13. Thea

Chapter 13

Thea

T hea felt like her heart was genuinely trying to break through her ribs.

"Mum, could you give us a minute?" She needed to hit him. Ideally with a closed fist, but she knew it would be pointless. Maybe she could just blast him with lightning again? Right up his…

"Oh, so you've finally brought a man home!" Mum squealed with excitement, dropping down the few steps. "Wait until I tell your father. A little warning would have been nice, but – "

"He isn't staying; he was just dropping something off."

"Of course he's staying! I won't take no for an answer." She gently patted his arm, her height barely reaching his chest. "Call me Dorothea. Thea's named after me, you know," she said with so much pride Thea's heart ached. "I hope you like beef."

How was I going to get out of this?

"We'll be up in a minute." Thea forced a smile, noting how Jax tilted his head toward the shadows. "I just need to quickly check something with my boyfriend. "

Her mother pouted, but she retreated to the house. " Dinner's served in five minutes. Don't make me come back out here." The door clicked closed behind her, and Thea had to fist her hands to stop them from shaking.

"You shouldn't be here," she whispered, looking up to find her sisters Molly and Rosey watching from the window. The curtain jerked, both of them trying – and failing – to hide.

"I said how easy it was for me to find you," he said in his deep rumble of a voice.

Thea grabbed Jax's arm, pulling him away. "They don't know anything."

"You know what I want." His eyes glistened, even in the dark. "Agree to help me, and I won't tell them about your illegal activities."

"You're seriously blackmailing me right now?"

Jax dropped his head closer, the air stretching taut between them. "Do you remember the men that attacked you? The ones I protected you against," he growled. "Well, if I don't get that document back, more people are going to get hurt – or worse."

Thea glared at him. "What if I can't get it back?"

"Trust me, you're going to want to get it back."

"Well, that's confirmed it," she said as Jax's brow quirked up. "You're just as much of an arsehole as your brother."

Jax huffed out a breath, almost like a laugh. "You really don't like Sythe."

"He mated to a woman without her consent." Thea rolled her eyes. "I don't care that they're fated or some shit. It's called communication, which he, and clearly you, lack."

"I think my communication has been pretty clear."

Bloody hell.

"You've made your point," she said, trying to push him away. It was like trying to move a mountain. "You can leave."

Thea heard the giggle of her sisters, panicking at the idea Jax would actually join her family for dinner. He wouldn't actually go through with it? Would he?

"Mum says dinner's ready," Rosey, the youngest, said with a grin. She'd recently lost another tooth, leaving a large gap right at the front.

Thea swallowed the rising dread, her voice barely above a whisper. "Leave, please."

"Theeeeaaaa!" Running in her bunny slippers, Rosey reached for Jax's hand before Thea could stop her. "Come on!"

Her chest squeezed, her hand curving around the blade in her pocket. If he made one move against her baby sister, she wouldn't hesitate. She'd use his own pocketknife to stab him, which she thought was pretty poetic.

A smile creeped on her lips, and Jax seemed to frown at the sudden change in her mood as Rosey tugged excitedly, which was basically the only other expression the man possessed. Empty, or a scowl. It was so subtle that it was barely a wrinkle around his eyes, but she noticed.

"Come on!" Rosey sang. "Molly was telling me all about Bianca's kittens. Can you believe she has kittens? Like real ones. Not stuffed ones like – "

"Okay, okay, we're coming." Thea didn't release her grip on the knife, despite the metal tingling her fingers.

"I like kittens," Jax replied with a note of challenge, his eyes never leaving Thea's.

Rosey squealed with delight, too young to understand. "Really?" She was essentially hanging from his arm. "Can I show you my room? I have lots of stuffed kittens. And some teddy bears too!"

"After you, little thief ," he whispered, the name forcing her spine rigid as she climbed the few steps to the front door with Jax and Rosey at her back.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"Give us a minute, jellybean," Thea said, nudging her baby sister away. "Otherwise, you'll have to see us kiss." Thea stuck her tongue out and pulled a gross face, which Rosey copied with a giggle.

