The Joxes

Chapter 31

"He knows everything and he said he wants you dead." Admitting that made her completely break. Again, instead of saying she loves me deeply, her actions prove how much of an influence I am to her.

Not being able to hold myself, I jolt across the room and hug her tightly to my chest. She trembled with fear, exhaustion, and debilitation of this shit. Her arms squeezed tightly and I held her with the same strength, keeping her physically together. Her forehead sweated and her face drenched with tears that made my stomach cringe with anger. He's threatening me.

"I can't lose you!" She wails, bursting through her sobs.

I keep myself hard and not let any sign of emotion breakthrough of a broken man. I refuse to succumb to crying. It's not what I do and it's not what Elena needs. We both can't weep at the same time. Someone has to carry us through and the role was designed specifically for me.

"You're not. You're not going to lose me. I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm so scared. I just-I just want you!"

I rubbed the back of her head and comforted her as she needed.

"I'm not going anywhere."

In Elena's back pocket, her phone starts ringing and I instantly grab it, paranoid that it's Landon. And what do you see...it's of course, Landon. I know it's his because I don't know his number and this is an unknown caller. He's somewhere in the area and I'm not in the fucking mood to be playing his games.

I answered the phone and didn't rest to ask who it was. "Listen here, you fucker. I'm going to kill you and I don't even fucking care if I go to jail at this point. Stop calling my wife!"

A heavy sigh drags on the other side. "Oh Jaxon, don't be so rude. It's more polite to say hello like a civil person."

"You got two fucking seconds to hang up or I'm going to find you and strangle the breath out of you, do you hear me?"

"I know you know my address, so what's taking you so long to visit?" I bite my tongue because Elena doesn't need to hear serious threats I have to share. Landon continues. "So about that, I want to schedule a meeting. You, Elena and my son."

"Noah is not your fucking son. What will it take for you to understand that, you piece of shit?"

"Have you gotten him tested? I have and he is mine, so I'm just doing my fatherly duties in keeping my family together. You don't have a family; you never did, you never will."

"If I ever see you, I'm going to kill you."

"That's if you ever see me, but I'm giving you the opportunity."

I noticed that Elena turned away and tried to get herself together. I part from her and walk into my study and close my door behind me. I sit down at my desk and get my cords out. Not only will I track him, but I am recording this conversation.

"What?"

"Elena just told you what I called her earlier about, so I'm going to add a little to it. Meet me at 371 East Martin on Saturday evening--that's my address for the time being. I want to trade."

"There's nothing to trade. You're not getting my wife and you're sure as hell not getting my son."

"To be honest, I would make a better father than you. Noah's me up and down."

"Listen, shithead-"

"I'm not done!" He cuts me off. "You will trade them for your life. What's more important, Jaxon? Your life or your want-to-be family fantasy. You grew up alone, you shall die alone."

"You don't know shit about me."

"I know more about you than yourself, actually. I know your life story. I know who you have on your side. I know your colleagues. I know your contacts. I know your secrets. I know your strengths and I know your weaknesses. But let me assure you, I can't use them all at once. Or can I?"

"You can do whatever you want, but you're fucking delusional if you think you're going to get away with this."

"I already did once, why not the second time?" There's a pause as I recoiled myself from springing into a mad race.

The old me, the one that had nothing to lose, would hop inside the car and speed to his house to kill him. The old me would disregard anything anyone said and fight. He tests my patience and my control. My muscles ached from the strength to stay put and not run. Elena needs me more than ever right now.

He continues, "Come over Saturday for dinner. If I see police or any type of authorities, everyone's dead. I can make it happen, you know that."

"We're not going anywhere."

He squeals, "Well we'll see about that, my friend. You can come willingly, or I will make you come over."

"Fuck you." Finally reaching a boiling point, I toss Elena's phone across the room, busting into a million pieces from anger.

Elena opens the door as her phone hits the door next to her. She jumps and doesn't even glance at her phone. My chest was heaving and my face felt like I stuck into a steamy pot for several minutes. My head started hurting, but the adrenaline kicked in and made it tolerable.

Elena slowly approaches me, rounding my desk to give me a hug. I mentally collapse in her arms but kept my weeping to a minimum. I'm a monster.

"We're going to get this bastard. We have to get him."

"I need to calm down." I sit down in my chair and lean back, covering my eyes to recollect myself.

Elena slowly goes into her back pocket and uncovers a pregnancy test. "Jaxon..."

My eyes widen with sudden excitement. "We're..."

"Pregnant." She announces. "It's kind of explaining a lot of things right now, but we're pregnant."

I stand up and hug her, tossing her into the air and spinning her around. She giggles, but still seemed slightly upset. She held onto my neck tightly. I kissed her cheek and eventually trailed to her lips and kissed her passionately.

She lands on her feet and kisses me back with the similar devotion. "Oh, are you serious?"