“On August twenty-seventh, that changed. I was at work when I got a call from the highway patrol. They said Edward, Bonnie, and their daughter had been in an accident and I needed to get to the hospital. I don’t even remember getting in my car, or the drive to the hospital. I don’t even remember the police telling me Bonnie and Edward were dead. Everything was a blur. None of it felt real, and then they took me to the ICU.” She shakes her head. “The doctors and the police both said Hope shouldn’t have lived. They said she was lucky to be alive, but because she was so young, her body was still soft, and that saved her life.”
“Jesus,” I hiss, thinking about a life without Hope and how sad that life would be.
“She had small cuts and bruises on her face and hands, but she was okay. She was awake, and when I walked towards her, I could tell she knew exactly who I was. She knew me, and she was so small and all alone. We were both alone.”
Watching as silent tears fall from her eyes, I know how hard that must have been for her, how devastated she must have been.
“I was just nineteen. I didn’t know anything about raising a kid, but I knew I wouldn’t let Edward or Bonnie down. I knew they would want me to take care of her, to raise her, so after I rocked Hope to sleep in the ICU, I went in search of a social worker, and they told me what I needed to do in order to gain custody of her.”
“You’re so strong, baby.” I kiss the side of her head and breathe her in.
“Hope didn’t come from me, but she’s a part of me.”
“She’s your daughter,” I tell her softly, wondering how I could have thought otherwise before. My mom was right; you don’t have to give birth to a child to love it like your own.
“She knows about her dad and mom, but to her, they are nothing but pictures and stories I tell her. When she’s older, I hope I can make her understand Bonnie and Edward loved her more then they loved anything in this world, that they would have given up anything to stay here with her. But until she’s old enough to understand that, I’m all she knows.”
“I get that,” I tell her softly, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“I was jealous she wanted you today instead of me,” she says, and I hear her take a breath.
“I know,” I say gently then add, “I don’t want to take her from you, baby. I just want to be a part of your lives. I want to be one more person she knows who loves her, and I want us to have something solid, so one day we can all be a family.”
“Family,” she whispers, dropping her eyes again.
“I don’t know if you know this,” I say, running my fingers along her cheek until her eyes meet mine once again. “Lilly isn’t my mother. She didn’t give birth to me. My dad dated her when she was in college. Around the time my dad was going to ask her to move in with him, my birth mom, who my dad had a one-night stand with months before, told him she was pregnant. My dad believed he was doing the right thing, and he broke up with Lilly. He didn’t want her to be dragged through everything that was happening at the time. He and my birth mother got married, and my dad didn’t know he had also gotten Lilly pregnant. My birth mom, who is the definition of crazy, got a message from Lilly that was meant for my dad, telling him she was pregnant, and she replied back that she should have an abortion.”
“Oh, my God,” Ellie breathes.
“My birth mom and dad eventually divorced, and when I was three, my dad took me to this trampoline place, and Lilly was there with Ashlyn. He knew right away Ashlyn was his daughter, and he thought Lilly tried to keep her from him.”
“Poor Lilly,” she says in understanding, and my hand moves to wrap around the side of her neck.
“Eventually, my dad won Lilly over and they got back together, but from the moment I met her, I remember thinking I wanted a mom like her. She was the opposite of my mother. So nice, every time she talked to me, she spoke softly and made me feel important. Eventually her and my dad got married and she became my mom. I will always consider her my mom.”
“You get it,” she says softly, placing her hand against my chest over my heart.
“I get it,” I agree.
“I’m sorry about lunch. I…” She pauses, taking a breath. “I just…it’s always been just me and Hope. I’m not used to sharing her. I know it sounds selfish, but I don’t want her to stop needing me.”
“That’s not going to happen, baby, and I don’t want to take her from you,” I promise.
“I know,” she says, leaning her head against my chest.
Sitting back, I hold her tighter against me. I know we will still have shit to deal with, but knowing she came right out and told me her problem saved me a shit load of trouble and time.
“Now can I take you out?” I ask, pressing a kiss to the top of her head after a few moments.
“Jax, about us—”
“This is happening, Ellie. I won’t stop until every part of you belongs to me, from this,” I say, placing my hand over her heart, feeling it pound. Then I run my palm over her breast and down her stomach, over her thigh, and then under the edge of her dress, where I run my fingers over the thin material covering her core. “To this,” I finish.
“Jax—”
“No, baby, now slide off me so I can take you to dinner,” I interrupt.
“But—”
“Slide off,” I rumble, helping her into the passenger seat then buckling her in.
“You’re annoying,” she grumbles.
“You love it, baby. My fingers are still wet and I barely ran them over your panties.” Which is true, but then again, every time I’ve touched her, she’s been wet.
“You didn’t just say that.” She hides her face behind her hair.
Smirking, I pull her hand to my lap then run her palm over my cock. “You’re not the only one,” I tell her, hearing her sharp inhale of breath and groan when her small hand tries to wrap around me through the denim covering my erection.
Before I can say fuck it and pin her to the seat, I pull her hand to my mouth and place a kiss against her fingers settling it back against my thigh, so I can start up my truck and put it in reverse.
When we arrive at the restaurant, it’s after eight and the lot’s still full, which isn’t a surprise. Bryson’s Steakhouse is the place everyone comes to celebrate. I think I’ve spent every birthday and special occasion here since I was ten. Shutting down the truck, I hop out and head around to wait while Ellie adds some glossy shit to her lips that causes them look even fuller than they normally do. Helping her down, I wrap my arm around her waist and lead her inside.
For the first time, I realize that the rustic looking décor and lighting give the restaurant a romantic feel. I’ve never brought a woman here before; I’ve only ever come with family. Luckily, my dad is good friends with Mani Bryson and was able to get us a reservation on short notice.
“Reservation for Mayson,” I tell the maître d’, holding Ellie a little tighter when his eyes sweep over my girl and linger a little too long on her mouth then chest.
I’ve never been jealous; even in school, when I was dating Mellissa and guys would hit on her, I couldn’t have cared less. Ellie is different. I can’t stand the idea of anyone looking at her, and if someone ever has the balls to touch her, I won’t be able to control myself.