Page 19 of The Secrets We Keep (Sovereign Sons MC: North Carolina #1)

GRAYSON

I wake up with Sophie lying across my chest, just like she always did. I smile as I take in her features, her delicate nose, the dark lashes that fan her cheeks, her parted, full, rosy lips. She’s always been stunning, but the last seven years have been especially good for her.

Sophie always had a great body, but it’s filled in more. Her hips and thighs are fuller; her breasts are larger. I don’t know if it’s from her pregnancy or just from being older. Either way, I love it. She’s a woman now, not the girl I fell in love with.

Sophie’s eyes slowly blink open, and she pulls back from my chest, settling on the bed and facing me. “Morning.”

“Morning,” I tell her softly. “Any more nightmares?”

She shakes her head. “Are you still angry with me?”

I sigh and swipe my hand over my face. “I won’t lie and tell you no, but I think I understand why you left better now,” I tell her. “I wish it didn’t have to be that way, but I can’t fault you for protecting yourself. For protecting our son.”

Her eyes soften. “I wasn’t just protecting myself and Asher. I was terrified for you, too. My dad was the worst I’d ever seen him that day. He choked me and hit me. I knew right then and there that he would follow through with his threats.”

I wrap an arm around her and pull her closer. “He can’t hurt you anymore.”

She gives me a small smile. “No, he can’t. How do you want to handle this with Asher?” She asks sheepishly.

I take a deep breath. “I don’t want to wait, Soph. I missed out on the first six years of his life and seven years with you. I don’t want to miss out on anything else.”

Tears fill her eyes. “I’m scared of how he’ll react. What if it’s too much for him?”

I kiss her forehead. “We’ll be there for him every step of the way. I think it’s best for him to know. I don’t want him to think we’re keeping anything from him.”

She’s quiet for a moment, letting my words sink in. “Okay,” she murmurs softly. “We’ll tell him today.”

I sag in relief and pull her half on top of me again, eager to have her body touching mine. I press my lips to hers in a soft, lingering kiss. We’re both breathless when we part.

“Wow,” Sophie rasps .

“Perfect,” I murmur huskily.

The moment is shattered when the bedroom door flies open and Asher barges inside. His eyes go wide when he finds us snuggling in bed. I guess we’re doing this now.

Sophie jolts up, covering herself with the blanket. Which is funny because we’re not naked. I sit up and push myself back against the headboard.

“Asher! What’s going on?”

“I’m hungry. Why is Grayson in your bed?” He asks.

I chuckle and Sophie shoots a glare my way. “He came over to talk and we got really tired, so he decided to sleep over.”

Asher shrugs. “Okay. Can we have bacon?”

I smile. “You bet, bud. Why don’t you help me in the kitchen while your mom gets changed?”

He nods his head and leaves the room, heading toward the kitchen presumably.

Sophie flops back onto the mattress and covers her eyes with her hands as she groans. “What just happened?”

“He’s our kid, of course he has impeccable timing,” I tell her with a grin. She looks over at me with a worried expression. I lean over and kiss her gently. “Don’t panic. We’ll make breakfast and then we’ll tell him. Get ready and give me a little one on one time with my son. ”

She sighs and nods. I leave her in bed and walk into my closet to grab something to wear.

I slip on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and then go out into the kitchen to make breakfast. Asher is already waiting with the bacon on the countertop.

He helps me fry up the bacon, make scrambled eggs, toast, and pour juice for everyone.

We’re just finishing up when Sophie walks into the room.

She looks beautiful in a pair of leggings that hug her curves and a black Nirvana t-shirt.

Her face is still bare of makeup and her blonde hair falls in loose waves over her shoulders and to the middle of her back.

She looks nervous as she takes a seat at the island next to Asher. He decided he wanted to sit between the two of us and that’s honestly probably the best spot for the conversation we’re going to have after we eat.

“I helped Grayson make breakfast, mama!” Asher calls out when he sees her, a huge smile splitting his face.

She returns his smile. “You did?” She asks as she reaches out to ruffle his dark curly hair. Hair that looks so much like mine when I let it grow.

His eyes sparkle. “Yep! It’s going to be delicious.”

I chuckle. “Let’s hope so, bud.”

I take a seat on the other side of him, and I load his plate up with breakfast. We eat in relative silence, only Asher breaking in to tell us about the new friends he’s going to make at school and how he thinks his teacher will be.

I listen raptly to my son, eager to retain all the information he’s willing to give me.

When we finish eating, I clear the plates from the table and load the dishwasher. I turn around and find Sophie watching me. Her eyes are curious, as if asking if I’m ready for this. I give her a subtle nod and walk back over to the island, stopping in front of them on the other side of the island.

Sophie clears her throat. “We need to talk to you about something, Ash.”

He looks between the two of us and furrows his brow. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is more than okay,” I tell him with a small smile.

“Do you remember what I told you about your daddy?” Sophie asks and my heart clenches.

“Yeah, you said that my daddy loved me very much, but we had to stay away to keep everyone safe. That he wished he could be with me more than anything and that one day I’d be able to be with him.”

My vision blurs as tears fill my eyes. I didn’t realize that Sophie told him anything about me. I didn’t even think he would ask about me.

“Yeah,” Sophie continues softly. “A bad man said he would hurt us if we were with your daddy, so no matter how much it hurt me, we had to stay away. But the bad man isn’t around anymore and that’s why we came to Silver Springs.

This place was my home for eighteen years.

I fell in love with your daddy here and I brought us back so you could finally meet him.

” I don’t breathe while she finishes. “Grayson is your daddy.”

Asher stares at his mother for a moment and then he turns wide, blue eyes on me. The same eyes he shares with his mother. “You’re my dad?” He whispers in awe.

A tear spills down my cheek, but I don’t bother swiping it away. I just smile at him and choke out an answer. “Yeah, bud. I’m your dad.”

He jumps off his bar stool and runs around the island, throwing himself into my arms. I catch him and relish the affection he’s giving me so easily.

My eyes lock with Sophie’s. She’s smiling but tears are running down her cheeks.

Before I know it, she’s rounding the island and joining in on our hug.

In this moment, I could die a happy man.

I have my entire world in my arms, and nothing is going to ruin this.