Page 27

“W hy can’t we go back to school?” Selena whines as she finishes another online lecture.

The school doesn’t normally allow for remote learning, but they made an exception with the shooting. I guess the club has a lot of sway with people around here. It’s weird to see.

Either way, it’s been a week of remote learning, and to say it’s testing all of our patience would be an understatement.

“It’s not safe yet. Your dad will let us know when you can go back,” I tell her.

“I hate being locked up here all the time. There’s no other kids. No offense, Sienna, I want some other interaction.”

Sienna looks up from the math workbook she is working on. “No offense taken. I need a break from you too.” Then she looks back at her book, ignoring us once more.

I’m used to helping them with their homework after school for maybe an hour or two a day. Not teaching them like I have been. I learned very quickly that Sienna will sit down and get her work done with minimal help needed. Selena is another case, though. She needs to have her hand held through the whole process.

I’m actually worried she might have a learning disorder. I don’t think she learns like other kids, and I’ve had to come up with unique ways to get the information to click in her head. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s something I put on my mental task list. When they go back to school, I want her to be tested. I don’t want her struggling because she isn’t willing to admit that she is struggling.

Like right now, for example. She is throwing a fit to distract from the fact that she doesn’t understand the subject.

“Selena, focus on your schoolwork. I will see about asking if some of the kids from the picnic can come for a visit, but only if you focus. Now tell me what you are struggling with.” I give her a pointed look.

She huffs out a sigh “It is asking what the author was trying to say with this short story. I don’t know. I’m not in their head.”

“Okay, that’s a valid point, but I don’t think that’s what your teacher is actually asking. Tell me, when you read the story, how did it make you feel?” I ask.

“Sad for the little girl. She lives on the street trying to find food. I would hate to live that way.” She looks down at her hands.

My heart hurts.

“Do you relate to her at all?” I ask.

She nods.

“Okay, so write about that. How does this story make you feel? What do you think the lesson the author was trying to convey with it?”

“That makes sense. Okay, I’ll do that.”

I turn to Sienna to check on her as Selena starts writing. We are at the bar because it’s the only place with a seat and table for the girls. Looking around, I realize that even though there are families in the club, they don’t exactly have any place for the children. Even the room the girls are staying in looks like it is usually used for the brothers of the club.

“What do we have here?” Natalie calls as she comes into the room looking like she’s been working out.

The girls turn and run toward her. “Aunt Natalie!” they say in unison.

She hugs them both to her.

“They are doing their remote schooling.”

Selena must make a face because Natalie laughs. “School is good. It teaches you what you need to know in order to survive in the world.”

Selena huffs. “I don’t know when I will ever need to know how to multiply nine by eight.”

Natalie smiles. “I use my multiplication tables all the time. It’s much more useful than you think. Trust me. Go get back to it and finish so we can do something fun afterward.”

The girls do what they are asked, coming back to the bar, and I step away as they focus back on their work. Stepping next to Natalie, we watch the girls for a bit.

“I’m glad they are on multiplication tables. I don’t think I could have lied to them had they been using algebra,” she whispers.

I laugh. “Same. You look sweaty. What were you doing?”

She smiles. “Wrath started training me how to fight right after I met him. You should join us. Tara does sometimes, but he often distracts her. I think everyone needs to know self-defense. In fact, we should start a class for the kids too.”

“You really think they need to know it?” I ask, looking over my girls.

She gives me a sad smile. “It’s never too soon. I was eighteen when I was preyed upon by a bad man. I wish I knew how to protect myself. I’ll never be left defenseless again.”

The pain reflected in her eyes has my heart aching for her. I want to hug her, but I’m still unsure about everyone here.

“Anyway, I thought I’d stop in and see how you were doing. How’s the schooling?” she asks.

“It’s going well. Sienna does her work without much help. Selena needs a little bit more. I wish I had desks or something for them to sit at. They look so small next to the bar,” I admit.

“You’re right. We should have a playroom that could double as a schoolroom in case of something like this,” Natalie says.

“Oh no. I wasn’t saying it’s not good enough. I am so grateful to be here. It makes me feel better to know there is always a brother around.”

She rolls her eyes. “Stop. It’s a good thing. Especially with Kolby. I don’t think the families hung out here much before, but they are starting to now. The guys are changing. They are still rowdy, outlaw bikers, but they are starting to see a different future for themselves. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind making space for the littles.”

“I don’t want to be a burden,” I admit.

“Never. That’s something you could ever be here.” She reaches out, putting a hand on my shoulder. “It’s funny the way trauma wires our brains to think that we are the problem. We were never the problem.”

I don’t know why, but that hits me hard. This woman barely knows me, but she sees the scars I bear. She knows the pain I have gone through. Much like I can see the pain in her. It’s a weird kinship between us. One neither of us wishes for, but we both have nonetheless.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Enjoy them. Enjoy Midnight. I know you are waiting for the sky to fall, but if you live that way, you will never be able to truly appreciate all you have in front of you. Stop waiting for the next bad thing. Live in the present.”

As she walks away, I look at the girls. She’s right. I need to stop letting my mind get the best of me.

I need to be right here right now.

The future can wait.

Rubbing my neck, I stand from my bike.

Things are hell right now. The shop is almost fixed up, but it’s all because of Jerico. He has really taken the reins with getting everything fixed up as quickly as possible. I’m giving that fucker a huge bonus even if he will fight me on it.

