Page 9 of Judge (Devil’s Rose MC #7)

Judge

“Whatcha doing?” Spinning I’m pinned to the spot by two sets of green eyes.

“Hey, I was looking for your mom,”

“She’s on a girls night,” Annie-Bella answers, walking up the steps, pushing open the door and walking past me.

“Oh, OK, I’ll come back some other time.” I turn to leave, only to be blocked by Jax, arms crossed, feet planted. Pretty much his standard I’ve noticed.

“What, don’t want to spend time with us?” he asks, one brow raised.

“No, I’d ah, I’d love to, if that’s OK with you and your sister?” He shrugs, moving to walk past me, much like his sister did. “It’s up to us if we want to hang out with you. Just like it’s up to Mom whether she wants to talk to you or just ignore you and the fourteen years of no contact.”

Ouch. I guess I deserved that.

“Well, you coming in or not?”

I hurry in behind him, shutting the door and then realizing that this trailer is probably not built for two, large people to be inside it. Annie-Bella must notice too because she giggles, then spins to pull an extra plate out of the cupboard.

“Wait, if your mom is at girls night,” which scares me to my very core, “What were you two doing before you caught me?”

“We’d gone to pick up the dinner Mama Debs made us. It’s kinda like lockdown takeout, don’t you think?” Annie-Bella grins.

“Just don’t eat too much, she only made enough for us. We’ll share, but go easy.” Jax eyes me for a moment. “You look like you eat a lot.”

“I guess from that statement, you do too,” I nod toward him and I’m sure I see him puff up a little, proud that I’d noticed his physique.

“Stop being a dick,” Annie-Bella chides her brother, “a blind man could see that you eat all the food.” She waves a hand in his direction before turning to me. “It’s why I’m so small, Jax took all the in utero nutrients.”

“Hate to break it to you sweetheart, but I think you’re small because your mom is tiny.” My daughter beams at the endearment, and I realize how much having me around means to her. To them both, maybe.

“What was she like when you were younger?” Annie asks, and I don’t miss when her brother moves closer, wanting to hear my answer.

“Well, we met in kindergarten and she was so small. The smallest kid in class for almost all the years. She couldn’t get herself going on the swing because she was so tiny, so I pushed her on it and then we kinda never were apart after that.

Probably helped we lived on the same street and our parents were friends.

” They’re both wide-eyed, and I guess I understand.

To them she’s just their mom. The woman who has selflessly looked out for them all this time.

It’s probably crazy for them to think she was once a child.

“Why did you do it?” Jax asks, knowing I’d pick up the context.

“We weren’t cool kids, your mom and I. I guess, shit, I don’t really know. One minute I was a dweeb, the next I was on the football team and I had all these friends.”

“They weren’t really friends,” Annie whispers, and I shake my head in agreement.

“I was dumb and then Kaia, she was just…gone. I was heartbroken. Not as much as she was,” I add quickly as I could see Jax about to refute that.

“And now?”

“Now I’m heartbroken for a completely different reason. If you are open to it, I’d love to spend some time with you both.”

They do that thing where they share a look, then turn back to me. “How do you feel about Die Hard?”

I sit stiffly on the recliner, my size not conducive to being stuffed into this tiny chair. The kids are sprawled out on the larger couch and I don’t miss their eyes darting toward me and their snickers. I feel put on the spot and I hate that feeling.

“Are you hot?” Annie’s voice breaks through my haze, the sound of John McLaine’s gunshots on the big screen jolting me.

“No, I’m feeling pretty comfortable. Are you hot? Do you need me to open a window?” I jump up, wanting to do anything to make her feel at ease.

“No, I’m fine, it’s just, um, your head is really shiny. Like really shiny. And you look sweaty.” She gives me a tight smile. “Just wanted to make sure you’re OK. Sage is busy with the big little kids at the moment, and I’d hate for you to have a heart attack and die.”

I stare at two sets of eyes, identical to mine, although where Annie-Bella’s are wide with concern, Jax’s look as thought he’s going to fucking breakdown and piss himself at any moment.

“No, sweetheart, I’m good.”

“OK,” she replies happily before glancing at me again.

“So, is male pattern baldness on your side of the family or is it a choice? Because you know Turkey does some pretty cool hair transplants. You’d have to walk around in a sweat band for a while and your head swells up like a beach ball, so it may not be that cool. ”

Jax loses his fight and snorts so hard he chokes on it. Little shit.

“Ah, it’s a choice.” I answer, hoping that if I stare at the TV the interrogation will come to an end.

“Hm. Interesting choice,” is all she says.

