Chapter Three
Jax
“You look like you just woke up in a different life.”
Her voice is still thick with sleep, a little confused, a little guarded, but there’s something softer there now too.
I glance over my shoulder at her, taking in the way her long black hair falls messily around her shoulders.
Her blue eyes are still adjusting, her whole body slower than before, like she finally got the rest she needed.
“Maybe I did,” I reply lightly, turning back to the stove. “Hungry?”
She hesitates, like she’s not used to being asked that, then shrugs a little. “I guess.”
Levi makes a soft, happy noise from his swing, one fist working at nothing. Zora’s attention snaps to him instantly. “You’re in a good mood now, huh?” she coos, stepping closer and brushing her fingers gently over his cheek.
I watch that for a second longer than I should. The way she softens for him. The way everything else fades when she looks at him. It does something to me.
“Give me five minutes,” I say, forcing my attention back to the food. “Then we’ll eat.”
She glances at me again, like she’s still trying to figure me out. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you?”
I shrug slightly. “Seemed like you needed it.”
She studies me for a second, like she’s deciding whether to argue or let it go, then exhales softly. “Yeah…I did.”
Levi lets out another babble, louder this time, and Zora’s lips twitch slightly before she mimics him under her breath. “Oh, really? That’s what you have to say?”
I smirk, shaking my head as I plate the scrambled eggs, buttered toast, and bacon. “He’s got opinions.”
“He always does,” she mutters, but there’s a faint smile there now.
I turn, handing her a plate. “Careful. It’s hot.”
She steps closer to take it, and for a second, we’re standing too close. Close enough to notice the faint flush in her cheeks, the way her eyes flick briefly to my mouth before snapping back up.
Yeah. She feels it too.
“Thanks,” she says quickly, stepping back.
I grab the other plate and nod toward the small table. “Sit.”
She hesitates again, then does, adjusting Levi’s swing slightly before settling into the chair. I sit across from her, watching as she takes a bite. Her eyes widen slightly.
“This is…really good.”
I huff out a quiet laugh. “I’ll take that.”
She shakes her head, taking another bite. “No, seriously. This is…” she pauses, searching for the word. “too good for someone who just showed up and took over my kitchen.”
“Careful,” I say lightly. “I might make it a habit.”
Her gaze flicks up to mine, something unreadable passing through her expression before she looks back down at her plate. “Don’t get used to it.”
I lean back slightly, studying her. “You always this defensive?”
“Yes.”
“Good to know.”
She glances up again, a little sharper this time. “You always this annoying?”
“Only when I’m trying to help.”
That earns me a small, reluctant smile. Progress.
We eat in silence, one that isn’t uncomfortable.
Just new. As if we’re both figuring out what this is while pretending we’re not.
Levi fills the space with soft sounds, little coos and babbles that Zora answers without thinking.
Her voice drops into something warm and playful every time she looks at him.
“He’s judging you,” she says at one point, glancing at me over her fork.
“Already?” I lift a brow. “Harsh.”
“He has standards.”
“Clearly.”
She huffs out a small laugh, then shakes her head like she didn’t mean to. I watch her for a second, the way she relaxes in pieces, like it’s not something she’s used to doing all at once.
“So,” she says after a beat, setting her fork down. “That woman earlier.”
I lean back slightly, already knowing where this is going. “My sister.”
Her brows lift. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
She studies me, like she’s trying to line that up with what she saw. “You two didn’t sound like siblings.”
“We’re not exactly on the same page right now.”
“About?”
I hold her gaze for a second, then shake my head slightly. “Family stuff.”
She watches me a moment longer, like she’s deciding whether to push, then nods once. “Okay.”
“And you?” I ask, shifting the focus. “Is he yours?”
Her hand stills where it rests near Levi’s swing, her expression tightening just slightly before she exhales. “No.”
I set my fork down. I’d have bet my car on it.
She glances at me again, smiling gently. Then, she nods slowly. “He’s my brother.”
That catches my attention. “Your brother?”
“Yeah,” she says, her tone quieter now but steady. “My mom dropped him off at my old apartment a few months ago. In a box.”
I stare at her. “You’re serious.”
“Yeah.”
“Jesus.”
