𝐔𝐍𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐄 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You hadn’t known Jax Teller long. In fact, you hadn’t even known he existed until Gemma showed up in Stockton with her heavy smile and sharper words. She called it an arrangement. Said her son was falling apart after losing his wife, and the boys needed someone in the house who wouldn’t run when things got hard. You’d been desperate enough for a fresh start to agree before you understood what you were stepping into.

Now you were in Charming, in Jax Teller’s home—a stranger, filling shoes that weren’t yours to fill.

The past three weeks had been brutal. First week, he ignored you. Second week, he would yake every opportunity to start a fight. And now, it’s petty remarks and insults. You’d stopped trying to win him over. Instead, you kept your focus on Abel, who had clung to your hip like you’d always been there. He didn’t care who you were, only that you stayed.

Tonight, the kitchen was warm with the smell of roasted chicken and buttered corn. You balanced Abel against your side as you carried plates to the table, his small arms looped around your neck. He hummed softly when you set him in his chair, already reaching for his fork before you’d even cut the chicken.

“Jax, dinner’s ready,” you called down the hall, wiping your hands on a towel.

No answer.

You tried again, louder, sharper this time. “Jax!”

Still nothing.

The house felt too big in the silence that followed. You smoothed your hands over your jeans and went to find him, your steps heavy against the worn floorboards.

The living room was dim, the glow of the muted TV throwing pale light across his face. Jax was slouched into the couch, shoulders bowed, beer loose in his hand. His eyes never left the TV. Not even when you walked in.