Page 16 of Coal (QUEENS WRAITHS MC #2)
“Appreciate it, Sterling. Next order of business. Thea needs somewhere to work. She asks that it be away from the main buildings, as she has to do tests, so the building will need to be soundproofed. Blue, do you think you can ask the O’Sheas who we can use? They’d have to keep their mouths shut.”
Blue nods, “Of course, Pres.”
“Tinman, can you find somewhere that you think is suitable, and we’ll get Thea out there to have a look at it? She’s brought her most important tools with her, but I imagine she’ll need more. With that in mind, how are our funds looking?” I turn to Nickel and ask.
Nickel flicks through the tablet on the table for a minute before his eyes widen and he clears his throat, “We’re looking pretty damn healthy, Pres.
Crow Investments have grown our earnings exponentially, and that doesn’t include the money we’re laundering through the businesses.
We’ll have enough. I’ll get it all up to date and share it at the next meeting. ”
“Excellent. Any questions?”
The brothers shake their heads as most of them had been with me.
They were already up to speed. My attention is drawn to the screen in the background where Thea sits chatting with my mom and Opal, who is sitting on the floor playing with Shea.
The need to get them to my home fills me with urgency. Picking up the gavel, I tap the table.
“Meeting ended. Enjoy the night off. We’ll start planning tomorrow.”
Chairs scrape back as the brothers stand up to leave.
I wait until they have all filed out. My eyes flit to the words on the wall that the Cursed Skulls had inscribed.
The words make me feel better, knowing that we weren’t alone in this war.
Because that’s what it was: a war against the darkest, most evil people that lived.
The brothers appear on the screen, some going towards the bar, others to the kitchen where I knew Mom would have laid food out.
My immediate family gravitate towards the women in the corner, and my lips kick up a little as Nickel bends and swoops Shea up, flying her over his head and making her laugh, but what caught me was the soft look on Thea’s face as she watched them.
Bolt sits down next to her on the arm of the couch, and she turns and smiles at him before turning her attention back to Shea, who’d been passed to Copper.
She’s tough, my woman, but she had to be missing her family, as close-knit as they are.
We’re strangers to her, but she’s fit in seamlessly, as if she were made for this.
She throws her head back and laughs at something Bolt says to her, then presses her forehead to his arm, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
He says something else, and she slaps his arm, making me grin and wonder what he’s telling her.
With Bolt, you never could tell. The need to get my hands on her overwhelms me.
Pushing my chair back, I stand, switching the screen off.
I walk out of the room, securing it behind me.
The common room is loud with laughter and chatter as I walk towards Thea.
Tugging gently on a curl, I lean over the couch as she tilts her head back to look at me.
All traces of tears have vanished, and she’s smiling wide, brown eyes clear and happy.
Lowering my head, I brush my lips to hers.
The slight hum she makes in the back of her throat has my cock hardening in my jeans.
“Are you ready to head home?” I ask her.
“If you are,” she replies with a smile.
“I’m ready, baby,” I reply, standing up. “We’re out,” I tell everyone, reaching towards Copper. I pluck Shea from his arms. She immediately snuggles her head into my neck.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Mom murmurs. “If you need anything for Shea or for the house, make a list and we’ll get it done,” she informs Thea.
“I will, Maggie, thank you,” Thea replies with a smile as she stands, walking around the couch towards me.
Snagging her hand, I wrap my fingers around hers as we walk out of the clubhouse. Thea waves as everyone calls goodbye. I make straight for her vehicle and get Shea situated and strapped in, closing the door before turning towards Thea, who is waiting by the open driver’s side for me.
I’m not sure what the fuck is wrong with me, but the need to get my hands on her overwhelms me as I wrap my hands around her neck and tilt her face up to mine.
My thumbs caress the sides of her cheeks.
My cock pulses in my jeans when she turns startled brown eyes to me.
Her hands come up to grip my wrists, but not to remove my hands.
No, she tightens her grasp on them, keeping my hands where they are.
Scratch that; I knew exactly what was wrong with me.
I’d seen this my entire life with how my father was with my mother, then Red and his Old Lady, Cash and Lizzie, and more recently Maestro and Stacey.
