Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jax
The mountain air was sharp and crisp as we loaded the last of our bags into the SUV, our breath creating small clouds in the early morning chill.
I glanced over at Estelle as she adjusted her scarf, her cheeks pink from the cold, and felt that familiar surge of possessive heat that came from watching her.
She'd been checking her phone obsessively since we'd woken up, scrolling through the photos and videos Jovie had been sending of Leo and Avery's adventures while we'd been away.
Three years since she'd adopted Leo, and she still couldn't stand being away from him for more than a day or two.
"You ready to go home, princess?" I asked, sliding my arm around her waist and pulling her against my side.
"More than ready," she replied, leaning into my warmth. "I miss him so much it actually hurts. Is that normal?"
"Completely normal," I assured her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “He’s lucky to have someone who loves him that much."
The drive to the private airstrip took us through winding mountain roads dusted with fresh snow, the early morning sun casting everything in golden light.
In the backseat, I kept Estelle tucked against my side, one arm around her shoulders while she dozed lightly against my chest.
My phone buzzed with a text from Jovie, and I had to bite back a smile as I read it.
Estelle stirred against me, blinking sleepily. "Everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect," I murmured, tucking my phone away before she could see it. "Just Jovie confirming our flight details."
She hummed contentedly and settled back against me, unaware of the surprise waiting for her at the other end of our flight.
I'd been coordinating with Jovie to make sure Leo would be at the executive airport when we landed, knowing how much Estelle has been missing him.
Once we reached the jet, I caught Estelle looking wistful as she stared out at the snow-covered mountains we were leaving behind.
"Going to miss it?" I asked.
"A little," she admitted. "It was perfect, wasn't it? Just us, no outside world, no responsibilities except taking care of each other."
"We'll come back," I promised, meaning it. "Maybe make it an annual tradition. Our Christmas getaway."
Her smile was radiant. "I'd like that."
The interior of the jet was exactly what I'd paid for—luxury incarnate, with plush cream leather seats, polished wood accents, and enough space for all six of us to spread out comfortably.
"This never gets old," Adrian sighed appreciatively, sprawling out in his seat. “The jet is always the way to go."
“You used to be scared of it,” Connor snorted dryly, referring to when Adrian was seventeen and had never flown before.
"That was character building," Adrian replied with dignity.
As we taxied down the runway, I felt Estelle's hand find mine, her fingers interlacing with mine in that unconscious way she had when she was content.
The past few days had been exactly what we'd all needed—time away from the city, and space to just be together without the weight of the world pressing down on us.
But as much as I'd enjoyed our mountain retreat, I was eager to get home. Eager to see Leo's face when he spotted us walking through the terminal, eager to hear Avery's delighted shriek when she realized we were back, eager to gather all the people I loved most under one roof for Christmas.
Family. The word still felt strange sometimes, even after all this time. For years, family had just been Dad and Jovie, then Connor and Adrian had been added to the mix.
But now... now it included Estelle and Leo, Sierra and Isla, and even Toffee, who'd adopted all of us as honorary dads.
The flight passed quickly, with Estelle dozing against my shoulder while I handled some calls and the others either napped or listened to Adrian’s stories.
When the pilot announced our descent, I felt that familiar thrill of homecoming, amplified by the knowledge of what was waiting for us on the ground.
"Look," Estelle murmured, pointing out the window at the familiar landscape below—palm trees and sandy beaches, the sprawling expanse of beachfront property visible from the air. "Home."
"Home," I agreed, though my attention was already focused on what I knew was waiting for us at the executive airport.
The humid air hit us like a warm embrace as we stepped off the plane, such a stark contrast to the mountain cold we'd left behind that I heard Sierra actually sigh with relief.
Sixty degrees felt positively tropical after days in the snow, and I could already feel my muscles relaxing in the familiar warmth.
The executive terminal was mostly empty this early in the day, which made the two small figures pressed against the windows impossible to miss.
"Is that...?" Estelle started, then stopped, her eyes widening as recognition hit.
That's when the terminal doors burst open and Leo came flying, aimed straight at us. His little face was split by the biggest grin I'd ever seen on him.
