by LeAnn Ashers
“Jet lag,” Travis says. “Let me get you guys home so you can rest.”
“That sounds amazing.” I get into the SUV, thinking about a hot bath and a warm bed.
Wait, what am I going to do about a vehicle? Fuck, I never thought about that.
Travis turns on the radio to a country music station. Country music is my weakness—that’s for sure. I know every song possible. When you can’t afford a TV, you do the next best thing and listen to music.
A few minutes later we turn off on a side road; then we come to a gate. “What is this place?”
“We own a gated community.”
The MC owns a gated community? “Wait, am I staying here?” I ask him.
He doesn’t say a word; he just drives through the gate. I see huge houses far enough apart to provide plenty of privacy. He pulls to a stop, then into a driveway. “That is your house.” He points to the house, and then he points to one next to it. “That one is mine.”
I cover my mouth with my hands. That is really mine? “No, it’s too much. I am not sure I can afford it.”
“Don’t worry about the rent. It’s covered by the MC, and you will live here for as long as you want. Forever if you need to.”
“But I don’t understand…why?” This is not a normal thing that people do.
“Sweetheart, we know what it is to struggle. If we can make someone’s life easier, we will. Adeline, the mom of the MC, has taken you under her wing, so that makes you family. You’ll get used to it.”
He gets out of the vehicle, and I stare at him through the window. Questions keep going through my mind. Is this real?
Gabby wakes up when Travis opens my door. As I step out of the SUV, he helps her out and she takes my hand. Travis opens the back of the vehicle and takes our bags. I open my mouth to tell him I can do that, but he shakes his head, knowing exactly what I was going to say.
I laugh and let him walk in front of us, carrying our huge suitcases—I had to push them down the stairs to get them to the car. His muscles are bulging, and my mouth dries at how sexy he looks. He sets the bags on the porch, reaches inside his pocket, and hands me a set of keys. “These are yours.”
I slowly reach out and take them from him. “Thank you, Travis,” I whisper and unlock the door.
Gabby and I walk inside. Travis walks in behind us and presses the buttons to disarm the alarm system. “I will give you the numbers for it in a bit.”
A huge flat-screen hangs on the wall of the living room, and there’s a white sectional in the corner of the room. A vase full of lilies sits on the coffee table, which is gold with a glass surface. The room is beautifully decorated in gold and white. I love it.
We walk into the kitchen. It’s completely redone, and all the appliances are new. The bar in the middle of the room is white marble with gold embedded in it. Gabby lets go of my hand and opens the refrigerator, and it’s fully stocked. She grabs a juice and opens it, completely comfortable here.
I lean against the counter, staring at everything. It’s hard to believe this is where I will be living. I was living in a one-bedroom apartment in a horrible part of town. I went to sleep every single night scared out of my mind. Drug deals were made right downstairs, in front of the apartment complex. But my only options were to be homeless or live in that apartment; I chose the latter.
“Let me show you your rooms.” We follow Travis up a flight of stairs, and he shows me my room first. Its huge and absolutely beautiful; everything is already decorated the way I would’ve done it. He sets my bags down inside my room; then he opens the door next to mine. I stare at Gabby’s room, amazed. Gabby screams and runs to the bed, which is shaped like a carriage.
Travis laughs, and I smile at her happy face, but on the inside this shit hurts me right to the core. I wish I could have given her this a long time ago. I wish she’d had everything she wanted in life.
This just gives me a push to better myself even more. I will hustle and do whatever it takes to give her this life. My eyes burn from unshed tears as she opens a toy box full of toys. This is just too much. I turn around so she doesn’t see my tears.
Travis
I can tell Bailey is overwhelmed, and I take that as my cue to leave and let her get her bearings. I don’t want to go, but I will not be fucking selfish—she deserves for me to make this as easy as I can for her.
“Alright, I will let you guys get settled,” I tell them both, and Gabby looks up from her toy discovery. She waves at me and then goes right back to the toys.
