Jax

I woke up in the morning from the sun shining through the window. Nelly was cuddled up into my side, and she was still fast asleep. I admired her as she slept, peppering her features with light kisses. I was over the moon this morning; I hadn't felt this happy in a while. I had a peek inside the blanket to make sure that last night was real, and it wasn't just all in my head.

Nelly groaned from the cold and wrapped herself up in the blanket. I took that opportunity to sneak out from underneath the covers to go make some breakfast. I looked into the kid's rooms on my way to the kitchen to make sure everyone was still sleeping. Of course, Thomas wasn't and I had to grab him from his crib to make sure that he didn't alert the whole house.

I placed him in his highchair to free my hands up. I could tell that he was hungry as he tried nibbling on the plastic table. I went into the fridge to retrieve some of his milk and heat up a nice bottle for him. I started to yawn as my body started to catch up with my mind. Thomas began to pout when he saw his bottle going anywhere but his mouth.

"Just a couple more minutes buddy, then she's all yours," I ran my fingers through his brown hair to soothe him. However, when that didn't work I picked him up to distract him from his route to crying. I was relieved when his bottle was cool enough for him to drink. I swear the kid acted like he hadn't seen a bottle in days.

I was about to sit on a chair to feed him if it hadn't been for a knock on the door. I was curious as to who it was because Opie and I had made arrangements to just meet at the clubhouse this morning. I adjusted Thomas in my arms, careful not to disturb his feeding, and went to answer the door.

Tara stood on the outside on the porch with an impatient look on her face. She looked shocked to see me, I assumed that she thought Nelly would be here alone. "Hey," her voice came out nervously. She looked at Thomas and reached for his balled-up fist, but then Thomas placed his tiny hands on his bottle instead.

"What are you doing here Tara?" I was agitated to see her here because I know that my warnings were clear. She was not to set foot near this house after everything she caused. I didn't want Nelly to see her, but I sure as sh** didn't want Abel to see her either.

"Jax, I can't do this anymore! I need to see my sons, they're my kids!" she shouted and I took that as a cue to step outside. I didn't want her to wake everyone up because she couldn't keep a lid on it. "We already let you see Thomas, there isn't anyone else in this house that you need to talk to," I scolded.

"Abel is my son. I raised him. You can't keep him from me forever, he's going to need me," she was convinced that no one could take care of Abel like she could.

"My wife is doing just fine with him, thank you. He doesn't need anything from you."

"Your wife doesn't even want to be with you Jax, get real! She doesn't even wear her ring, what makes you think she's not going to take Ava and abandon you guys," she crossed her arms over her chest. She thought she had won, but then her eyes trailed over my confident demeanor. Her eyes trailed over my skin to see the tattoo that was designed by Nelly adorned with hickeys all over it. Her face fell and she turned a bright crimson from embarrassment.

"Look, if you're done taking pointers from my mom, I want you off my porch. I'll send my mom to your house for your work schedule this afternoon, and you guys can deliberate when you're able to see Thomas."

I didn't let her finish saying anything as I stepped back into the house. When I closed the door Nelly had walked into the living room wearing only a robe. She made a beeline to the coffee machine to start her morning with a fresh cup of joe. I walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. She turned around and pressed her body against mine.

"Good morning," her voice was soft and quiet as she placed a kiss on my lips. She acknowledge Thomas by tapping the bottom of his foot, "hi buddy, were you hungry this morning?" her voice became squeaky and low as she played with him. When she turned around I landed a hard smack on her butt, "daddy is very hungry this morning." She squealed as she groaned out my name.

I gave my signature smile before I sat down at the breakfast table. I did intend on making breakfast, but since she was clearly better at it, why not let her do it?

"Who was that outside?" she began to crack some eggs in a bowl.

"Tara, she came here demanding that she get to see Abel. Was saying all types of stupid sh**."

Her face looked confused, "like what?" she said with a yawn.

"Just some superior bull**** that she conjured up in her head. Like how Abel needs her and that you don't even wear your wing."

Nelly scoffed, "oh yeah because I am totally incapable of taking care of a toddler. Whatever," she shook her head and continued to vent, "why does she care about my ring anyway?"

I chose not to answer her question, because for one, it sounded rhetorical and I wasn't about to get in trouble for giving the wrong answer. Nelly and I just agreed to give things another shot, I didn't want to push her into wearing her ring again so soon. I didn't want to scare her away, but I also would be happy to see her wear it again. To me, that would mean that she was all in, that she trusted me one hundred percent.

I walked into the living room and placed Thomas in his playpen. Nelly followed me and sat down on the couch with an unreadable expression on her face. I sighed sitting down next to her and throwing her leg over mine. "Babe, if you don't want to wear it right now, you don't have to."

She smiled sadly at me, "Jax, I want to try again, I do, I just don't want to confuse the kids. It's not just us two anymore, what we do with each other affects them too. I mean, are you really ready for this again?"

I gave her a soft kiss on the lips, "babe, I am more serious about this than you could imagine. I was serious about everything I said last night, I want us to be a family."

She dropped her head down sheepishly and I picked it up with my finger underneath her chin. "I want to come home to my wife after doing legit business and seeing her barefoot and pregnant in that kitchen."

Nelly began to laugh as she thought about the image, "I was never barefoot and pregnant. I always had shoes on," she protested.

I brought her face closer to mine, "I'll buy you any shoes you want as long as you give me another girl."

"Why a girl?" she smiled.

"I kinda made a promise to my daughter that I'd help level out the score."

"That's what she asked for!" she smacked my chest playfully.

"I mean, we could always start right now," I said mischievously as I rolled her on top of me. She burst into a fit of giggles as she fought to get off of me, "Jax, not in front of the baby!"

"I can make another baby," I joked as she kicked me off the couch. I felt a sting on my butt cheek as I proceeded to walk away. I looked back at Nelly who was looking at me smirking, "please Mrs. Teller, you make me feel so cheap." She started to laugh as I went to the room to get dressed.