"Elle!" he shouted, launching himself at Estelle with fearless abandon that still made my heart skip a beat. "You're back!"
Estelle dropped her purse and hugged him, kneeling as tears immediately started streaming down her cheeks. "Leo! Oh my god, what are you doing here?"
“We came to surprise you!" he announced proudly, pulling back just enough to beam at her before turning to include me in his excitement. "We've been waiting! Well, Avery's been waiting. I was being patient."
"Very patient," I confirmed with a laugh, ruffling his hair. "Most patient dinosaur expert I know."
That's when Avery made her entrance, barreling out of the terminal like a tiny pink tornado. She was pure concentrated energy wrapped in sparkly clothes and pigtails that never stayed in place for more than ten minutes.
"ESTELLE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, adding her own small body to the group hug with enough force to nearly knock all three of them over.
"I missed you SO MUCH! I guess Jax, too. Leo missed you every single night, but he made me pinky promise not to tell anyone!"
"Did not!" Leo protested, his cheeks turning pink, but he was still smiling too hard.
"Did too! And you kept asking mommy to show you the pictures and what day it was and when Santa is coming—”
"Avery," came a gentle but firm voice from the terminal entrance, and I looked up to see my sister approaching with that warm smile that had been healing broken hearts for as long as I'd known her.
Jovie Easton had always been a steady presence. She moved with the confident grace of someone who'd spent decades wrangling difficult personalities—first me, then Connor and Adrian when they'd joined our makeshift family, and now Leo and Avery.
"Jovie," Estelle breathed, standing up with Leo still clinging to her legs. "Thank you for bringing them. This is... this is perfect."
"Your man is quite the romantic," Jovie said with a knowing smile, reaching out to hug Estelle carefully around Leo. "He called me three days ago with this whole elaborate plan. The kids have been beside themselves with excitement."
Leo smiled up at all of us. "Did you play in the snow? Did you build snowmen? Did you have a snowball fight?"
"All of the above," Connor confirmed, submitting to Leo's hug.
Avery, meanwhile, had attached herself to Adrian with typical enthusiasm. "Adrian! Adrian! Did you bring me presents? Are they sparkly? I love sparkly things!"
"Of course they're sparkly," Adrian replied with mock seriousness, swinging her up onto his shoulders. "What kind of uncle would I be if I forgot about sparkly things?"
Watching our little family reunion unfold, I felt that familiar tightness in my chest that came from moments of pure happiness.
A while ago, I'd been a different man—successful, yes, but ultimately empty. Living for nothing but the next fight, the next championship, the next rush of adrenaline.
Then Estelle had walked into my life with her strength and fierce love for Leo, and everything changed. She'd given me purpose beyond myself, a future that had nothing to do with titles, belts, or recognition.
"Ready to head home?" I asked, gathering Estelle and Leo under my arms.
"More than ready," Estelle replied, gazing at Leo, her beautiful face soft with maternal love.
The drive from the executive airport to my beachfront estate took thirty minutes through familiar streets—palm trees swaying in the ocean breeze, glimpses of sandy beaches between expensive mansions.
Leo chattered from his booster seat, filling us in on everything we'd missed during our absence.
Apparently, he and Avery had built a ‘fake igloo’ in the living room, and Jovie had let them stay up late to watch Christmas movies.
"And tomorrow Grandpa is coming!" Avery added from her own booster seat, bouncing with excitement. “Mommy said he's bringing presents and that he might build a gingerbread house with us!”
“Sounds so fun,” Estelle smiled, reaching over to smooth down Leo's perpetually messy hair. "Did you miss us?"
“Yeah,” Leo replied, still smiling. "But I knew you'd come back. You always come back."
You always come back.
The faith in those words, the trust, was everything we’d been cultivating in him. He’d been abandoned by his parents, but always trusted us to return home.
Trusted that we'd keep our promises, that we'd always come back to him.
"Always," Estelle confirmed, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "No matter what. We'll always come back to you."
As we turned into the long driveway that led to my beachhouse, I felt that familiar surge of pride at the sight of it.
The sprawling Mediterranean-style mansion sat right on the beach, with white stone and floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased the ocean view.
It was excessive, definitely, and it was fucking gorgeous. Just like my princess.