“Oh, Wednesday,” she says, wrapping another ball.

“I have to work.”

“Don’t worry about it. We can make reservations for dinner on Saturday if you want.”

“What about a surprise party on Monday or Tuesday?” I ask her, and her face lights up.

“He hates surprises,” she grins then mutters, “Let’s do it,” as Cash steps into the kitchen.

“What are you guys whispering about?” he asks, going to the fridge, grabbing a beer, and leaning back against the counter.

“Nothing, just wrapping up all of these cockporn balls,” Lilly whispers loud enough for him to hear, causing him to chuckle and me to laugh.

“You ready to head out, baby?” Jax asks, settling his hand on my shoulder when he walks into the kitchen.

“Yeah,” I say, getting up and hugging Cash and Lilly both, telling them thanks again for looking after Hope and watching them hug her before we leave the house.

When we pull up to the park, I look through the front window of the truck. The park we normally go to is just a couple blocks from the house, and there are only a few kids who go there to play. This park is the opposite. The whole place is overrun with kids, with most of the parents sitting around the tables outside of the large sand area, talking and not really paying much attention to what their children are doing. Waiting for Jax to open my door, I hop down then grab Hope’s jacket from the front seat.

“I want you to stay in the play area, where I can see you. Do you understand?” I ask, getting down on my haunches, zipping up her jacket and putting on her hat.

“Yes, Mama,” she says excitedly, bouncing up and down as she watches the kids who are running around laughing. She’s never been to a park this large before, and I’m a little worried with so many kids around that I’ll lose sight of her.

“What did your Mom just say, Hope?” Jax asks, sounding so much like a dad that I’m a little caught off guard.

“She said to make sure she can see me,” she tells him, and his hand comes out to cup her cheek.

“Good, sweetheart,” he says, and she smiles up at him then raises her glove-covered hand to his as I stand up. Taking his opposite hand, we walk along the concrete path then stop when we reach the play area, which has been dug out with smooth logs built up around the edge, keeping the sand separate from the grass surrounding it.

“Can I go on the swide?” Hope asks, pointing to a slide that has two other kids on it, one boy and one girl, both around the same age as Hope.

“Sure, Angel,” I say, and she lets go of Jax’s hand, jumps down into the sand, and runs across to the slide. “She’ll be okay,” I tell Jax, feeling his hand tighten around mine when she stumbles before righting herself and taking off again.

“I feel like there is a constant ball of worry in my chest when it comes to her. I’m always wondering if something’s going to happen, if there is something I can prevent from happening. Is that normal?”

“Yeah, but it gets easier after awhile,” I say as his arm lifts to wrap around my shoulders so he can haul me closer against his side. Seeing Hope head up the stairs for the slide, I smile and wave when she reaches the top then watch as a little boy smiles at her and allows her to head down the slide before him.

“Did that kid just flirted with her,” Jax asks, sounding annoyed and surprised.

“He’s just being nice,” I tell him, watching as Hope glides down the slide and lands with her feet in the sand before running back to the stairs again.

“No, he’s flirting,” he complains then growls when Hope reaches the top of the stairs, and the little boy says something to her that causes her laugh to ring out loudly above the noise of the park. “You’re telling me he’s not flirting?” he asks, and I feel my mouth drop open as the boy pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to Hope. She smiles at him then leans in, and I know she’s going to give him a hug or a kiss, but Jax’s ear-splitting whistle causes everyone to turn and look at him, including Hope and the boy.

“Let’s go to the swing,” he shouts to Hope, whose brows pull together before she says something to the boy and hands him back what he gave her then, slides down the slide, and runs to us.

“Can my new fwiend come wiff?” she asks when she reaches us.

“No,” Jax says immediately, and my hand gives his a squeeze. “Not right now, sweetheart,” he tells her more gently, taking her hand and leading her toward the swings, which just so happens to be on the opposite side of the park, far away from the boy.

“She’s asleep?” Jax says, and I turn, looking from him to Hope and smiling, because she had just been talking excitedly about the park moments ago, but is now asleep with one elbow on the table, holding up her head, while the other hand holds her piece of pizza.

“The park wore her out.” I giggle as her head dips suddenly, causing her eyes to spring open.

“Are you tired, Angel?” I ask, wrapping my arm around her so she can rest against me.

“No, my eyes are just wazy,” she mumbles, and I hear Jax laugh from across the booth.

“I’m gonna get a box for the pizza and we can eat at home.” Jax says, sliding from the booth and stopping at my side, dipping his head toward me, placing a kiss against my lips before straightening to his full height and going to the front of the pizza shop.

Adjusting Hope so her body is on the bench, I feel something prickle across my skin, and the fine hairs on my body stand on end. Looking around, I don’t notice anyone out of place, but something about the feeling is unsettling.

“You okay?” Jax asks, coming back to the table, carrying a box. Looking around again, I shake off the feeling.

“Yeah, just heebie-jeebies,” I tell him, and his eyes search my face before he looks around like he knows exactly what I’m talking about.

“Wait here,” he commands, dropping the box to the top of the table and moving through the small restaurant then out the door. My heart pounds as I wait for him to come back. I don’t know if someone is watching us, or if I have a reason to be worried, but when Jax comes back inside, I breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to him.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, seeing the look on his face and the way his body seems to be strung tight, like all of the muscles in his torso are larger than they were before he went outside.

“It’s fine,” he says, but his tone and demeanor are saying something completely different. “Let’s go,” he states, picking up Hope and adjusting her in his arms. “When we get outside, you need to stick close.”

“What was it, Jax?” I ask, trying to keep the wobble out of my voice, which is difficult, because I’m so scared.

“There was a note on my car.”

“About me?” I ask, looking at Hope. I would die if anything happened to her.

“As soon as I get you two home, I’ll call my uncle.”

“Jax,” I whisper, feeling my insides begin to fill with adrenalin, which is making me want to take Hope and run as far and as fast as I can.

“Nothing will happen to you or Hope. Now, I need you to listen to me and do what I say.”

“Okay,” I agree with a nod, picking up my bag from the booth and swinging it over my shoulder.

“Come on, baby,” he says, taking my hand and leading me out of the restaurant to his truck that is parked right out front. Getting into the back with Hope, I watch Jax run around the front of the truck to the driver’s side then look around, trying to see if anything is out of place, but I don’t notice anything.

When we pull up to the house, Jax takes us inside and gets us settled in the living room before leaving with his phone to his ear. Looking down at Hope, I pray Jax, unlike everyone else I know, is able to keep his word.