Page 61 of Jax & Knox

I shake my head, tears streaming down my face. "He found me. He found Owen. He sent me photos—he was at the park yesterday, he was here, outside Owen's window⁠.”

"Show me," Knox says, his voice cold and commanding.

I grab my phone with trembling hands and hold it out to him.

Knox takes it, his jaw tightening as he scrolls through the messages. Jax looks over his shoulder, his expression darkening with every second.

"Fuck," Jax mutters.

"I have to go," I say again, my voice breaking. "I have to leave before he hurts you. Before he hurts Owen. I can't, I won't let him destroy you."

Knox looks up from the phone, his eyes blazing. "You're not going anywhere."

"You don't get to make that decision⁠.”

"The hell I don't." He steps closer. "Look at me."

I do.

"Talk to me," he says, his voice softer now. "Tell me what you're afraid of."

"I'm afraid he's going to kill you," I whisper. "Both of you. And I can’t, I can't live with that."

"You think we can live with you leaving?" Jax asks, his voice raw. "You think we can just let you walk out that door and disappear?"

"I've done it before⁠.”

"And look where it got you," Knox says quietly. "Broken down on the side of the road with a baby in the backseat and a monster hunting you. You think that's better? You think that's safer?"

"At least you won't be in danger⁠.”

"We're already in danger," Jax says, stepping closer. "The moment we saw you on that highway, we were in danger. The moment we brought you here, we were in danger. The moment we fell for you, we were in fucking danger. But we chose it. We chose you ."

"You don't know what you're saying⁠.”

"I know exactly what I'm saying," Jax says. "I'm saying you're ours. I'm saying we're not letting you go. I'm saying we're going to handle Justin Williams, and we're going to keep you and Owen safe."

"You can't promise that⁠.”

"Watch me," Knox says.

I shake my head, tears streaming down my face. "I'm scared. I'm so scared of how much I need you. And I'm terrified that if I stay, I'm going to lose you."

Knox crosses the room and pulls me into his arms.

"It is real," he murmurs against my hair. "This is as real as it gets."

Jax wraps his arms around both of us.

"We're changing the plan," Knox says quietly. "Justin made a mistake."

"What do you mean?" I whisper.

"He showed his hand," Jax says. "Now we hunt him."

I pull back, looking between them. "What?"

"He's been watching," Knox says. "Which means he's close. Which means we can find him."