Bailey looks at me—fuck, does she look at me. I can tell she is trying not to cry, and that shit hurts my fucking soul. She is so tiny; it fucking pisses me off that she has had such a hard time with everything. Her fucking ex doesn’t deserve to be alive for the shit she has been dealt. “One more thing.” I reach into my pocket and take out the keys to the SUV. It’s mine, but I have a truck so it’s rarely used. “Here are the keys to the SUV. Use it for whatever you need to do and so you have a way to get to work.” I press the keys into her hand. “I know you don’t want to take it, but think of it as a loan.”
She presses her mouth closed, and I can tell she’s planning to say no, and it’s taking everything in her to refuse. She really needs a fucking vehicle.
“I know how you like to be independent.”
She lets out a deep breath. “You’re right. Thank you guys again, so much.”
I tighten my hand on hers. “I am right across the yard. If you need anything, let me know.” I wait for her nod, and then I leave them—but, fuck, I want to stay.
Bailey
I watch him walk down the stairs, and I press my back against the wall. I hear Gabby inside her new bedroom, laughing and having the time of her life.
I walk to my bedroom and sit on the edge of the bed, feeling so overwhelmed by everything that has happened. Right before I met Adeline, my ex threw the papers at me after he signed away his paternal rights. Even before he signed away his rights, he wouldn’t even let her call him Dad; she calls him by his first name. It crushed me that he would do that to her.
He is the dumbest person in the world. He is missing out on the best thing in the universe; she is an angel on this earth. She is beautiful, she is precious, and he will never know anything as perfect as she is. He missed her first laugh, her first time crawling, and her first steps. He missed everything.
I could not imagine not having my baby. She is my whole heart and soul. Without her I am not sure what kind of person I would be right now.
I am glad, in a way, that he has no claim on her. We can cut him out of our lives, and she will not have to deal with the confusion anymore. Not that she asks about him. This is a fresh start for us, a new beginning.
Bailey
The next morning, I am making a huge breakfast because I am going to invite Travis, to thank him for everything he has done for us.
Gabby is awake, sitting on the couch watching TV. She is wearing pajamas covered in flowers. Her long hair is still a mess from rolling in her sleep so much. I take out my phone and shoot Travis a text inviting him to breakfast. In seconds he says he’s on his way. I laugh at his quick reply. Now that I got a great night’s sleep for the first time in such a long time, I feel pretty amazing. I felt safe in my new home, and Travis being right next door probably played a part that.
There is a knock at the door, “Ravis!” Gabby yells as I place the last plate on the table. She opens the door, and he steps inside, smiling at her so beautifully. Travis looks at me, and I feel the air being ripped from my lungs. Stop it, Bailey, you need to chill out. He is just a beautiful man. He smiles and my stomach flips. But he is so much more than a beautiful man, isn’t he? He walks over to me, and I swear every single step is another pound of my heart.
“Good morning, Bailey.”
“Good morning, Travis. Sit down and I will grab Gabby.”
He touches my back as he sits down at the table.
“Come on, baby, it’s time for breakfa
st,” I tell her, and she takes off in a run. She sits down beside Travis, and I fix her plate for her. I sit down with Travis between us. She grabs her fork and starts digging into her food.
“Looks good, Bailey,” Travis says. I smile at him and begin eating my own food. From the corner of my eye, I watch him. His tattoos and the way his muscles move with every motion is infatuating. The scruff on his face ties everything together. His blue eyes are the best part, piercing right down to my very soul. It’s like he sees every single part of me with just a glance.
Travis breaks the silence and interrupts my gaping. “Gabby, there is a park right down the street, would you like to go?”
She claps her hands together. “Really? Momma, can we go?” She looks at me with those big eyes. I laugh. “Yes, baby.” She screams loudly, bouncing in her seat. Travis laughs at her antics. Once she gets used to the people around her, you will see her very goofy self. “Best day ever,” she gushes and goes back to smashing the food into her mouth. She is a bottomless pit.
