Page 17 of Coal (QUEENS WRAITHS MC #2)

THEA

I’d been at the Queens Wraiths for two days, and Shea and I were settling in, and I was finding my way.

Maggie and Opal came around every day to see if I needed anything.

I’d come to love Coal’s mam and sister. It’s been hard not having my siblings near me or being able to contact them or see them every day like I was used to.

Coal had arranged for me to speak to Aiden, but it had been a quick call.

My brother was embroiled in trying to clean up all the mess my dad had left.

As for my da, the news said he’d had an unexpected heart attack and died.

While we all knew better, it was a way of protecting everyone.

My brother was having to go with the whole funeral thing because of his prominence in the community.

He didn’t want us anywhere near that and would make up some excuse to keep Maeve and Kara away.

It was a blessing that nobody knew about me, so I wasn’t worried about showing my face .

Coal and I’d had a talk about my safety, and I think I’d surprised him with how much I knew about the attempted kidnappings. I wasn’t an idiot, and when he’d brought up wearing a tracker, I’d agreed with no hesitation, especially as he wanted one on Shea too.

His da had insisted on both Maggie and Opal getting one too. I hated that they had to and felt guilty that my being here put them in danger. But Coal’s da had straightaway put a stop to those thoughts.

“I know what you’re thinking, Thea, and there’s no need for guilt. We’re a family. It’s not the first time one of our own has been in danger, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. We protect our own as well as those that can’t protect themselves,” he’d assured me.

His words had warmed my soul, and while I’d not had much to do with Tinman, I’d known I’d like him just from the way he treated Maggie and Opal.

But his words cemented that he’d join the list of people I’d work my arse off to protect.

It was a growing list. I was coming to love the family I’d married into the more I got to know them.

As for my husband, the man was driving me insane.

I’d thought that we’d be making love the first night we’d been home.

I knew he wanted me as much as I wanted him, but it seemed the man was intent on driving me mad with lust. We slept together every night, and he wasn’t shy in running his hands over me and getting my engine revving, then pulling away. The man was a tease.

Last night he’d pushed me to my limits, but it seemed the man was a closet romantic as well as being a little old-fashioned. I should have expected it when he’d carried me over the threshold. It would go down in my memory books as one of the best moments of my life.

Last night had been the last straw, though.

We’d been in bed and what had started out as light petting escalated quickly.

The man could kiss, and he drove me to distraction.

I was ready to climb over him and do the deed myself and said as much.

His words had stopped me dead, though, and my heart melted.

“It’s not that I don’t want you, Thea; I think you know I do,” Coal rumbled, taking my hand and pressing it to his hard cock.

I’d curled my fingers around him, and he’d moaned low in his throat at the action before pulling my hand away.

“I want you more than anything, but you haven’t been put first in your life, and I’m going to make sure you know you are first in my life , even if I do feel like I’m going to die from blue balls. ”

Snorting out a laugh, I’d buried my face in his chest. When I’d got myself together, I’d rested my chin on his chest and looked up at him. “I don’t think you can die from blue balls, but I may from needing you this bad.”

Coal had slipped his hand into my hair and gently tugged on one of my curls.

“We’ll get there, baby. I have a plan in place. First is to get you a ring, then a cut. I want you to know how much you mean to me before we take this any further.”

“Oh, Coal, I don’t need all that to know that I mean something to you.

You’ve more than proved that with how you’ve changed your house to accommodate me and Shea.

From the gorgeous bedroom you had your mam and Opal sort to the fact that you baby-proofed your entire house.

And the way you are with her more than shows me what a good man you are.

“Even with all the drama that comes with me, you have never once made me feel like I’m a burden. And then all the security measures you’re putting in place to make sure we’re safe. I’m not sure you know how much having a safe place to land means to me.”

Coal slipped his hands under my arms and pulled me up his body, leaning up to press his lips to mine in a quick, hard kiss, “I do, baby, and that’s why we’re doing this my way, so that you never have to worry about my commitment to you. I promise it won’t be much longer.”