What the hell? I thought that fucker, what was his name?

Rodney? I thought he was a one off with his observations and shit talk.

Turns out, my kids are the same, although it’s delivered in a very sweet, very cute package.

We settle in again, the kids only eyeing me every now and then until we’re sitting in relative companionship watching people get blown to smithereens.

A large boom from outside the trailer has us all jumping up, before I take the kids to the floor, my bulk covering them.

My heart is racing and I growl at the kids to stay down until I say.

Another small explosion rocks the place and I move my hand along my leg, flicking the holster at my ankle, freezing when I hear cackling and yahooing.

Rolling off the kids, I check to make sure they’re alright. “It’s OK. It’s just girls night.”

“What the actual fuck!?” My brows raise at Jax’s language. “What the hell are they doing to make that noise?”

“Chewy has a rocket launcher.”

“Oh sick!” the kids say in unison, rushing to look out the window.

“Yeah, so sick,” I mutter. Great. One evening and Chewy is already cooler than me. Shit, am I a lame dad? Looking down at my feet I wonder if I need to buy some dad sneakers.

“Do you think-”

“Nope, your mother would kill you and then probably me for telling you. Just go sit your ass on the couch, I want to see the end.” My eyes widen when I realize I may have completely overstepped.

“You’re getting the hang of this dad thing,” Annie-Bella says with a grin, walking to the couch and flopping down, her brother following suit.

“While you’re up, grab the brownies, old man,” Jax calls out, and I really want to dump the brownies on his goofy fucking hair cut, but I contain myself.

He’s my kid and I love him. Even though he has jerk tendencies.

But I guess it is what it is. The kid is trying to push my buttons, testing me.

Well, he better buckle up, because I won’t lose.

Delivering the brownies nicely I retake my seat, and settle in again.

* * *

I’m jolted awake by the sound of rummaging and banging in the doorway, a shooting pain running through my neck when I turn too fast. “Shit!” is hissed out and then comes a giggle. I know that sound.

“Kaia?”

“What the fuck?”

Standing from where I’ve slumped in the recliner, my breath catches at the sight of her. Hair a mess around her shoulders, eyes bright, cheeks flushed.

“What the shit are you doing here? Have you been stalking me?” Her eyes narrow dangerously and I’m not sure if she can even see me clearly through them.

“Shit no! I came earlier looking for you, instead the twins invited me in and we had dinner and watched a movie.” Looking around at the deserted living area, I must have fallen asleep and they ditched me.

“Oh,” she stands there, staring. “I got to shoot a rocket launcher. I blew shit up!” She mimes an explosion, giggles and then stares at me some more.

“I better get going, leave you to it.” I pat my pockets, making sure I have my phone and whatever other shit I might possibly need, before moving toward the door.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“What for?”

“For seeing them. Thank you.”

I nod once, wanting to say so much fucking more, but it’s stuck in my throat. Besides, she may not want to listen to me today. Or even maybe tomorrow. Pulling the door closed behind me I stumble when my shirt is grabbed and I’m dragged from the step.

“What the fuck!?”

“Listen here numbnuts, I have a plan. You want that family to be yours right?” Pops’ voice hisses at me and I should have known he’d be the only bastard here brave enough to jump me late at night.

“What the hell man!?”

“Answer me!”

“Yes! I want them to be mine. Even Kaia, if she’ll have me.” Wow. Looks like the words I wanted to say to Kaia that were stuck just come flying out when my defenses are down.

“Good. Tomorrow you’re going to ask her on a date.”

I stare at Pops in the darkness, the only light coming from the main room in the farmhouse. “Come again?”

“Ask. Her. On. A. Date.” He emphasises each word by shaking me around by the scruff of my shirt.

I let out a breath. “Look, dude. You know we’re on lockdown. I can’t take her anywhere.”

“I know that, that’s why we’re bringing the date to you. Do you trust me?”

I think about it for a split second. I don’t not trust him. But at the same time the guy does have a tendency to get into trouble.

“Come on kid, it’s an easy question.”

Making up my mind, I blow out a breath. “Yes, I trust you.”

“Good. Let the Love Pres take care of everything.”

My brows shoot up to my non-existent hairline. “The Love Pres?”

“Some people call me that.”

“Who?”

“Your Pres for one.”

That sounds pretty fucking unlikely but I decide to let it go. I mean, shit, Pops knows more about Kaia and the kids than anyone here. He’s a trusted member of the girl gang. He’ll know more about what Kaia is thinking and feeling than anyone else here.

“OK, Love Pres. What do I have to do?”

Kaia