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A stupid plan
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CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK Where it all began
Something in his gaze made my pulse pick up, something dark lurking in its depth. “Those scars,” he murmured. “Did your Alex create them?”Oh. Now I understood the look. “No,” I said quickly and without thinking put my hand on his. His eyes cut down to our hands then back up to me. “He never hit me. He wouldn’t. He adores me.” That sounded vain, but it was the truth. Alex was certainly a violent man, but not to me.Jaxon chuckled. “I can see why he does.” I bit my lip, surprised by his words. “Who gave you those scars then?”“When I was young, I loved to climb trees. We had a few old tall trees in our garden. I loved to climb them. I wasn’t supposed to, but I snuck out all the time. One time I didn’t pay enough attention and fell down. I broke a few bones and got cut up by a thorn bush beneath the tree. That’s it. Dad cut down all the trees after that.”“You make it sound as if Richard is a good father, which contradicts the opinion I’ve gathered on him as a human being in genera
CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK How do I help them
I stood frozen, staring down at the little girl. What had just happened? Hailey had struggled against Jaxon’s grip as if she was terrified of him. And for a moment, Jaxon had appeared as if he was on the verge of losing control.Fleefoot kept barking downstairs, but Lisa quieted eventually, probably because Jaxon had taken her out of her crib. Remembering last night’s mess, I squared my shoulders and squatted before the little girl.“Hello, Hailey. I’m Ayla.”Hailey looked at me with miserable milk-chocolate-brown eyes. Her caramel-blond hair was a tousled mess and even looked knotted in places, as if it hadn’t been combed properly in a long time. “How about we get you ready for the day?”She didn’t react, only stared. My stomach tightened. This kid was hurting. Her mother had died only a few months ago, and her dad was obviously overwhelmed by the situation. I didn’t know what had happened, didn’t know the extent of Hailey’s trauma, but it was obvious that she needed help. She l
CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK Taking charge
An arm wrapped around my stomach and sharply pulled me back so I was pressed to a hard body. Jaxon’s palm pressed flat against my belly, holding me in place as he leaned down. “You will change now.”The low command vibrated through my body in a way that thrilled and scared me.“What’s your problem?”“My problem is that you keep disobeying me and that your skirt is far too short when I’m not around.”I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The miniskirt might be short, but the tights were opaque, and my sweater certainly didn’t scream sexy vamp.“I’m not joking,” Jaxon growled.I laughed again. “You’re being unreasonable.”Jaxon turned me around, one arm around my waist, the other cupping the back of my head. It wasn’t an intimate, loving gesture. It was dominance. “Don’t fight me on this. Not this. I won’t have you around men in that skirt when I’m not with you. Understood?”His eyes burned with angry possession. I probably would have said more, but the sound of Hailey’s game reminded me tha
CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK Mistress of the house
Hailey watched me, open-mouthed. I stroked Fleefoot’s fur and his face filled with longing. Remembering Jaxon’s words about her snapping, I decided not to let him touch her for now. Both needed to heal before they could really become friends.Hailey fell into step beside me as I crossed the living room to the French doors. The cold November air wafted into my face. Staying inside, I set Fleefoot down on the terrace. For a moment, she didn’t move, only raised her nose and let the wind tug at her fur. Then she stormed off. My heart skipped a beat thinking she was trying to run away. Instead, she just ran, twisting and turning like a hare. She ran and ran and ran, as if she was delirious with her newfound freedom.Hailey stood close to me, following everything with childish wonder.I squatted beside her, even as the uncomfortable fabric of my pants made it difficult. “She’s happy, see?”She nodded but didn’t take her eyes off Fleefoot. Hailey and I stayed like that for almost ten minutes
CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK My bodyguard is off
I was left alone in the kitchen with Hailey still perched on the pillow, now with the tablet on her lap, and Lisa who squirmed in her high chair. These two kids were now mine to take care of. The weight of the responsibility sat squarely on my shoulders as I watched them. I didn’t feel like a mother. Would they ever accept me? Maybe I should lower my expectations and start by becoming their friend. That was the first step.I approached Hailey and smiled. She eyed me curiously. “Hello, Lisa I’m Ayla.” Some of the banana oatmeal she’d had for breakfast stuck to her cheek. I reached for a tea towel and wetted it with water before I wiped at Haileys skin. She squirmed but didn’t cry. I marked it down as a small victory.“All done,” I declared. “Now we need to get you out of this chair and ready for a shopping trip.” I grabbed her under the arms, lifted her out of the chair, then balanced her on my hip like I’d seen other people do. She was silent, but her eyes had become big; she wasn’t
CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK What do you mean
Elia’s face closed off at once. He nodded toward the garden. “Is the dog supposed to dig a hole?”My head twisted around. “What?” Fleefoot was indeed digging a hole, half of her small body disappearing in the ground already.I rushed outside. “No! Fleefoot, don’t.”She peered up then continued as if nothing had happened. I snatched her up, grimacing when I saw how dirty she was, and now I was too.I moved back into the house. Dirt rained down on the floor and me. Fleefoot’s fur was beyond saving, that much was clear. “It’s bath time.”To my surprise, Fleefoot didn’t fight me when I put her in the tub. She just stood there and let it happen. After the bath and towel-drying her, I grabbed the trimming scissors I’d bought and settled on the floor of the entrance hall with Fleefoot in my lap. It was the room that seemed the easiest to clean. There weren’t any rugs. At first, when I brought the scissors near her body, she squirmed, but eventually when she realized I was trying to help her,
CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK She's doing well
“I can accept that as long as you promise that she won’t end up like Maya .”I jerked up and bent over the table, grasping him by the throat and shoving him back against the bench. His face turned red, but he held my gaze. “Careful, Christian. In this city, my word is law. The protection of your father, and even that is limited, ends at the borders of Baltimore.”“I don’t need Jaxon’s protection or I wouldn’t be here, working under you,” he pressed out. “Ayla is my little sister. I’m going to try to protect her as well as I can.”I tightened my fingers on his throat. “Ayla is safe with me. She doesn’t need your protection.” I released him and sat back, pushing my tie back under my vest and smoothing my jacket.Christian massaged his throat. “No wonder that Luca likes you so much. You and him have very similar tics.”“The bikers are planning something. Look what they did in New Jersey and New York. We’ll have to keep an eye on them.”“I’m doing that. It’s not easy to establish contact
CEO JAXON WANTS ME BACK We need to talk
“I don’t see what we need to talk about.”She stomped toward me, stopping so close that the strawberry scent flooded my nose again. “A lot. I want this marriage to work, but that won’t happen if we don’t spend time together. Do you usually come home this late?”“Yes, frequently. I’m Underboss, Ayla.”“Jaxon’s Underboss and so are many of my uncles, and trust me, they have more than enough time to waste on golf courses or on top of their mistresses.”A laugh wedged itself in my throat, but I suppressed it. “My work ethic is very different from theirs.”“As your wife I have a right to make demands so this marriage can work, and I’m asking you to be home for dinner so the kids and I can spend time with you.”My anger rose again, even as a small part of me was pleased that she wanted to spend time with me. “This marriage is one of convenience.”Ayla’s eyes flashed anger. “I suppose it’s very convenient for you to have me as your nanny and for your personal pleasure without the burden of h
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