I’d studied his face in the dim light of our bedroom before agreeing, “Okay.” Leaning forward, I kissed him before scooting back down his body before things got heated again and laying my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arm around his trim waist. Touching my lips to his chest one more time, I continued, “Okay, I trust you. We’ll wait. ”

I’m brought out of my memories of our conversation when I hear him calling my name from the front door.

Turning away from the dishwasher, I’ve been packing with mine and Shea’s breakfast dishes.

I wait because after that first night, he always made sure I knew when he wanted my attention so that he didn’t startle me again.

Leaning back against the cupboards, I wait.

Shea’s happy enough playing on the floor.

Making a racket by banging plastic cups and a wooden spoon on the floor.

I still want to pinch myself that this is my life. I can’t quite believe it .

Coal appears in the kitchen doorway looking sexy as anything and dressed for riding with his cut over his leathers.

When his eyes meet mine and I see that he’s unworried, I relax.

I was worried something might have happened, given the way he’d called out.

He smiles a wide smile at me before his attention is taken by Shea, who is bouncing on her little butt and shuffling as fast as she can towards him.

My heart melts when he swoops down and picks her up, flying her above his head.

“Be careful, she’s just had breakfast,” I warn.

At my words Coal, straightaway lowers her and brings her close to his chest, kissing her cheek and nuzzling her neck with his beard, making her giggle infectious baby giggles. “Don’t need you throwing up on me, baby girl, I have plans for your mam today.”

Straightening at his comment from where I’d been leaning against the kitchen cupboard, he walks over to me and brushes a kiss against my cheek, encircling me with his free arm and tugging me closer to him. Resting a hand on his chest, I look up at him, asking, “Where are we going?”

“I thought you’d like to go for a ride, and I’ve got an appointment with the Crow MC, and I’d like to introduce you to some of them.”

Excitement beats through me at the thought of getting away for a few hours. “What about Shea?”

“We’re going to drop her at my mom’s. Opal is going to look after her for us for the day, and we’ll pick her up this evening.”

I hesitate, lowering my eyes and biting my lip. Not that I didn’t trust Maggie and Opal, because I did, but I’d never been away from Shea except for a few hours since the day she’d been born.

Coal must have read something on my face. He lifts his hand to my cheek, cupping it and tilting my head to see me better. “We can take her with us if you don’t want to leave her. It’s not a problem,” he assures me.

“No,” I respond, shaking my head. “I’m being stupid. Shea will love spending time with your mam and sister.”

“Hey,” Coal nudges my chin, lowering his mouth to mine. He lays a soft kiss on my lips. “You aren’t being stupid. I get it. I don’t particularly want to leave her either. We can take her with us.”

Encircling him with my arms, I hug him, laying my head on his shoulder.

This man, I’d never known another like him.

Shaking my head again, I answer, “No, we’ll leave her with your mam.

You’ll enjoy spending time with Mamó, won’t you, baby girl?

” I poke at Shea, who is happy as anything, having found a loose thread on his shirt and is concentrating on trying to unravel it.

With her attention now on me, she smiles beautifully. “Ma,” she agrees, nodding, making me chuckle. She’d become a lot more vocal in the last few days, as well as more mobile. It makes me both happy and sad that she’s growing so fast.

Coal chuckles along with me, “What did you call my mom?”

My arms drop and I stand back to answer, “I called her Mamó, which is Grandma, but Shea will more than likely use whatever your mam’s other grandchildren call her when they come along.”

“ Mamó,” Coal tries it out, then nods, “I like it. What about my dad?”

“He’d be Daideó. But like I say, she’ll more than likely call him something else or whatever they want her to, really.”

Coal smirks at me, “Nope, I like those, and I think they will too.” He turns to Shea and asks, “What do you say, baby girl? You ready to get this show on the road?”

We laugh when Shea again nods and bounces a little in Coal’s arms, babbling, “Ma.”

Stepping back, I tell him, “Let me get her bag and a change of clothes, and we’ll be ready.”

“I’ll grab her stuff; you go get changed. I’ve put something on the bed for you.”

Looking down at what I’m wearing, I realise that leggings and a shirt definitely aren’t safe for a ride on his sled. I’m wondering what he’s put on the bed and when he did it. More than likely while I was daydreaming of riding him until we both begged for mercy.