JAX
MASON SOFTLYtapping on Marley’s bedroom door before the sun is even up pulls me out of what felt like the best sleep of my fucking life. I slowly lift my head, trying not to wake Marley up, and look over my shoulder.
For the past few nights, Marley won’t let me leave her room. Not like I was going to, anyway. She says she can’t sleep without me. She is still having dreams, but they are not as bad if I’m in the room with her.
All he has to do is hold his hand up against his ear like a phone, and I know it’s a call from Callum, and probably a new job.
Damn, that means I’m going to have to go out with the team right after I promised Marley I wouldn’t leave her side.
Down in the kitchen, he hands me a cup of coffee and sets his phone on the island. I’m not really a morning person, so the silence between us as we wait for Callum to call isokay with me.
Only a few minutes go by before the phone buzzes and Mason taps the screen.
“Yep, Jax is with me.”
“Good.” Callum’s voice sounds groggy over the line, especially since he is an hour behind us. “New job just came in. Wife went missing in Columbia. Girl’s weekend. Her friends report a man watching her. We need to head out today.”
I scrub my hand over my face and then scrub my fingertips through my hair. “ETA?”
“About oh-nine-hundred your time.” I look at my watch, that gives me almost four hours to tell Marley I’m going to be gone for a week or more.
Mason is watching me as he says, “Okay, send us the rules of engagement and geo-specifics, we’ll get started on the recon.”
I nod my head. “Got it.”
“How’s your leg?” Callum asks, and I give Mason an accusing look. He shrugs his shoulder and rolls his eyes like it was stupid of me to think he wouldn’t tell.
“It’s fine, it was just a graze.”
“Is he playing it off?” Callum asks, the question directed at Mason.
Mason gives me a shit-eating grin. “Nah, he’s walking fine, it was just a graze.”
“Roger that. I’ll see you guys in a few hours.” The line goes dead.
“Fucker.” I say and walk over to the coffeepot to refill my cup.
“Pftt.” He jerks his head. “What? Did you think he wouldn’t find out?” He sets his cup on the marble countertop, the now empty glazed pottery making a little clink, and rubs his eyes. “Now I have to tell my heavily pregnant wife I’mgoing to be gone and that she’s not allowed to go into labor or experience anything new or special ‘till I get back.”
Leaning against the counter, I take a sip of the hot, black nectar, practically feeling my body energize with each drink and lift my eyebrows. “How long does she have?”
“About five weeks if he wants to come out of there on his due date.”
I whistle low between my teeth. “Cutting it close.” It’s my turn to jerk my head. “Holy shit. You’re about to be a dad.”
“No shit, mind-boggling, right?”
Boots scraping on the hardwood has both of us looking over to Gray walking into the kitchen. He doesn’t say anything as he walks to the coffeepot. Mason looks amused as he watches his brother.
Less than a minute later, his girlfriend, Elly, walks in behind him. She’s dressed for work in a tight skirt and a silk blouse. Even with her heels on, she’s not even five foot five. She’s pretty tiny. It’s almost comical to see them standing next to each other, he has a whole foot or more on her.
“Morning guys.” She says in her chipper voice.
I give her a chin lift. I guess Mason is the only one talking today because he actually responds to her with a ‘good morning’.
“Why are you guys up so early?” She asks and steals Gray’s coffee cup from his hands right after he takes his first drink. He doesn’t seem to notice and only yawns as he turns to get another cup down from the counter.
“Call from Callum. New job.” Mason says, and scrubs both of his hands over his face. “I gotta go wake Sloane up and tell her the good news.”