She shrugs like it’s nothing, but I can see it in her eyes, in the way her shoulders tense just slightly. “I didn’t even know she was pregnant. He just…showed up one night, and that was it.”
“And you kept him.”
“Of course I did.”
The answer comes fast. Certain. No hesitation. Something in my chest tightens.
“You didn’t think about calling someone?” I ask carefully.
“Like who?” she shoots back, her gaze sharpening. “The police? CPS? No, thanks.”
I hold up my hand. “Alright. I get it.”
“Do you?” she asks, quieter now, but there’s something underneath it.
“Enough,” I reply, meeting her gaze. “To know you did the right thing.”
She studies me for a second, like she’s trying to figure out if I mean that. I do. Her shoulders relax just a little.
“He’s all I’ve got,” she adds softly, glancing down at Levi.
“And you’re all he’s got,” I say.
Her eyes flick back to mine and hold. There’s too much in them, and she doesn’t look away fast enough to hide it. Then she does look away.
“And you?” she asks quickly, like she needs to shift the focus again. “You live alone?”
“Yeah.”
“No girlfriend?”
I huff out a quiet laugh. “No.”
“Convenient.”
“For who?”
She shrugs, picking at her food. “You.”
I lean forward slightly. “You asking?”
Her eyes snap to mine, a hint of heat flashing there. “I’m making conversation.”
“Right.”
A beat passes. Then another. Neither of us looks away. I drag my thumb along the edge of the table, slow, back and forth, and it doesn’t help. My cock still hardens in my jeans. I break the stare first, and I’m not used to being the one who does.
I push my plate back and stand, grabbing both dishes before she can reach for them. “I’ve got it.”
“You cooked,” she says immediately, rising halfway from her seat. “I’ll clean.”
“You’ve been up for what, two days straight?” I glance at her over my shoulder. “Sit down.”
“I’m not helpless.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“Then let me help.”
I turn to face her fully, plates still in my hands. She’s closer than she was a second ago, her chin tipped up slightly, that same stubborn edge back in place. “You are helping,” I say, quieter now. “You’re eating and not falling over. That’s enough for today.”
Her eyes narrow just a fraction. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“And you don’t get to run yourself into the ground because you think you have to do everything alone.”
The words land heavier than I expect. She stills. For a second, neither of us moves.
Then she exhales slowly. “I didn’t ask for help.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you giving it?”
“Because you need it.”
Her chin comes up. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
Silence stretches between us, thick but not uncomfortable, just…charged. I step closer without thinking, setting the plates down on the counter behind her. She doesn’t move back. If anything, she holds her ground, her gaze locked on mine, like she’s daring me to take another step.
So I do.
“Stop looking at me like that,” she mutters.
“Like what?”
“Like you’ve already figured me out.”
“Maybe I have.”
“You haven’t,” she says quickly, but her voice isn’t as steady as before.
I tilt my head slightly, studying her, taking in every detail. The faint flush on her cheeks. The way her lips part just a little. The tension in her shoulders that feels less like resistance and more like anticipation.
“Then tell me I’m wrong,” I say quietly.
She opens her mouth. Closes it. And that’s all it takes.
I close the distance and kiss her. It’s not slow. Not hesitant. It’s careful, but there’s heat under it, something that’s been building since the moment I saw her on the sidewalk.
Her breath catches, her hands coming up to my chest like she might push me away. But she doesn’t. Instead, her fingers curl into my shirt, gripping tight as she kisses me back, and that’s it. That’s all the permission I need.
I deepen the kiss, my hand sliding to her waist, pulling her closer and guiding her until her back hits the counter behind her with a soft thud. She gasps slightly, the sound going straight through me. I take advantage of it, my mouth moving against hers, slower now, more deliberate.
“Jax,” she breathes.
I stop. Not all the way—my mouth stays at the corner of hers, my hand stays on her waist—but I stop moving, and I let the quiet sit there long enough for her to fill it however she wants.
She fills it by pushing up into me.
“This okay?”
Her eyes flick up to mine, something vulnerable flashing there for just a second before it’s gone. “Yes.”
“Good,” I murmur.
“But,” she adds quickly, glancing toward Levi again. “Maybe not…all the way. Not yet.”
