Page 52 of Jay Bird

“I don’t know.” She looked at Jay Bird. “I know you’re trying to help, but...” She hesitated. “For three years, Chen constantly told me I belonged to him. I don’t want to belong to anyone again.”

That hit Jay Bird straight in the chest, and he clenched his jaw.

“Willow, look at me.”

After a few seconds, she lifted her head, and he could see the tears threatening to spill over.

“You don’t belong to anyone but yourself. It’s just a name. That’s it. Something temporary until we know that you and Lily are safe.” He paused, wanting to make damn sure she understood. Then he continued. “You don’t owe me anything for using it. You don’t answer to me. You don’t need my permission to do a damn thing, and the second you don’t want the name anymore, you stop using it.” He softened his expression. “You’re still Willow. Nobody’s taking that away from you.”

“What is your last name?”

Well, shit. He probably should’ve covered that back in the hospital when he was introduced to her.

Tink chuckled, and Derek suddenly became very interested in his coffee.

“Bird. My last name is Bird.”

“So, your actual name is Jay Bird? I thought that was just a nickname or something.”

Derek coughed into his fist, and Jay Bird shot him a glare.

“My name is Jason Bird.”

“Oh. So, Jason?”

“Don’t get attached to it. I hardly use it.”

A tiny smile appeared. “So I’d be Willow Bird.”

Hearing her say it out loud caused a sensation low in his gut that he didn’t have the patience or the interest to unpack. So he did what he always did with things like that. He shoved it down, locked it away, and ignored every last bit of it.

“Temporarily,” he reminded her.

“And Lily’s last name would be Bird too?”

Jay Bird’s gaze automatically moved toward Lily again. That one hit harder than the rest—much, much worse.

“Yeah, he said. “Lily too.”

Willow followed his gaze toward her daughter. “Would changing our last names really make us safer?”

Tink answered this time. “It gives you another layer between you and whoever is searching for Willow Beckett. Nothing is foolproof, but right now, layers are what we want. We will even use a different address on your identification.”

Jay Bird knew Tink would probably use one of his safe houses.

Jay Bird looked at Willow and saw her thinking it through. Finally, she looked at him. “Are you sure that you’re really okay with this?”

“Yeah,” he said with no hesitation.

She then glanced around at everyone at the table. “All I want is for Lily to be safe. And if you guys think this is the best way, then I’m okay with it.”

“Okay?”

She nodded. “You guys are the experts at this stuff. Like I said, as long as Lily is safe, then I’m good with it.”

Tink closed the folder. “Then I’ll start working on it. I’ll start with the temporary ID. And it is legit, so if you need to show it for any reason, know that it is valid. As for Lily, I’ll get some temporary documents drawn up for her too in case you need it.”

Willow exhaled slowly. “Willow and Lily Bird,” she murmured, almost as though she were testing how it sounded.