone call with Abel went much more smoothly than Ragatha could’ve expected. He seemed like a no-nonsense lawyer, which was exactly what she’d been hoping for. She was intimidated at first, especially after Jax told her all about Abel and she’d learned of his power and influence. Luckily, this type of power was exactly what she needed, and it became apparent during her phone call that Jax and Caine and had prepped Abel with enough knowledge that talking to him felt like talking to someone she’d known her whole life. Maybe that was part of his charm. Intentional or not, it put her at ease.

The in-person meeting had been set for the following evening. Three days had come and gone since the night Denny had caught Ragatha and Jax together. Now that her secret was out, Jax didn’t have to sneak around to come see her, as much as Denny hated it. Little had been said about it by either of them, try as Ragatha might to get them to have a conversation, or at least acknowledge the other with something other than a glare or stiff nod.

Ragatha knew Jax was bitter about the fact that he couldn’t come with her and Denny to the meeting. Denny, on the other hand, was smug about it. He didn’t fail to bring it up the afternoon before, just as Jax was outside installing a camera on Ragatha’s doorbell. Ragatha was shocked to discover Jax was actually very handy with electronics. He’d insisted on the new device as a safety precaution, and even Denny couldn’t find a good enough reason to argue with that.

“I’m glad this lawyer understands the importance of family,” Denny said casually. He was playing with Annie while the little girl rode her scooter in the front driveway. “Y’know, keeping these things private and what not. Not letting too many people get involved.” He looked in Jax’s direction as he spoke.

Meanwhile, Ragatha poured over the documents that Abel had emailed over for her to review and sign.

“Denny,” Ragatha said softly, trying to keep the peace. “Do you really need to keep bringing the meeting up like this?”

“Let him,” Jax said casually, trying to stay focused on the task at hand. “He’s not getting the rise out of me that he thinks he is.”

“You sure?” Denny asked.

Ragatha rolled her eye. “Can we all please be adults here?”

“Can I be an adult too, Mommy?” Annie piped up, grinning as she scooted around.

“Not you, sweetie,” Ragatha smiled. “I’m referring to Uncle Denny and Jaxy. They need lots more work at being adults, it seems.” She gave both of them a warning glare.

Denny ignored her and focused his attention on his niece. Jax grumbled something and pulled out a screwdriver to finish installing the camera. It was going to take work to build up whatever semblance of a relationship her brother and her boyfriend might eventually have, but Ragatha was determined to get them at least on somewhat friendly speaking terms.

Ragatha’s phone buzzed at her side. Snatching it up quickly, she saw it a text from Gangle.

She read it and sighed, her heart sinking. “Damn it…”

Jax’s ears perked as he stood up. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Is everything okay?” Denny approached at the same time. The two eyed each other before their gaze drifted back to Ragatha.

Ragatha shook her head. “Gangle was supposed to watch Annie for me tomorrow while we meet with Abel, but she’s sick. She just told me she had to leave work early today.

“Can’t you ask Pomni?” Denny asked. “I’m sure she’d be willing.”

“Ugh, don’t ask her,” Jax stuck his tongue out like he was disgusted. Ragatha knew Jax still hadn’t forgiven Pomni for interrupting their would-be kiss that day in the ER.

“Did I ask your opinion, rabbit?” Denny shot back.

“Do I care if you didn’t?”

“Stop it!” Ragatha scolded. “And no, I can’t ask Pomni. She has a date tomorrow night.”

“We can always bring her with us,” Denny shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal,” Ragatha said. Then, much more softly, “I don’t want her hearing any of this. She’s too young, she doesn’t need to know.”

“Rags, I can watch her,” Jax said.

Ragatha and Denny both looked at Jax. He stared back at them and shrugged.

“You…would do that?” Ragatha was so relieved, she wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him—and she would, much later when they were alone—but she was tempted to right then and there.

“Yeah, sure,” Jax said. “Of course I would. How hard could it be?”

“Oh Jax, thank—”

“No way,” Denny shook his head emphatically. “That’s not happening.”

“Here’s a better idea. How about you fuck off?” Jax growled.

“How about I give your other side a matching black eye?” Denny raised his fist.

“ENOUGH!” Ragatha shouted, and even Annie stopped her circling of the driveway to look over at the three adults. Ragatha stood between her brother and Jax, arms extended. “Denny, stop this right now or I swear, I’ll take Jax with me instead, and I don’t give a damn what Abel says.”

Jax gave Denny a self-satisfied smirk. Denny looked like he wanted to hit him again.

“Jax can watch Annie,” Ragatha said. “This is my choice.”

“How can he be trusted to take care of a kid when he can’t even take care of himself?” Denny fumed. “I don’t trust him with my niece!”

“Well, I trust him with my daughter! Ragatha said, trying to keep her voice level. “End of story.”

Denny stood silent for a few moments. His gaze darted from Ragatha, to Jax, then back again. Then without a word, he stormed inside the house, slamming the door behind him.

“Yeesh, what a man-child,” Jax shook his head, not bothering to hide his smirk. “Grow up, already.”

“Ugh,” Ragatha pinched the bridge of her nose. “I need to talk to him…”

“He’s fiiiine,” Jax waved in the direction of the house and turned his attention to Annie instead. “Hey kid, you ready to hang out tomorrow?”

Annie’s face lit up. “Really?”

“Really,” Jax winked at her. “You and me.”

“Can we do puzzles?”

“Sure.”

“Read books?”

“You bet.”

“Play with dolls?”

“Love to.”

“Can I paint your nails?” she pointed to Jax’s claws.

Jax’s pupils shrunk. “Uh…that’s something we’ll have to discuss.”

“Okay.” Annie smiled up at Jax. Her eyes were the clearest, most vibrant shade of green that Jax had ever seen. They were so beautiful, it was a shame that she probably inherited them from her father.

“C’mon,” Jax said, pausing his work. “Lemme see you ride that scooter. How fast d’you think you can go?” He tapped his knuckles gently on the little girl’s helmet, making her giggle.

“Watch me!” She took off, as Jax looked on.

-

Later that night, Ragatha climbed into bed buzzing with both excitement and nerves. It was highly possible that by this time tomorrow the nightmare with Ricky might finally be over, as long as Abel could work his magic.

Jax slid into bed next to her. Immediately, she settled into his arms. Comfort, safety, and warmth enveloped her at once.

This feeling of being held and actually cared for was still so new, and Ragatha loved every moment of it. Plus, now that there was no more hiding or sneaking around, Jax could stay over whenever he wanted.

It was wonderful. She could get used to this.

Denny, however, could not. Ragatha had tried talking to him, but didn’t want to hear it. No matter how much she tried to persuade him otherwise, he didn’t trust Jax.

She was still happy and feeling more positive than she had in a long time, but the fact that Denny couldn’t accept her relationship was a huge downside that she struggled to get past.

“Hey,” Jax said, sensing her mood. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Ragatha shook her head. “I’m fine.”

“Liar,” Jax kissed her neck. If you asked Ragatha, it was a cheap trick to get her to open up to him, yet a very, very effective one. “C’mon, don’t lie to me, Rags. Truth only.”

Ragatha turned in his arms so she was facing him. Her fingers played with the longer fur on his chest.

“You’re not going to want to hear it, Jax.”

“Try me.”

“It’s about Denny.”

Jax frowned immediately. “You’re right, I don’t wanna hear it.” He reached over her and clicked off the lamp.

“Jax!”

“I don’t care what he thinks, Ragatha,” Jax said firmly, pulling her close. “And you shouldn’t either. He’ll get over it.”

Ragatha sighed. “It’s very important to me that the two most important men in my life get along.”

Jax laughed. “Two most important? I thought that title was reserved for me.”

“Stop,” Ragatha mumbled, settling against him. “You know what I mean.”

“I don’t, actually.”

“Jax…”

“What do I need to do to become number one?”

“Stop it.”

“This is important.”

“Go to sleep, Jax.”

-

Jax woke in the middle of the night with a jolt. For a moment, he forgot where he was. The air was different. The scent was different. This wasn’t his room.

Then he remembered, and relief washed over him. He felt Ragatha asleep against his chest, her breaths ruffling his fur with every soft exhale. He held her close to him on instinct.

Any other time Jax had woken up in another woman’s bed, the frantic impulse to leave had been overwhelming. The last thing he ever felt like doing was cuddling, waking up together, and having breakfast while making small talk. He never wanted to feel attached. To feel attached meant that it only hurt worse when they eventually decided you weren’t worth it anymore.

Ragatha was different in every way. Instead of the urge to flee, he wanted to burrow deeper into her sheets. Instead of being averse to touch, he wanted her closer. The idea of having breakfast with her, talking to her, spending all day with her, it brought him a calm and joyful feeling that he’d never felt before.

Right now, though, something was off. Something was different. Jax wasn’t quite sure why he woke up at first, but then he heard it. Ragatha’s phone was chiming softly, indicating the camera on the doorbell had been set off.

Probably an animal. Something must be crawling around in the front yard.

He tried to go back to sleep. He closed his eyes and attempted to clear his mind, but his nerves wouldn’t settle. He gently disentangled himself from Ragatha’s arms. She rolled over onto her other side, sighing softly in her sleep. Jax smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Then he stood and stretched, pulled on his sweatpants, and made his way downstairs.

The house was dark and quiet. He didn’t bother to turn on any lights. Ragatha had a nightlight installed in almost every room to help with Annie’s fear of the dark. It was enough to see clearly in front of you no matter where you stepped.

In the living room, Jax peered through the window. All was silent at this early hour. Not even the streetlights were on anymore. He didn’t see any animals, though it very well could’ve been a passing car.

Who would drive by a private street at this hour? No one drove down this way unless they lived in one of the houses. An uneasiness crept up his spine. Don’t get paranoid, he thought to himself. Her ex doesn’t know where she lives. How could he?

Maybe a drink would help…

He poured himself a glass of water and leaned against the counter, thinking.

Abel promised to have Ragatha’s ex followed. So what if Jax wasn’t allowed at the meeting tomorrow. Fine, whatever, he’d live. But he needed to get updates. Abel could at least keep him in the loop. Not knowing would drive him crazy.

That bastard better hope he never runs into me. Jax wouldn’t be able to control whatever happened if he did come face-to-face with Ricky. It wouldn’t be pretty.

“Jax?”

Ragatha’s soft voice broke through his dark thoughts. Jax glanced up and saw her standing at the foot of the stairs, regarding him with a sleepy expression.

“Hey Doll,” he whispered. “Go back to sleep, I’ll be right there.”

“Why are you up?” She walked over sleepily and wrapped her arms around his middle. Jax returned her hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“I was thirsty,” he said, half-truthfully. “Also needed to stretch my legs.”

“Funny,” Ragatha laughed softly. “I can’t get back to sleep either.”

“What’s up?” Jax asked.

Ragatha shook her head. “A lot, I suppose.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t know,” Ragatha looked at him. “I don’t know if it’ll help or not in this case. Things are going to happen after the meeting tomorrow…and…as relieved as I am that Abel might be able to help me—”

“Not might, Ragatha. He will help you.”

“What if he can’t, though? What if it’s not enough?” Her lip wobbled.

Jax could sense the coming tears. Without a word, he lifted her into his arms, bridal style, and carried her to the couch. He sat them down and held her in his lap, so her head was tucked under his chin.

“Abel can do a lot of things, Rags. He knows a lot of people, and he’s gotten me out of some tough situations in the past. If anyone can keep this guy away for good, it’s him.” He stroked her hair. “You’ve gotta trust me on this.”

“I do.”

“Good.”

“I wish you could come with me tomorrow,” Ragatha whispered. “I understand that Denny needs to come, but I’d feel more comfortable with you there too.”

Jax’s ears perked toward her. The fact that she’d rather have him there was satisfying, to say the least. Take that, cotton brain, he thought, thinking of Denny.

“Yeah, I wish I could come too,” he sighed. “Apparently Abel doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Whatever…I’m fine with it.” No, I’m not, but I’m not gonna make it worse.

“I’m glad you’re going to watch Annie, though,” Ragatha said. “She loves you so much.”

“Yeah, well, she’s pretty amazing too,” Jax said. “We’ll have a good time.”

“She’s a handful.”

“So am I.”

Ragatha laughed, hugging him tight. They sat in silence for a little while, until rain had started to fall outside. The pitter patter of droplets was a soothing soundtrack to their thoughts as they held each other close.

