Page 98 of Jax & Knox

We end the day at a nail salon, all of us getting manicures and pedicures.

I choose a deep red polish, and Tessa grins. "Very Old Lady of you."

I laugh. "Is it?"

"Absolutely," she says. "You're one of us now."

As we sit there, feet soaking in warm water, the conversation turns deeper.

"Can I ask you something?" I say, looking at Erica.

"Of course," she says.

"How did you know you could trust Steele? After everything you went through?"

Erica's expression softens. "I didn't. Not at first. But he was patient. He didn't push. He just... showed up. Every day. And eventually, I realized he wasn't going anywhere."

"That's how it was with Cole too," Tessa says. "I kept waiting for him to leave. To realize I was too much. But he never did."

Lucy nods. "Tiny was the same. He just kept showing up. Kept proving he was safe."

I look around at all of them, my heart full. "That's what Jax and Knox do. They just... show up."

"That's what real love looks like," Hadley says softly. "It's not grand gestures. It's showing up. Every day."

I nod, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I'm so glad I found you all."

"We're glad you found us too," Scarlett says, reaching over to squeeze my hand.

By the time we get back to Perdition, it's early evening.

The bar is buzzing with energy, music playing, brothers gathered around tables, the familiar hum of club life.

But something feels different.

The energy is tighter. More tense.

I spot Jax and Knox near the bar, and my stomach flips.

Jax sees me first, and his face lights up. He crosses the room in a few long strides and pulls me into his arms.

"Hey, baby," he says, kissing me deeply.

"Hey," I say, smiling against his lips.

But when I pull back, I notice the tension in his shoulders. The way his eyes keep flicking toward the back hallway.

Knox appears beside us, his hand sliding around my waist. He kisses me too, but it's distracted. His jaw is tight.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," Jax says quickly. "Everything's fine."

But I don't believe him.

Knox's phone buzzes, and he glances at it, his expression hardening.

"I need to take this," he says, stepping away.