arbitrate (daynight) Read online

  I glared at Jax. “Happened upon? Yeah right.” Jax’s lip twitched at my insinuation. I knew he never left anything to chance. Ignoring Bailey, I addressed Blake. “It has been a while.” He looked about the same. Thin. Runner’s build. Striking emerald-green eyes. But his dark hair had long since lost the platinum highlights, and he had a new scar along his jaw. Both he and Bailey wore clothing I couldn’t associate with any Theran city: nondescript khaki, lightweight long-sleeved tops and darker pants. But the biggest shock was Bailey’s lack of makeup and her blonde hair pulled back in a messy bun.

  He pointed at my belly. “I knew, but it didn’t seem real until now.”

  “Plenty real for me,” I quipped. “I’d invite you to feel your baby kicking, but I’m not sure which is yours and well…” I glanced at Bailey and clenched my teeth to keep myself from uttering an unkind word—or thousand—about her.

  An awkward silence stretched for twenty-odd seconds before Bailey spoke. To me. “You’re huge. You look like hell.”

  “I prefer to look it than to be a product of it…” I gestured to her. Then I turned to the man responsible for her presence. “Jax, a word…” I dragged him into my bedroom and closed the door. I pushed him against the door and jammed my belly against him to keep him stationary.

  Jax leaned towards me. “They were making menaces of themselves—asking where you were—and getting noticed. I assumed you would want me to keep the father of your child out of harm’s way and avoid him leaving a trail that led straight to our front door.” He brushed a sweaty strand of hair away from my eyes, and then rested his hands on my shoulders. “Besides, I’m due to leave for a couple nights. I figured that Blake could keep an eye on you.”

  “Yes on the keeping Blake safe. No on Bailey. And why on Thera would you leave me for two nights with Blake and Bailey? What did I ever do to you?” His expression softened, and he smiled showing off his dimples. He knew to use the dimple card.

  “I could make a list, love…” He paused to chuckle and run his hand through his unruly, blond hair. “Or we could go entertain our guests. Besides, I need you and those babies safe. And you are hardly in a position to defend yourself against a threat.” His hands moved to my belly in a protective fashion, and then he briefly bent over and kissed my tummy.

  “Sure I can. If an assassin comes my way, I’ll just sit on him,” I said with a smirk. “Instant suffocation.” He didn’t need to tell me that my lame plan wouldn’t combat a bullet. Bullets hurt. And kill. I should know. “Fine. You entertain Bailey. I’m sure you will find her as special as I do. I’ll catch up with baby daddy.” He bent over and put his forehead against mine. At least one baby gave him a swift kick for compressing my belly.

  “The last time I was alone with that girl, I do believe I forgot to erase her memories. She annoys me.” Bailey annoyed Jax? That had to be a sight to behold. Most people found Jax annoying.

  Jax got me up to speed on Bailey’s crossover, lack of memory loss, and her current efforts to organize both Exiled Second Chancers and Second Chancers within each city. Then we returned to “entertain” our guests. I kept my conversations with Bailey to a minimum, refusing to respond to her barbs and only discussing her efforts with the Second Chancers. Jax hovered and kept the peace the best it could be. I had almost no one-on-one time with Blake. Not that I wanted it, but I could tell he was frustrated. Several times he asked to “chat,” saying that we needed to “discuss his leaving Garden City and everything that followed.”

  One morning before sunrise, after Jax had left for his nights away on business, Blake cornered me while Bailey was in the shower.

  “We should talk. I need to explain…things.” He motioned for me to sit next to him at the kitchen table.

  “Blake. It has been almost nine months. I’m over it. Does it really matter now?” I replied. He covered my hand with his. So familiar, yet completely foreign.

  “Yes, it does. We’re having a baby together. Gads, Kira. I panicked. I couldn’t do Vienna…my mother’s bidding. I wasn’t ready for something serious, much less a lifetime of serious. And I couldn’t watch you Cleave Ethan. My whole life I prepared to be a soldier in my father’s fight. I wasn’t prepared for you. For us. For this.” He pointed at my belly. “I’m still not. It scares the hell out of me.”