“It’s funny, but you know who I saw at work yesterday?” Ragatha suddenly spoke again. “Kaufmo.”

“Who?” Jax looked at her.

“You remember him, right? He was the friend I was supposed to get coffee with that night? The one who thought it was a real date?”

“That loser?” Jax laughed. “Yeah, I remember him now.”

“Well, he’s been practically avoiding me since that night,” Ragatha said. “He couldn’t even look at me without being awkward. I finally told him he didn’t need to feel strange around me and we could still be friends.”

Jax felt the stirrings of jealously low in his belly. Not that he had anything to worry about, but…he was jealous by nature.

“Believe me, you don’t want to be friends with an idiot like that,” Jax said matter-of-factly.

“And why not?” Ragatha grinned.

“Because he’s a joke, that’s why,” Jax said.

“Somebody sounds jealous,” Ragatha nuzzled his chest playfully.

“Heh, yeah, right.”

“Mhm.”

“Yeah, well, enough about him. Maybe we should get back to bed, huh? Busy day tomorrow…”

“Yeah,” Ragatha sighed. “We probably should. You’ve got an important morning tomorrow too.”

Jax grimaced. He was scheduled to be onboarded tomorrow at his father’s company, and there was nothing he was looking forward to less.

“Yeah…guess so.”

However, neither of them made a move to get up. In fact, Ragatha made herself more comfortable against his chest, snuggling into him. Jax leaned back, resting his head against the pillows on the armrest. Carefully, he pulled her to lay down on top of him, before grabbing a quilt off the back of the couch and draping it over them both.

This was nice. Maybe a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt, after all.

-

To Jax, the following morning was a blur. Pulling up to his father’s office building was like some sort of surreal dream. He’d been there so many times growing up, whether it was accompanying his mother to bring his father a fancy, home-cooked lunch, or sitting across from his father as a teen to “observe how the company works,” or one of the many company parties his father and Caine had hosted over the years, where employees and their families were treated to loud music, delicious food, and endless, boring speeches.

Jax didn’t want to be there now any more than he did all those other times before.

He knew that this type of career wasn’t for him. Everything he did to get to this point was to keep his parents off his back. Now, he faced a one-way tunnel with no option to turn around. Not if he wanted to keep Ragatha and Annie safe.

He pressed the button to kill the ignition of his car in the employee parking lot. Like a man walking to the gallows, he made the trek up the walkway to the looming building. Even through all the haze and fog of his mind, all he could think about was Ragatha.

This would be worth it. He needed to keep telling himself that.

-

“Ragatha, are you okay?”

Pomni’s voice faded in and out of Ragatha’s consciousness. Her eye had remained fixed on the computer monitor in front of her, reading the same patient’s medical chart over and over for the fourth time and not taking in a single sentence.

“Ragatha?”

“Huh?” Ragatha blinked and turned around to look at Pomni, who was staring nervously back at her.

“I asked if you’re feeling okay,” Pomni said.

“Yes,” Ragatha nodded, but her mind spoke the truth. No. I’m scared.

“You sure?”

“Yes.” No, because I think Ricky is following me.

“Maybe you should take your lunch early,” Pomni said kindly. “It wouldn’t hurt to take a break.”

“Maybe!” Ragatha laughed. The sound was hallow and fake. I wish Jax were here. “But I really don’t think it’s necessary, Pom. I’m just tired.”

She was not tired, she was terrified, but how could she say anything? Not now, not in the middle of work, not while Jax was in the middle of such an important day.

“Well, let me know if you need something, okay?” Pomni placed a reassuring hand on Ragatha’s shoulder. “You seem like something is bothering you. I’m a little worried, to be honest. I’ve seen that look before on you, and it’s not usually anything good.”

Pomni knew about Ragatha’s past with Ricky. She’d been there through the worst of it. Even so, Ragatha’s brain was telling her to avoid it. Deflect. Deflect and lie.

“I’m…” Ragatha took a deep breath. “I just…”

The buzz of her phone startled her, making her jump in place. That familiar and unwelcome cold dread washed over her.

“Ragatha,” Pomni spoke slowly. “It’s only your phone.”

“I—I’m fine—”

“You’re pale.” Pomni said firmly. “Don’t lie to me. I know you better than this.” Comprehension dawned on Pomni’s face. “Oh shit…are you pregnant or something?”

“No!”

“Then what?”

Another vibration distracted her. Finally checking, Ragatha saw that it was only a text from Jax, and she exhaled in relief. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little jumpy today…I don’t know why.”

Her mind traveled back to her drive to work. She thought of the black car with tinted windows, following her every move. Only when she turned into the employee lot at the hospital, nearly hyperventilating, did the car skid away, its tires screeching as it sped out of sight. Ragatha had felt like throwing up, she’d been shaking so hard.

“I’m calling Denny,” Pomni announced, taking out her own phone. “I think he needs to come get you. You can’t work like this. Hell, you can’t even drive like this.”

“NO!” Ragatha shook her head adamantly, pushing Pomni’s hand down. “I’m fine, I promise.”

Pomni’s fingers hesitated over the phone screen. “Do you want me to call your boyfriend instead? Will that help?”

That was another development. Ragatha had finally come clean to Pomni and Gangle about her relationship with Jax. The three had sat down and had lunch the day after Denny caught her and Jax together. They were surprised, but supportive, and for that Ragatha was grateful.

“I knew it,” Pomni had said gleefully. “I knew there was something going on with you two the moment I pulled that curtain back when he came here to see you!”

Now, Ragatha shook her head again. “I don’t want to bother him for a silly bout of anxiety. I’m fine.”

Pomni was staring like she didn’t believe her. Ragatha didn’t blame her. She didn’t believe herself either.

She glanced at the text message from Jax. She truly hadn’t wanted to bother him, not on such an important day. But she couldn’t deny that seeing his name across her screen instantly quelled her nerves, even momentarily. It read:

Sitting here filling out a ton of bullshit paperwork, and all I can think about is you. Just wanted to let you know, Dollface. Hope your day is going better than mine.

Ragatha smiled. She typed out a quick response.

I’m so proud of you!

She meant that, at least. Even if everything else she’d told to Pomni was a lie.

Jax responded almost immediately.

I’ll call you on your lunch break.

Ragatha panicked. If he called her, he would immediately know something was up. He could read her better than anyone, even her best friends. As much as she wanted to talk to him, to hear his voice, she knew couldn’t distract him with her worries. He would drop everything in a second to be here. She would never forgive herself if he messed up on his first day because of her.

I’m sorry, Jax, I already took my break, she lied. The ER is insane today and they need me to be hands-on all day. I’ll talk to you at home later. Feel free to text me, though.

Ugh, fine, he replied, and Ragatha could imagine his pout and disappointed eyes. Talk to you later, then…

She put her phone away, wishing that she could hold it together enough to hear his voice. It would help push down the growing dread that had been steadily building all morning.

With a determined sigh, she resumed her work, but her mind never fully focused for the entirety of the day.

-

As her friends and coworkers started going home at the end of their shifts, Ragatha was hesitant to head to the parking lot alone. With Gangle out sick and Pomni working a double, she found herself with no one to walk out with once work was done.

She was packing up her things, trying to temper her worries, when a voice startled her from behind.

“Hi, Ragatha.”

She spun around to find Kaufmo hovering closely behind her. He looked nervous, which he usually did whenever he tried to speak to her. His hands were shoved into his pockets and his cheeks had the faintest shade of pink.

“Oh,” she breathed out, relieved. “Hi, Kaufmo.”

“You leaving?”

“Yes, I am.” She shouldered her bag. “You?”

“Yup,” he nodded. “Did you want some company on the walk?”

Okay, well, maybe she could walk out with Kaufmo. At least she wouldn’t be alone.

“Sure,” she replied, as cheerfully as she could muster.

They walked to the elevator in silence, taking it to the ground floor and toward the exit leading to the employee lot.

“So, how’ve you been?” Kaufmo asked, as they stepped into the brisk evening air.

Ragatha glanced around for a sign of that black car. Nothing out of the ordinary seemed to stand out. The air was silent except for the distant chatter of other hospital employees as they walked to their own vehicles.

“Good,” Ragatha said, distracted. “You?” They started across the pedestrian crosswalk leading to their cars.

“Fine,” Kaufmo shrugged. “You know, we never did get to have our coffee date,” he said, as Ragatha fished in her purse for her keys. “I’d really like to make it up to you sometime, since you said we could still be friends and all.”

Ragatha froze, suddenly uncomfortable. “I…uh…m-maybe…”

“I know you’re seeing someone,” Kaufmo waved his hand at her. “It’s not like that. Just as friends, y’know?” He stared at her, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You busy right now?”

A chill ran down her spine. Ragatha had the sudden urge to get in her car and drive away as quickly as possible. She looked around her. She and Kaufmo were alone.

“I am seeing someone, yes,” she nodded. “And as for coffee…maybe another time.”

The clown looked disappointed, but not surprised. He nodded. “Sure Ragatha,” he said. “Another time.”

“Okay, well,” Ragatha grasped the car door handle. “I’ll see you around, Kaufm—”

“What’s his name?” Kaufmo asked suddenly, putting his hand on the door.

“What?”

“The guy you’re seeing,” he went on. “I’m assuming it was that guy at your house that night. What’s his name?”

“W-why?” she asked, eyeing his palm on the car door, holding it in place.

“Just curious,” Kaufmo shrugged. “I never got to ask him that night.”

“Jax,” Ragatha said softly. “His name is Jax, and I need to leave. I have to get home to my daughter. So if you don’t mind,” she gestured to his hand.

Kaufmo yanked his hand away like the car had burned him. Suddenly, he was all smiles again.

“No problem, Ragatha,” he said cheerily. “I’ll see you around, okay?”

Ragatha didn’t say anything. Staring behind Kaufmo, she was immediately distracted by the sight of the same black car from the morning, parked about a hundred feet away. She recognized it instantly. Suddenly, she felt the urge to throw up. She got in her car and didn’t say anything, locking the doors. Then she pulled out of the parking lot as fast as she could.

As soon as she turned onto the main road, absolutely sure that the car wasn’t following her, she burst into tears.

-

Jax knocked on Ragatha’s door at five-thirty sharp. The meeting with Abel was set for six. Jax never understood why Abel preferred to meet his clients in the evenings, but he never had a reason to question it before. He supposed he would ask Caine sometime, if only to satisfy his own curiosity.

He wondered how the evening would play out. How hard could it be taking care of a kid? Especially a good kid like Annie. It would probably be a breeze.

Jax’s grin disappeared when Denny was the one who opened the door.

“Where’s Ragatha?” Jax asked immediately.

“She’s upstairs getting ready,” Denny replied coldly, glaring at at Jax. He didn’t move out of the doorway.

Was cotton-brain really gonna try this now?

“Step aside, buddy,” Jax rolled his eyes. “We both know you can’t keep me out, so just make it easier on everyone and get the hell outta the way.”

Denny ground his teeth, but ultimately must’ve figured the struggle wasn’t worth it. It was to Jax’s immense satisfaction that he moved aside without a word.

“Hi Jaxy!” Annie shouted cheerfully from the couch.

“Hey kid, ready to have fun?”

“Yes!”

“Me too,” Jax winked at her. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Okay!”

Ignoring the dirty look Denny seemed to have permanently plastered on his face, Jax sprinted up the steps to Ragatha’s room. He knocked on the door.

“Rags, it’s me,” he said. “I’m coming in.” He didn’t wait for a response. He turned the doorknob and entered. His eyes landed on Ragatha, sitting on the edge of her bed with a faraway look in her eyes. She glanced up sharply when she noticed him.

“Jax,” she stood, running to him. He met her in a hug, his arms wrapping tightly around her. Ragatha hid her face in his chest.

“Geez, missed you too,” he laughed, pressing a kiss to her head.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” she said in a small voice.

Jax’s ears twitched. He could hear the way her voice shook when she spoke and he didn’t like it one bit. Sure, she was probably nervous about the meeting, but it seemed like it was something more than that.

“Ragatha,” he said, prying her away from him so he could look at her. She kept her head down. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Be honest with me.”

“I am.”

Why was it so hard for her to be honest with him about these things?

“You’re not.”

She looked away from him, her eye circling the room before meeting his golden stare.

“I’m…scared.”