"Fine," she moaned, skipping to the next room.

Thea waited a second before shoving Jax against the wall with all her strength, her hand in the centre of his chest. He grunted, the frames beside him rattling. She was pretty sure she'd only been able to do it because he'd been caught off guard, but that didn't matter.

"Behave," she threatened, her heart racing much faster than his. Wild magic swelled at her fingertips, and her stomach tightened with anxiety. "Please."

Jax looked at her for a second, a slow smile curving his lips. "Only because you said please."

Bloody hell, she thought, rendered speechless by the fact that the man could indeed smile.

"I prefer the pink." He touched a strand of her hair, and she felt the tips of her ears burn. She preferred the pink too, but rarely wore the colour when she was working.

"Mum needs you in the kitchen," Molly said in the doorway, her gaze flicking between them.

Thea stepped back, immediately missing his heat. He watched her, his expression returning to indifference. She would have believed he was actually that cold if she hadn't spotted bursts of intensity beneath that carefully constructed mask.

Before she lost the nerve, she left him with a last warning glare.

"So, you have a boyfriend you didn't tell us about?" Her mum's disappointment was clear as soon as Thea stepped into the kitchen. "He's not what I expected. A little intimidating, if you ask me."

Thea barely controlled her groan, knowing it would only piss her mum off more.

"Also, don't think I haven't noticed you never returned my text the other day." Her mum wagged a finger at her. "You answered Molly, and don't you dare argue that I allow her to stay overnight with her girlfriend when I never allowed you. I know you too well, Thea."

Thea prayed that a hole would open up and swallow her.

"I wasn't going to say anything." Probably. "It's just – "

Her mum threw a tea towel at her, and Thea snorted as it slapped against her face.

She loved her mum, but she could be a difficult woman when she wanted to be. If she was going to get through the evening, she needed wine. Or maybe a lobotomy.

JAX

Jax wasn't sure what the fuck came over him. Agreeing to dinner with Thea's family? If his brothers found out, they'd believe he'd lost it entirely. It wasn't something he'd do, not when everything he did was meticulously thought out beforehand. But watching the panic race across Thea's face was arguably worth the discomfort for a few hours, and if he was going to convince Thea she was his mate, he'd have to meet her family, eventually. That was the singular thought that dominated his decision. The need to get closer to her, in any way possible.

The entire family was a rush against his senses: bright colours, high-pitched squeals, and excessive smiles. And they were all human.

"So," her father grunted, his voice hoarse and broken. "Jax, what do you do for a living?"

"Ayden!" Dorothea scolded, her eyes softening every time she looked at her husband. "Don't put him on the spot like that."

"Asking your daughter's date about his job is normal, honey." Ayden smiled, reaching for his wife's hand. "It's just, Thea hasn't mentioned you before." His features pinched, but it wasn't unfriendly. He wasn't old for a human, possibly in his late forties or early fifties, but his skin was pale, sunken beneath both of his eyes. He was clearly very sick, only picking at his dinner.

"It's still new, dad." Thea's hand clamped on her glass of wine like it was a lifeline. "Molly, how's Bianca?" she asked, changing the subject each time there was a question his way.

She smiled so easily with her family, tension bleeding from her shoulders as the evening continued and the wine flowed. Her laughter flowed like water, hitting him directly in the heart each time. It pierced through his numbness, and he wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel. He craved the sound, loving the way she threw her head back and snorted when she found something particularly funny. She was unequivocally open with her delight, and he wanted to understand how she could feel so much and not fall beneath those emotions.

To feel nothing was easy, but to live was hard.

Shuffling to his side, Thea's youngest sister moved close enough she was almost in his lap. He made sure to make no sudden movements, especially with Rosey sitting so close. She chatted away like a hamster on caffeine, patting his arm every time she didn't think he was paying attention.