  “You think I was prepared for this?” I shook my head. “I didn’t have much choice. The SCI isn’t too big on any choices that aren’t their choices. What’s done is done. Big picture: I’m on the run. People want me dead. And, I’m having these babies whether I’m ready or not.”

  “And how do I fit into the big picture?”

  That’s when Bailey entered. It turned ugly fast. She yanked Blake’s hand from mine and growled like a cougar protecting its young.

  “I am not Cleaved to you, Bailey. So I can talk to her if I want to. She’s carrying my child for Gads’ sake. Just let us finish the conversation.”

  Bailey took a moment to ponder Blake’s words. And then slammed a right hook to his jaw. That could explain how he got his other scar.

  Tears welled in Bailey’s eyes—from the sting of the punch or from Blake’s defiance, I couldn’t be sure. She turned and stormed out of the house.

  Blake watched her leave and ran a hand along his jaw. Without looking at me he said, “I’m so sorry. I’ll be back after I talk her off the ledge.”

  I watched him leave, wondering how he could possibly get involved with her. It wasn’t any of my business or my problem anymore, so I busied myself getting ready for bed. I figured they’d be back long after I was sound asleep, and I left the front door unlocked so they could get back in. So, I startled when I heard the front door open so soon. Maybe Bailey was more reasonable than I thought? Still, I planned to stay out of it and silently tiptoed to my room through the dark hallway.

  As I grabbed the door handle, a hand covered my mouth. Then I felt a needle pierce the skin of my neck.

  I collapsed. My body went limp, leaving me helpless with no way to fight back.

  My assailant dragged me to the main room and hefted me onto the table. I was paralyzed but alert. My eyes were still open, yet my vision was blurred. I saw enough to know my attacker was a middle-aged, balding male. Taller than Blake but shorter than Jax.

  The perpetrator moved into the kitchen. I heard water run at the sink. Scrubbing. Jostling of tools? I tried to eke out some words to ask what he was doing…what he had planned for me, but my vocal cords were frozen along with the rest of me.

  He moved back over to the table with a tray, but I couldn’t see what was on it. I heard a ripping sound and then he secured my arms and legs to the table with duct tape. Why he bothered when I couldn’t move wasn’t immediately apparent. Then he lifted my shirt to expose my abdomen.

  No, no, no, no, no. Don’t hurt my babies. I willed Blake and Bailey to return and take him down or scare him off, but it didn’t happen. This scenario was not covered in the edition of What to Expect When You Are Expecting that Jax smuggled on to Thera for me.

  The man jabbed a needle into my side. I could feel it but was powerless to prevent it. Then he carefully donned a pair of gloves—the kind commonly seen at a doctor’s office. A liquid was poured over my abdomen and wiped clean. An antiseptic smell filled the air.

  He picked up an instrument.

  And then he sliced me open.

  Blood poured from my belly.

  Pain flooded my senses, battling sheer despair for brainpower.

  Another incision was performed to reach the babies.

  The pain was unbearable. I had never felt anything even close to it. And, I couldn’t even avert my eyes to avoid seeing the disaster unfold.

  Baby one was pulled out. The man held the baby up to show me it was a boy. A perfect baby boy. My love for him, my need to protect him—instant and overwhelming. A loud cry followed. And then, he tucked my baby away from my sight. I screamed and screamed and screamed. But no sound came out.

  The man dug around m
y open abdomen to lift out baby number two when the front door opened.

  A high-pitched screech of terror leapt from Bailey.

  Blake immediately attacked. A kick connected with the man’s kidney, causing him to falter for a moment.

  Only a moment.

  The man managed to grab a gun from his satchel of tricks and pointed it at Blake.

  Bailey and Blake raised their hands in defeat.

  The man ran towards the door, gun still trained on Blake, a crying baby in his bag as he exited.

  Blake stared at the door but didn’t move. A few, long moments later, Jax rushed through it. Jax took one look at me and all the color left his face. Blood everywhere. My innards on display. An unfinished C-Section in progress. His tear-filled expression told me everything I needed to know.

  I was a lost cause.

  But maybe he could save the babies?