“Scared of what? What are you talking about? The meeting?” Jax chuckled. “Rags, it’s gonna be fine. Abel knows exactly—”

She looked at him pleadingly and shook her head. “I think he’s following me, Jax.”

Something inside him shifted. Just like that, with those six words, his brain froze and his composure snapped.

“What?” Jax moved his hands to her shoulders and squeezed. “Ragatha…why didn’t you call me? What the fuck—”

“Don’t swear at me!” Ragatha rubbed her eye, which was slowly filling with tears.

“Shit…I’m sorry, I’m not swearing at you, I promise…I’m just…damn it! You should’ve told me! When?”

“On my way to work and on my way back. He knew when I was leaving and he knew when I got out…”

“I texted you today! You knew, and you didn’t tell me?” Jax couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You had to deal with this all day?”

“I wasn’t going to bother you on such an important day, Jax!”

Jax blinked at her. He wanted to scream at her for that one. To remind her that his stupid fucking job meant nothing to him compared to what her safety meant to him. He wanted to shake her and ask why she thought it was necessary to keep something like this from him. But, he knew that wasn’t what she needed right now, nor would it help matters.

“Okay.” He took a deep breath and led her back to the end of the bed, where he sat them both down. “Tell me what happened. All of it.”

Jax listened as Ragatha relayed the day’s events from start to finish. The entire time, he was seething inside, holding back from punching a hole in the wall, or going out there and finding that fucker himself and making him pay. Ultimately, he knew he needed to calm down. It would do no good otherwise.

When she mentioned that loser coworker of hers again—Kaufmo, or whatever the fuck his name was—how he creeped her out, Jax made it his personal mission to get back at him. An event for another time, but on his do-to list nonetheless.

“What if he follows us to the lawyer’s office?” Ragatha said. “Oh God, he probably knows where I live.” She hid her face in her hands.

“You call me. You call me immediately,” Jax said. “Will you?”

Ragatha nodded. “Uh-huh…”

“If he’s stupid enough to follow you all the way to Abel’s office, then that’s even better for us. Abel has that place surrounded by so many cameras, there’s no way we wouldn’t be able to find him immediately.”

“Okay.”

“I’m scared to leave Annie!”

“I promise you, she’s safe with me. Don’t even worry about that. Just…tell your brother when you get in the car. He needs to know, too. Okay? You promise?”

“I promise.”

“Listen,” Jax said, pulling Ragatha to him and hugging her close. “We’re gonna fix this. He’s not gonna touch you, he’s not gonna touch Annie. I promise, Abel will take care of it.”

“Okay...”

“Ragatha, I mean it.”

“I know.”

Jax scrubbed his hand over his face and exhaled. Ragatha squeezed his torso tightly. She hadn’t stopped holding him.

“Listen,” he said again. “I know you don’t feel it now, but I promise, everything is going to be okay. Alright? Trust me.”

Ragatha nodded. Jax wished she believed him, but he knew she didn’t. It was written all over her face.

“C’mon,” he rubbed up and down her arms. “You’ve gotta get going.”

“You sure you’ll be okay with Annie?” Ragatha asked, finally releasing him and staring up into his eyes.

“Of course I will,” Jax said. “Don’t worry about us.”

“Her bedtime is at seven thirty, in case I’m not back in time.”

“Got it.”

“There’s food in the fridge.”

“Okay.”

“She can watch TV.”

“Sure.”

“You can call me—”

“Dollface,” Jax said soothingly. “I got it.” Jax kissed her softly, weaving his hand through her hair.

“Ragatha!” Denny called from downstairs. “Let’s go! We need to leave!”

“C’mon,” Jax took her by the hand. “Let’s go before your brother gets the wrong idea…again. Don’t need to give him another excuse to punch me.”

Though Ragatha laughed, her phony smile said otherwise. He led her downstairs, where Denny was waiting by the front door.

“Ready?” He looked at Ragatha.

“Ready as ever,” she said softly. “Annie? Be good for Jaxy, okay?”

“Okay!” The little girl gave Ragatha a thumbs up from her spot on the rug, where she was immersed in her dolls. Ragatha smiled.

“We’ll be back soon,” Ragatha said to Jax, hugging him. “Thank you for watching Annie.” She stood on her tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek.

“We’ll be fine,” Jax said, ignoring Denny’s dirty look. “And so will you.”

He watched them get into Denny’s car and drive away.

It was going to be fine. It was going to work out. And when he found Ricky, Jax was going to make his life a living hell.

Chapter 9

Notes:

This was supposed to be the last chapter, but it was getting to be so long, I decided to split it in two. So there will be one more coming soon!

Again, thank you for reading!

*Warning: Minor mention of past domestic abuse

Abel’s office was nothing like Ragatha had expected.

When she and Denny pulled up to an old, Victorian-style house on a quiet street in an affluent section of the city, she wondered if this was his actual home. As it turned out, it was a renovated house-turned-office building. Abel had a deep appreciation for nineteenth century architecture and decor.

Now, Ragatha and Denny waited as they sat in two plush velvet chairs in front of Abel’s desk. Ragatha felt the nerves churning in her belly, as she had the entire ride over. The lawyer himself sat behind a large mahogany desk. Behind him stood bookshelves lined with dozens of old-looking tomes. Antique objects rested on every available surface. Instead of overhead lighting, ornate lamps cast a warm glow over the room. It was a strange mixture of cozy and eerie, like you were walking into a museum that doubled as a living room.

“So,” Abel spoke in a calm, measured voice. “I’ve been briefed on your situation. I’ve looked over your paperwork and it’s all in order.” He looked from Ragatha to Denny. “You must be Denim, Ragatha’s brother.”

“Yes sir,” Denny said, standing to shake Abel’s hand. “You can call me Denny. Everyone does.”

“Certainly, if you prefer.” Abel turned his attention to Ragatha. “I’ve known Jax’s family for years, both through my brother Caine’s property business and for the numerous times they’ve used my services. Jax holds you in very high regard, my dear.”

Ragatha felt herself blush. Her hands clasped in her lap.

“That being said, I do not normally take cases like this. However, I will do whatever I can to help you, because I trust my brother and I trust Jax’s father, John, and if they think you need my help, I believe them.”

“Thank you for doing this for me,” Ragatha said earnestly. “I mean it…it’s been difficult and stressful trying to figure out what to do next.”

Abel steepled his hands and sat up straight in his high-backed leather chair. “You are certainly welcome. Now Miss Ragatha, as much as I’ve familiarized myself with your situation from the paperwork you’ve sent to me and the brief information I’ve gained from both Caine and Jax, I believe it would be best to hear it directly from you. Please tell me, in your own words, exactly what happened to get to this point.”

Ragatha paled. She wasn’t expecting to go over it all. She didn’t want to do this. Not again.

“I…”

Abel waited patiently. To her right, Ragatha could feel Denny staring at her.

“It’s okay, Ragatha,” Denny said calmly. “Just tell him.”

“Take your time,” Abel said. “I promise you, I’m not requesting this of you to cause you stress. I’m doing this because the more I know about the situation, the better I will be able to handle it. Do not leave anything out, but if you need to take a break, please feel free.”

Ragatha took a deep breath. She wished now, more than ever, that Jax was there with her. She closed her eye, exhaled, and started from the very beginning.

-

“I think this color looks really, really nice on you, Jaxy,” Annie said.

Jax wasn’t quite sure how he’d been suckered into letting Annie paint his claws, but he was in too deep to question it at this point. He was seated at the miniature table in her bedroom, on what was probably the smallest chair known to man. Annie sat across from him, one tiny hand holding up his palm and the other carefully maneuvering a nail polish brush to apply a thick coat of blue paint.

“You think?” Jax laughed awkwardly. His other hand was already drying at his side.

“Yep,” she nodded sagely. “Blue is pretty.”

Jax could only nod in agreement and let the little girl continue. As the evening went on, he found it was increasingly difficult to say no to Annie. Not when she blinked those big, green eyes at him. He didn’t know how Ragatha did it. So far he’d let her paint his nails, eat four cookies for dinner, have more than one cup of juice, and as it was nearing her bedtime, he wondered how he was going to make her get ready for bed when she showed no signs of slowing down.

Maybe this was the reason Ragatha had instructed him not to give her too much sugar.

“You like your new swings?” Jax asked her, as she blew on his nails to help dry them.

“Yes,” Annie nodded. “I love them.”

“Great. How’s school going?”

“Okay.”

“You enjoy it?”

“Yes.” She scrunched up her nose and nodded again, satisfied with her handiwork on Jax’s nails. “Can you pick me up sometime, Jaxy?”

Jax frowned. “From school?”

“Uh-huh,” Annie said. “Other daddies do. I don’t have a daddy, so maybe you can pretend to be my daddy and you can pick me up sometimes, like Mommy and Uncle Denny do.”

Jax felt his heart twist in a weird, uncomfortable way.

“Uh…I don’t know, Annie,” Jax shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Will you ask my Mommy?” She looked up at him hopefully, smiling wide. “It’s just pretend, but…Mommy says we can pretend sometimes if it makes us feel better.”

“Right…”

“All dry!” Annie announced suddenly. “Pretty nails, Jaxy! You like them?”

Jax looked at his claws. They were a blue mess, but staring at Annie’s proud face waiting for his approval was worth more than any potential embarrassment that might come from going out in public this way. He grinned at her.

“I don’t just like them, I love them.”

She rushed forward and tackled him in a hug. Jax wrapped his arms around her tightly, protectively, securely…and somehow he knew that just like her mother, he would do absolutely anything in the world for this little girl.

-

Ragatha was shaking.

She’d reached the point in her story where she was trying to explain what happened the night she took Annie and ran. The memory—no matter how much time had passed or how hard she tried to suppress it over the years—was still painfully real.

She felt the cold sweat on the back of her neck. Suddenly, the lights in the room seemed too harsh and uncomfortably hot.

“Ragatha?” Denny called her name, but he sounded far away. “Are you okay?”

“Would you like some water, my dear?” Abel asked.

Ragatha could feel Abel’s eyes staring at her, unblinking.

When she’d told this story to Jax, she’d felt safe. He made her feel safe. He was holding her, comforting her, and she felt like nothing could harm her again. Without him, she didn’t want to do this…she couldn’t do this.

“Ragatha?” Denny called her again.

She remembered the way Ricky had grabbed her by the neck that horrible night and slammed her against the kitchen cabinets. She remembered the sting of his hand as he backhanded her across the face. She remembered hearing an infant Annie screaming upstairs, and the way she scrambled to gather her things and run when Ricky had left the room in a blind rage.

She remembered all of those things, but the words wouldn’t leave her mouth. Those were details she hadn’t even told Jax about that day. She’d never been so scared in her life.

Ragatha started hyperventilating.

Denny squeezed her shoulder. “Woah..hey, Ragatha, it’s okay.”

She felt like she had no air. She shook her head furiously and kept her lips tightly closed.

Denny looked at Abel, unsure what to do.

Abel was staring at her with a curious expression. Head tilted to one side, it was like he was studying her.

She hated it. She wanted him to stop looking at her like that. She wanted to leave. She wanted to be with Annie. She wanted Jax.

“I think we need to give her a break,” Denny’s voice said, off to her right.

Abel cleared his throat. “Ragatha? My dear, listen to me. I have an idea. Would it help us to get Jax on the phone?”

Ragatha froze. She looked at him.

“Jax? We can call him?”

Denny let out a frustrated exhale.

“Yes, we certainly can,” Abel nodded. “I think it will help calm you down if you can hear him.”

It would.

Ragatha nodded. “Call him. Please.”

-

Jax was surprised when his phone started vibrating. He and Annie had just sat down to watch TV (a cartoon about dragons) when he saw Abel’s number flash across the screen.

A mixture of panic and excitement washed over him. Was it done? Did they figure out the next steps?

“Hello?”

“Jax.”

“Abel,” Jax said, walking away so Annie wouldn’t hear him. “What is it?”

“Jax, I have Ragatha on speakerphone,” Abel spoke calmly.

“Why?” Jax started pacing. “Ragatha, are you okay?”

“We think it would be helpful if you talked to her,” Abel went on. “Recounting certain events of her past is difficult for her at the moment, which is completely understandable. I think she needs to hear that you’re here too, even if it’s just listening in.”

Jax did all he could not to lose it on Abel. To not yell and rage at him for denying him being there in the first place when it was obvious that she needed him.

