Page 31 of Single Mom’s Navy Seals (Claimed by the Alphas #2)

AVA

I t’s just me and Eli inside the quiet cabin today.

Jax and Cole left early this morning to handle something outside the sanctuary, though neither offered details, and I didn’t push for them.

Frankly, with everything so tangled and awkward, I’ve been going out of my way to avoid them lately anyway.

Liam is outside somewhere, pacing around on a phone call, his voice low and serious as usual.

His conversation drifts indistinctly through the closed windows, but I deliberately don’t try to listen in.

Instead, Eli and I sit cross-legged on the worn, plush living room rug.

Eli’s playing idly with his blocks again, stacking them into increasingly elaborate towers, humming softly to himself.

I’m pretending to read, though my thoughts stubbornly refuse to focus on the pages in front of me.

It feels nice, just being quiet together like this, even if my mind is still caught in a tangled web of uncertainty.

Suddenly, Eli looks up, those big blue eyes serious and thoughtful.

“Mama?” he says, the tone of his voice already making my heart clench nervously. “I haves a question.”

“'Have' and of course, sweetheart,” I reply, setting my book aside to give him my full attention. “You can ask me anything.”

Eli hesitates, chewing his lower lip. “I’ve been thinking…who was my daddy? I mean, really.”

My stomach drops, heart racing. I wasn’t prepared for this conversation right now. Eli has always accepted the simplified explanation I gave him—that his father passed away before he was born. But I can see in his earnest expression that simple answers won’t suffice anymore.

I swallow hard, trying to buy myself a few precious seconds. “Why do you ask that right now, Eli?”

He shrugs, eyes wide and solemn. “I was just thinking, because I see the other kids on TV and in my books and stuff, and they all have daddies. And now that Liam, Jax, and Cole are here, I was thinking about it more.”

I draw a slow, shaky breath, my heart aching painfully at the innocence and vulnerability in his voice. The thought of telling him the truth, of explaining what kind of man Randy really was, terrifies me. Eli deserves better than that stain on his subconscious.

“Eli,” I begin, my voice careful. “Your dad…he wasn’t someone who could be there for you. I told you before that he passed away?—”

He shakes his head, impatiently interrupting. “I know, Mama. But I’ve been thinking, maybe Liam or Jax or Cole could be my daddy instead.”

I blink, totally stunned and unsure how to respond. Eli rushes on, sensing my hesitation.

“I mean, I’ve thought about it a lot. It doesn’t have to be just one daddy. It can work, Mama, even if you don’t want to be boyfriend and girlfriend with them. I know they love me. They love me like daddies are supposed to love their kids.”

My heart breaks softly at the earnestness of his words. I scramble for the right words, but they fail me.

“Eli, sweetheart,” I say, choosing each word. “Usually, people only have one daddy. Having three might be complicated?—”

“Compitated is okay,” he insists, his small face determined. I don’t bother correcting him on his pronunciation of ‘complicated’ this time. “It would just make me special. Things don’t have to be normal to be good.”

I sigh, feeling tears sting the corners of my eyes. How do I explain something so complicated to a five-year-old? How can I let him down without breaking his sweet, innocent heart?

“Honey, being a daddy is a big deal. There’s more to it than just deciding you want someone to be your daddy. I’m not sure they’re able to be daddies right now.”

“But Cole said he’d be okay with it,” Eli blurts out earnestly, eyes wide and hopeful.

I stare at him silently, my chest aching. “He said that?”

Eli hesitates with a grimace. “Well, not all the way because he said that mommies choose daddies. And he promised me they’d always be there for us. So, I think he would if he knew you were okay with it. Jax and Liam, too. I just know it.”

I can’t even begin to figure out how to explain the complexities involved, or how to break it to Eli. How do I tell my sweet, hopeful little boy that the family he’s dreamed up is impossible? How do I take away something that has already given him so much hope?

Eli watches me intently, waiting patiently, his small hands twisting nervously together. My heart aches fiercely. The silence stretches painfully between us, my mind scrambling for the right words. But the truth is, I don’t know what to say.