I nod once, brushing my thumb lightly along her jaw. “Okay,” I whisper, kissing her again, my hand sliding up her side, feeling the slight tremble there.
The tension snaps completely after that, the kiss turning deeper, heavier.
Like we’re both trying to catch up to something that’s already been decided.
It’s heady and addictive, and all I want is to get lost in its wave.
Her hands move from my chest to my shoulders, then into my hair, and I swear I almost lose control right there.
My fingers find the hem of her shirt. I slip them beneath the fabric, feeling the warmth of her skin. She shivers at my touch, her breath hitching again. I catch her lower lip between my teeth and pull, slow, until she makes a sound into my mouth.
As I trail my fingers up along her stomach, she leans into me, her body instinctively arching against mine. I pull her even closer, pressing her back against the counter. The edge digs into her hips, but she doesn’t seem to mind. If anything, it only fuels the heat building between us.
“Jax,” she whispers, and the way my name escapes her lips sends a spark through me.
I want to hear her say it again, breathe it like it’s a secret between us.
I tilt my head, kissing down her neck, savoring the way her pulse quickens beneath my lips. She gasps again, and the sound reverberates through me, amplifying my desire. I want my mouth everywhere.
Her hands find their way back to my shirt, fingers tugging at the fabric, urging me closer.
I respond by sliding my hand lower into her panties.
My thumb brushes her clit, already swollen and slick.
She shudders, her back arching as I press my palm against her pussy, and it’s almost too much to bear.
I pull back just far enough to see her face. I don’t ask. I just wait, my hand still, and let her decide what happens next.
Her hips chase my hand.
That’s all I need. I move again, my fingers sliding through her slit.
I slowly slide a finger into her tight channel.
She goes rigid for a half second—too tight, too sudden—and I stop dead, letting her body catch up to mine before I move again.
She gasps louder this time, and I lean in, capturing her mouth with mine as my fingers explore.
Her body responds eagerly, arching into my touch. Every stroke drags a sound out of her that she doesn’t seem to know she’s making, and each one goes straight down to my cock. I’m lost in the rhythm of our breaths, the heat rising around us.
She comes undone on a loud moan that I drown out as I kiss her through the whole thing while her body locks and shakes against my hand.
Her grip on my shirt goes white-knuckled.
She’s not quiet. She’s not careful. For about six seconds, Zora isn’t holding a single thing together, and I would burn the building down to watch it again.
Then, a loud gurgle cuts through the room. We both freeze. For half a second, neither of us moves. Then she pulls back, breathing a little unevenly, her eyes wide as she glances toward Levi. “He’s awake,” she whispers.
I ease my fingers out of her and follow her gaze, watching as Levi kicks his legs happily in the swing, completely unaware of what he just interrupted.
I clear my throat softly, grounding myself in the present. Then, I let out a low breath, dragging a hand down my face before looking back at her. “Timing.”
She lets out a small, breathless laugh, her cheeks flushed, her lips slightly swollen from the kiss. “Yeah…great timing.”
Silence settles between us again, but it’s different now. Thicker. Heavier.
I reach out and tuck her hair back behind her ear, my knuckles grazing her cheek.
She exhales softly, leaning into the touch for a second before catching herself. “This is fast.”
“I know. But I’ve never been this drawn to anyone the way I am with you,” I confess, surprising even myself.
“Me too,” she whispers. Then says, more certain, “But you don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
Her lips twitch slightly at that, like she wants to argue but doesn’t have the energy to.
“Same,” she admits quietly.
I study her for a second, then tilt my head toward the door. “Come over to my place.”
She glances at Levi, then back at me, and I watch her decide against it before she says a word.
“Not tonight.” She says it carefully, like she’s expecting me to push. “He’s finally down, and I’m—” She stops. Starts again. “Not tonight.”
“Okay.”
She blinks. “Okay?”
“Okay.” I pick up my keys off her counter. “Tomorrow, then.”
“That’s not what I—”
“Tomorrow,” I repeat, already at the door. “I’ll cook. You bring him.”
She stands there in the middle of her tiny apartment with her arms crossed, looking at me like I’ve done something to her.
“Fine,” she says. “Tomorrow.”
I let myself out before she can take it back.