Chapter 84

KNOX

No sooner had we stepped into the penthouse than Isabella spun around to face us, her eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and confusion. “Who did you call, Asher?” she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. Her usual calm demeanor was nowhere to be found. “I want to know what’s going on, and I want to know now.”

I glanced at my brothers, silently hoping Asher had a good way of explaining this. The last thing we needed was Isabella feeling like we were keeping things from her, especially with everything that had just happened.

Asher let out a slow breath, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he met her gaze. “I called in a protection team, Isa. Just to be safe. We don’t know who that guy was or what he wants, and until we do, I want to make sure you’re protected.”

The words barely left his mouth before Isabella’s eyes narrowed, her cheeks flushing in a way that made me nervous. “You did what? And you didn’t think to tell me about this?” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “I’m not some damsel in distress who needs to be kept in the dark, Asher!”

She looked like she was ready to keep going, but then her stomach let out a loud growl, and she blinked in surprise. A flicker of embarrassment crossed her face, and I couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped out, though I quickly regretted it when she shot me a death glare.

“And what is that smell?” she suddenly snapped, her nose wrinkling as she turned toward me. “Is that…your cologne?”

I frowned, catching a whiff of the scent myself. It was the same one I’d worn for months, something I thought she liked. “Yeah, why?”

She looked at me like I’d just offered her a plate of rotten eggs. “I can’t stand it. It’s making me nauseous. Please, just…get rid of it!”

Now I was really at a loss. “You want me to…throw it away?” I asked, completely bewildered. “You’re serious?”

She nodded, her face already paling at the mere mention of the cologne. “Yes, please. And maybe take a shower too. It’s really that bad.”

Jax and Asher were both biting back laughter at this point, but I couldn’t find it in myself to laugh. My cologne had never been an issue before, and now it was apparently public enemy number one.

“Alright, alright,” I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. “I’ll toss it. But can we maybe get you something to eat first before you decide to throw anything else out?”

Her expression softened just a bit, and she sighed, her anger seeming to dissipate slightly as her hunger took over. “Fine. But we’re not done talking about this protection team. I want to know everything.”

The three of us exchanged a quick glance, all of us relieved that the storm was passing—for now, at least. Asher stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “We’ll tell you everything, I promise. But first, let’s get you fed. You and the baby need to eat.”

Isabella nodded, but not before giving me one last pointed look. “And Knox, the cologne…”

I raised my hands again. “Already gone. I’ll take care of it.”

She gave a satisfied nod, and we all headed toward the kitchen, but not without a shared, amused glance between my brothers and me. Between her anger, hormones, and hunger, we were all a little off balance, trying to keep up with her shifting moods.

And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was a little bit terrified of what else might set her off next.

JAX

I woke up with a start, the sheets beside me cool and empty. My heart skipped a beat as I instinctively reached out for Isabella, only to find her gone. The room was dark and quiet, but I could hear a faint noise coming from somewhere in the penthouse.

I sat up, listening carefully, and realized the noise was coming from the kitchen. Without a second thought, I slipped out of bed and padded down the hallway, my senses on high alert. The last thing I expected to find was Isabella in the middle of the night, doing…what exactly?

As I approached the kitchen, the light from the fridge illuminated the space. There she was, standing in front of the open fridge with her head practically inside it, tossing things into a large garbage bag. The smell of food wafted toward me, and I noticed an empty ice-cream tub on the counter with a spoon sticking out of it.

“Bella?” I called softly, not wanting to startle her.

She jumped anyway, turning around with wide eyes, clutching a jar of pickles in one hand. “Jax, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration. “I just… I can’t stand the smell of half the stuff in here. It’s making me sick.”

I took a step closer, trying to piece together what was going on. “So you’re throwing it all away?”

“Yes,” she said, a bit defensively. “I don’t know what’s happening to me, but the thought of some of this food… I can’t even stand it being in the house.”

Before I could respond, Asher and Knox stumbled into the kitchen, both looking half asleep. Knox rubbed his eyes and yawned, clearly not fully awake. “Isa, couldn’t this wait until morning?” he mumbled, his voice groggy.

Isabella’s expression crumpled, and before any of us could react, she started to cry. Big, fat tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook her head. “I don’t know what’s happening to me,” she sobbed, dropping the jar of pickles into the trash bag with a thud. “I just feel so… so out of control. I don’t know why I’m like this.”

Immediately, Asher was by her side, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he murmured, his voice soothing. “It’s just your hormones, Isabella. It’s perfectly normal. We’re here, and we’ll help you through it.”

Knox, now fully awake, looked guilty for his earlier comment. He moved closer, his hand resting gently on her back. “I’m sorry, Bella. I didn’t mean to upset you. We’ll throw out whatever you need, alright?”

Isabella sniffled, nodding as she buried her face in Asher’s chest. “I just feel so… ridiculous,” she whispered. “I can’t control my emotions, and now I’m crying over food. I didn’t expect pregnancy to be like this.”

I stepped forward and placed a hand on her arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’re not ridiculous, Bella. This is all part of it, and we’ll get through it together. Whatever you need, whenever you need it.”

She looked up at me, her tear-filled eyes softening. “You guys don’t deserve this… I’m sorry for being such a mess.”

Knox shook his head, stepping closer to join the group hug. “You’re not a mess, Isa. You’re carrying our child, and that’s all that matters. We’ll handle whatever comes our way.”

Isabella let out a shaky breath, the tension slowly leaving her body as she leaned into our embrace. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.”

“We’re in this together,” Asher said firmly. “Always.”

We stood there in the dimly lit kitchen, holding her close as she finally started to calm down. The night was still, save for the gentle hum of the fridge and the rhythmic sound of Isabella’s breathing.