“She’s precious,” Travis tells me, causing my poor pitiful heart to flutter. He likes my daughter! She is precious, an angel sent right from heaven.
Gabby is chattering away to Travis. I enjoy seeing her so open to talking to someone she just met yesterday. It’s been worrying me that she has been sheltered, because it’s really just me and her.
We finish our food. “You guys go get ready and I will clean up.” Travis takes the plate from my hand and carries it to the sink. The way he moves, the way he carries himself, is different. His confidence is so sexy to me.
I turn away from him, following Gabby up the stairs. I think I just really need to get laid. I have not had sex since before Gabby was born, and I am pretty sure I am a born-again virgin, if that’s even possible. Sex was not that enjoyable for me anyway, so I am not sure what I am missing. I just miss being with someone.
I walk into Gabby’s room and grab some clothes for her to change into. She can do that part herself; all I have to do is fix her hair. “Make sure you brush your teeth before you put your clothes on.” I kiss the top of her head, catching her small smile, and walk into my room to quickly get ready. I slip on a pair of jeans and a V-neck shirt, and I brush my long, wavy brown hair before adding some texturing spray. My daughter has been blessed with amazing ringlets from her dad—his only good quality, in my opinion—the rest of her is me. She is my mini-me. I’ve got to admit I am that mom who has outfits that match her daughter’s.
I throw my hair into a bun because it’s already hot outside. There’s a little knock on the door, and Gabby walks into the room. She is holding her hairbrush and a tie. She climbs on the bed and turns her back to me, and I put her hair into a French braid to keep it out of her face.
“I will call and see what gymnastics classes they have around here.” She is my little athlete. She is small, but she is amazing at gymnastics. I tie off her hair and let it go. She spins around, her eyes absolutely glowing. “Thank you, Mommy!” she screams, hopping up onto the bed, and she wraps me in a hug. I hug her back, breathing in her shampoo. My precious baby.
“You’re more than welcome, baby.” I kiss her cheek and help her off the bed. She takes my hand and pulls me out of the room. “RAVIS! Guess what!” she screams.
He walks around the corner, wiping his hands on a dish towel. “Yeah, sweetheart?”
She jumps up and down. “Mommy is going to sign me up for gymnastics!”
He laughs. “Your mom is the best.” Travis winks at me. Fuck my life.
Travis
The sight of Gabby dragging her mom down the stairs, with absolute happiness pouring off her, is purely amazing. That shit needs to be protected in this world.
There is so much fucking horrible shit in this world that it’s good for your soul to see something so innocent and carefree. Bailey is just a beautiful woman, and the way she carries herself lets me know that she has dealt with some shit in her life but she came out on top. That is fucking amazing. I know she had her daughter young, but she pushed through all of that.
I want to know more about her. I don’t give a fuck if it’s about her favorite nail polish. I just want to be around her and her daughter. Gabby is a mini version of her mother. “You guys ready?” I ask them.
Bailey is in the kitchen grabbing some snacks for Gabby. She stuffs everything in a fancy pink lunch box. I take the lunch box from her. Her eyes widen at seeing me holding this girly purse shit, but I don’t give a fuck. She isn’t going to carry shit in front of me.
“I like your purse, Ravis.” Gabby giggles.
I throw the strap dramatically over my shoulder and wink down at her. “Looks good on me, doesn’t it?”
Bailey throws her head back laughing, her eyes brightening beautifully. “You look really pretty,” Bailey says.
Pretty, huh? I split the distance between us, and I bend down and whisper in her ear. “I don’t think pretty is a word I would use to describe myself. You are the one who’s pretty, Momma.”
Her mouth falls open slightly; I tap her chin and she shuts it. I chuckle under my breath and walk to the front door, leaving her with her thoughts. It’s going to be fucking amazing to get into her head, weaseling my way into her mind until she can’t get me out.
As we’re leaving, I take the keys from Bailey’s hand and lock the door for her. I can feel her watching me, confused as to why I am here—but she will get a clue. I turn around to look at her, and she looks away.
Gabby is twirling around in circles behind her.