How do I break my five-year-old’s heart without shattering my own in the process?

The front door creaks open. Liam steps inside, pausing as he takes in the scene. His intense gaze moves between Eli and me, registering the heavy tension hanging in the air.

“What’s wrong?” he asks gruffly. It’s the first time he’s looked me in the eye in days, and my stomach clenches nervously at the sudden intensity of his attention.

I open my mouth, searching for words, but Eli beats me to it. He steps forward, staring up at Liam with serious eyes and an earnestness that breaks my heart.

“Liam,” Eli says, his voice small but firm, “do you love me?”

The room seems to still completely, my heart pounding furiously as I watch Liam’s reaction.

Liam visibly hesitates, glancing at me before dropping to one knee, bringing himself eye-level with my son.

I brace myself for Eli’s disappointment, silently cursing myself for not handling this better.

But then, Liam’s expression softens completely, and to my surprise, he reaches out, pulling Eli into a gentle hug.

“Yeah, buddy,” Liam says, his voice thick with sincerity. “I do love you.”

Eli pulls back, eyes wide and hopeful. “Then will you always be around? Cole said he would be, and Jax, too. Will you stay with us forever?”

Liam hesitates just for a heartbeat, and I hold my breath anxiously, waiting for his response. But then his eyes soften even further, and he gives Eli a gentle nod.

“Yes. We’re all staying with you and your mom until we’re sure you’re both completely safe.” His gaze shifts to me then, emphasizing the words deliberately. “Completely safe.”

Swallowing hard, I force myself to look at Eli, offering him a weak smile.

“Eli, sweetheart, why don’t you go play upstairs for a little bit? I need to have a grown-up talk with Liam.”

“Okay!” Eli says brightly, clearly satisfied and utterly oblivious to the turmoil within me. He bounces up the stairs, leaving Liam and me alone in tense silence.

“Liam, I’m sorry,” I start awkwardly, the words spilling from me in a nervous rush. “I didn’t mean for Eli to put you on the spot like that. He was asking questions, and I didn’t know how to answer them, and?—”

“Ava,” Liam interrupts, but firmly, stepping closer. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I meant what I said. Eli’s a great kid. It’s not hard to love him.”

I exhale shakily, my nerves still on edge. “You really meant it when you talked about you guys staying until we’re safe?”

He nods, watching me intently. “We decided a while ago. Cole and Jax feel the same. We’re staying at least until Randy is no longer a threat.”

I blink, stunned by his sincerity. “But…how? Don’t you have a business or something? This was supposed to be temporary, right?”

Liam smiles faintly, a smug look flashing briefly across his features. “Money will never be an issue for us, Ava. We’re staying as long as it takes.”

I recognize the same cockiness I’ve seen in Jax before. I briefly wonder what all they really do for work, but my heart pounds furiously in my chest, emotions spiraling out of control.

“You’re serious,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “You’re really planning to stay?”

He steps forward, closing the distance between us until he stands just inches away. His gaze is intense, unwavering, as he reaches up, cupping my face in his hand.

“Jax told us what you told him,” he murmurs. “Afraid of going back to protecting Eli alone. But as long as we’re breathing, Ava, you’ll never face that again. You have us now.”

My breath catches in my throat, and I stare up into his eyes, searching for reassurance.

“Have you talked to Morales about this?” I finally manage through a shaky voice.

Liam shakes his head. “We haven’t heard from Morales in weeks. We aren’t supposed to reach out unless it’s an emergency, but when he does finally call, I’ll tell him our decision.”

We stand silently, eyes locked, the tension between us coiling tighter than ever. My heart pounds like a war drum. Liam doesn’t blink, doesn’t flinch—just stares at me with something dark and hungry etched into every sharp line of his face.

Then he moves.

His hand cups my jaw with purpose, fingers splayed against my cheek, thumb grazing the edge of my mouth. His grip is firm, unyielding, and unmistakably dominant. A shiver skates down my spine.