He knew this would happen. He knew it. He knew it from the moment she told him her story and she could barely keep herself together. How did they expect her to do the same in front of a complete stranger?

“Ragatha, I’m here,” Jax said calmly.

“Hi Jax.” Right away, Jax could sense the fear in her voice.

“I’m gonna stay with you, okay Doll? Just gimme a minute. I need to talk to Abel.” He ground his teeth. “Abel, take me off speaker or take me in the other room.”

“Certainly.” Jax could hear shuffling on the other end and the sound of a door closing. Finally, Abel spoke again. “I’ve stepped out of the room. What is it, Jax?”

“I told you,” Jax growled, keeping his voice low so Annie couldn’t hear. “I told you I needed to be there, Abel.”

“I know you did.”

“I knew she would need me there, and you, like everyone else, thought you knew what was best for us, but you fucking—”

“Jax, stop right now,” Abel’s voice was deadly calm. “If you want me to continue with this case, you’ll stop that sentence before you say something you’ll instantly regret.”

Jax froze. He took a deep breath to collect himself before he lost his temper. He knew Abel meant it. What stake did he have in this? He could easily refuse the case if he wanted. Jax wasn’t about to blow this for Ragatha.

“Okay,” Jax mumbled. “Fine. I’m…sorry about that.” You stupid pompous fucker.

“Let’s start again,” Abel said. “I’m going to bring you back into the room and we are going to act like this conversation didn’t happen. Just let her know you’re there with her.”

“Fine.”

-

Ragatha watched as Abel stepped back into his office. He calmly sat down and placed his phone on his desk. What had Jax said to him? She took a few deep, calming breaths and waited.

“Okay Jax, we’re all here,” Abel said.

“Rags,” Jax said softly. “You okay over there?”

“Y-yes,” she said softly.

“I’m right here with you,” Jax said.

“Is…Annie okay?”

“Don’t worry, Annie’s fine,” Jax said. “She’s watching TV, I can see her from the kitchen. Everything is good on our end, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You can do this,” Jax said. “I’m right here with you.”

Ragatha wiped at her eye. Hearing his voice was helping her more than she thought possible.

“Let’s continue, shall we?” Abel said gently. “Ragatha? Are you ready?”

“I’m ready,” she said. Beside her, Denny cleared his throat like he was going to speak, but thought better of it when she glanced at him. He nodded in her direction, indicating for her to start.

It was awful.

She relayed everything. Every excruciating detail, every painful memory, every negative thought she’d had about herself since then. She showed the screenshots of threatening text messages she’d received, replayed saved voicemails she’d been too scared to revisit, but only saved at the request of her previous lawyer “just in case” she ever needed them. She told him about the car that followed her to and from work, and the eerie feeling she’d had of late that she was being followed while on errands, too.

Jax had coaxed her through it all with occasional soft words of encouragement. Denny stared at the floor, stone-faced, silently fuming over hearing what she’d gone through all over again. Abel looked on with benign interest, as though this was all relatively normal.

By the time Ragatha was done, she was sobbing.

-

Jax’s chest hurt. His anger flared. Somehow, Annie had fallen asleep on the couch while she waited for him to finish his call, and Jax took that as an opportunity to wander into the backyard for some air. He felt closed in and needed space.

Once outside, he looked for something to break. He needed an outlet. Luckily, he spotted a flower pot that had once been filled with chrysanthemums his mother had dropped off about a month back. She loved gardening and thought it might brighten up the yard. The flowers were long dead, Jax having neglected them, but the pot was made of heavy, expensive ceramic. It would do nicely.

He lifted it and flung it as hard as he could, where it smashed against a large rock by the fence. Ceramic shards ricocheted in every direction. It was easy when he imagined that it was Ricky’s head. It wasn’t enough, though, so he looked around for something else.

Ragatha hadn’t told him the horrible details. She said she’d run away, of course, but she left out the part about how that bastard put his hands around her throat, about how he slammed her against the cabinet hard enough to bruise her…about the threatening voicemails she’d received for weeks until the original restraining order had been put in place.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck…I want him dead.

Jax took several deep breaths. Then he slammed his fists against the fence and cursed. He needed to pull himself together.

He glanced at the mess he’d made of the ceramic pot, then felt guilty about the thought of Annie wandering around in the yard and accidentally cutting herself on one of the pieces. It would be his fault if that happened.

He’d gone so fucking soft, but it was worth it for her…and for Ragatha.

He stooped to pick up as many pieces as possible. Sure enough, in his haste, one shard was sharp enough to slice his palm. He dropped it, cursing. The cut immediately started bleeding.

How many more things would test his patience today? He needed to wrap this up before he bled all over Ragatha’s house.

He could feel that familiar, fidgety nervousness coming on. Out of instinct, he reached for the emergency pack of cigarettes and a lighter that he kept hidden in a box of rarely used lawn tools. He plucked a cigarette from the box with his good hand, brought it to his mouth, and froze.

“Fuck.”

He promised Ragatha he’d stop. He’d already fucked that promise up more than once. Regardless of his anger and his stress with the situation, he needed to try.

He took the cigarette and crushed it, along with the box, in his fist. Then he turned and walked back into the house.

-

Ragatha and Denny drove home in near silence, save for the soft music playing through Denny’s speakers. Ragatha wasn’t even listening. Her head hurt. Her face was puffy and red. All she wanted was to go home to be with her daughter.

After a while, Denny broke the silence.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said. “This is going to be over soon, Ragatha.”

“I know,” she whispered.

Abel had immediately drawn up documentation for a newer, much longer, and far more detailed restraining order. He reasoned that since Ricky had, in fact, been messaging Ragatha and stalking her before the initial restraining order had ended, he was violating it. Because of the documented history of domestic violence, he could face potential jail time as a result.

He also dug up as much information as possible on Ricky himself. Ragatha didn’t ask how Abel had access to such a database, but she honestly didn’t care. He swore he would use as much as he could against Ricky to get him convicted.

Additionally, Abel was going to have Ricky followed. He made sure to let them know that Jax had specifically requested that detail.

“So…” Denny glanced at her. “How do you feel?”

“Tired,” she said. She pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the window. It felt soothing and dulled the pounding ache.

A stretch of silence passed. Ragatha didn’t feel like talking, so she was grateful Denny didn’t continue…until…

“You really love that guy, huh?”

Ragatha perked up, sitting straighter in her seat. She looked at her brother.

“By ‘that guy’ I’m assuming you mean Jax?”

“Yup.”

“Yes,” Ragatha said. “I do love him.”

“Even though you barely know him?” Denny said. “Even though he doesn’t have a job, has none of his own money…”

“He does have a job, actually,” Ragatha frowned. “A job he started today, all so I could have Abel as my lawyer. A job he actually hates, but took anyway, for me and for Annie. And you know what, Denny? Sometimes you don’t need to know a person all that long to know they’re right for you. Sometimes it hits you out of nowhere.”

Denny looked at her and back at the road. “Fair enough,” he grumbled. “I’m…going to try to be nicer to him…but only for you.”

“You will?” Ragatha felt hope, even if it was just a tiny bit. It was something. “You promise?”

“It doesn’t mean I like him or anything,” Denny said immediately. “It means that I won’t actively try to hurt him when I’m around him. It also means I’ll stop butting in when you two are together.”

“That would be appreciated, thank you,” Ragatha smiled.

“That was…good of him to talk you through that meeting,” Denny added. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be the one to do that for you.” He sounded disappointed in himself.

“Denny,” Ragatha said softly. “It’s not that you couldn’t…it’s just…”

How could she explain to Denny that being around Jax was the safest she’d felt in years without hurting him? He did his best to protect her and Annie every single day.

“You’re my brother, and I love you,” Ragatha said. “That love is obviously different from the love I feel for Jax. I guess…he’s made me feel safe in ways I haven’t felt in a long time. Being cared for the way he has…it’s different. He was the first person I opened up to about this whole ordeal who wasn’t you. I don’t know how else to explain it or describe it.”

“You don’t have to,” Denny shrugged. “If you’re happy…then I’m happy for you.” He sighed. “But I swear to God, Ragatha, and I mean this with every fiber of my being. If he hurts you ever in any way, shape, or form, he is a dead man.”

“Denny…”

“I mean it,” he said again. “I will not hold back.”

“Okay,” Ragatha chuckled. “You made your point, Den.”

“Another thing—”

Denny was interrupted as his bluetooth lit up, indicating an incoming call. Ragatha looked at the name on the screen and her eye narrowed in suspicion.

“Who’s Loo?” she asked, raising her eyebrow at him.

“What?!” Denny panicked, which was very unlike him. “Wh—who? I—I mean, she’s—Loo is—”

Ragatha watched Denny struggle. It was actually quite hilarious.

“Someone I should know about?” Ragatha smirked at him.

“She’s my client,” Denny finally said, as his cheeks turned a shade of red that rivaled his hair. “The one I told you about, remember?”

“The one who tried to ruin my relationship with Jax by feeding you information about him from his ex?” Ragatha said cooly. “Yeah, I remember that client.”

“Okay, okay, I know that was bad…”

“I’ll say.”

“Anyway…we may have gone out a couple of times.”

Ragatha was shocked. She couldn’t remember the last time Denny had a girlfriend.

“She’s really cool,” he went on. “I think you’d like her.”

Ragatha laughed dryly. “That remains to be seen.”

“Fair enough.”

Ragatha sighed, grinning at him. “I’m happy for you too, Denny.” She squeezed his arm. “You deserve it.”

“Thanks, sis…”

Ragatha could see her house come into view as they drove closer. She couldn’t wait to get inside and put this awful day behind her. It felt like it had gone on forever.

She was surprised to see Jax sitting on the front steps, waiting for them. When he noticed the car slowing to a stop, he raised his head and stood, looking fidgety.

Ragatha opened her door and ran to him. Jax caught her in his arms, where she latched herself to his chest in a vice-like hug. His chin came down on top of her head, burying his face. Ragatha felt him inhale deeply.

“You okay?” he mumbled into her curls, nuzzling.

“I don’t know,” she replied truthfully. She just wanted to be with him. Forget the rest of this awful day. “How was Annie for you?”

“She was perfect,” Jax mumbled. “She’s fast asleep.”

Denny walked around the car and leaned against the passenger side door, watching them with his arms crossed over his broad chest. His expression remained neutral, yet unwavering, like he was trying to figure them out.

“You good, Ragatha?” he finally asked.

“Yes, I’m good now, Denny,” Ragatha pulled away from Jax to face her brother. “Thank you so much for everything today.”

“Sure,” Denny said. He glanced at Jax. “Thanks for helping her through that,” he said gruffly. “That was rough for her.”

Ragatha felt a surge of affection for him in that moment. She knew he was genuinely going to try, just as he said he would. It brought her some inner peace, knowing that maybe Denny and Jax might eventually get to a good place with each other.

Jax only nodded, but for the first time since the two men had met, there was no anger or disgust in his expression. Ragatha felt his arm tighten around her side.

“See you later,” Denny said, turning back to his car.

Ragatha and Jax watched in silence as he drove away. She reached blindly for Jax’s hand, ready to lead him inside, but Jax scooped her up into his arms before she had the chance.

“Jax!” Ragatha squeaked. “What are you—?”

“C’mon,” Jax said. He carried her all the way to the couch, where he held her tightly to his chest as they sat down. “Relax.”

His words did something to her. The tensioned she’d been holding for hours immediately released.

“I know you probably want to hear about it all,” Ragatha said softly, resting her head against him. “I just…don’t think I have the energy right now.”

She figured he must have questions. A lot of information came to light about her past that she hadn’t given him before. Details that she’d buried for years. She felt raw and exposed, and wanted nothing more than to sleep it away.

Jax stared at her with a soft expression. He shook his head.

“Not tonight.”

Ragatha glanced up at him. “Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Jax…” Ragatha sighed, feeling her nerves slowly unwinding under his soft hold. “You always—” She paused when she noticed his bandaged palm. “What happened to your hand?”

“What? This?” Jax shrugged it off. “It’s nothing. Just a cut.”

“How did that happen?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She frowned at him. “If you’re not gonna tell me what happened, at least let me clean it up for you. Goodness, Jax…you don’t want it to get infected.”

“How lucky am I to have a nurse for a girlfriend?” Jax sighed dramatically. “Okay, I guess so. Patch me up.”

