Page 16 of Single Mom’s Navy Seals (Claimed by the Alphas #2)
LIAM
I stare at the closed door, which had been slammed in the softest way possible and yet still conveyed just how angry I’d made the woman on the other side of it.
I run a hand roughly over my face, irritation and embarrassment burning through my veins, making it hard to think clearly. That was definitely not how I planned to start the morning.
Across the room, Jax whistles while still leaning back casually against the couch. His lips curl into an infuriating smirk, eyes glittering mischievously as they meet mine.
“Well, damn, Liam. That was one hell of a reaction,” he drawls, voice dripping with teasing amusement. “Care to share what that was all about?”
“Shut up, Jax,” I snap, adjusting my pants as inconspicuously as I possibly can while trying to ignore the lingering heat pulsing through me.
My skin feels too tight, the remnants of Ava’s body pressed against mine still vivid in my memory. I clench my jaw hard, focusing instead on the steady hum of the ancient air conditioner rattling in the corner.
Jax chuckles, the bastard not even trying to hide his amusement. His gaze flicks downward, eyebrows raised.
“If I had to take a wild guess, I’d say it had less to do with Ava herself and a whole lot more with your, uh, very enthusiastic reaction to her proximity.”
I scowl practically grinding my teeth to dust. The last thing I need right now is Jax’s stupid fucking commentary. Even though, begrudgingly, I have to admit he’s got a point, and it’s a point I refuse to acknowledge aloud.
“Seriously, Jax, shut your fucking mouth before you wake the kid,” I growl, keeping my voice low but fierce enough that he knows I’m not joking.
He raises his hands innocently, eyes twinkling as he settles back comfortably on the couch, one arm flung dramatically over his face.
“Okay, okay,” he concedes easily, laughter still coloring his voice. “No need to bite my head off. Just making an observation.”
“Keep your observations to yourself,” I mutter darkly, turning away from him.
The embarrassment burning through me refuses to fade.
It’s absurd—I'm a grown-ass man, not some teenager incapable of controlling myself around a woman. And yet, there’s no denying the visceral, powerful reaction Ava managed to provoke in mere seconds of physical contact.
I shove the thought violently aside, refusing to analyze it further.
I’ve got enough shit to worry about without adding misguided attraction to the mix.
I pull my phone from my pocket, grateful for the distraction, thumbing through messages.
Morales has updated me again. According to his contacts, closely watching Randy, the bastard still hasn’t figured out where Ava and Eli are hiding.
Good. But that doesn’t mean shit to me. Men like Randy don’t stay ignorant long.
He has resources and patience, which are dangerous qualities combined.
We need to stay ahead of him, get moving again before he closes in.
I pace across the room, my thoughts spinning rapidly. We need to get out of here as soon as Cole returns. I dial his number swiftly, lifting the phone to my ear.
From the couch, Jax cracks one eye open, glancing lazily toward me. “Who are you calling?”
“Cole,” I reply shortly, irritation creeping into my tone. “Need to figure out where the hell he is and how long before we can get moving.”
Jax grins again, stretching his arms leisurely above his head, completely unbothered by my sour mood. “You know, Ava probably could’ve told us exactly where Cole went if you hadn’t decided to take your sexual frustration out by yelling at her.”
My jaw clenches so tight I’m surprised my teeth don’t shatter. I turn to face him fully, glare darkening my expression.
“I don’t have sexual frustration toward a woman I just fucking met,” I snap angrily. “It’s barely been forty-eight hours traveling together. There’s no attraction.”
Jax laughs loudly, utterly unconvinced. “Sure, brother. Try telling that to your dick. It seems to have other ideas.”
Before I can retort, Cole’s voice comes through on the third ring, muffled as if he’s balancing the phone. “Yeah?”
“Cole,” I bark into the receiver, still glaring daggers at Jax, who’s now smirking in triumph. “Where are you?”
“Getting breakfast,” Cole answers, unfazed by my curt tone. “Figured everyone could use food before hitting the road. I’ll be back soon, so go ahead and get everything packed up.”
“Roger,” I reply, ending the call without another word. Jax raises an eyebrow, expression mocking.
“Cole doing alright out there?” he asks casually, deliberately needling me further. “Hopefully his morning’s going smoother than yours.”
“Jax, I swear to God—” I began irritably, but he just laughs again, holding his hands up defensively.
“Alright, alright. I’ll let it go. For now,” he concedes, eyes still twinkling with amusement. “Just remember, denial ain’t healthy, Liam.”
I roll my eyes, turning away from him. I refuse to dignify that comment with a response.
Instead, I focus on the task at hand, which is packing our few belongings, prepping for another day of travel, and staying vigilant.
It’s easier to concentrate on tangible tasks than to acknowledge the confusing storm of emotions swirling beneath my maintained surface.
Despite my determination to ignore it, my thoughts keep drifting back to Ava. Her startled gaze, the warmth of her body pressed intimately against mine, the involuntary sound she pulled from deep within me, and none of it should affect me the way it clearly has.
Frustration tightens my chest. I don’t have room in my life for distractions, and Ava—with her vulnerability, quiet strength, and inexplicable draw—is rapidly becoming one I’m not prepared for. I shove those thoughts violently away, forcing myself to concentrate solely on the mission at hand.
