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“Jax,” I say, introducing myself as I hold out my hand.
He takes it and gives it a shake. “Jax, huh?” He turns to Aurora again. “You’ve been traveling all over with him after college?”
Aurora swallows, and I reach beneath the table to grip her leg and provide the reassurance she needs. She can do this. She can do fucking anything.
“Dad, I have to tell you something.”
“If you’re pregnant, don’t tell me. I don’t think my old ticker can handle it,” he says, giving me a death glare.
“You’re pregnant?” Her mom comes around the corner, having only heard the worst part of that conversation.
I shake my head, and Aurora sighs.
“I’m not pregnant, Jesus Christ,” she says. “Just let me get this out, please.”
Her mom sits down in the chair beside her father.
“Mom, Dad...I dropped out of college.”
I watch as her parents’ lips draw into the tightest frowns I’ve ever seen. Judging by their sour expressions, maybe unplanned pregnancy would have been the better story.
“What the fuck do you mean you dropped out of school?” her father shouts. His face changes shades until finally settling on red. No wonder she didn’t want to tell them. It isn’t going great.
I’m very good at peopling, but I’m not as good with conflict. Kane would be better for this moment, but I’m stuck here.
“School isn’t for everyone,” I say in a weak attempt to calm him down, but it just angers him further.
He turns his glazed gaze to me. “I’d advise you to shut your mouth, son. This is a family matter.”
I lean back and shut my mouth. That’s when I feel Kane knocking. Maybe he can sense my rising heart rate. My panic. I’m usually cool as a cucumber, but I don’t love this situation.
“Don’t talk to him like that, Dad!” Aurora snaps. “I chose to leave school, and he had nothing to do with it. I didn’t meet him until I’d started traveling.”
Her father stands up and walks around the table, heading straight for Aurora. I stand and get between them. As much as I hate conflict, no one will put their hands on her. Even if we can’t keep her, she will always be ours.
“Hey, why don’t we all relax and have some dinner,” her mother says.
Her father takes a step back and throws his hands up. “Fine, but this discussion isn’t over.”
I’m sure she’ll get an earful when I’m gone, but I’m glad I could be a buffer for now—even if it’s making me anxious as hell. I’d deal with anything for Aurora.
I sit at the table as her mother serves dinner with a sour scowl. I’ve hardly tasted the soup when her father turns to me. Though he’s looking right into my eyes, his words are aimed squarely at Aurora. “Why don’t you say goodbye to your friend now?”
I nod and stand up, pushing the chair beneath the table. “I think that’s best. Let’s get your stuff out of the truck.”
I motion Aurora toward the front door and bring her outside. She walks to the truck and climbs up to grab her backpack from between the seats. When she has both feet on the ground again, she stares at the paper I’ve pulled from my pocket.
I pull her into me. “First, I want to say goodbye as me. As Jax.” The truck shields this moment from prying eyes, so I lean down and kiss her. I hold her, squeezing her until a laugh leaves her lips. That sweet sound is something I want to imprint on my memory. “Goodbye, sweet girl. I love you.”
Her lower lip begins to quiver, and I push on before she can start crying. I don’t know if I can keep going if I see her tears.
“And now, this is from Kane.” I clear my throat and lower my voice to bring forth Kane’s tenor the best I can. Then I unfold the paper and begin to read. “Kane here. I can’t be there to see you off, so this is the best I can do. I’m not sorry for the things I did to break you when all it did was make you stronger. I’m not sorry for selling you to The Nameless because it made me realize that I couldn’t let you go. I am sorry for having to let you go now. I can’t keep you safe because no one is safe from me and the shit decisions I make. I want you to be happy, no matter how unhappy that makes me. Don’t argue about it, because I won’t change my mind. You survived the I-90 Killer, and as soon as you hear that name, I know you’ll recognize who I am. You survived me and...won me over. Just like you wanted. This is goodbye, but that’s a good thing for you, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. So...goodbye, dropout.”
When I lower the letter, my heart breaks into a thousand pieces. She’s crying, and it’s the sort of sobbing I can’t soothe away. Our time is up.
“I love you too, Jax. You cared for me when no one else did.” She wipes her face, removing the proof of her pain. “Can I keep that?”
It literally admits who Kane is. As Kane’s protector, everything inside me says no. But as Aurora’s friend, I’m compelled to hand it over to her.
