Page 46 of Single Mom’s Navy Seals (Claimed by the Alphas #2)
AVA
M y pulse pounds like a frantic drumbeat in my ears, loud enough to drown out the low hum of the ancient AC unit struggling to keep this cramped motel room cool.
For the past hour, I’ve paced relentlessly across the threadbare carpet, gripping my hair, panic clawing at my chest. I made the call to Morales, hoping to gain clarity, some sense of reassurance.
Instead, the second I mentioned I was alone—that the guys weren’t with me—and even worse, that I suspected Randy’s involvement, I could sense the shift in Morales’s voice.
Coldness seeped in, his carefully controlled calm slipping for just a fraction of a second too long.
Betrayal. Again. The bitter taste rises in my throat, and I swallow hard, fighting back tears that threaten to spill once more.
Morales had promised to protect us. He had looked me directly in the eyes, assuring me that Eli and I would be safe, that the men he’d sent were trustworthy.
But his reaction on the call had been undeniable.
Morales was in on this, too. Just like Liam, Cole, and Jax.
My chest aches, tightening with each painful breath.
I glance nervously at Eli, still peacefully asleep on the creaky motel bed, blissfully unaware of how his small, fragile world is unraveling.
His little body rises and falls evenly beneath the thin covers, his peaceful expression momentarily easing the frantic racing of my heart.
I have to protect him, whatever it takes.
My gaze shifts to the battered duffel bag on the chair. Inside, there’s exactly ten thousand dollars in cash, courtesy of Jax’s Amex card. I’d broken the card apart earlier, scattering the shards discreetly in the motel dumpster. There was no way to trace us now, not through the card, at least.
My plan feels flimsy, desperate, but it’s something at least. Earlier, at the rundown gas station across the street, I’d grabbed a crinkled map of the Pacific Northwest. Alaska.
Far enough away, remote enough that maybe, just maybe, Randy and Morales wouldn’t find us.
I trace the route mentally once more, reassuring myself that it can work. It has to work.
I inhale, forcing myself upright. Anxiety pulses through me again, sharp and biting, as I pace toward the tiny motel bathroom.
The harsh fluorescent light flickers once overhead as I close the door behind me.
I’m just sitting down, barely starting to pee, when a loud knock pounds against the motel room door.
Fear surges through my veins, my body freezing in panic. My breath catches painfully in my throat as adrenaline spikes through me. Standing up, I rush urgently back toward the main room, heart racing.
“Eli!” I hiss, trying to keep my voice quiet enough not to alarm him, but I’m already too late. My small son has scrambled sleepily out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he reaches instinctively toward the door handle.
I lunge forward, panic surging. “Eli, wait!”
But Eli has already turned the knob and swung open the door, stepping back as he yawns. My heart pounds painfully in my chest, fear and dread clutching at me as I rush forward.
But I freeze, mid-stride, my heart slamming painfully against my ribs as Liam, Jax, and Cole stand calmly framed within the doorway. Their expressions are unreadable, yet controlled. Their eyes are sharp and watchful.
My body reacts instinctively. I grab for the door, my fingers closing around the edge, attempting to slam it shut. But Liam’s hand catches it effortlessly, his voice amused yet firm as he pushes the door fully open.
“Not a chance, sweetheart.”
The door swings inward fully, and my breath catches in my throat as Liam, Cole, and Jax step inside, their gazes steady, searching mine. Eli launches himself toward them immediately, small arms wrapping around their legs.
“Daddies!” Eli’s voice fills with gentle excitement, innocent and bright. He beams brightly up at them, eyes shining. “Mommy said you’d come soon. I’m glad she wasn’t lying.”
Jax’s eyebrow lifts, his gaze flicking toward mine. A gentle, teasing smirk curves his lips. “You told him his daddies were coming, huh?”
My face flushes deeply, my breath hitching as embarrassment and panic flare. I glance between the three of them, confusion and fear tightening in my chest. “How did you find us?”
Liam smiles faintly, voice calm and controlled. “The tracker we put on the car.”
My heart sinks, stomach dropping heavily. Of course, they’d thought ahead. They always do. My pulse pounds in my ears, fear and frustration overwhelming me as I search for any possible escape.
Cole, always attuned to my shifting emotions, glances toward Eli, his voice soothing. “Hey, Eli, buddy, why don’t you go back to bed and watch some TV? We need to talk to your mom about some grown-up stuff, okay?”
Eli hesitates, glancing briefly toward me for confirmation. I swallow hard, forcing a gentle smile onto my lips, nodding to reassure him. “Go on, baby. I’ll be right here.”
Eli nods, padding back toward the bed and climbing up onto it. He turns on the TV, his small face illuminated by the flickering screen.