Because distractions, no matter how tempting, are dangerous. That’s something I learned with the SEALs, and I’ve never forgotten it. Distractions on a mission get people killed, and I’ll be damned if these two die because of my incompetence and inability to keep my fucking cock under control.
Several minutes later, the silence in the room is broken as the bathroom door creaks open quietly. My attention snaps toward the sound, body tense with an anticipation I refuse to acknowledge.
Ava steps out cautiously, eyes trained on the worn carpet beneath her feet. Her face is no longer the deep crimson it was earlier, but a lingering, soft pink still colors her cheeks, betraying her lingering embarrassment.
My chest tightens, a flicker of guilt twisting uncomfortably.
She won’t look at me—her gaze pointedly avoids mine—and as much as I want to deny it, a quiet part of me already misses the warmth of her eyes on me.
Even though she avoids my eyes, I can still feel her, like static clinging to my skin.
The way she moves, cautious and collected, draws me in more than anything loud or showy ever could.
She doesn’t even realize the power she holds, and that’s the worst part.
From the couch, Jax sits up on his elbows, eyes tracking Ava as she moves across the room.
The oversized t-shirt hangs around her slender frame.
The faded fabric stops just above mid-thigh, revealing smooth, toned legs that seem to stretch.
Unwanted thoughts flicker through my mind, loaded with images of exploring every hidden inch beneath that thin cotton barrier, but I force them away with my jaw clenched tight.
Ava sits down on the edge of the bed beside Eli, softly brushing hair away from his small forehead. My heart squeezes as she whispers to him. Her voice is tender and patient.
“Baby,” she murmurs, fingertips stroking his dark hair. “Time to wake up, sleepy head.”
It's becoming a familiar routine to witness now, after only two days.
Eli stirs, soft, sleepy groans escaping him as he buries his face deeper into the pillow, resisting consciousness. A faint smile tugs at my lips, watching his small body stretch lazily beneath the blankets, his tiny fists rubbing insistently at sleep-heavy eyes.
“Five more minutes, Mama,” Eli protests weakly, voice muffled and adorable. His hair sticks out in all directions, pillow lines creasing one flushed cheek. My chest tightens again, warmth blossoming unexpectedly deep within me.
“No, baby, we gotta get ready,” Ava replies, amusement coloring her tone as she leans in, pressing a soft kiss to his tousled head. “Come on, sleepyhead, time to face the day.”
With an exaggerated sigh, Eli pushes himself upright, blinking rapidly in the soft morning light streaming through the thin motel curtains.
For a moment, he squints sleepily around the room, confusion clouding his small features.
But then his gaze settles on Jax and me, and a bright, radiant smile breaks across his face.
“Liam! Jax!” Eli shouts, wide awake and vibrating with childish energy. Without hesitation, he scrambles off the bed, feet padding rapidly across the worn carpet in his Spider-Man pajamas, and launches himself directly at me with complete, trusting abandon.
Caught off guard, I react instinctively, arms opening to catch his small, sturdy body as he collides warmly against my chest. The air escapes my lungs, startled yet deeply moved by his easy trust. My arms tighten around him on an instinct I didn't know I had.
Eli settles in my lap, small hands resting against my chest as he peers up at me with bright eyes.
“Are we driving for a long, long time again today?” Eli asks, small voice earnest and hopeful, trusting me completely with the answer.
I blink, momentarily overwhelmed by the fierce protectiveness surging through me, unsure how to respond. Thankfully, Jax smoothly steps in, laughter warming his voice as he answers.
“Unfortunately, buddy, yeah,” Jax says, eyes softening affectionately as he watches Eli nestled comfortably against me. “But this is the last day of long driving. By tonight, we’ll be at the cabin.”
Eli’s eyes widen, mouth falling open with excitement. He bounces in my lap, excitement radiating through his small frame.
“Is it a cabin in the mountains?” he asks, awe and wonder filling his voice. “I’ve never been to the mountains before!”
Despite myself, I smile faintly, reaching up to ruffle his messy hair.
“Not the mountains, kiddo,” I tell him, amusement tugging at my chest. “This cabin’s actually out in the desert.”
Eli’s eyes grow impossibly wider, and his mouth falls open in a small, delighted gasp.
“Even better!” he declares loudly, enthusiasm practically vibrating through his entire body.
Across the room, Ava finally breaks her quiet silence, voice amused but undeniably firm. “Eli, sweetheart, come on—we have to get ready.”
With a dramatic, disappointed sigh, Eli easily climbs off my lap, leaving behind a sudden emptiness that catches me by surprise.
He pads back across the room toward Ava, small hand reaching trustingly for hers as she guides him toward the bathroom.
As the door closes softly behind them, Eli’s faint giggle echoes warmly in the brief silence.
Jax breaks the quiet moment, voice softer, thoughtful.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he asks, his expression serious as he studies my face. “Like something’s shifting, changing.”
I don’t respond verbally, unable to find the right words to express the confusing, powerful emotions swirling chaotically inside me. But silently, deep within the careful walls of my guarded heart, I know without question— Jax is right.
Everything is shifting, and as much as part of me resists fiercely, I already know I won’t and can’t stop it. For better or worse, change has arrived.