“I meant it,” he murmurs. “You’re not alone. Not anymore.”

And then his mouth crashes into mine.

The kiss is nothing like the others. It’s not soft or questioning.

It’s a claim. Possessive. Deep. My body reacts instinctively, lighting up from within as my hands grip his shirt like I might fall through the floor without him.

He pushes me backward until I hit the wall, his hips pinning me in place, leaving no doubt how hard he is against me.

His tongue slides against mine, slow and forceful, coaxing a moan from my throat. My lips part wider, hungry, needing more. I feel devoured. I feel alive.

When he breaks away, it’s only to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down my jawline, to the sensitive skin just beneath my ear. I gasp as he sucks there, teeth grazing gently, tongue soothing over the mark. My head falls back against the wall, giving him more access.

“You drive me fucking insane,” he mutters against my neck, his voice low and gravelly. “The way you walk around here like you don’t know what you’re doing to us.”

I barely manage to whisper, “I didn’t mean to?—”

“Yes, you did,” he growls, biting softly at my collarbone. “You knew. You always knew.”

His hands slide beneath my shirt, fingers rough and warm against my skin. He drags it upward slowly, deliberately, exposing inch after inch. I gasp as the cool air brushes my bare stomach, then my ribs. My bra is shoved up and out of the way before I can even think to stop him.

Then his mouth is on me.

He takes one nipple between his lips and sucks hard, the sudden stimulation making me cry out. His tongue circles it, alternating between rough flicks and soft licks, until I’m arching into him, clutching his shoulders like I might fly apart.

“Fuck, Liam,” I gasp, breathless.

He growls his approval and switches sides, lavishing the other with the same attention—biting, sucking, licking—until I’m trembling, my knees starting to buckle. His hand squeezes my breast, thumb brushing across the pebbled peak with expert precision.

“You like that?” he mutters against my skin.

“Yes,” I whimper, barely able to speak.

“Good. Because I’m not done.”

One hand trails down my body, slow and possessive, fingers grazing my stomach, then slipping below the waistband of my jeans. He pauses just long enough to pop the button and drag the zipper down, his other hand still gripping my breast.

I’m panting now, trembling as his fingers slide inside my panties, stroking gently at first, then firmer, deeper.

“You’re soaked,” he growls. “You want this. Say it.”

“I want this,” I gasp, no shame left.

He slides two fingers inside me, hard and unrelenting. My mouth falls open in a silent cry, and he leans in to capture my lips again, devouring me as his fingers pump with deliberate force. His thumb finds my clit and rubs tight circles—no finesse, no mercy—just enough to make me lose control.

“You’re gonna come for me right here,” he rasps against my mouth. “And when you do, I want you to remember exactly who made you feel like this.”

I cry out, the pleasure cresting too fast, too strong.

“Liam—oh my god?—”

“Let go, Ava. Come for me.”

And I do.

My whole body clenches around his fingers as the orgasm rips through me, sharp and all-consuming. I bite down on his shoulder to keep from screaming, my hips bucking wildly against his hand.

He holds me through it, kissing me again—this time slower, but no less intense.

Then—

“Mama! Can you come here?”

Eli’s voice echoes down from upstairs.

Liam’s head tilts, his eyes narrowing with frustration as he slowly, reluctantly pulls his hand from between my thighs. He brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks them clean without breaking eye contact.

“We’re not finished,” he says darkly, straightening my clothes with surprising tenderness.

And then he steps back, composed like nothing happened, while I’m still breathless and trembling against the wall.

“I-I’m coming, Eli,” I call out, voice breathless and uneven as I push away from the wall.

My legs are unsteady beneath me. Every nerve still hums with aftershocks, heat lingering low in my belly, Liam’s touch branded into my skin. I force myself to move, straightening my clothes, wiping the dazed flush from my cheeks with trembling hands.

Each step toward the stairs feels unreal, like I’m walking through water—slow, heavy, thick with disbelief and desire.

I’ve kissed all three of them now.

And every time, it’s felt real. That’s what scares me most.