“Did you want anything else, angel?” I ask Jax, trying to keep my voice at an even keel. He is completely invested in his sucker so he doesn’t seem to notice that I’m upset. I don’t think he saw anything. He’d been behind us when Jonas hauled off and punched Luca. Jax shakes his head no, shoving the sucker back into his mouth.
His eyes widen as he looks around at everyone. His gaze stops on Jonas, who is staring directly at us both. He pulls the sucker out of his mouth, holding it out to Jonas.
“You don’t share suckers, angel,” I tell him, but he keeps holding it out to him.
“What’s his name?” Jonas looks from Jax to me.
“Jax,” I answer. Both Luca and Gia stare at me. Why the heck is everyone staring at me and not saying anything? “You okay, Mr. Ward?” I ask to try and break the weird silence. I still have no idea what is going on or why Jonas hit him.
“Luca,” he corrects me like always.
“Darby.” Jonas says my name calmly this time. When I look back at him, his face is anything but calm.
“Yes?” I answer. I have to look away from his eyes. So many feelings rush through my body. Jax finally lowers his arm, putting the sucker back in his mouth.
“We’re leaving,” he says, stepping toward me.
“What do you mean we?” Gia chimes in.
“As in Jax, Darby and I,” Jonas answers. I go to step back from him but at the same time Jax reaches for Jonas, both his arms trying to grab him. Jonas takes the invitation, plucking Jax right out of my hands. “He’s a little over two?” he asks.
“Darby lives here,” Gia tosses back. I nod yes. Because I can’t seem to speak full sentences when he’s looking at me.
“She is coming with me.” He holds Jax tighter and Jax rests his little head on him. I’m a bit surprised. He shies away from men most times until he gets to know them. Except for Ben, who is like a grandpa to him. He must be tired.
“I don’t know what your deal is, Willits, but this is Ward land. You don’t get to bark orders here or take things like they belong to you.” Gia stands up a little straighter with her shoulders back. “What is wrong with you? You feeling okay? I thought it was weird that you came to begin with but now you’re acting like a crazy person.”
Yes. It’s very weird. Everything about the last few minutes of my life is strange. especially the fact that Gia and Luca seem to know Jonas pretty well.
“Are you drunk?” I ask, putting my hand on Jax's back as he cuddles more into Jonas.
“No.”
“I need to put my son to bed.” I rub my hand up and down Jax’s back. He turns his head a little to look at me. I can tell from his eyes how tired he really is. He’s got his arms wrapped around Jonas’ neck and he doesn’t seem as though he’s planning to let go anytime soon. I still can’t believe this is happening.
Jonas Willits is currently holding my son in the kitchen. I must be dreaming. I reach one of my arms down to pinch myself. Judging by the pain I feel, nope, I’m definitely not dreaming.
“You live here?” he asks.
“Yes, she lives here,” Gia answers for me.
“I work here.” I look down at my outfit. I’m still in my white button-up shirt and black slacks.
“I’ll follow you.” Jax’s eyes start to slowly close. He doesn't look like he wants to let go of Jonas.
“I can carry him.”
“Barely.” His eyes roam over me. “You’ve lost weight.”
“What?” My hand goes to my stomach.
“You don’t comment on a woman's weight.” Luca mutters. Gia snorts an agreement.
“I’ll follow you.” Jonas says again, ignoring them both. He steps back so I can walk by. I look to Gia, whose eyes are bouncing between us, but she isn't telling him to stop. She actually looks more curious than anything.
“Okay.” I sigh. The sooner I get to my room the sooner I can get away from Jonas. At least I think that's what I want. He’s acting weird and I should be concerned, but something inside me tells me that I can trust him.
I head down the hallway. Jonas joins me, coming to my side. I can’t stop peeking over at him and Jax.
“How long have you worked here?” he asks me. I glance over my shoulder, not seeing Gia anymore. I was sure she was going to follow us. Maybe she decided to check on Luca’s eye before she meets me back in my room.
Jonas can’t be too bad if she’s letting me go off with him by myself. I guess they are closer than I thought. I didn't even know she knew Jonas Willits until his name was brought up tonight.
“A few years. I’ve never seen you here before.”
“No. I’m not big on parties.” I bite my tongue from bringing up his yacht party in Hong Kong that was splashed on the cover of a gossip magazine. “But you know who I am?”
“You’re Jonas Willits.” He stops walking. “Everyone knows who you are.”
“Right.”
“I’m just over there.” I point to the side door that leads outside to the walkway. “I stay over the garage.”
“You live over the garage?” He starts walking again. But not before I see the tick in his jaw.
“I’m sure you’re accustomed to much better living conditions, but my little apartment is more than I could have asked for.” I am and will always be grateful for it. It is cute with two bedrooms, a little kitchen and living room. It is more than enough space for Jax and me. It is nice to be so close to the Wards, too.
They aren't family by blood but they were here for me when I had no one else. That’s all that matters in my book.
“I didn't mean it like that.”
I open the door, holding it open for him. “It doesn't matter.” I wave off his comment, making my way down the walkway and up the stairs. I fish my keys out of my pocket and unlock my door. I turn to take Jax from him.
“He’s asleep. I’ll put him in his bed.”
I reach up, pulling the sucker out of Jax’s mouth. He is indeed fast asleep. “I can take him. He’ll probably wake up when you try and put him down anyways.”
“You’re right. I’ll let him sleep a little longer.” He steps into my apartment and glances around for a moment before heading for my sofa, where he sits down. “Lock the door behind you,” he tells me. I stand there for a second taking in what my current reality is.
Jonas Willits is in my home. He’s currently holding my son. I step inside, shutting the door behind me without protesting. I’m not sure what good it would do at this point.
“I’m going to change. I’ll only be a minute,” I tell him before I dart into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me. Jonas must be crazy. I must be more crazy because I just left my son with him.
Though I know neither Gia nor Luca would have let Jonas hold Jax or walk me to my room unless they trusted him. I trust their judgment, which in turn tells me I can trust Jonas.
Yeah, I am definitely losing it. Wait. I’d almost forgotten that no one had introduced us. How the hell does he know my name?
Chapter 7
Jonas
I have a son. I have a son. I have a son.
The phrase swims through my head, drowning out every other thought, like why is my fiancée living on the Ward estate above their garage? Why is she pretending she doesn’t recognize me? But most of all, why the fuck has she kept my son from me?
This is the fruit of my damn loins. Despite my recent actions, I don’t consider myself a particularly violent person. I wasn’t the type to get into useless fights as a teenager and my weapons these days are my bank balance and connections. It’s easier and cleaner and more fulfilling to ruin someone’s life while sitting in my office on the fiftieth floor of a high rise in Hong Kong overlooking one of the busiest and richest harbors in the world than running around punching people in the nose.