My heart stutters as Cole’s careful gaze shifts back toward me. I back up, fear tightening in my chest as I brace myself for whatever they have planned. Would they hurt me? Panic surges as tears fill my eyes.
My voice trembles, eyes pleading with them. “Please—if you have to give me back to Randy, fine. But please, at least let Morales take Eli. Keep him safe. He doesn’t deserve any of this.”
Their faces shift, confusion filling their expressions. Cole steps toward me, his voice gentle but filled with concern.
“Ava, what are you talking about?”
I shake my head, tears slipping down my cheeks. “Don’t lie to me, please. I saw the messages. The texts with Roger. I heard the voicemail. I would recognize Randy’s voice anywhere. It still echoes in my dreams every night.”
Realization sharpens swiftly in their eyes, replaced immediately by dark fury.
Liam’s jaw clenches, eyes narrowing dangerously.
“Ava, listen. We never betrayed you. Morales introduced us to Roger as his new partner. We had no idea Roger was connected to Randy. We never would have willingly brought you back to him.”
My voice shakes, confusion and pain swirling inside me. “But I saw your messages. Liam, I read them. You said I was just a burden, an inconvenience?—”
Liam steps closer, his gaze intense but gentle, earnest. “I was playing a part, Ava. We were suspicious about Morales. We played along to protect you, to stay close and find out what was really going on.”
Cole reaches into Liam’s pocket, pulling out Liam’s phone.
“Look,” Cole urges. “Check the contact below Roger.”
I hesitate, heart pounding, then take the phone.
Opening the unsaved contact beneath Roger’s, I find a series of arranged messages, passports clearly visible, our faces on them, but new names attached.
The timestamps show the messages are dated days back, before I found the messages I’d misunderstood.
My heart clenches, guilt and relief flooding through me. Tears stream down my cheeks, embarrassment flushing my face as I look toward them.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, voice shaking quietly. “I thought?—”
Immediately, all three men move closer, pulling me into a comforting embrace. Liam cradles my face in his hands, his voice steady, earnest.
“You did nothing wrong. You were brave. You tried to protect yourself and Eli. That’s exactly what we would have wanted you to do.”
Cole strokes my hair, comforting. “We’re proud of you.”
Jax smiles, brushing tears from my cheek. “You put our son first. You’re incredible. You did everything right.”
My heart swells at hearing their words and realizing that they’ve fully claimed us now. Yes, I messed up by running, but we’re together. We’re safe again, and I can still make things right.
But before I can respond, the motel windows explode inward, shattered glass flying across the room as shots ring out harshly.
Immediately, Jax pushes me to the ground, shielding me with his body. Liam and Cole leap into action, pulling weapons swiftly from their waistbands, returning fire through the shattered windows. I hear Eli’s shriek and jerk up to find him, but Jax pushes me back under cover.
Jax urgently whispers close to my ear, voice gentle yet commanding. “Crawl, Ava, don’t walk. Go to Eli. Keep low and quiet.”
Heart pounding, I crawl across the floor toward Eli, who’s on the floor, tucked against the bed, crying loudly.
As soon as I reach him, I gather him into my arms, shielding him with my body, and adrenaline floods my chest. My hands rub his hair and back, comforting as best as I can, but really trying to assure myself that he’s safe and whole.
Jax rushes toward Liam and Cole, adding to their careful counterattack. The three of them duck and weave behind the overturned furniture shields they’d created, and I just try to keep Eli and me low and out of the way.
A bullet hits the nightstand far too close to us, and I know I need to get him out of this main room.
“Eli, baby, get on your belly and crawl to the bathroom,” I instruct, pulling him from me and placing him on his stomach.
He sobs but uses his elbows to move forward. “Great job, honey. Mommy’s right behind you, and your daddies will be right with us. Just keep going. Get inside the bathroom.
After what feels like an eternity, Eli is inside, still curled on the floor, and I finally pull myself over the threshold and close the door.
Brain scrambling to think, I come up with the best plan I can. The bathroom has a small window—just big enough for Eli and me to slip through. If we can get to our car, we can get out of here. There’s a tracker on it, and I know my men will find us.
Carefully, I guide Eli out first, then follow swiftly, my feet landing on the dusty ground. Turning, I freeze, terror gripping me.
A large, unfamiliar man stands behind Eli, holding him securely, a gun pressed to his small head. Eli’s wide, frightened eyes meet mine, my heart shattering.
The man’s voice is harsh, sharp. “Walk to the car behind me. No sudden moves.”
My pulse pounds, fear tightening in my chest as I comply. Eli’s safety matters more than anything else.
And as I step toward the waiting car, heart breaking with each step, I know everything has just changed irreparably. Just as I open the car door, a sharp blow to the back of my head startles me, and then everything goes black.