“I’ll just get the antiseptic cream and—” She pulled his hand closer, inspecting his nails.

Is that what I think it is?

“What?” Jax glanced at her.

“Are your claws blue?” she asked incredulously. She could barely stifle her giggle.

“What? Oh, these?” Jax held his hands out for her inspection. “Annie wanted to paint them. How do they look?”

Ragatha couldn’t help it. She laughed out loud, a genuinely happy sound that she hadn’t made in forever. It didn’t take long for Jax to join her, snickering at first before delving into full-on laughter. They fell into each other, their foreheads gently touching.

“Jax?” Ragatha wiped her eye as her laughter finally died down.

“Yeah?” He smirked at her, that lazy grin stretching across his face and doing funny things to her brain. That same grin that intrigued her the day they met outside her home, and whenever their eyes would lock in passing in the yard or through the window, and finally the night they made love for the first time.

Ragatha was so undeniably in love with him.

“I love you, Jax,” she whispered. The words flowed freely. There was no hesitation when she spoke.

Jax froze. His eyes widened, his black pupils growing huge.

It was the first time she’d said it to him outright like this.

“You don’t have to say it back,” Ragatha began to do damage control, worried that maybe she’d made him uncomfortable. Maybe she’d moved too quickly? It was a big thing to throw at someone… “I just needed to let you know, and—”

Jax leaned forward and silenced her with a deep kiss. He clutched both sides of her face, his thumbs brushing against her cheeks in a soft gesture that made the butterflies in her stomach go wild. It wasn’t until he pulled away, leaving her dizzy and disoriented, that he finally spoke.

“I love you too, Ragatha,” he said. “I’ve loved you from day one.”

Her heart felt like it could burst.

“Jax…” Ragatha wrapped her arms around his neck, and wasted no time in kissing him again.

Jax held on, guiding her to lean back against the couch cushion, all the while their mouths connected over and over.

“I love you,” Ragatha broke away for a moment to say it again.

“I love you too,” Jax replied immediately, ducking his head to mouth her neck.

Ragatha held the back of his head, stroking his ears.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Their words faded into actions. Much, much later, Jax carried her up to bed. They clung to each other in sleep, neither wanting to let go of the other, the weight of their confessions still heavy in the air and lulling them into a deep, dreamless rest.

-

Jax’s office was unnecessarily large for what he deserved.

It was as though his father had sanctioned off this particular space solely for the day that his son would eventually join the company. No one had a space as large, except for John and Caine. In fact, their offices were directly across from Jax’s.

Jax noticed the way the other workers looked at him with barely disguised annoyance. They knew he didn’t deserve this job, didn’t work for it, didn’t move up the ranks like the rest of them had been doing for years. It was nepotism at its best, as far as they were concerned. The older ones had been here since he was a child and had watched him grow up. Now, they were required to view him as their superior.

He sat at his desk, in an expensive leather chair, pulling at the stupid tie around his neck that was making him itch. His fingers drummed on the wooden desktop, tapping frantically to some made-up beat as he waited.

Abel was due to call him at any moment. It had been almost a week since Ragatha’s meeting, and Jax was waiting for an update on Ricky’s status.

Jax’s anger flared whenever he thought of him. It would hit him at the most random of moments, culminating in him usually wanting to break something within his reach. He kept his outbursts hidden from Ragatha as best as he could.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. The office secretary, Martha, peeked her head inside.

“You have a meeting in ten minutes, Jax,” she said sweetly.

Jax rolled his eyes. A meeting for what? He hadn’t been assigned any big projects yet. He didn’t even know what he was supposed to be working on.

“Uh…thanks, I—”

His phone rang.

Abel.

“I gotta take this,” he said quickly. “Close the door.”

As soon as Martha was gone, Jax snatched up his phone.

“Hello?”

“Jax.”

“Abel.”

“I’m sure you’d like to get right down to business, so we can skip the small talk if that works.”

“Fine by me,” Jax paced the length of his office. “What have you got?”

“As we guessed, Richard is renting a small apartment just outside the city. He’s been there for about three months now. He does in fact drive a black car. We were able to identify and match it to traffic camera footage from just outside the hospital. He’s been following Ragatha for weeks, it seems.”

Jax balled his hand into a fist.

“Fucker,” he growled through gritted teeth. “How’s he paying for things? Does he have a job?”

“He works as a shift manager at a Spudsy’s restaurant outside the city. It’s third shift, so it would explain how he’s able to follow Ragatha so easily during the day. I’ve also gathered data that he’s a part-time scalper reseller.”

“Fitting…” Jax growled. “What else you got?”

“He was served with the papers for the restraining order by one of my associates yesterday at his home.”

“How did he react?”

“Strangely calm from what I was told. He thanked my associate politely and walked back inside his house.”

“What happens if he violates the restraining order?”

“He’ll be arrested immediately. I’m already working on a case against him for breaking the first order.”

Jax sighed, trying to keep his anger in check. He continued his pacing while his brain went into overdrive.

“What else?”

“Does Ragatha know a gentleman by the name of Kaufmo?”

Jax froze in place. His ears shot up, alert. His eyes narrowed, while the hand gripping his phone squeezed the device hard enough to break it.

“Yes,” Jax’s voice was deadly low. “He works at the hospital with her. Why?”

“Kaufmo and Richard have met up twice in the past week. Once in the parking lot of Spudsy’s and a second time outside of Richard’s home. We did some digging on him to find out who he was. At first I guessed maybe he was helping to stalk her, but what you’re saying makes much more sense.”

Jax immediately thought of the night Kaufmo came to take Ragatha out. He remembered how concerned Ragatha was that Kaufmo knew her address when she’d never told him.

“That son of a bitch,” Jax growled. “He fucking knew…he’s been feeding him information. I’m gonna kill him…”

“Jax, you’re not going to kill anyone,” Abel said firmly. “Let me handle this. I’ve already enlisted someone to have a chat with this Kaufmo. I don’t want you to get involved.”

“That’s asking a lot of me,” Jax growled.

“I could say the same,” Abel replied. “Just do as I instruct you to do. Or in this case, not do.”

“Fine. I—”

“Jax?” His father poked his head in Jax’s office. “The meeting has started. We’re all waiting for you.”

“Ugh, fuck…” Jax whispered. “I have to go, Abel. Will you call me later?”

“I’ll call you this evening, yes.”

“Good.”

“One more thing, Jax,” Abel said. “I just forwarded you the surveillance photos we took.”

“Perfect. Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.” Jax hung up. “Dad, can you just start without me? I need five minutes.”

Jax’s father looked at his watch and sighed.

“This is an important meeting, Jax. I really need you to be there. I can hold it off for five minutes, but that’s all.”

“That’s all I need,” Jax said.

When he heard the snap of the door closing, Jax opened his email. There were about twenty high-resolution photos. He clicked through them one by one.

The first several were the surveillance photos at the hospital of Ricky’s car. Jax clicked through them quickly. The next set of photos was of Ricky and Kaufmo talking outside of Spudsy’s. There were several different shots of this, each one zooming closer and closer until Ricky’s features were definable.

He was undoubtably good looking. He had wavy, blonde hair and he was built tall like Denny, but not as broad. He was also a doll, but plastic, compared to Ragatha and Denny’s rag doll bodies.

Then there were his eyes. Striking green, just like Annie’s. How awful that the only physical feature Annie had inherited from her father was one of her most noticeable and beautiful. Jax wondered if Ragatha was bothered by that.

Finally putting a face to the name only fueled Jax’s anger. He clicked through the rest of the photos in a rush before he took off to join the meeting, his mind spinning.

He just had to keep reminding himself: soon it would be over and done with. Ragatha was going to be safe once and for all.

-

Ragatha unlocked her front door, arms laden with several shopping bags.

It was a short work day for her at the hospital, so she decided to take advantage of it and run all the errands she normally never had the time to do. Denny was picking up Annie from school and Jax was still at work, so she found she had a rare bit of alone time to get things done.

She was particularly grateful for this moment of alone time, since her nerves were currently in shambles.

She dug into one of the bags and pulled out a small box, placing it on the counter with shaky hands.

A pregnancy test.

The box stared back at her mockingly. Ragatha ignored its existence until she’d finished putting the rest of her groceries away, pushing any and all possibilities out of her mind until it was the only thing she had left to focus on.

She and Jax always used protection. Ragatha knew the chance was unlikely, but still, it was there. The fact that she was two weeks late when her cycle had been like clockwork since after she’d had Annie over four years ago was very concerning to her. The possibility was daunting and terrifying.

She wanted to get this done before Jax got back. She didn’t want him to find out, only to immediately worry. Obviously, if it was positive she would have to tell him. But if it was negative, she’d toss it in the trash and pretend like the whole thing never happened. No use worrying him over something that didn’t exist.

Right?

It had been so long since she’d done this. The waiting was the hardest part. Two minutes went by like hours, and Ragatha paced the bathroom, her nerves making her squirm and her belly do flips.

It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, right?

Ragatha hugged herself. Who was she kidding? They weren’t ready for this. Not now. Jax was young, he didn’t need to be saddled with a child like this…

What if it’s enough to push him away for good? The thoughts ate away at her, until she felt like she would throw up.

Her phone chimed. Two minutes was up.

Ragatha took a deep breath, closed her eye tightly, and opened it. She glanced at the tiny stick on the bathroom counter.

Negative.

She let out an involuntary sob of relief and sunk to the floor.

Notes:

One more chapter to go! <3

Chapter 10

Notes:

The final chapter. Thank you all!

CW: This one has heavy moments. Physical and verbal abuse, mention of blood, sedation (in the medical sense), physical altercations. Please be aware and read responsibly.

It was just after three o’clock when Jax’s phone rang again. He’d just finished the third meeting of his day, sitting beside his father and trying to take in even an ounce of what was being said. Most of it went right over his head.

He slumped in his desk chair and loosened his tie, praying for the day to speed up so he could hear from Abel again and get back home to Ragatha. He was surprised to see none other than Zooble’s name light up his screen.

“Zoobie,” Jax yawned, leaning on his arm. “What’s up?”

“I’ve got a really strange question for you, dude,” Zooble said. Jax could hear the sounds of the bar in the background.

“Uh, okay…shoot.”

“A guy just came in here asking questions about you.”

Jax sat straight up in his chair. “What? Who?”

“No idea who he was. Never saw him before in my life.”

Jax stood. “What did he look like?”

“Looked like a real prick. Acted like one too. Blonde hair, tall, medium build, freaky green eyes. Asked if I knew you and if you came here often. Then he asked me if I knew Ragatha. He was annoying the shit outta me, and I didn’t answer any of his questions. Told him to either order a drink, or leave.”

Holy shit.

“What happened after that?” Jax asked, gathering his things to leave. “Where did he go?”

“He flipped me off and left,” Zooble chuckled dryly. “Like I give a fuck about some asshole like that. But why the hell would he come here asking about you? Do you know the guy?”

“No, I don’t,” Jax said, hurrying out the door to his office. He ran by Martha’s desk, leaving the poor woman looking more confused than ever. “Listen, Zooble, do me a favor. Check the camera footage from outside and tell me what direction he drove off in.”

“Why?”

“Just do it! It’s important!” Jax didn’t wait for the elevator. He took the stairs, sprinting two at a time. “Call me as soon as you find out.”

“Okay, okay,” Zooble sighed. “Is everything alright?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure,” Jax said, running to his car. “I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up before Zooble could respond. All he knew was that he needed to get to Ragatha’s house as fast as he could.

-

Ragatha felt like she was walking in slow motion as she made her way out of the bathroom. The knot in her stomach had loosened completely, and the urge to throw up had thankfully passed.

False alarm. It was nothing. There was no pregnancy, just a late period. She thanked her lucky stars for that.

It was just after three. Jax would be home in a couple of hours and Denny was due to bring Annie home around that time too, after the two of them went out for ice cream. He’d promised the Annie that he’d take her out for a special treat, just the two of them. Ragatha was grateful for that.

She also knew that since Denny had come to accept that Jax was going to be a constant in her life, he was also no longer going to be the only man in Annie’s life, and he wanted to make sure his niece knew that he would always be there for her.

She’d just rounded the hallway to the kitchen, trying to think of what she should put together for dinner.

“Hello Ragatha.”

A cold dread shot down her spine at the sound of that familiar voice. She went rigid.

No. No no no…

“It’s been a long time, huh?”

