When The Last Shot Is Fired

"Jax, Miss Vance is just too much!"

"Sera's been carrying the baby for months without a problem. The moment she runs into you, the baby is in distress."

"I knew she was too jealous to let it go. Turns out she was planning this all along."

"She's so vicious!"

The men sneered, their eyes filled with open contempt.

I was still holding my stinging cheek, my mind reeling, when Jax violently grabbed my arm.

"Eleanor Vance, you're coming with me to apologize to Sera!"

"What you did today absolutely disgusts me!"

"Sera and the baby are innocent. How could you do this?"

He roared, his grip tightening until my vision swam with black spots. I struggled, and my head slammed against the hospital wall.

A warm liquid trickled down my temple. I reached up and my fingers came away wet with blood.

Jax's face went slack, a flash of panic in his eyes. His fingers trembled as he opened his mouth to speak.

But a nurse rushed over, shouting.

"Emergency! Miss Hayes has a scalpel and is trying to harm herself!"

The flicker of guilt in Jax's eyes vanished instantly.

His expression turned to ice. He grabbed me and dragged me toward the emergency room.

"Jax, you know I grew up an orphan. All I've ever wanted in this life is a child of my own."

"What did I do wrong? My only mistake was falling in love with you…"

"I'm going to cut this cursed child out of me right now!"

Inside the ER, Seraphina finished her tragic speech and slashed the scalpel across her swollen belly.

Blood welled up as tears streamed down her face.

The corners of Jax's eyes reddened, the pain in them raw and unconcealed.

He coaxed her in a low voice.

"Sera, please, put the scalpel down."

"If we lose this child, we can have another…"

Hearing Jax promise Seraphina another child, I laughed. A dry, broken sound as my heart seized and tears finally fell.

Ten years ago, when I lost my family, Jax held me and told me he would be my family.

Three years ago, when we got engaged, he promised me we would have a child of our own.

The bitter irony of it all was suffocating.

"Jax, I want Eleanor Vance to pay! The one who hurt our child has to pay!"

"I want her to have the surgery with me!"

"If I'm getting cut open, she's not getting away with it!"

Seraphina's eyes were wild with rage as she held the scalpel to her own neck.

"Sera, put it down!"

"I promise you! Anything you want!"

A roar filled my ears. I looked up at Jax in disbelief.

Ten years. Ten years he’d protected me, terrified I’d so much as burn myself while cooking. And now… now he had just agreed to let them cut me open.

"Jax, you can't. I'm pregnant—"

My fingers trembling, I clutched his sleeve.

But my words were drowned out by Seraphina's shriek.

"Ah!"

"My stomach! It hurts so much!"

She screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Jax let go of me and rushed to her side.

"Go! Get to the company hospital now! Start the surgery immediately!"

Aegis Tactical's off-the-books hospital.

Jax's teammates strapped me to an operating table. I struggled with all my might.

A dirty rag was stuffed into my mouth.

"Keep it down, Miss Vance!"

"Sera is right next door. Don't disturb her!"

The foul stench in the air made my stomach churn.

But from the other side of a thin curtain, I heard Jax's gentle, coaxing voice.

"Sera, don't be afraid."

"I'll be with you the whole time…"

Familiar words. The same words from ten years ago.

Hearing them again, a hollow cavern of pain opened in my chest, and silent tears slid from the corners of my eyes.

Then I heard the doctor's urgent voice.

"Jax, there's only one dose of the strong painkiller left."

"We don't have enough anesthesiologists. We can only put one of them under for the surgery…"

"Then give it to Sera!"