Page 133 of Fierce-Jax

“I would have talked you out of it,” he said.

“That’s right and I wouldn’t have listened and we would have added that fight to this one. It was my decision and I’m going to have to get shit from my father too, but my mother will let him know tonight what happened.”

“I’m glad he’s going to give you shit,” he said. “At least I’m not alone.”

She snorted. “You and my father are more alike than you want to admit.”

“Give me a few minutes to calm myself,” he said. He wanted a beer but wouldn’t do that. “I’m going to take a shower and change.”

“Fine,” she said. “I’m starting dinner.”

He walked to her bedroom and grabbed a pair of shorts and a T-shirt from the drawer where he’d been leaving more clothes.

Some work and weekend wear.

By the time he got out of the shower he was a little calmer.

Not a ton, but enough to not yell.

“Are you ready to listen to me?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“Dinner will be done in twenty minutes. It’s all on a sheet tray and will cook at the same time.”

He hadn’t seen anything more than chicken breasts slammed down.

“What happened today?”

“Martha came alone. My mother’s presence surprised her, but she didn’t mind. She verified a lot of what Alec told me about his life.”

“He wasn’t lying to you?” he asked.

To him that should have been enough right there to stop them from seeing their granddaughter.

“No. We didn’t go into a lot of details, but enough. Luke was a drunk.”

“That’s his excuse?” Jax asked. “Alcohol made him abuse his wife and kid?”

“Alec is not his biological child,” she said. “And you have no idea the relief I felt hearing that.”

If her eyes weren’t glossy he wouldn’t have realized the emotional toll today had taken on her.

“Did Alec know that?”

“Martha says no,” she said. “I’d like to think if he did, he would have tried to get his mother out.”

“Not to speak ill of him or anything, but I’ve thought of those things. If my father was abusing me and my mother, the first thing I’d do is get her out. He just left her and his sister there.”

Like a coward.

“I thought the same thing. I hated that I did, but it was there. I think Alec had more of his mother’s meek personality. And Alison was Luke’s child from a previous relationship that very rarely visited. So she was not part of the household.”

“Lucky her,” he said. “She didn’t have to deal with it.”

“No,” she said. “I asked why Martha was reaching out now after all this time.”

“Let me guess: Luke isn’t drinking anymore?”

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