Ragatha’s entire body was shaking as she turned herself around. Ricky stood by the front door, his emerald eyes fixed on her, unwavering and cold. He looked exactly the same as the last time she’d seen him, except his hair was a little longer now. Still handsome, still thin…still smiling that same, dangerous smile she’d fallen for all those years ago. The smile that hid a million falsities and veiled threats behind its charm.

“H-how did you get in here?” Ragatha whispered, her voice failing her. She backed up until her body pressed against the kitchen sink. Her hands grasped uselessly at the counter. What could she use to defend herself?

She thanked God that Annie wasn’t home with her. The very thought was enough to make her break down. The urge to throw up returned with a vengeance.

“Funny you should ask,” Ricky said, locking the door behind him. “You go through all these measures to keep me away. The locks, the camera…yet you simply left the front door unlocked. Not the brightest move, Ragatha…then again, you never were the smartest, were you? I see that hasn’t changed.”

Oh God…she hadn’t locked the front door. She’d been so caught up in the pregnancy test that she’d forgotten everything else, including her phone that would have alerted her to someone outside. How could she be so stupid?

“Get out,” she whispered. “I swear, I’ll call the cops.”

“About that,” Ricky took several slow steps toward her. “I had a nice visit from some lawyers the other day. Not cool of you to serve me with a new restraining order. Especially since I’ve been so good.”

“Ricky,” Ragatha tried to back away. She literally had no where to go. Now he was only a few feet in front of her and stepping closer with every word she spoke. “Please! Please leave. What do you want from me?”

“Stupid question,” he said. Now, he stood directly in front of her, leering down. “Where’s Annie?”

“She’s not here,” Ragatha’s voice was filled with hatred. She truly hated him.

“Where is she?” he asked again. His smile was gone now. “Is she with that new boyfriend of yours? That purple freak with the ears? Is that who you chose over me? A fucking rabbit? Are you that desperate?”

Ragatha was breathing hard now. He was so close to her, she’d never be able to escape, even if she tried.

“Yeah, I know all about him,” Ricky said, grabbing both her wrists in his hands and holding them tightly. Ragatha squirmed, trying to pull away, but he was too strong. “Do you seriously think I’m going to let my daughter hang around some guy who isn’t me?”

He was such a fake. Always had been.

“Oh please! You never cared about Annie,” Ragatha growled. “Never! Don’t try to pretend like you do now, just because Jax acts like the father you never were, and Annie loves him more than she’d ever love you!”

Ricky squeezed her wrists, hard, and Ragatha gasped.

“Fuck you, Ragatha,” he sneered. “You’ll never be loved by anyone. Not like I loved you.”

“You d-didn’t love me,” she said through gritted teeth. “I was naive then, but I’m not anymore. Let—me—go!” She tried to yank her arms away. In response, Ricky yanked her forward and just as quickly slammed her backward into the counter’s edge. Pain shot up her spine. Memories came back, all too familiar.

“Say that again, I dare you,” he muttered. “God, you never fucking learn.”

“Fuck you,” she muttered. “Jax is going to be back any minute.” It was a lie, but it was all she had.

Though it was untrue, it didn’t stop Ricky from glancing back toward the door behind him. Ragatha got some satisfaction seeing the worry in his expression, even just for a moment.

Then, his eyes landed on the pregnancy test box. The very same box she’d left on the counter. She saw his eyes widen, then narrow in anger. When he turned to face her again, she’d never seen such a look on his face. It was pure rage and hatred.

“Are you pregnant?” His voice was like a snake’s hiss…low and dangerous, full of venom. “Did he fucking knock you up?”

“No!” Ragatha shook her head. “It’s—”

He words were cut short when he slapped her across her face. Ragatha yelped in pain, clutching her stinging cheek.

“Liar.” One of his hands moved to her neck, squeezing.

Oh God, no, no, no…

“Please,” Ragatha shook her head. “Ricky, I mean it!” She closed her eye when she felt him squeeze harder. “I’m n-not—”

All she could think about was Annie.

-

Jax recognized the black car parked in front of their house the moment he came speeding down the street. Every alarm sounded in his brain, and the desire to fight overwhelmed him.

He would kill him for this.

Sure enough, Zooble’s call came in as Jax was driving, letting him know that Ricky had in fact took off in the direction of their house.

“Call the cops, Zooble,” Jax had shouted into the phone. “Call them and send them to my house. Tell them it’s an emergency…tell them someone is trying to break in.”

“Jax, what the fuck is going on?”

“No time to explain, just fucking do it!”

He screeched to a stop in front of the house and flung himself out of the car and up the front steps. The front door was locked.

“RAGATHA!” He yelled her name. “RAGATHA, OPEN THE DOOR!” He pounded on it with both fists.

His ears strained to hear something—anything—from inside.

Oh God, what if Annie is home?

Then heard it. The faintest of whimpers.

Ragatha.

Anger consumed him whole.

Jax slammed his entire body into the door. It didn’t budge.

Fine. Plan B.

With as much force as he could muster, he kicked in the living room window. Glass shattered everywhere, but he had an opening. That was all that mattered. He quickly climbed through.

The first thing he saw was Ragatha being held around the neck. The crash must’ve startled them, because that bastard Ricky was turned, looking over at Jax where he’d just come through. Ragatha was struggling, grabbing at the hand around around her neck, her eye wide as she met Jax’s stare.

It was a mere fraction of a second that Jax took in the scene before him. A fraction of a second before his rage crashed over him in a devastating wave.

I’m gonna kill him.

He crossed the room without thinking, didn’t remember moving his legs, but the next thing he knew, he’d delivered a devastating blow to Ricky’s face as he tackled him to the ground, grappling at any part of him he could reach, punch after punch.

Now free, Ragatha let out a shuddering gasp and slid to the floor, coughing and clutching her neck.

Jax wanted to run to her, to hold her and make sure she was okay, but first he needed to beat the shit out of this worthless excuse of a human hard enough to make sure he never came near Ragatha again.

He had never felt such hatred.

“Get OFF,” Ricky said, teeth clenched as he landed a punch to Jax’s side.

It hurt like hell, but Jax didn’t care. He slammed his fist into Ricky’s stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

“You piece of shit!” Jax growled. “I’m going to fucking kill you!” He punched the side of his head, and Ricky landed another punch to Jax’s face.

“Jax!” Ragatha tried to call out to him, but her voice was raspy from the pressure of Ricky’s hand.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jax could see her trying to crawl over to him.

“Ragatha, don’t move!” Jax said firmly. “You stay right there!”

Jax was distracted enough that Ricky seized the opportunity. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small knife. He swiped it at Jax, catching him on the shoulder.

“Fuck!” Jax grit his teeth, clutching the bleeding cut as he fell back. Ricky turned to Ragatha instead.

“Should’ve just listened to me, Ragatha,” he said, his voice deadly and low. “I always have to do things the hard way with you. I’ll be damned if you’re going to have another guy’s kid.”

Jax’s ears perked, confused at what he was hearing. Then he lunged. Ignoring the searing pain in his shoulder, he tackled Ricky from behind, knocking him to the ground hard enough that his head slammed onto the hardwood floor. Finally gaining the upper hand, Jax did the only thing he could think of. Flexing his claws, he swiped Ricky across the face.

“DAMN IT!” Ricky clutched his cheek.

At the same time, the front door burst open with a tremendous bang. Cops poured in, just in time to descend upon Jax and Ricky, forcibly pulling them apart.

Jax scooted back to where Ragatha was huddled and shaking on the floor. Her eye was wide, body frozen in terror, as she watched the scene unfold before her.

“Hey,” Jax clutched her, pulling her to his side. “Hey, shh, it’s okay, Rags. You’re okay now…I’ve got you.”

-

Ragatha never shook so hard in her life. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, too much to process. All she was mentally aware of was the feeling of Jax’s arms around her, holding her tight, the two of them huddled on the floor as police officers held Ricky down and cuffed him.

She hid her face in Jax’s chest, not wanting to see anymore. Trying to focus on his calming scent and nothing else, she imagined being far, far away from this moment.

“Fuck you, Ragatha,” Ricky hissed as he was lifted from the floor, one cop holding him on each side. “You bitch.” Then he spat at her.

Ragatha wasn’t going to respond. She was going to continue to look away until Ricky was gone…or at least she planned to…until she felt Jax move. She looked up in time to see him lunge at Ricky again, tackling him to the ground and punching him. Without the use of his hands, Ricky could only take it, unable to fight back. Jax cursed with every punch he threw.

“Woah, hey! Okay, that’s enough, kid,” one officer said, yanking Jax roughly by his arm. “Back off now, we’ll take it from here.”

“I’m not done!” Jax growled, shoving the police officer. “Don’t fucking touch me!”

“Jax don’t!” Ragatha shook her head. “Please!”

Too late. The shoved officer grabbed Jax now, cuffing him too. Jax didn’t seem to care, and only kicked Ricky in the shin with his long legs.

“Please don’t cuff him!” Ragatha said. “Please!”

“He assaulted a police officer, miss,” another cop said. “That’s not okay.”

“He didn’t mean to—”

“Ragatha,” Jax said. “Call Abel. He’ll sort it out.”

“Abel?” The officer holding Jax paused. “Hold on a moment. You know Abel?”

“Yes,” Ragatha stood up on shaky legs. “He’s my lawyer!”

The cops looked at each other. Ragatha didn’t miss their nervous side glances.

“This asshole just violated his restraining order,” Jax nodded his head toward Ricky. “He almost strangled her!”

The officer holding Jax gestured at Ricky. “Get him outta here,” he grumbled. “We’ll look into this at the station.”

The other cops did as he said, walking Ricky out the door. As soon as he was out of sight, Ragatha lost it. The buildup of fear, anxiety, dread, and adrenaline overflowed, and she took several deep breaths before she burst into tears.

“Ugh, fuck! Can you uncuff me?” Jax growled, straining to go to her.

The officer didn’t say a word as he removed Jax’s handcuffs. Immediately, Jax ran to Ragatha, pulling her into his arms.

“It’s okay, Dollface,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “It’s over. He’s gone.”

-

The next hour was a blur.

Ragatha was required to give a statement on what happened for the police report, but Jax wouldn’t let the police anywhere near her until she went to the hospital to get checked out. The police called an ambulance to take them, since neither one of them seemed fit enough to drive.

On the way, Jax called Denny and filled him in.

“Is she okay?” Denny’s voice shook as he spoke.

“She will be,” Jax said. “Just keep Annie with you and don’t mention a word of this to her. Then call Abel and tell him to meet us at the hospital.”

In the back of the ambulance, neither one of them spoke for a long while. Eventually, not able to take it any longer, Jax broke the silence. He needed to know what Ricky was talking about when he mentioned Ragatha being pregnant. He needed to know if it was true.

“Ragatha?” He spoke her name quietly, so as not to startle her. She’d been silent, leaning against him with her eye closed.

“Hm?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she replied softly.

“Are you pregnant?” The words came out hesitantly. He felt her stiffen beside him.

“No,” she shook her head. The grip on his hand tightened. “I’m not, Jax…that was a misunderstanding.”

Oh.

Relief flooded him. He exhaled, not even realizing he’d been holding his breath.

“I’ll explain later,” she whispered. “Right now I don’t want to talk about it, or anything, for that matter.”

“I understand,” he said, pressing a kiss to her hair. “Just relax, Rags…we can talk later.”

They spent the rest of the ride in silence.

-

Pomni and Gangle were working the late shift when Ragatha and Jax were brought in. Both of them were shocked to see their best friend like this. Ragatha had no energy to talk about it with them yet.

It was also determined that Jax needed stitches in the spot Ricky had slashed his shoulder, but he refused to leave her side even for a minute.

“Jax,” Ragatha said soothingly. “Just let them take care of you. I’ll be okay for a little bit.” She wouldn’t, actually. In fact, she didn’t want him to leave her alone. But she needed him to cooperate.

Jax had other ideas.

“No,” he shook his head. “I’m staying right here.” And that was the end of that.

Pomni stood by Ragatha’s bedside, checking her friend for bruises where she’d been assaulted. Jax watched Pomni like a hawk, his eyes following her every move.

When Ragatha winced after Pomni examined her wrist, Jax let out a low growl.

“Can you please tell your boyfriend to stop growling at me?” Pomni said, without looking up, wrapping Ragatha’s wrist. “I’m not trying to hurt her, Jax.”

