Chapter 242
Jax's Point of View
It was after ten o'clock by the time I returned home. I'd left Navy Street and just rode down every back road in Charming trying to find some small shred of clarity. It was when I was riding I realized I wasn't going to find the solution hidden beneath the dirt on some old road in this dark sleepy hollow of a town. There were too many secrets in Charming to find any truth.
The house was quiet as I walked through the front door. The only light on was the one above the stove in the kitchen and the one in the master bedroom. After locking the front door I crept down the hallway, peeking into Abel's room to see that he was sound asleep sprawled out on his little bed covered with a Paw Patrol comforter.
A smirk tugged at my lips, pulling the door closed slightly as it had been. I continued my way down the hall and paused at Rae's open bedroom door, peering inside. Rowan was asleep next to Rae on her little bed. We'd already converted her crib to the toddler bed it turned into. It amazed me how fast Raelynn was growing before us. My eyes skated over Rowan's bare legs since she was wearing a pair of plaid pajama shorts. I smirked at the fact she had shorts on and a dark blue button up sweater. Her legs always being hot and her arms cold; a paradox.
I approached them and lightly brushed some hair out of Rowan's eyes, accidentally startling her. She must have just drifted off.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." I whispered, not wanting to wake Raelynn up. Her little body twitched while she dreamt, her little eyelids fluttering about.
"Hey..." She whispered, sitting up. "I didn't know you were back." Her voice was raspy and groggy like it always was when she first woke up from being asleep.
"Just got in a few minutes ago." I stepped away from the bed when Rowan stood up.
She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me expectantly.
I walked out into the hallway and gestured for her to follow me so we could talk and not worry about waking Rae up. Rowan followed me and pulled Rae's door shut slightly then made her way into our bedroom.
I walked inside and shut the door, locking my hands behind my head and stretching my back. It was sore from riding all day. Rowan approached the bed and began folding the laundry she must have sat there earlier. I could tell something was wrong because she wasn't looking at me or speaking to me. Her shoulders were tensed and quite frankly she seemed pissed off.
Slowly, I meandered my way over to my side of the bed and started to remove my rings and place them on the nightstand. Next I placed my gun in the safety box. Then I slid my kutte off my shoulders and tossed it in the arm chair.
Rowan broke the silence first. "I was beginning to wonder if you were coming home at all when it started getting late. Just figured you'd end up at the club." She angrily shoved a pile of folded clothes into the basket sitting on the bed. It was funny how when she was mad she would take her anger out on whatever task she was doing at the time. "Where were you all day? I tried calling and texting you?"
I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face. "I needed to clear my head. I just rode down every back road in town." I walked over to her and leaned in, inhaling the scent of her coconut shampoo and kissed her cheek; she pulled away slightly, making me sigh heavily. "I'm sorry I didn't answer you. I just needed time to myself, babe. Time to think. Process."
Rowan tried to fold a shirt three times before finally rolling it up into a ball and throwing it back on the bed out of frustration.
She turned, glaring up at me. "I've been worried about you all day!" She suddenly snapped. "I thought you went to shoot Clay in the face! You couldn't even send me a text?" She scoffed, shaking her head. "I've been waiting here for someone to come tell me you're on your way to jail for murder." She half laughed, half looked like she wanted to cry. I could tell there was more she wanted to get off her chest but she was holding back. The little vein in her forehead was pulsing, sticking out.
