people’s eyes on us, probably wondering about the slam of the door that just happened a few minutes ago.
A loud, painful groan draws my attention over to the sparring ring. I look to see a fighter hunched over, holding his abdomen, coughing and wheezing through his pain. Sawyer leans down and gets in his face. “That’s what happens when you’re looking where you shouldn’t be, asshole. Keep your eyes to yourself and focus!” His annoyed gaze swings to mine and he points to the door. “Time to go, kid. I love you, but you’re distracting my fighters.”
I giggle and blow him a kiss. “Bye.”
Just before we make it to the door it flings open and in comes running a beautiful little girl with long brown hair, olive complexion and ice blue eyes—the same as her dad’s. “Daddy, Daddy!” Annabelle cries, and I quickly realize she’s upset, tears rushing down her cheeks.
Jaxson drops down, his arms open and waiting for her. She launches her tiny body at him and he scoops her up. “Hey, baby girl, why the tears?”
Julia walks over and greets me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, but she looks as distraught as her daughter.
“Ralphie Byron, that’s what’s wrong, Daddy,” Annabelle explains with a sob. “He was pickin’ on me at the park and callin’ me names, then he pushed me down.”
“HE DID WHAT?” Jaxson bellows, rage transforming his expression.
Sawyer joins us, wondering what’s going on. “Hey, squirt, why the tears?”
“Look what Ralphie Byron did to my face,” she says, her voice stronger now as she points to the little scratch on her delicate cheek.
Jaxson’s furious eyes snap to Julia, waiting for an explanation. She rubs Annabelle’s back to soothe her and releases a stressful breath of her own. “It was a mess, Jax,” she starts, her voice thick with emotion. “All of us were at the picnic table, looking at pictures, when we heard her cry out. We found them at the back of the park and she was on the ground holding her face and crying while the boys, Parker and Beckett, were beating the crap out of Ralphie.”
“Good!” Both Jaxson and Sawyer shout at the same time.
“Well, not really, because Ralphie’s mother was really angry, even after we told her what happened. I thought her and Kayla were going to come to blows—it was a disaster. Then she said she was going to the police.”
Sawyer snorts. “What’s the bi—” He looks at Annabelle and catches himself. “What’s she going to do? Press charges on two five-year-olds, one of them the sheriff’s kid?” He chuckles. “We’ll see how that turns out.”
“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do,” Jaxson says, his voice laced with fury. “I’m going to that kid’s house to kick his ass, then I’m going to kick his dad’s ass, then I’m going to kick his dad’s ass for having a bunch of asshole kids. I’m going to keep kicking asses until the line of ass kicking can happen no longer!”
We all watch him, everyone silent at his outburst. After a long moment we burst out laughing, including Annabelle.
“I love you, Daddy,” she says, giving him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek, her smile radiant. “You always make me feel better.”
He grunts, but his expression eases marginally. “I love you too, baby. Don’t worry about this, I’ll take care of it.”
“I know.” She gives him one more hug then reaches her arms out for me and I immediately take her.
Julia steps up to him and wraps her arms around his neck. “I love you, too,” she says with a smile.
He pulls her in close and stares down at her in a way that makes me envious. I remember what it was like to have someone look at me like that. It’s the best feeling in the world.
“I love you more,” he says, before laying one hot kiss on her.
“Are you comin’ to the fair with us, Anna?” Annabelle asks with a hopeful expression.
“Sorry, sweetie, not today, but I promise to come hang out soon and we’ll have some girl
A loud, painful groan draws my attention over to the sparring ring. I look to see a fighter hunched over, holding his abdomen, coughing and wheezing through his pain. Sawyer leans down and gets in his face. “That’s what happens when you’re looking where you shouldn’t be, asshole. Keep your eyes to yourself and focus!” His annoyed gaze swings to mine and he points to the door. “Time to go, kid. I love you, but you’re distracting my fighters.”
I giggle and blow him a kiss. “Bye.”
Just before we make it to the door it flings open and in comes running a beautiful little girl with long brown hair, olive complexion and ice blue eyes—the same as her dad’s. “Daddy, Daddy!” Annabelle cries, and I quickly realize she’s upset, tears rushing down her cheeks.
Jaxson drops down, his arms open and waiting for her. She launches her tiny body at him and he scoops her up. “Hey, baby girl, why the tears?”
Julia walks over and greets me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, but she looks as distraught as her daughter.
“Ralphie Byron, that’s what’s wrong, Daddy,” Annabelle explains with a sob. “He was pickin’ on me at the park and callin’ me names, then he pushed me down.”
“HE DID WHAT?” Jaxson bellows, rage transforming his expression.
Sawyer joins us, wondering what’s going on. “Hey, squirt, why the tears?”
“Look what Ralphie Byron did to my face,” she says, her voice stronger now as she points to the little scratch on her delicate cheek.
Jaxson’s furious eyes snap to Julia, waiting for an explanation. She rubs Annabelle’s back to soothe her and releases a stressful breath of her own. “It was a mess, Jax,” she starts, her voice thick with emotion. “All of us were at the picnic table, looking at pictures, when we heard her cry out. We found them at the back of the park and she was on the ground holding her face and crying while the boys, Parker and Beckett, were beating the crap out of Ralphie.”
“Good!” Both Jaxson and Sawyer shout at the same time.
“Well, not really, because Ralphie’s mother was really angry, even after we told her what happened. I thought her and Kayla were going to come to blows—it was a disaster. Then she said she was going to the police.”
Sawyer snorts. “What’s the bi—” He looks at Annabelle and catches himself. “What’s she going to do? Press charges on two five-year-olds, one of them the sheriff’s kid?” He chuckles. “We’ll see how that turns out.”
“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do,” Jaxson says, his voice laced with fury. “I’m going to that kid’s house to kick his ass, then I’m going to kick his dad’s ass, then I’m going to kick his dad’s ass for having a bunch of asshole kids. I’m going to keep kicking asses until the line of ass kicking can happen no longer!”
We all watch him, everyone silent at his outburst. After a long moment we burst out laughing, including Annabelle.
“I love you, Daddy,” she says, giving him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek, her smile radiant. “You always make me feel better.”
He grunts, but his expression eases marginally. “I love you too, baby. Don’t worry about this, I’ll take care of it.”
“I know.” She gives him one more hug then reaches her arms out for me and I immediately take her.
Julia steps up to him and wraps her arms around his neck. “I love you, too,” she says with a smile.
He pulls her in close and stares down at her in a way that makes me envious. I remember what it was like to have someone look at me like that. It’s the best feeling in the world.
“I love you more,” he says, before laying one hot kiss on her.
“Are you comin’ to the fair with us, Anna?” Annabelle asks with a hopeful expression.
“Sorry, sweetie, not today, but I promise to come hang out soon and we’ll have some girl
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