Having Hades around has been a lot more helpful than I thought. He’s been running down leads with me. Reaper has the whole club on alert. Shit is going down. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Stepping inside the clubhouse, it feels eerie. I’m used to there always being something going on at night, but since I brought the girls here, they have kept the partying to a minimum. It’s been much mellower around here. I’m sure some brothers hate it, but they’d never voice it. We all care about the next generation of our club. Families come first always.

Peeking into the bunk room, I smile when I see both girls fast asleep. I go in quietly, giving them each a kiss on the head before I head back out.

When I get to my own room, I’m surprised to find Lainey sitting up in bed with a book in her hands, and she looks up as I step in the room.

“I thought you didn’t read?” I ask her.

She sets her book on the nightstand. “I don’t, but Elle gave it to me, and I had nothing else to do while I waited for you.”

“You didn’t have to wait up.” I tell her, walking over to her so I can press a kiss to her lips.

“I wanted to. How was your day?”

I sigh. “More of the same shit. We haven’t been able to track the guy down.”

She opens her arms, so I toe off my shoes, take off my cut, and place it on the dresser before I lay on top of her, my head on her chest.

“Can you tell me about it?”

I consider her question. She’s not officially my old lady yet, but fuck semantics.

“Based on what you said, we think he is working for William Dansworth.”

She gasps. “The guy running for mayor of Vegas?”

“The very same one. He’s also Natalie’s ex. He’s not a good man. If you ever see him, promise me you will run far away.” I look up at her.

“Of course. I won’t vote for him either.”

I smirk at her. “You technically can’t. We don’t live in Vegas. Gotta live in the city to vote for the mayor.”

“Fair point. What can I do to help ease your stress? I’d offer to draw you a bath with some salts, but we don’t have one here.” She frowns.

“I don’t need all of that, Flower. I only need you.”

I press a kiss to her chest, and she kisses the top of my head.

This is what I’ve been missing. This is the reason I never wifed up Miranda. She never provided this for me.

Peace.

Even with all the shit going on, Lainey brings me peace.

We lie like that for several minutes, and I’m completely content. I could stay here for hours. Only I don’t because I know my weight has got to be killing her. Moving to stand, I shake my head when she takes a deep breath.

“Tell me when I’m too much,” I demand.

She shakes her head. “You being close is never too much.”

“You couldn’t breathe.”

“It was harder to breathe, sure, but I was getting air. I’d rather you be on top of me with little air than away from me with all the air in the world. When you are away, all the air goes with you. So it’s pointless because either way I’m breathless.”

I start to strip out of my clothes, noting the way her eyes take me in. My girl likes what she sees.

“I love your tattoos. Will you tell me about them one day?” asks.

“I’ll tell you anything you want, baby. All you need to do is ask. There are no secrets with us.”

Her eyes widen. “Really?”

“Really, but for now, I need something from you,” I tell her.

“Anything.”

I wasn’t exactly asking, but it’s nice to know she is willing.

“Take off your clothes and lie on your back. I want to love you properly.”

Her breathing speeds up a bit as she stands to get undressed. I’ve finished undressing as I wait for her to follow my command. As usual, she does so without a word of complaint.

She’s fucking perfect.

I stare at her as she lies naked on the bed. She is the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met. It’s like she walked into my life, blinding me from all others. I wouldn’t change it, but fuck if it doesn’t make me feel funny.

I almost feel happy.

What a fucking concept.

Climbing onto the bed, I take my time. I don’t want to rush this. This isn’t a quick fuck. I want to show her what she means to me. I never want her to be able to question how I feel about her.

So I start at her ankle, and I kiss each one gently. Then I repeat the gesture all the way up to her knees. At her thighs, I begin to suck and bite along with kisses. She’s breathing heavier with each stop I make. Right when I’m about to be at her pussy, I skip over it, kissing above it.

I continue the process up her stomach and around her nipples, but never actually touch them. Then I do the same from her collarbone to her neck and then to her face. She is panting by the time I reach her lips.

“Why are you teasing me?” she moans as I press a kiss to the side of her lips.

“Don’t listen to the words. Feel the actions.”

That’s all I give her before I kiss her with everything I have. I pour into that kiss every single fear I have when she isn’t in my sight. I let her feel the worry I had knowing she was in that hallway all alone as bullets flew. How I wish I could wrap her in a bubble so nothing could ever touch her.

Then I soften the kiss to show her my appreciation for her. For the way she is patient and loving to my daughters, who somehow now feel more like ours than they ever were just mine. For the way she takes care of me in little ways, like making sure I have snacks and meals as I go through my day. Or the way she texts me just to tell me that she’s thinking of me. That she misses me.

By the time I pull back, we are both breathless. I look down at her gorgeous face as I whisper the words that she needs to hear. “I love you.”

Her eyes widen as I press my hard cock inside of her, eliciting a moan from her lips. I keep my pace slow and steady as she looks at me, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. They aren’t tears of sadness, though. No, she is happy. She doesn’t know how to handle it, though. I don’t blame her. I don’t know how we got here either.

So instead of pushing for her to admit her own feelings, I choose to accept what she is giving me. She might not have said the words, but with every swivel of her hips, she is showing me that she feels the same for me. With the doe-eyed look in her eyes, she is telling me she wants to love me, but she is unsure how to voice it.

“It’s okay, Flower. Take my cock like a good girl,” I whisper to her.

She doesn’t respond, her nails digging into my shoulders as she grinds against me harder. For once, I let her. I let her use my body as much as I’m using hers.

As we both climax, I hold her to me tightly. I’ll never let her go.

Whether I deserve her or not, she is mine.