Page 75 of Chaos

Maeve turns to look, then buries her face back against me.

“She’s just tired. That’s enough bear for the whole neighborhood!” I tease him, hoping to lighten his mood.

Frowning, he gathers the stuffed arms around his neck like a backpack, and pushes the stroller with his other hand. “Let’s go. I have that second surprise, anyway.”

By the time we get back to the Range Rover, Maeve is asleep. She shifts easily to her car seat.

This time, Jax takes the wheel.

He’s quiet as we wind through the streets. I can feel the Nevada heat pushing through the tinted windows of the mid-morning sun.

Another hot one.

“I feel crappy for scaring her,” he mumbles. His knuckles pop as he squeezes his fist on his lap.

“It’s fine. She’s only one. That’s what they do. They startle, they cry, they forget. Next time, it won’t be so bad.” I’m not used to seeing him brooding.

We haven’t really spent a lot of time together. Seeing him withdrawing makes me wish I could comfort him, but I don’t know how.

This is all new for him. He’s being thrown into parenthood.

I’ve had a lot longer to get used to it.

A heavy gate blocks our path. Jax pushes a button near the mirror and it slides open before us.

“Where are we?” The house is almost the size of one of the casinos. There’s a sprawling yard with a dark modern building placed stylishly in the middle.

“My, I mean, our house.” He presses another spot, and a wide bay door garage opens.

I can feel the temperature change as he pulls into the dim space.

“Who else lives here?” There’s at least six cars here.

Is that a Lamborghini?

My heart races. I didn’t know a boxer could make this kind of money.

“No one else.” He gets out quietly and pulls a sleeping Maeve out in her car seat. “I want to show you something.” He clicks his tongue piercing against his teeth.

I’m learning he does that more when he gets nervous.

What does he have to worry about? By the looks of this place, he has everything he could ever want.

Or, whoever.

My stomach knots.

He leads me into a foyer that ties in with the front door and into a spacious living room.

Is that a playpen? And a toybox?

“Jax? Why is there foam on all the corners?”

His smile grows as he sets our sleeping baby on the floor and pulls her from the seat. “It’s for her. Nikolai helped me make it safe for her.”

I spin around, taking it all in. “This is very sweet, Jax.”

He reaches out and takes my hand, pulling me with him down the hall.