Possessiveness that I hadn’t expected flows through me.
I can’t wait to have my cut on her back and my name tattooed on her finger.
“Fuck, baby, I can’t seem to keep my hands off you,” I groan, pressing a hard kiss to her lips before continuing. “My house isn’t far; it’s just down that road hidden behind those trees,” I motion with my chin towards the road lined with the static mobile homes that the brothers live in.
“I’ll follow you,” Thea replies huskily, rising to her toes and sealing her lips to mine before they part for me to deepen the kiss.
Embracing her, I lift her slightly until she’s on her tiptoes.
She wraps her arms around my neck, tilts her head to give me better access, so I deepen the kiss further, running my hands down her sides to her backside, I squeeze the tight globes.
Thea whimpers low in her throat and grinds down on the leg I hadn’t realised I’d slipped between hers.
She pulls away with a gasp, then rests her forehead against my shoulder, taking a shuddering breath.
“Jesus, Coal. I’m not sure what it is about you. I’ve never trusted or been so comfortable with anyone so quickly before.”
Shea squawks from inside the car, done with being strapped in and not moving. Reluctantly, I let Thea go, helping her into the car before I reply.
“It’s not just you, Thea. It’s the same for me. I say we ride this feeling until we can’t ride it anymore. What do you say? You in?”
Thea grins at me. “If it’s to the end of time, then I’m in. Now get your sexy arse on that machine so we can get this child home before she erupts.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I grin and walk backwards away, holding onto her smiling face until I have no choice but to turn around.
Straddling my sled, I start her and pull away, letting Thea catch up.
As I ride past the static caravans that the brothers live in, I see them with fresh eyes and note the additional awnings that they’ve built on the side where their vehicles are parked.
I have a feeling the tubs of flowers on their decking are courtesy of my mother and sister, as I wasn’t aware that any of my brothers enjoyed gardening.
Once we’re past them, we take the slight turn in the road towards my house.
You can just see the roof over the shrubs and trees.
It’s a bungalow which I’ve found, in the UK, is unusual to have, as most houses are two floors and some three.
It’s not as big as a house in the US would be, but it’s more than comfortable, with three bedrooms, a guest bathroom and an ensuite to the master.
The kitchen wasn’t as big as I’d have liked, and now that I’d brought home a family, I’d have to look into getting it extended into something more family-friendly.
Stopping my sled under the open-sided garage I’d added when we’d first arrived so that it wasn’t left out to the elements, Thea parked to the side, leaving me with enough room to leave if I had to.
She’d known instinctively that I may have to leave in a hurry.
‘Fucking perfect for me,’ I think as I get off my sled and walk to meet her and Shea.
I’d have Blue and Sterling come help unload her vehicle once I got them settled in .
Entering the code into the door, I tell her, “The code to enter and leave is 0436.”
Opening the door wide, I can tell right away my mom has been here and cleaned by the familiar smell of the lemon cleaner she favours. Taking Shea from Thea, I tell her, “Wait here for a minute.”
Not waiting for her to reply, I walk into the house and a little way down the passage, scanning around. I see nothing that will harm Shea, so I put her down on the floor, “Stay here for daddy, baby girl.”
As if she can understand me, she claps her hands, babbling, and bounces on her little butt, making me grin at how happy she is.
Turning on my heel, I return to the woman patiently waiting for me framed in the open doorway.
I can see the puzzled look on her face, wondering what the hell I’m up to.
Not giving her any time to protest, I swing her up in my arms. She lets out a startled squeal and grabs at my neck, “Fecking hell, Coal, I’m too heavy for you to be picking up. ”
I let out a snort of disbelief. “Woman, stop talking shit. You’re not too heavy, you’re just right. We didn’t have a traditional wedding, but I’m damned if we’re not doing something the traditional way. Now hush, I’m carrying you over the threshold. Listen, Shea agrees with me.”
Thea snorts out a laugh when she hears Shea chanting, “Ma, ma, ma. Up.”
I step over the threshold and enter our home with a wide smile, a laughing Thea in my arms, and chortling Shea watching us. My wife’s sparkling brown eyes meet mine, a wide smile on her face, happiness clear on her face.
A warmth steals through me, and I fall a little more for her.