Page 1 of Jaxon

Chapter One

Jaxon Reeves leanedagainst his bike, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd gathered at the town’s community event.

The air was filled with the sounds of laughter, chatter, and the occasional clinking of glasses.He was never one for social gatherings, but his loyalty to the Iron Sentinels MC meant showing up for events like this when the club’s presence was required.

At thirty-eight, Jaxon had seen more than his fair share of the world’s rough edges.The scars he carried were proof of his loyalty to his club—a family that had been there when his own hadn’t given a damn about him.

Still, he harbored some regrets when it came to his personal life.

As his gaze wandered, it landed on a familiar figure in the distance.Harper Davis.He recognized her immediately, despite the three years that had passed since they’d spoken.She was chatting with someone, her smile lighting up her face, but there was an edge to her, a guardedness he didn’t remember.

Jaxon felt a stirring in his chest, a mix of curiosity and something deeper he couldn’t quite name.She was the one who got away—no, the one who left.Their brief but intense relationship had ended abruptly, and he never fully understood why.

One day, Harper was there, filling his world with light and laughter, and the next, she was gone—vanished without a trace, leaving him with nothing but unanswered questions and a hollow ache he couldn’t quite shake.

He’d replayed their last moments together countless times, trying to decipher where things had gone wrong, but the silence she left behind offered no clues.Now, seeing her again, it was as if no time had passed, yet everything felt different.Harper hadn’t changed much, she was still as beautiful and captivating as he remembered.

Her dark hair fell in soft waves around her face, catching the light in a way that made his chest tighten.Her eyes—those deep, soulful blue eyes—held a familiar spark, a warmth that had always drawn him in.But there was something else, something new and unsettling.A tension in her posture, a guardedness that hadn’t been there before.It was as if she was bracing herself for something, or perhaps protecting herself from him.

They’d been so good together.He could still remember the taste of her lips, the soft curves of her body pressed up against him.How their bodies felt like a perfect fit in the bedroom.Jaxon couldn’t help but wonder what had happened in the years they’d been apart to make her so wary.His instinct was to reach out, to bridge the distance between them and find the answers he’d longed for.

But the look in her eyes stopped him short.She wasn’t the same woman he’d fallen for.Still, for the first time in years, he wanted to reconnect, to find out what truly went wrong between them.Jaxon pushed off the bike and started toward her, weaving through the crowd with a calm, measured stride.

As he approached, Harper turned, her eyes widening slightly when they met his.The smile on her face faltered for a moment before she regained her composure.

“Harper,” Jaxon greeted, trying to keep his voice controlled.“Been a while.”

She nodded, her expression guarded.“Jaxon.It has.”

There was an awkward silence, the air between them thick with unspoken words.

Jaxon searched her face, trying to read the emotions flickering in her eyes.She looked ...nervous.But why?

“How’ve you been?”he asked, his tone softening.

“Good,” she replied, glancing around as if searching for an escape.“Busy with the bookstore.”

He nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets.“I’ve been meaning to stop by.Check out what you’ve got.”

Her eyes darted away, a faint blush creeping up her neck.“You should.We’ve got a lot of new titles in.”

There it was again—that distance, that hesitation.Jaxon felt a pang of frustration.He wanted to close the gap between them, to understand why she seemed so determined to keep him at arm’s length.

Before he could ask more, a small voice interrupted them.“Mommy?”

Jaxon’s gaze dropped to the little girl who had appeared at Harper’s side, clutching a book to her chest.She looked up at him with wide, curious green eyes that felt oddly familiar.

His heart skipped a beat as he took in her features—dark hair, green eyes just like his own.Something clicked in his mind, a realization that left him breathless.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Harper said, her voice softening as she crouched down to the child’s level.“This is Jaxon.”

The little girl offered him a shy smile, and Jaxon’s chest tightened.He crouched down too, his eyes never leaving her face.“Hey there,” he said gently.“What’s your name?”

“Mia,” she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mia.The name echoed in Jaxon’s mind, a storm of emotions brewing beneath his calm exterior.

He looked up at Harper, his gaze questioning, searching.But she avoided his eyes, her expression unreadable.Jaxon stood slowly, his mind racing.Those eyes.Harper’s dark hair.The best of him and her.There was no denying it now—this little girl was his daughter.The realization hit him like a freight train, and he struggled to keep his composure.

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