  His devastated expression turned to one of anger. “You—” He grabbed Blake harshly, “—are responsible for this. You left her alone? I trusted you to keep watch over Kira and your unborn child. If anything happens to her, I will not be accountable for my actions. Do you understand?”

  Blake glanced at me, heartbroken, and then back at Jax and nodded.

  “Go after him. Gather any and all clues you can. Do it now. Get that baby.”

  “Will she live?” Blake asked. When Jax didn’t answer, Blake bowed his head in defeat and tore out the door.

  Jax ran to my side. His tears rained down upon me as he kissed my forehead. “I’m so sorry, love. Forgive me for leaving you…for not getting back sooner. I…must…fix this.” He took a moment to run his hand through his hair while he surveyed the damage then closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “Please…please…I beg of you…” His whispered plea echoed my heart’s desires. Please…save me…save them.

  With fierce determination, Jax took control, attempting to finish the job the man had started, yelling out harsh commands to Bailey.

  Stabbing, throbbing, stinging.

  More blood.

  I had no fight left in me and faded away.

  Present

  A soothing voice lifts me from my daymare. “It’s okay, Kira. Stop screaming. I’m here. I’m back. I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner.” I breathe the scent of vanilla in deeply, fold in to him, and return to my slumber. This time, dreamless.

  I wake, my limbs tangled with his, my hand embedded in his silky hair. I am feeling refreshed. I pry open an eye. He presses his forehead to mine.

  “Evening, love. He’s here, and I might say he’s pissed, this looking awfully untoward and all.” I hear shuffling in the doorway. I’m not sure I’m ready for this. It has been a year. A whole freaking year.

  “He’ll get over it,” I say loudly and unapologetically. “Thanks for your help last morn. Seriously, it was a bad one.” I kiss him on the cheek, untangle myself (which he makes as difficult as possible, infuriating our guest even more), and then stand up. Having slept in a tank and short shorts, I smooth down my top to cover my scar and post-babies tummy bump. And then I summon enough courage to look up. My breath catches as I take in every beautiful inch of him. His gorgeous eyes, glassed over with tears. His scruffy cheeks last shaved, who knows when. And his formfitting, blue top and tan pants do little to hide his stunning physique.

  I manage to stammer out a greeting to my estranged Cleave. “E…E…Ethan.”

  “I. Thought. You. Were. Dead,” Ethan responds, enunciating each word with such venom that he might as well have sliced open old wounds as he said them.

  However, that’s all I get as he bustles past me and sneers at a now standing Jax, who is wearing nothing but a pair of gym shorts.

  “What, no hug?” Jax chuckles. For him, this could be an early birthday present. I swear his golden eyes are sparkling. Mischief.

  “You slept with her? With my Cleave?” Ethan spits the words out at Jax.

  Jax looks at the bed as if to say, well, isn’t that obvious?

  “Observant,” Jax replies. “She needed me. I was there for her. It’s all good.”

  “There is nothing good about this.”

  Using a highly mocking tone and giving him a wink, Jax says, “Remember our fights when we were kids? You shouldn’t get so jaxed off before getting the whole story. Besides, I always won then and will now.”

  Ethan clenches his fists into balls and looks ready to throw a punch. “Oh, so we’re going to play that game, eh? Fine. You better watch out, or I will make you a Jax-in-a-box—one that gets buried under a lot of dirt. You seem to like to call Kira ‘love.’ Is that what this is? Kira does like to spread the love.” My brain must be playing tricks on me because I thought Ethan used to be kind, sweet, and easygoing. Guess absence does not always make the heart grow fonder. Particularly when one party thinks the other is dead.

  Jax smirks and ignores Ethan’s jab. “Who wouldn’t love her?” I roll my eyes. Jax is right. Ethan will never win a war of words with him. If there were an Olympic Gold in banter, Jax would be sporting the medal around his neck.

  “You kept her from me. You let me believe she was dead. How could you? You are my brother.” Ethan jabs Jax in the chest—a very fine, hairless, golden, chiseled chest. Not that I’ve noticed in my months of wallowing.

  “Technically, it’s half-brother. I never told you she was dead, although technically… In any case, I didn’t lie. You assumed based on what Blake told you, and I didn’t contradict. Letting everyone think she was dead kept her alive. And safe. You, half-bro, are watched and tracked every moment of every day. There were and likely still are people trying to kill her. Possibly people who you spend your nights with.”