He wasn't used to being welcomed so quickly. There was no underlying strain as Thea's father greeted him, no wary glares or threatening handshakes. Her mother went in for a hug and was polite enough not to acknowledge how stiff he was in response. The only one that was hesitant was Molly, who'd simply frowned at him all evening. The entire family was either incredibly na?ve at his underlying threat, or they trusted Thea wouldn't bring someone dangerous home.

"Why do you have those scratches along your face?" Rosey mock whispered, having been working up the courage to ask for a while.

Dorothea gasped. "Rosey Hart! That is not an appropriate – "

"I was attacked when I was young, just a little older than you," he answered honestly, glancing at Thea to gauge her reaction. She seemed just as curious, hiding the bottom half of her face behind her glass.

Rosey giggled, her black curls dancing around her shoulders. "Does it hurt?"

Jax shook his head, not sure how to deal with someone so young and unfamiliar with the cruelty of the world. "No, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"But it did hurt?" Her light brown eyes saddened, dipping to the end of his scar on his upper lip. "What about when you kiss Thea? Does it hurt then?"

"Rosey," Ayden chuckled. "That's enough."

"Will your babies have the same scratches?" she continued, insouciantly. "Will they have Thea's magic hands?"

Thea choked, coughing, as she settled her glass down. "Okay, I think that's enough talking about kissing and babies."

Dorothea grinned, laughing behind a napkin .

Rosey copied her mum, revealing the gap in her teeth. "Will my babies have magic hands?"

"Not unless you marry and have babies with someone like Thea," Ayden said with a gentle smile. "But I think you're a bit young." His arm began to shake, but he hid it quickly beneath the table.

Dorothea dropped her napkin, turning to whisper softly to him. "Molly?" she said louder. "Could you get your dad's pillows ready, please?"

Molly shot up without question, Rosey racing off behind her. "I'll help! I'll help!"

Ayden glanced at Thea. "Look at the first class service I get," he chuckled.

"You're just being spoilt now." Thea smiled, but it wasn't as bright as before. "Dad, go sit down. I'll tidy up and join you."

Dorothea started stacking the plates. "No, I'll tidy. You go settle your father."

Ayden stood, helped by his wife. "Jax, I would love to learn more about you next time. If my Thea will allow you to answer any of my questions, that is." He shot his eldest daughter a grin. It seemed he knew she was evading him all along.

Jax nodded. "I look forward to that, too." He felt Thea's gaze on his face, her expression unreadable.

Abruptly, she shot to her feet, going around the table to subtly take her father's arm. They moved slowly, but Ayden walked with his back straight and a smile on his face.

Cutlery clattered loudly, Dorothea watching him as she lifted the stack and turned towards the kitchen.

Jax waited a breath, collecting the rest of the plates before following her. He found her by the sink, her sleeves rolled up with bright pink washing up gloves on. They even had fur edges .

"I wash; you dry," she said over her shoulder.

Placing his pile of plates beside her, he followed the instructions without question. The kitchen was small, pale cabinets lining parallel to the window with an open arch on each side. One led to the dining room, while the other led back out into the hall. The wooden counters were worn, old, and well-used. Scratches marked the grain, as well as a few markers and pictures of hearts, stars, and what he guessed was supposed to be a unicorn.

"So, you're not exactly my daughter's usual type," she commented after a moment, her voice soft, but edged with steel.

"What's her usual type?"

"If I tell you that, you wouldn't have to work harder for her attention." She raised a brow, handing him a wet plate. "She's different, you know."

Using the tea towel, he quickly dried it, placing it neatly on the counter beside him. "Because she's Fae?"

Dorothea cleared her throat, her hand gripping a steak knife covered in soapy suds. "No, because she's special." Turning, she settled her back against the sink, the knife casually held in her right hand.

Jax couldn't help but be amused.

