Page 54 of Jax & Knox

"We can stay," Jax offers. "Just to help. Nothing else."

She looks between us, then nods again. "Okay."

We help her undress slowly, carefully, our touches clinical and gentle. When she's under the warm spray, she closes her eyes and lets out a shaky breath.

Jax grabs the shampoo and works it through her hair with careful fingers. I stay close, my hand on her shoulder, grounding her. "This okay?" Jax asks.

"Yeah," she whispers. "It's perfect."

When he rinses her hair, she leans back into his touch, and I see some of the tension leave her body.

I keep my eyes on her face while Jax guides her under the spray, my touch respectful, this is about care, not desire. I grab the soap and a washcloth, washing her arms, her back, her legs, nothing sexual, just care. Just showing her that she matters.

When we're done, we wrap her in a towel and help her dry off. She's quiet, but there's something softer in her expression now.

"Thank you," she says.

"Always," I say.

We move toward the bedroom to dress her, but she stops us. Her hand reaches out, gripping my wrist gently. When I turn back, she's looking between me and Jax, her eyes vulnerable and uncertain.

"Will you..." She hesitates, her voice barely above a whisper. "Will you stay? Tonight?"

The question hangs in the air between us. It's small, but it's everything. She's not just accepting our comfort, she's asking for it. She's choosing to let us stay.

Jax steps closer, his hand finding the small of her back. "Baby, we're not going anywhere."

"Not tonight," I say, my voice rough with emotion. "Not ever."

She nods, tears sliding down her cheeks, but they're not tears of fear. They're tears of relief. Of surrender. Of finally believing she doesn't have to do this alone.

We dress her slowly in a t-shirt and panties. Then we lead her back to bed. She climbs in between us, and we pull the blankets up around her.

Jax curls around her from behind, his arm draped over her waist. I face her, my hand resting on her hip.

"Better?" I ask.

She nods. "Yeah."

"Good," Jax murmurs against her hair. "That's all we want."

She reaches out and touches my face, her fingers tracing my jaw. "I don't know what I did to deserve you two."

"You exist," I say simply. "That's enough."

She smiles, small, but real, and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

"Get some sleep," Jax says. "We'll be right here."

She closes her eyes, and within minutes, her breathing evens out.

I look over her head at Jax, and he meets my gaze.

We don't need to say anything.

We both know.

Home isn't a place anymore. It's the woman sleeping between us. And we're never letting her wake up anywhere else.