“It’s okay, Jax,” Ragatha whispered, reaching for his hand. “I’m fine.”

He wasn’t convinced and Ragatha knew it, but just below her facade, she was so incredibly grateful for just how much he looked out for her.

Eventually, once they realized he wasn’t going to budge, a doctor came into their room to give Jax his stitches. Ragatha held his hand through the process, trying to keep his mind off what was happening and to keep him focused on her. She could tell he hated it, even though he pretended otherwise. Thankfully it didn’t take long. He was bandaged up and was told it would heal, though there might be a tiny scar.

“Worth it,” Jax had shrugged.

“Ragatha?” Gangle poked her head inside the curtain. “The police are here to get your statement.”

She couldn’t put this off any longer, even if she wanted to.

“I…”

“She’s not ready,” Jax said firmly.

“Jax,” Ragatha looked at him fondly. “I need to talk to them eventually. I may as well get it over with.” She still had a slight rasp to her voice. Her throat hurt badly where Ricky had held her neck, and ugly bruises were starting to blossom on her skin.

“There’s a lawyer here too,” Gangle added. “He says he’s your lawyer, Ragatha.”

“Abel’s here?” Ragatha was shocked. She didn’t think he would be here for this. The thought brought her some comfort. At least there would be someone else here who knew her side of things.

“I told your brother to call him,” Jax said. “I wanted him to be here when you talked to the cops…”

“Good thinking,” she said.

“Should I send him in?” Gangle asked tentatively.

“Yes,” Ragatha nodded. “The police too. Let’s get this over with.”

-

The interview with police took nearly an hour. Jax listened as Ragatha answered question after question about what transpired at the house, along with everything prior to that leading up to that point.

When Ragatha reached the point in her recollection about how Ricky mistakenly thought she was pregnant because of the test he saw, Jax felt a combination of sadness and anger. The fact that Ricky believed she was pregnant and still tried to harm her, even if it was a misunderstanding, made Jax rage inside. What kind of fucked up person would do that?

Abel listened silently from his spot by the wall. He only intervened when he felt necessary.

Finally, just when Jax thought they were done, the police dropped a wrench into the mix when they indicated that Ricky was trying to press changes against Jax for slashing at his face.

“He can’t do that,” Ragatha looked from the cop, to Jax, to Abel. “Can he?”

“I don’t care,” Jax muttered. “I’ll do it again if—”

“Jax, silence,” Abel said firmly.

Jax stopped talking at once.

“My client has done nothing wrong but act in self defense,” Abel said. “I would like to see this lowlife abuser try to make a case against him, when he himself is most certainly going to jail.”

The police nodded as they took down final statements. Jax didn’t miss the looks they exchanged with Abel.

Somehow, Jax knew there would be no charges pressed against him.

“I want to go home, Jax,” Ragatha said quietly, once it was finally just the two of them again.

“I know you do, Dollface,” he said. “We will soon, I promise.”

“What about Annie?”

“Your brother said she’ll stay the night at his place.”

Ragatha looked at him in alarm. “Does she—?”

“She has no idea,” Jax shook his head. “I promise. She thinks it’s a surprise sleepover.”

“You took care of this for me?” Ragatha pressed a kiss to his cheek. “When?”

“When you were giving your statement. Me and cotton-head were texting.”

Ragatha laughed. “I’m not sure Denny will appreciate his new nickname.”

“He’ll love it,” Jax flashed his sharp-tooth grin. “See? I’m trying to be buddies with him! Nicknames and everything.”

“What does he call you, I wonder…”

“I’m sure it’s nothing good.”

A soft knock came at the door. Pomni stepped inside, carrying a tiny tray with a glass of water.

“Ragatha?” she said. “I brought something for you…I know it’s been rough, and we all think maybe you should take a rest…”

Ragatha would’ve loved to rest, and Jax knew it. He also knew that she couldn’t seem to shut her mind off.

Ragatha eyed the tray, where a white pill sat on a napkin. “Is that—?”

“It’s a sedative,” Pomni said.

“Pomni!” Ragatha looked alarmed. “I don’t need that!”

“Ragatha, you haven’t been able to relax. You’ve just gone through something traumatic. You need to turn off your mind and rest!”

Ragatha looked at Jax, as though she was expecting him to blatantly agree with her.

Jax sighed. “I agree with Pomni… I think you do need to rest, Rags.”

“Seriously?”

“It’s not super strong,” Pomni said, placing the tray on the bedside counter. “Just enough to get you nice and relaxed and have a good sleep.”

“How can I even think about sleeping right now? My house is a mess,” Ragatha shook her head. “The window and the door—”

“Are being fixed by Caine as we speak,” Jax assured her. “Don’t worry about it. I’m handling it.” He stroked her hair.

“Think about it,” Pomni said. “You can stay here as long as you like, obviously.” She smiled and hurried out of the room, closing the curtain around their bed before shutting the door behind her.

Now it was just the two of them again.

“Wow, she remembered which way the curtain goes, this time…” Jax feigned shock.

“Jax…”

“Sorry, I had to.”

“I don’t know, Jax,” Ragatha bit her lip. “Regardless of what Pomni said, those sedatives are pretty potent. We use them sparingly with patients…unless they really need them.”

“You do whatever makes you comfortable,” Jax shrugged. “But…you do need to rest.”

“I am so tired…” Ragatha closed her eye tightly. “But…every time I try not to think about it…about him, all I can see is his face…all I can feel are his hands around my neck…” She started to shiver.

Jax wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. The urge to drive to the city jail and slash Ricky’s face again came back in full force.

“You can rest,” Jax whispered. “I’ll be right here with you. I’m not leaving, Rags. Even if they try to force me out. In fact, I’d love to see them try. I think I’ve gotten the hang of my slashing technique,” he flexed his claws and grinned.

“Jaaax,” Ragatha chuckled.

“Just saying…you’ve got the best armed bodyguard in the world.”

Ragatha seemed to be thinking about it. Glancing once more at the tiny pill, she quickly snatched it up and swallowed it with a gulp of water before she could think too hard or change her mind.

“There,” she said, wiping her mouth with her hand.

Internally, Jax was relieved. He was hoping she’d take it, but he wanted her to make the choice on her own.

“Come here, baby,” Jax whispered. He scooted back on the bed and opened his arms for her. She fell into them, more willingly than ever.

-

Ragatha lay on her side. She felt Jax curl against her, and it was the most comfortable feeling in the world. She felt safe and secure again, just the way she’d grown to prefer.

The sedative was already starting to kick in. She felt her eyelids growing heavy as her body gave in to sleep. Jax’s arm snaked around her middle.

“You know,” he spoke into her hair. “I was thinking, and I want you to know…if that…pregnancy test, or whatever…had come back positive…” He paused.

“Yeah?” Ragatha closed her eye. Her body felt heavy now too, like she was under a weighted blanket.

“It wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world.”

Oh Jax…maybe someday…

Ragatha shook her head. “You’re right, it wouldn’t’ve,” she said, as her words began to slur. “But we wouldn’t’ve been ready, Jax. I wouldn’t’ve been ready.”

She felt him relax behind her. She knew that he felt the same way, and there was relief in knowing they were on the same page.

They fell into welcome silence. Just as Ragatha felt her mind shut down, a soft, rumbling sound filled her ears.

Jax was purring.

-

John had rushed to the hospital as fast as he could after hearing what happened. Abel had notified Caine, and Caine had alerted John, who left work immediately.

He wasn’t sure what he was going to be in for when he arrived. He’d heard Caine speaking over the phone, but his mind only processed bits and pieces in his haste and worry.

Stalker, break in, attacked, slashed…hospital…

He had one question, and one question only:

“Is Jax okay?”

“He’s got some stitches,” Caine had said. “But otherwise he’s fine.” Caine’s usual excitement was nowhere to be found. The somber tone threw John for a loop.

“And his girlfriend?”

“She’s been better, but she’ll be okay too.”

Heart pounding, John paused outside the door to the hospital room. He took a deep breath before he entered. It was too late by the time he realized he should’ve probably knocked first, but he was glad he didn’t. Behind the curtain, he saw they were both fast asleep.

John approached quietly so as not to wake them. He peered at the hospital bed, taking in the sight before him.

His son was wrapped protectively around Ragatha, his body curled along her back. His long arm was draped over her side. Ragatha’s legs were tucked between his own. His face was buried in her curls. The both of them looked absolutely exhausted.

A fresh bandage covered a portion of Jax’s upper arm, just below his shoulder.

John had never seen Jax look so peaceful before. He’d never seen him care for another human being the way he cared for this woman. It was fascinating to him. Fascinating, and shocking.

“I bet you never would have thought this was possible, John.” A deep voice spoke from behind him. John turned around to find Abel staring at Jax. John hadn’t even heard him come in.

“And what’s that?” John asked quietly.

“That Jax would settle down,” Abel said. “That he would take anything seriously enough to consider it.”

“True,” John looked at Ragatha and sighed. “I have to admit, she’s not the type of woman I assumed he would go for, and I say this with relief.” He chuckled. “She’s older than him, though…”

“Not by very much,” Abel shrugged.

“Eight years is a stretch, for Jax anyway.”

“He doesn’t seem to mind.”

“She has a daughter,” John said.

“A daughter who Jax adores, and vice versa, from what I hear.”

“True, but he can barely take care of himself. This is a lot of responsibility to come on so quickly for someone like him.”

“Look John,” Abel said. “I have known your family for years now. Let me be the first to tell you that Jax has changed. He is not perfect, but he is getting there.” Abel gestured to the bed. “Ragatha is part of that reason.”

“I don’t know much about her,” John said. “Jax doesn’t share much with us…”

“She is highly capable,” Abel said. “She is intelligent, she has a stable job, and she has managed to raise her young daughter on her own, even with the knowledge that her father is a terrible, terrible person. Yet, the child seems to have grown up happy and healthy with no knowledge of the trauma of the past.”

John looked at Abel. “It was bad, wasn’t it?”

Abel glanced at John, before looking back at Ragatha. He nodded.

“Worse than the she let on, yes.” Abel sighed. “I knew she was holding back when she met with me. She left things out, I’m sure. Whether it was because her brother was with her, I’m not sure. But I know Jax must have the same suspicions as me. Perhaps with time, and now that she has Jax to support her, she can recover fully from this. I don’t think she ever has.”

“What will happen to her ex?”

“He’ll go to prison. I have many, many things I can get him for, aside from the abuse and the stalking. It helps to have connections. I’ve learned quite a bit about him that will put him away for a while.”

John nodded. He looked at Jax and sighed.

“How can I be sure he’s ready for this?” John asked.

“He is more than ready,” Abel said quietly. “Trust him. I do not think he is going to disappoint you this time.”

John shook his head. “I’ve been waiting years for Jax to smarten up and take things seriously. I warned him from day one to stay away from the new tenant because of his habit of making past renters uncomfortable enough to leave, for no reason other than the fact that he didn’t want them around. As usual, he didn’t listen to me. Now, for the first time, his disobedience paid off.”

“He loves her,” Abel said simply. “More than he loves himself. That is saying something. When has Jax ever cared for someone more than he cared about his own interests before?”

John nodded. “Mariela will be thrilled. Do you know how long she’s been waiting for him to settle down?”

“I’m sure.”

“Now she gets a bonus granddaughter…” John shook his head again, smiling. “Care to join me for a drink, Abel? There’s a bar not far from here that Jax raves about. One of his friends owns it.”

“I would like that, yes.”

“Come on,” John said. “It’s on me. I owe you after all these years of getting my son out of trouble. It’s the least I can do.”

-

“Rags?”

Ragatha felt her shoulder gently being shaken. She could hear Jax’s voice in her ear, saying her name over and over.

Slowly, she blinked her eye awake. The bright lights of the hospital room made her squint.

“Jax?” She rubbed her eye. Her body was achey and heavy. She longed for more sleep.

“Zooble’s here to take us home,” Jax’s voice went on. “I know you’re tired, but we can sleep more when we get home, okay?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s wrong with her?” A new voice asked. It was familiar. Ragatha had heard it before.

“They gave her a sedative,” she heard Jax say. “She needed it.”

“I bet.”

“Thanks for coming to get us.”

“No problem dude.”

Ragatha felt herself being lifted. It was such a strange feeling, like she was weightless and heavy at the same time. Her limbs dangled at her side.