"She's my first," Dorothea continued, her expression serious. "We were young, not ready for kids, but then Ayden brought this beautiful baby girl home, and we knew it was meant to be. She was just as colourful back then, and the best big sister when Molly and Rosey came along. Those girls are our world, but my Thea's a far gentler soul."

Jax waited.

"Just like her father. She only sees the good in people, and can't hold a grudge to save her life. People seem to take advantage, so if you hurt her…" She let the threat trail off, the knife swaying slightly.

Jax lifted both hands up, showing his palms. "Consider me warned."

Dorothea pursed her lips, stepping closer until she was forced to look up. Reaching up with her left hand, she patted his cheek like he was a child. He had to dip his head slightly for her to reach. "She's never brought a boy home before."

"The first, and last."

"Well," she laughed. "That's up to my Thea."

"What's up to me?" Thea appeared in the archway from the hall, eyes widening slightly when she found her mother touching his cheek and a knife gripped in her hand. "Dad's asking for his medication, but I don't know the dosage."

Dorothea smiled, the emotion genuine as she stepped back. Pulling off her pink gloves, she threw them at her eldest daughter while handing the soapy knife to Jax. "Be good, you two. You're not too old for me to ground," she said with a wink before leaving the same way Thea had come from.

"So, what was that about?" Thea pulled her hair up into a messy bun, a few strands hanging down to tickle her neck. She grabbed what remained of her glass of wine and downed the rest.

"Aren't Fae sensitive to alcohol?" He moved to stand beside her with his tea towel.

She tipped the glass dramatically, her cheeks puffing out before she swallowed. "I don't know, let's test that theory," she said with an impish grin before turning to the sink.

They worked in silence, her movements slightly exaggerated when she handed him plate after plate. She giggled every now and then, and when he raised a silent brow, she only giggled harder.

She was definitely sensitive to the alcohol. She hadn't even had more than a few glasses.

"I never expected you to be so domesticated," she said between chuckles. The light glinted off the gold septum ring, matching the three she'd placed in her lobes. Warmth spread like fire, his chest aching with her proximity. He wanted to nuzzle his nose against her skin and take a deep breath, his beast almost taking over so they could drown in her scent.

"You're drunk."

"Am not!" Her eyes widened, and he took his time to study the colour. A warm brown with flecks of copper. "You're smiling."

His lips twitched. "Am not."

"You are," she grinned. "Or at least you did. I've seen it." She looked like the cat that got the cream.

She wasn't exactly drunk, but definitely tipsy.

She'd never looked cuter.

"No one will believe you," he said, wanting to see her smile again. She was so responsive, her pupils dilating as his voice deepened, and her lips parting with a soft exhale. He wanted to reach out, to see whether she tasted sweet. But not yet. Not until she trusted him, and definitely not when she'd had a couple of drinks.

Their eyes fixed, a blaze building in his core.

"We should get going," she whispered, as if not wanting to break the connection. "My dad needs his rest."

Jax wanted to ask more, but knew he didn't have that privilege.

"He's why I took that job," she continued anyway, her throat moving with a nervous swallow. "His treatment isn't available on national health, so I needed to find something with a big reward."

"He's strong." Which wasn't a lie, but he couldn't deny the underlying disease. Humans were weak and died far easier than any of the Breed. Her father reeked of sickness, the underlying scent like fur along his tongue – terminal.

"You have no idea." Her smile was sad. "Why did you come here, Jax?"

He closed their distance, glancing at the pictures lined the windowsill, a timeline of her family over the years. He'd spotted more in the dining room, as well as in the hallway. Jax never knew what it was like growing up in a family who loved one another. Not until he was older.

"You didn't call."

She remained where she was, simply tilting her head back to keep his gaze. "I don't know If I can get it back."

He pressed closer, her pulse racing against the side of her throat. He ached to wrap his hand around her, to feel it beat harder against his palm.

"You don't have a choice, little thief."