“Come on, baby.” Bailey taps her shoulder and takes her hand to help her down the stairs.
I step in front of them, opening Bailey’s car door for her; then I help Gabby into her car seat. As I buckle her in, I notice Bailey standing there watching us. “Get in, I got her.” She looks hesitant, but I want to help her out. I know she is not fucking used to any kind of help, but that is going to change now that she is being welcomed into the club. I would not be surprised if Adeline comes over this evening to make sure she is doing okay.
I shut Gabby’s door and get in on the driver’s side. Bailey is still standing outside her open door, “You getting in, sweetheart?” I smirk at her stunned expression. Her face reddens but she gets in. I wait until she is buckled in; then I back out of the driveway.
Every single house on this street belongs to the MC; this is where most of the single members of the club stay. We have another property outside of town where we built our family homes; we all stick together. That is what family should do.
“Do you want to go to the park here, or do you want to go the bigger one inside the city?” I ask.
“Bigger one!!” Gabby screams from the back seat and I laugh. I press the button opening the gate, and we go into town. Bailey’s eyes are glued to the window, taking in everything we pass. We arrive at a cluster of shopping centers. “This is your salon.” I point to a big building.
“Oh wow, it’s huge.” She leans forward to get a better view. I smile at her awed expression; she is beautiful. I look in the rearview mirror to check on Gabby, and she waves at me.
A few minutes later, we pull up outside the park. “WOW!” Gabby says, bouncing in her seat.
“I think she is a bit excited,” Bailey says and I help Gabby out of the seat. She runs to Bailey. “Mom, this is the biggest one we’ve been to yet.” She jumps up and down clapping her hands together, her long hair swinging all around her.
Bailey smiles down at her daughter. Jesus, she is fucking beautiful. “Run ahead, baby, we will be right behind you.” Gabby runs across the grass, as fast as her little legs can take her, to the playground and Bailey laughs. “I think I am really going to like it here.” She looks at me, smiling with delight.
“I am glad you decided to come here. Everyone needs a fresh start,” I tell her, and her smile falls. You’re fucking stupid, Travis. You just brought up shit she is probably trying to forget.
We walk together to a bench in front of the playgr
ound. Bailey sets her bag on the ground in front of her, and I sit down next to her, our legs touching.
Bailey
My first thought is why must he sit so close? He is wearing a white T-shirt under his vest, his tattoos on full display. He is just sexy.
I do have a thing for bad boys. I have tried to date the homegrown good ole boys but, honestly, my heart doesn’t go pitter patter, and it’s like can I go home now? Travis, on the other hand? His leg is touching mine, and I am internally freaking out. His huge tattoo-covered hand is resting on his knee, which is very close to my leg.
“Look, Ravis!” Gabby screams and jumps on the balance beam.
He jumps up. “She’s going to get hurt.” He starts to walk in her direction, and she does a flip on the beam.
“She loves gymnastics,” I inform him, and he lets out a breath and sits beside me. “I can see her being in the Olympics. That is her dream in life, and I want her to be able to achieve that.” I can feel him staring at me intensely, and I bite my lip pretending not to notice. It’s kind of hard to look him in the eye. Hell, it’s hard to even look at such a beautiful man. He intimidates me with his confidence and the way he carries himself, which reflect the fact that he knows himself.
Do I know myself? I know that I lost myself when I became pregnant and was all alone in the world. I never had a chance to come to terms with what has happened with my life. My parents completely abandoned me; my mother threw me out of the house and never looked back because my pregnancy caused her friends to look down on her.
When I had my daughter, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. I had been so alone in the world, but I had this beautiful, precious baby girl in my arms, and she needed me. That gave me hope. My daughter’s name is Gabrielle LeAnn Mathis. She has my last name. He was not even there for her birth; the only time that he came around was to hold her over my head. He had money and lawyers, and I had absolutely nothing. I was terrified. I would lie awake at night, scared of what life would be without Gabby. Then he signed his rights over and I was free, and now here I am.