  “I came to claim what is rightfully mine.” Ethan pivots his head towards me. So now I’m a possession?

  Taking a defensive stance with my hands on my hips, I hurl out my words. “Which possession are you referring to? Me? Our baby? Both?”

  Jax decides to get the ire focused back his way. “She’s your Cleave on paper. However, you never consummated the Cleave. So, it’s not valid here in Heart or back in Garden City.” Ethan, who may possibly be the least violent person I know, looks like he wants to disembowel Jax.

  Ethan snaps. “Jax and Jill go up the hill to fetch a pail of water. You know what they say: ‘Jax fell down and broke his crown.’ They got it wrong. I’m going to break your crown if I find out you defiled my Cleave in any way.” Ethan starts circling Jax.

  A smile never leaves Jax’s face. “Jax be nimble, Jax be quick. Jax will avoid Ethan, who’s being a prick. You accuse me of defiling Kira? Maybe you’ve hit the jaxpot. The two of us are like a couple of jaxrabbits.” Seriously? How many Jax references can these two come up with? Okay, well if I can’t beat them I might as well join them. I step between them but face Ethan.

  “Are you both finished with your ridiculous displays of testosterone? I hate to blow your hormone-induced high, Ethan, but you don’t know jax about what’s been going on here. Despite being a mother, I’m still a virgin, so neither of you have much to get all jaxed up about. Any action Jax has seen in the past year would likely be by jaxing…” Jax covers my mouth to cut me off. Too bad. I was on a roll. It’s shockingly easy to jaxspeak.

  Jax chuckles and whispers in my ear. “As if. I’m too jaxtastic for that.”

  “Ugh,” I say. “Where are the Ethan references? You guys are only creative enough to crack Jax jokes?”

  “Ethan. Peethan. Queethan. Just doesn’t have the same ring to it. But Little Ethan Annie and I have been jaxbatting since we were yea high.” Jax holds his hand about two feet off the ground. Boys. No wonder they’re pros. I hear a whimper from the other room. The babies are awake.

  “Ethan. Perhaps you’d like to get over yourself and meet your son. I’ll go get him and leave the two of you to jax each other up or whatever you want to do.”

  “Son?” Ethan says. I nod and leave them to pound on their chests, or each other.

  Some reunion.
Whatever.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Ethan

  “I’m never going to forgive you.” I glare at Jax and cross my arms across my chest. When Blake came to tell me that he’d been wrong—that Kira was actually alive and that he had a good idea of where she and Jax were, I didn’t believe him. I needed to see it for myself. Although I haven’t seen Jax often the last few months, there have been plenty of opportunities for him to tell me the truth himself.

  Jax steps forward and pats me on the shoulder. “I did what I had to do and you know it.”

  “Sleeping with her is part of your job description?”

  “You have no idea what it has been like for her…what she has gone through. Before you start judging Kira, maybe you want to take a good hard look at your own actions as of late. It’s not like you were exactly…respectful…in how you reacted to the situation. Don’t take your guilt out on her or me.”

  I start pacing back and forth. How much does Kira know? Has he told her? “Whatever I have done is on you. You told me Kira was dead.”

  “Did I? Think it through, Ethan. Blake thought she hadn’t survived the births, and I just didn’t deny it. You didn’t even give me a chance. If I recall, you yelled at me, slugged me, and then stormed off. Truth is, she did die…her heart stopped…but the doctors were able to bring her back.”

  I’m the lawyer. He has no right to try to get off on a technicality. “I’ve seen you since then, Jax. You could have told me. Should have told me that she was alive.”

  “She didn’t want you to know.” He shrugs.

  I raise my voice. “What do you mean? You are telling me that she cheated me out of three months with my son?”

  Jax shoots me a sympathetic look. “Kira needed time to heal—physically and mentally—before you showed up and dragged her back to the people who want her dead.”

  Excuses, excuses. That’s all he is good for. I shove my hands in my pockets and start rocking back and forth. “Tell me what happened. Blake only shared the basics.”