Page 39 of Healer’s Betrayal

I laugh. “Nope.”

“You’ve won all three rounds.”

“Kayla always wins,” Noah tells him.

Jackson narrows his eyes, and it makes me laugh. “I’m not cheating; I swear. But let’s play another game, since you don’t trust me on this one.”

“Noah, what do you want to play?” I ask.

“Monopoly.”

I groan; I don’t even know why I asked. “I should have never bought that game.”

“Kayla hates playing Monopoly,” Noah explains to Jackson.

Jackson looks between the two of us. “Is that because she’s bad at it?”

Noah nods. “She always goes bankrupt.”

“Noah!” I say in exasperation, but he doesn’t back down.

“It’s true.”

“It is not,” I argue.

Jackson gets up from the table and grabs the Monopoly and looks at Noah with a conspiratory wink. “Oh, we’re totally playing now.”

Noah grins at him, and it does something to me. I haven’t seen Noah grin at anybody besides me in a long time...maybe ever. That thought makes me so sad; that’s not the way a seven-year-old should have to live. I swallow hard as resentment against my uncle flares its ugly self. “Kayla?” Noah asks quietly, and I realize I’ve been staring at him.

I glance at Jackson for just a moment and see his eyes are on me, a look I can’t read in his eyes. I swallow and force a smile. “I was just busy planning both of your demises.”

Noah glances up at Jackson, probably trying to gauge how he’s going to respond to that. He doesn’t disappoint. “You ready to take her down?” Jackson asks. Noah nods, and Jackson puts out his fist. After a moment of hesitation, Noah bumps it with his.

With my throat tight, I force out, “Oh, it’s on.”

Jackson wasn’t kidding. He and Noah work together the entire game, and I get destroyed. But I could care less. Watching the smile on Noah’s face is...everything. I would lose a hundred times if it meant seeing that smile. We finally take a break, and I look at my phone. “Oh, wow. It’s after ten. Noah, you’ve got to get to bed.”

Thankfully, he doesn’t fight me. He starts to help pick up the game, but Jackson stops him. “You go get ready; we’ll get this.” Noah disappears to start getting ready for bed, and Jackson and I finish putting the game away. It’s awkward now that Noah is in the bathroom, so I decide to just rip the band aid off.

“Thanks for a great night, Jackson. I have an early morning too.”

He nods. “Thanks for the coffee, games, and company. I had a really good time.” There’s a sincerity to his voice that makes me think he’s not faking it, and that makes me happy.

I smile up at him. “Good.” I walk over to the door and open it for him. “Have a good night, Jackson.” He’s almost out the door when I stop him with my voice. “Thanks for being a good sport and playing games with us. Noah had a really good time.”

His eyes meet mine. “Good. Lock up behind me; I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I close the door and lock it and then tuck Noah in for the night. I’m almost ready for bed when I think about his words and wonder what he’s thinking for tomorrow. “Guess we’ll find out,” I mutter to myself right before I drift off to sleep.

Chapter 16

Jackson

I force myself down the two sets of stairs, my wolf snarling at me every step of the way. He doesn’t want to leave our mate unprotected. I don’t either, but I need to get out of this building for just a few minutes. I throw open the door to the building, not caring in the least when it slams into the metal railing behind it. I find Ransom waiting for me, just as he told me he was when he reached out about twenty minutes ago. “You got the stuff?” I ask, my voice a near growl.

He nods warily. “Yep. Milk and four different creamers and the coffee you told me to get, just like you ordered.”

I scowl at him. “I didn’t order you.”