ped his favorite pen clean in half and watched the pieces roll across his desk. He had paced. He had poured a whiske

shed from the cold, a strand of hair escaping from h

is jaw was tight, a muscle twitching in his cheek, and his shoulders were rigid wi

oice was sof

eyes made her heart clench-not fury, but something worse. Hurt. Deep, genuine hurt. "You told me last night that you wanted this marri

g a step toward him. "Every mo

estion tore from h

has been poisonin

e air between them.

it, Jax. Something is wrong with my body, and I needed to know what." She took another step closer, close enough to touch him. "I didn't take that pill because I don't want your child. I took it becau

nleash the storm that had been building in his chest for hours. But looking at her now-at the tears she was fighting to hold b

if she was telling the truth, then someone had been poisonin

Eating at my table. Smiling at my wife. And the whole time-" His ha

ho brings her down. Please, Jax. She took months of my life. She a

, that last night had been a lie. And now, looking at her-this woman who had been slowly poisoned for half a year and still stoo

t any of it. I only care about you." He pulled her against his chest, one hand coming up to cup the back of her head. "If you don't want to

e, he had never said anything like thi

nt your children. I want a family with you. But I need time.

er you need. Whatever it takes. I'll give you anything." His thumbs brushed awa

going a

night before, but something deeper. Something that tasted of

ble to express into the body of the woman he had almost lost before he truly had her. He worshiped her until she forgot her own name. He held her until she forgot the cold of the bas

murmured. "I

ght. Jax lay awake, stroking her hair, watching the gentle rise and fall of her ch

d tried to tak

d a message to Evan: "Mrs. Irwin is not to leave the estate without my explicit permission. I

. He knew she would be angry when she found out. He knew she would fight h

liation. But that was a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, he held his wife in his arms and le