“Maybe I should let her rest more,” Jax said. There was a tinge of worry in his voice. “What if they gave her too much?”

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Zooble said. “They know what they’re doing with that stuff. From what you told me, she could use all the rest she can get after what you’ve both been through.”

Ragatha opened her mouth, but it felt hard to form words.

“Are we…going home, Jax?” she slurred. Yawning wide, she nuzzled her face into his neck.

“Yeah, we are,” she heard him say. His hand came to rest on her back. “Soon, babe…I promise.”

“Okay…that’s good…”

-

Jax rubbed circles on Ragatha’s back as he held her. They were waiting for a wheelchair to bring Ragatha to the car, since she was still far too sleepy to walk herself. Jax would happily carry her, but apparently that was against hospital policy.

Zooble waited with them, leaning against the wall. Jax had filled them in as much as he could since they last spoke.

He couldn’t deny he was exhausted. His body ached from fighting with Ricky, and the stitches on his arm stung uncomfortably.

He continued to check in with Denny through text messages. Annie was fine, unaware of anything going on. As far as she was concerned, she was getting a surprise sleepover at her uncle’s house. Denny pressed for details on Ragatha, and Jax gave as much as he could, only because he knew that’s what Ragatha would want.

It wasn’t long before Gangle appeared in the doorway with a soft knock.

“Hello guys,” she said, pushing a wheelchair through the door. “I’ve got the discharge papers for you.”

“Hey Gangle,” Ragatha mumbled sleepily. “Thanks…”

Jax carefully placed Ragatha in the wheelchair and took the papers from Gangle, scribbling a messy signature.

“Oh, hello,” Gangle looked at Zooble, as if she just realized they were there.

“Hi,” Zooble said, straightening their posture immediately. “I’m Zooble. Jax’s friend.” They extended their hand to shake Gangle’s ribbon.

“I’m Gangle, Ragatha’s friend.”

“Nice to meet you, Gangle,” Zooble’s eyes met Gangle’s, as their expression softened.

“Likewise…” The ribbon girl blushed.

Jax noticed how their handshake lingered. The both of them held eye contact for far longer than necessary.

“Okay, okay,” Jax said, rolling his eyes. “If you two could stop flirting, we’d like to get out of here and go home.”

-

Ragatha woke up slowly, like she was stepping out of a dream. The first thing she noticed as her eye came into focus was the familiar ceiling of her bedroom, illuminated by the bedside lamp.

I’m home…

Her gaze shifted to the window. It was dark outside. Slowly, she moved her limbs. She was tucked in under her warm comforter.

Her mind was groggy, but she remembered being at the hospital and falling asleep very quickly after taking the sedative. As far as anything after that…not much came to mind.

Rolling onto her other side, she nearly collided with Jax, who was fast asleep beside her. He was out cold, his mouth slightly opening with each deep breath in and out.

Everything that happened over the last twelve hours came back to her at once. So, so much…

God, the love she felt for him. She was overwhelmed with it. Consumed by it. He was a part of her life now, a part she could no longer live without.

He gave her safety and security and love. He gave her confidence, and gratitude and laughter.

He gave her a happiness she’d forgotten she was capable of having. Capable of deserving.

She reached out and gently ran her hand over his cheek. Jax’s ear twitched and he hummed in his sleep.

“Thank you, Jax,” she whispered.

He surprised her by answering, “You’re welcome.”

“Jax!?” Ragatha stiffened, caught off guard. “You’re awake?”

His golden eyes blinked open and he grinned sleepily at her.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “I wanted to make sure you were okay, and I’ve sorta been dozing on and off.”

“You should sleep,” she said, scooting closer to him. “I had my rest and now it’s your turn.”

“I will, eventually,” Jax shrugged, yawning. He closed the gap between them by pulling her against his chest. His head came down to rest on top of her head. “I’m good right now just like this.”

Ragatha sighed happily. “I love when you do that,” she whispered.

“Do what?”

“Rest your chin on my head,” she said. “You always gently rub your chin on me, and it’s the cutest thing. I really love it.” She nuzzled his neck, breathing him in.

“It’s…kind of a rabbit thing,” Jax mumbled softly. He almost sounded embarrassed.

“Really?” Ragatha tilted her head up. “What does it mean?”

“Nothing, it’s stupid.”

“Not true!” Ragatha shook her head.

“You’ll think it is, believe me.”

“Try me.”

“Fine. I warned you,” Jax sighed. “It’s…kind of a weird way to…mark territory.”

“Territory?” Ragatha laughed. “I’m territory?”

“No,” Jax shook his head, then he thought about it. “Well, yes, but…ugh, this is so sappy, Rags…”

“Keep going,” she instructed him. “I want to hear more about this adorable rabbit thing you do.”

Jax sighed dramatically, but he was smiling all the same.

“Rabbits do that to things they love…and people they love. Stuff that’s comforting to them that they want to claim as theirs.” He looked at her and away just as quickly, his cheeks burning a deep pink. “Okay? Happy?”

Seeing Jax blush warmed Ragatha from the inside out.

“I am happy,” she nodded. “I’m so, so happy…because you bring me that comfort too.”

Jax’s gaze softened. He looked less embarrassed now, and more relieved than anything. Ragatha thought he also seemed a bit sad, which was concerning her.

“Hey,” Ragatha rubbed his cheek. “What’s wrong, bunny?”

“Hm? Nothing…”

“Jax…” Her hand ran up the side of his head and came to rest behind his ears, where she gently scratched. Jax closed his eyes and melted into her touch. “Talk to me.”

One of his eyes cracked open. His gaze roamed over her face.

“I keep thinking about what would’ve happened if I’d been just five minutes later,” he said softly. “Five minutes…what would’ve happened to you, Ragatha? What would that bastard have done?”

“Oh Jax…” Ragatha cuddled close, pressing her forehead to his. “Don’t think about that. It didn’t happen.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it, though…”

Ragatha could feel his heartbeat. He was so close to her, their legs were entwined.

“You saved me,” she whispered. “That’s all that matters.”

Jax exhaled shakily. “You don’t even realize it, but you saved me too,” he said. “Before all this. You saved me from myself. You gave my stupid, meaningless life purpose. You, and Annie. You’re all that matters to me now, and I swear Ragatha, I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”

Maybe it was the effects of the sedative, maybe it was her exhaustion, maybe it was the loving way he was staring at her, but Ragatha wanted to cry.

For the first time in a long time, it was a good cry.

Jax pressed his lips to hers. His kiss felt like a thousand unspoken words and promises of a life they were about to build together.

When they eventually broke apart, their eyes focused on each other, as though the rest of the world didn’t exists except for the two of them.

For the first time in a long, long time, Ragatha felt true, unbridled joy.

-

One Month Later

Jax pulled into the parking lot of the preschool, his stomach rolling in a strange, knotted way. He had no idea why he was so nervous about this. It would be fine. How hard could it be?

A light snow flurry had just begun to fall. The weather was shifting into the cold winter, blanketing everything in a light frost.

“You must be Jax!” A young woman greeted him at the door when he rang the doorbell. She held a clipboard in her hand and smiled kindly at him. “Annie has been talking about you all day. She’s so excited you’re picking her up.”

The nerves in his belly started to lessen. It’s going to be okay.

“I’m excited too,” he said truthfully.

“Do you have a form of identification?”

Jax produced his license, and the woman matched it to the name on her clipboard and a photo of him Ragatha had provided. Then she had him sign his name before she led him inside.

Children we scattered all about in the classroom, busy at the many different stations and activities. It didn’t take Jax long to spot Annie, her read hair vibrant as ever and standing out among the other children. She was seated with another girl at a little table, coloring. She looked up as he approached her.

Her smile was worth every single bit of nerves he felt leading up to this moment.

“JAXY!” She ran straight toward him, crashing into his long legs in the tightest hug.

“Hey kiddo,” he said, kneeling to her height.

“I’ve been waiting for you!”

“Yeah?” He grinned.

“Yes! Look what I made for you!” She proudly held up her drawing.

It was a picture of him, Ragatha, and Annie, standing in front of what was undoubtably their house. He and Ragatha stood on either side of Annie, both of them holding one of her hands.

Jax felt his heart clench. A lump instantly formed in his throat.

“Do you like it, Jaxy?” Annie asked.

More than you’ll ever know.

“I love it, Annie,” he said softly, pulling her into a hug. “I love it so much.”

They walked hand in hand to his car. Jax buckled her in and made sure she was secure, before he drove them out of the parking lot.

“What color should I do your nails this time, Jaxy?” Annie asked, staring at him in the rearview mirror.

“Hmm…I dunno. Maybe purple next time. Matches my fur. What do you think?”

“I like it!”

“Cool. It’s a plan, then. Maybe tonight when we get home.”

“Yay!” Annie clapped her hands excitedly.

The nursing home came into view. Jax pulled into a parking spot and took Annie out of the backseat.

With every step closer to the building, Jax felt those nerves returning. He glanced at Annie, who was skipping beside him without a care in the world. Before he knew it, they were checked in and standing outside the door to Ragatha’s parents’ room.

“C’mon, Jaxy!” Annie said, pushing open the door as she let him by the hand.

Ragatha was waiting for them. Seated by the window, she stood and hurried to greet them, kneeling to hug and kiss her daughter before turning her attention to Jax.

“Hi babe,” she wrapped her arms around him and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“Hey Rags,” he gave her a squeeze.

“Gramma! Grampy!” Annie shouted gleefully, running to the two figures seated by the window.

“Are you ready?” Ragatha whispered. “They’re going to be so excited to meet you.”

Jax took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m ready,”
he smiled at her.

“C’mon,” Ragatha led him by the hand to the chairs by the window.

Kinger and Queenie were already deep in conversation with Annie, who was eagerly unzipping her backpack to show them the things she made at school.

“Queenie…Kinger?” Ragatha said softly. “I have someone here I’d love for you to meet.”

Jax watched as the older couple looked up, staring kindly at him.

“Oh my,” Queenie said. “Who is this handsome young man, dear?” Jax noticed right away how warm and gentle her voice was.

“This is Jax,” Ragatha said, wrapping her arm around his. “He’s the one I told you about.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Jax,” Kinger said, standing to shake Jax’s hand.

“You too,” Jax said, shaking his hand before turning back to Queenie.

“She’s such a sweet young lady,” Queenie said fondly, looking at Ragatha. “She visits us all the time and hasn’t stopped talking about you.”

Jax glanced at Ragatha. He caught a glimpse of her expression, sadness mixed with pride.

“She certainly is special,” Jax nodded, never taking his eyes off Ragatha. “She’s told me all about the both of you, too.”

“Well don’t just stand there,” Kinger said fondly. “Come sit down!” He gestured to the empty chairs.

Ragatha was beaming at him. Jax gave her hand a gentle squeeze before he let go, and went to join Kinger and Annie by the window.

-

Ragatha couldn’t take her eyes off the sight before her. Her heart felt so full.

Annie sat in Jax’s lap, the two of them seated across from her father as he recounted his favorite story of the time he and her mother had met in a butterfly garden. It was Ragatha’s favorite story too. He told it to her almost every time she came to visit, of course not knowing he’d told it so many times before. Ragatha didn’t care. She would welcome it each and every time.

“My dear,” Queenie came up beside her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You seem so very happy. It delights me to see that smile on your face.”

Ragatha nodded. “I am happy,” she said. “Very much so.”

“He seems like such a good match for you,” Queenie went on. “And your little one seems to love him.”

“She does.”

“You deserve every happiness in the world, Ragatha. I hope you know that.”

Ragatha looked sharply at Queenie. It had been so, so long since she’d called her by name. She never usually remembered it.

Her mother was staring at her with a familiarity Ragatha hadn’t seen in years. Her brown eyes were soft and knowing, like she finally remembered the daughter she’d long forgotten. Even for just a split second, Queenie was there. Ragatha felt a tear run down her cheek.

Jax noticed. Of course he did. He looked at her with concern, but Ragatha only shook her head. She was fine.

More than fine.

She had everything and everyone she would ever need right here.

“I do know that,” she whispered.

And finally, she believed it.

Notes:

Words can’t express my gratitude for the support I’ve received on this fic. It took a long time. It was a labor of love. Many hours, many words, many brainstorming sessions (thank you Willow 🩵) and many edits, and it’s finally complete.

Thank you from the bottom of my Bunnydoll heart. ❤️

Notes:

Thanks for reading! <3