Page 88 of All That Glitters

“Well, duh.”

I crack up, laughing at her response.

“Oh, come on, we all knew. The only one in denial was you. I hope this plan of yours is a good one. You hurt her, Midas. She’s gonna make you work for it.”

“And she should. I’m willing to put in the effort to show her I mean it.”

“And the baby.”

I shrug. “The truth is, it doesn’t really matter who the father is. It’s Legs’s baby. It’d be impossible for me to see a tiny version of her and not fall head over heels in love.”

“Dammit, why couldn’t you have figured this all out before?”

“I needed to lose her to realize how much I loved her.”

“They do say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I never really understood how that worked, but I guess in this case, it’s true.”

I sigh. “You have no idea. I feel like she took every ounce of sanity with her when she left.”

“It’s cute you think you were sane before.”

I glare at her as she chuckles.

“She drives me crazy in the best and worst possible ways. It’s never going to be smooth sailing for us. It’s always going to be stormy skies and rough waters threatening to pull us under. We’re too explosive for it to be anything else. But I’ll hold her up whether she thinks she needs it or not. I’ll never let my shit drag her down. She’s my air, my chance to prove I’m?—”

“Worthy,” she finishes for me when I snap my mouth shut before I give too much away. Lil looks at me with understanding, as if she knows exactly how I feel because she feels it, too.

She reaches over and gives my wrist a squeeze. “I get it. You’re a big, manly biker. You don’t talk about feelings and shit, but if you’re ever gonna stand a chance with Legs, you have no choice but to strip yourself emotionally bare. She deserves that. And, side note, you can’t expect her to reveal the parts of her to you that she keeps guarded if you don’t do the same.”

“I know. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna find it easy.”

“If it were easy, she wouldn’t be the woman for you.”

“I can’t argue with that now, can I?”

She grins before looking over my shoulder. I see her cheeks flush before she dips her head.

I look to see what caused that reaction and see Powers heading our way.

Interesting. I never would have pegged these two together. Then again, it makes sense. Powers wasn’t here when everything went down with Lil. He never knew the old version, has never looked at her with pity or remorse, and to be honest, he’s neverlet her down. He is, however, a prospect, which means Lil’s off-limits to him until he passes his probationary period. I narrow my eyes on him, wondering if he’s been breaking the rules, but he doesn’t show an ounce of guilt on his face when he approaches. Unfortunately, he doesn’t show any interest in Lil either. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

“Hey, Midas. Lil, Dice sent me up because you’re not answering your phone. Someone just dropped off a bunch of donations for the shelter.”

She looks up at him and frowns. “Who?”

“That I don’t know. I’ve only just got here myself.”

She looks at me, her face pale.

“Lil?”

“I’m not expecting any donations, Midas. Anyone who would give me stuff lives here and would have brought it to me directly. An outsider, even if they knew I worked at the shelter, would have just dropped them off instead of driving out here.”

I jump from my seat, getting what she’s saying. “Powers, you’re with me. Lil, let the others know to stay the fuck away from the front gate.”

“Be careful.”

I nod and tear out of the saloon with Powers on my heels, ignoring everyone else. Lil will fill them in.