Page 14 of Nave (Henchmen MC: Next Generation #14)

“I wanted to get you some essentials. But it looks like the girls are stocking you up.”

“Yes, but also… are those chips?” I asked, spying the bag poking out.

“Okay. Maybe less essentials and more about the fun foods.”

“Come on in,” I invited, picking up Edith to set her inside, ignoring the way my stomach twisted at not wiping her feet.

“How was your first night?” Nave asked, coming in behind me as Edith rushed up to the front of the motorhome to jump up into the passenger seat, turn in a circle, and go to sleep.

“It was good. Edith and I crashed hard. Then we woke up to a gift basket—er, cooler—on the front steps.”

“Did you get some of Ariah’s mozzarella?”

“Yes! And tomatoes, bread, basil.”

“Like the universe was begging you to have a caprese salad.”

“On bread,” I agreed.

“On bread,” he said, setting the bags on the counter.

“This is not quite so healthy,” he warned.

Then he started pulling out items: a bag of chips, chocolate chip cookies, granola bars, sugar, instant oatmeal, and cereal.

“This is a little better.” Milk, creamer, pasta, rice, and other pantry staples followed.

He followed my instructions on where to put things, but there were still a few bags leftover when he was done.

“What’s all that?”

“Non-edible necessities.” He pulled out a pack of socks, underwear, shirts, shorts, and pajama sets.

Not a single item in the bunch was the color white.

“You’re going to need more than this, but I figured this would hold you over while you settle in.

Then we can maybe talk about hitting a store.

Getting you anything else you need. Or want. ”

“I’m sure this will be enough to—”

“Babe,” he cut me off, shaking his head.

“Okay. I might need one more set of clothes,” I conceded.

“Well, for the time being. But within a few months…”

“Oh, right,” I agreed. “I need a job.”

“Let’s not worry about that now.”

I couldn’t do that, though.

Life cost money.

That was just a worldwide truth.

I’d lived in a bubble for the past several years where all the bills were paid, and the fridge was filled, and I didn’t have to think about it.

Granted, I hated being kept.

But I forgot how many little things you had to think about. Hell, I didn’t even know what anything cost anymore. Let alone what kind of job I could possibly get that wouldn’t leave some kind of digital footprint for Ben to follow to where I was.

“I see the gears turning,” Nave said, making his way over toward me, taking my hands, and pulling me down onto the loveseat.

It was such a small couch that our bodies touched from hip to knee.

“There’s a lot to think about.”

“Eventually, yes. Right now, not so much. All you have to do is try to unwind after all those years in that hellhole. Sleep better. Eat what you want. Don’t shower for a day.

Let the floors get dirty. Take walks. Play with animals.

It’s been less than a week, babe. And you can’t even count the days when you were driving here. Give yourself time to decompress.”

“That’s a sweet sentiment. But there are things that need to be figured out. It’s not just about me anymore.”

“I get that. But you can take a week, right? Just a week to decompress. I think it would be good for the baby, right? After all the stress?”

“Yeah,” I agreed, exhaling hard. “You’re right.”

“But?” he prompted, sensing it hanging in the air between us.

“But, on the topic of the baby, what am I going to do? I’m going to need prenatal care. I’m going to need to deliver the baby. And all those things would put me—and us—on the books somewhere.”

“Hm.”

“Hm?”

“I might have an answer to that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I know a team of doctors and nurses. Granted, they usually handle more trauma shit—knife and gunshot wounds, broken bones. But they would have all had training. And they’re used to not putting things on the books.”

“Really? That would… I mean, if I could afford that, it would be amazing.”

“It wouldn’t cost anything.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Eh. The woman who created this organization, one of my aunts, she has a soft spot for women who come from abusive situations. She won’t charge.

I mean, we have to mentally prepare for the idea that if there are any complications, a hospital might become necessary.

We can deal with whatever happens after.

You don’t have to worry about that part. That’s my territory.”

It was the first time he’d mentioned the whole… outlaw biker thing.

I wouldn’t pretend to understand bike clubs.

But I knew that whatever Nave had been involved with back in the day had been very illegal. And a bunch of rough-and-tumble men probably weren’t all living and working together on a knitting project.

Men like them did illegal things.

And to do illegal things, sometimes you had to be willing to be violent to protect your empire.

“If that all works out, that’s amazing. But I will still need to figure out how to make a living.”

“There’s plenty of time to figure that out.

Start thinking about what you like to do.

There’s a way to monetize everything. And I can either get you a fake ID kit, or I can find a way to have the money funneled to you in a way that can’t be traced.

This is the point where I get to be really mysterious and sexy and say I know people . ”

He was right.

That was mysterious.

And almost absurdly sexy.

Honestly, I thought that part of me was gone. Dead. Buried. Never to be revived.

After years of occasional, but very clinical and awkward sexual encounters with Ben, I thought I’d never feel desire again.

But there was no denying that the little ache between my thighs was something distantly familiar, a long-lost part of me finding its way back.

“You’re right.”

“About being mysterious… or sexy?”

“It can’t be both?”

His dark eyes grew heated at that for a moment. Which only intensified that little throbbing sensation between my thighs.

“Well, I, for one, am glad you know people. Because I don’t know anyone.”

“There’s no one you left behind? When you moved in with Ben?”

“No. I’d just recently moved to the town where I started working for Ben. I hadn’t had a chance to make any friends. And I don’t really have any family. I mean, technically, I guess I do, but in practice…”

“Hey, you have people now,” he told me, reaching out to slide an arm around me, giving me a quick squeeze.

Did I lean my head into him?

Then turn my face into his neck, taking a deep breath of his scent, enjoying his calm, steady comfort?

Yes, yes, I did.

“Thank you.”

“Gotta stop saying that.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Tired?” he asked when a big yawn escaped me.

“I shouldn’t be. But…”

“I think you have been in survival mode so long, and now that you’re safe, your body is trying to recoup everything it’s lost. Also, you’re growing a whole human being in there. It’s gotta wipe you out.”

“To be fair, there’s not much of anything there yet. But, yeah, the hormones are different. I scanned a pregnancy book at a store when I’d stopped to pick up some things.”

“That makes sense. A lot of changes going on. You should listen to your body. Go take a nap.”

I took that to mean it was time to move away from him.

“Okay.”

“How about I come back tomorrow to see if you need anything?”

“That would be nice. I can make lunch.”

“I’ll bring dessert.”

“For lunch?”

“Why not? We’re adults. There are no rules.”

“In that case, can I put in an order for cheesecake?”

“We can get our Golden Girls on,” he agreed, giving me a smirk. “Noon?”

“Noon?”

“I’ll be here.”

Then he was gone.

And I couldn’t nap.

Because I was too excited to see Nave again.

That, I was sure, was not a good sign.

Because the last thing I could let happen was to catch feelings for the person who was helping me navigate this new life.

I needed to get a grip.

He was just a nice guy.

Doing a nice thing.

That was it.