Chapter 22
twenty-two
“Jax… oh god, Jaxon. I can’t. I can’t put you into the hands of that man. And I can’t let him have even the slightest chance to hurt the people we love. This is my mess, understand? This has always been my mess to clean up, baby. I’m so sorry.” Her voice is watery as she begs through her tears.
I will tear this world apart to get to her. Checking the GPS, it says we’re less than an hour from the warehouse where Rory said they were meeting. I know she has at least a thirty minute head start on us.
“Listen to me, son. I want you to go to art school. I know that’s what you want, and I’ve always wanted you to be exactly who you are.
I’m so incredibly proud of the man you’ve become.
I couldn’t have asked for a better kid. You are the one amazing thing that made every single ounce of pain in my life worth bearing.
” She can barely speak through the tears, and my heart is aching to take this pain from them both. It didn’t need to be this way.
“Stop! Stop it, Mom. Don’t you fucking dare tell me goodbye.
I don’t care what you say, this shit sounds like goodbye, and I won’t hear it.
How could you leave me?! How could you fucking leave me here to deal with this shit on my own!
We’re supposed to be a team!” He screams, and I feel his heart shattering.
He slams a fist into the dash, and the anger inside me mirrors his.
“That’s the problem, honey. I’m the one who is supposed to protect you.
Not the other way around. I love you, Jax.
I love you more than I ever thought I could possibly be capable of loving anything or anyone.
You are the best thing I have ever accomplished in this life.
” I agree, it does sound like she’s telling him goodbye.
“Give it to me.” I grab the phone from him, seeing he can’t take any more of this.
“Willow? Where the fuck are you?!” I shout, the anger palpable in my voice.
“I’m so sorry, Beck. I love you. I wish I would’ve told you the first time I felt it.
We would’ve had so much more time. I know you’re angry, but please…
please take care of our boy. No matter what happens, please don’t leave him without a family,” she begs, and a part of me recognizes how selfish and hypocritical she sounds. But I would never leave him.
“Willow, please. Please, baby-” she cuts me off, disconnecting the call.
“Motherfucking son of a goddamn bitch!” I roar, throwing Jaxon’s phone across the backseat of the Mustang.
We were out of the house and on her trail within 30 minutes of her leaving, but all I’ve got is Breaker’s turn by turn instructions once she’s already made them. She knows where she’s going, and she’ll be there at least a half hour before we are.
So much can happen in half an hour. She could be taken from me in less time than that.
Why the fuck would she put herself in so much danger?
Why would she do this to Jaxon? I thought I made it more than clear that I would protect them no matter what the consequences were, why couldn’t she just trust me?
“Beck, what if-” Jaxon starts, but I cut him off.
“Don’t. Don’t fucking go there. She’s gonna be fine.
We’ll be there before anything happens to her, Jax.
And then she can kick my ass in person for bringing you along.
” I joke, trying to ease his fears. The fear in his eyes is clear, anxious energy saturating the air around us.
We’re both terrified of getting there too late.
“I wish you were my dad,” he says quietly, an arrow piercing straight through my heart. His eyes are fixed on something far away out the window, and he doesn’t elaborate.
“I may not have made you, but I love you, Jax. I will support you and your dreams for the rest of my life. I have since the day I first met you, a mad preteen just looking for someone to pick a fight with. You’ve come so fucking far since then, and I’m so proud of you.
What is a dad but someone who you know will always have your back?
I will always be that for you. Whether or not I have that title, that’s how I see myself.
” I speak from my heart, knowing he needs to know I’m always here, no matter what happens tonight.
He doesn’t say anything in response, but I see the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.
I wish I could take all the pain this boy has ever felt in his life away, but it just doesn’t work that way.
I pull up the only contact I know could possibly help in this situation, even though the last thing I want is to owe him any favors. But desperate times and all.
“Mr. Hayes, I wasn’t aware you had become involved with such a reckless woman,” Sebastian’s voice is calm, even though I feel anything but.
“Yeah, you and me both. How quickly could you have support sent to my location?” I ask, knowing I have no clue what our final destination actually is.
“It would be helpful if you weren’t currently a moving target. Luckily, it seems your woman has reached her destination.” I’m not surprised he’s got eyes on Willow, after all I did ask him to watch her.
“Where is she?” I ask desperately.
“I will send the exact coordinates to your phone. As well as sending a little back up to this location. Hopefully, we will not be too late.” He says.
“What’s this gonna cost me, Seb?” I ask, knowing nothing comes without a price in this world.
“We can talk terms when we aren’t in such a time crunch, Helo.
I’d like to believe we’re better friends than that.
I will find you when things have settled down.
” The line disconnects, and I know the cost will be heavy.
No one is truly just friends with a mafia don.
But it doesn’t matter. I have more money than I could spend in five lifetimes and more skills than I know what to do with.
Whatever the cost, I’ll accept the help.
“She’s already there. She’s with him right now, Beckett.” Panic is clear on Jaxon’s face, and I don’t know how to ease that fear when I’m drowning in my own.
“We’re getting there, Jax.” I tell him, breaking every fucking speed law in South Carolina just to get to her.