I quietly slip out of the bedroom so that he can sleep.
Once I am in the kitchen, I start a cup of coffee and wait for the slapping of little boy feet along the floor to alert me that my little monster is awake.
I grab my coffee and sit down at the kitchen table. One sip into my delicious brew, I hear the tale tell signs that Bear has risen.
I hear his feet slapping against the floor before I see him. His eyes light up as soon as they connect with mine and then he flings himself into my waiting arms.
I pull him onto my lap as he snuggles against my chest and sticks his thumb in his mouth.
Our morning ritual. I love it.
“Morning, baby Bear,” I murmur against his blonde hair.
“Hi, Mama,” he says before he lifts his head and looks at me with his puppy dog eyes.
“Milt peeaaseee,” he begs.
My heart melts. Milk. My little man loves his milk.
“Sure, angel,” I murmur, standing and setting him down in my chair while I grab a cup and his milk.
Once I have him settled with his milk in my lap again, I hear a deep throat clear from across the room.
I look up to see Pierce standing at the kitchen’s entrance, looking concerned. He shouldn’t be concerned. I’ve made him out to be a legend in Bear’s eyes.
I’ve talked him up so much. I was afraid that Pierce wouldn’t want us and then I would have to explain that to Bear.
Maybe I was stupid for trying to build him up into some almost mythical figure, but I wanted him to welcome Pierce in case he came home to us.
“Baby Bear, look who’s here.” I squeeze his thigh and direct him to across the room.
Bear stays silent for a second before I hear his breath hitch. Then he says the word I have been practicing with him since the day he was born.
The word that I have paired with a photo of him, a shitty picture Bates gave me from a party a few years ago.
“Daddy,” he cries.
Bear scrambles off of me to run toward Pierce before he launches his little body into Pierce’s waiting arms.
Pierce picks him up and Bear wraps his arms around him, burying his face in his neck. I can’t stop myself—I turn into a blubbering mess at the sight.
It’s so beautiful and simple and wonderful all at the same time. Pierce’s eyes meet mine over Bear’s head and he mouths—thank you—to me.
I don’t think. I stand and I wrap my arms around him and Bear. I shove my face in the other side of his neck and my lips go directly to his ear.
“No, thank you, Pierce. You gave him to me,” I whisper through my sobs.
We stay like that, the three of us, for the next five straight minutes. Then, Bear’s head pops up and he announces his hunger.
I take Bear and deposit him in his high chair before I start to gather items from the refrigerator and pantry for breakfast.
“Eggs, toast, and bacon all right?” I ask Pierce as he sits down across from Bear at the kitchen table.
“Yeah, baby girl, sounds great,” he says, his voice gentle and soft.
I go about making breakfast, giving eggs and toast to Bear while I fry bacon.
“You are fuckin’ spectacular,” Pierce whispers in my ear as his hands wrap around my waist.
“I’m really not,” I chuckle as I turn some bacon over in the pan.
“Baby girl, you really are. He’s so fuckin’ perfect,” he murmurs.
I turn my head slightly to kiss the underside of his jaw.
“He is, isn’t he? It’s because he’s the best parts of both of us, Pierce,” I mutter.
“Fuck yeah, he is,” he grunts, placing a kiss on my shoulder before he grabs the plate of bacon from the counter and sets it down on the table.
I take everything else over to the table and sit down next to him, between my two guys.
“Marry me,” Pierce blurts out as I’m taking my first bite of bacon.
“What?” I ask, turning to him in shock.
“Marry me, be my Old Lady, wear my ring and my brand on your skin,” he says.
I stare at him in shock.
Last night, he ignored my asking him if I could be his Old Lady.
Last night, he didn’t seem like he wanted to make us official in public.
Last night, he was so pissed off at me, he couldn’t even talk to me.
“Seriously?” I ask. “Why?” I add.
“This is the way it’s supposed to be. This is right. You, me, and Bear. It didn’t feel right before, something was holding me back, but I didn’t know what it was. Now, with Bear and you right here next to me, I know this is right,” he says before he takes a bite of his toast.
It’s as if Pierce is offering me my dream on a silver platter. Marriage, a family, and love. All wrapped neatly with a bow on top.
How can I turn this opportunity down? Does it make me a spineless halfwit to accept after everything that has happened the past three years?
However, if I turn him down, I’ll lose him. I’ll lose the dream come true that he’s offering me.
He isn’t a man that will accept no and stay at my side. There is no way I can ask him to give me any time.
His pride won’t allow him to stay. The man’s pride is downright annoying.
“You really want me?” I ask through trembling lips.
Don’t I deserve to be happy? To have my dreams come true too? I’ve stayed true to him, held onto threads of hope that this is exactly where we would end up. Even if it is sooner than I ever anticipated, how can I chance losing all of that?
“Always wanted you, sugar,” he murmurs.
I shake my head. There is one more thing I need to ask him.
“But not publicly. Now you want me to be yours, in front of your club, and in front of the world?” I ask.
“Fuck yeah. I want everyone knowin’ you’re mine,” he growls.
I stand up and throw my arms around his neck while I plop my ass on his thigh. I can’t not say yes. Even if it ends in complete disaster, at least I’ll have had a taste of my dream.
“I love you, Pierce. Yes, I’ll marry you, and yes, I’ll be your Old Lady,” I say, grinning at him with watery eyes.
“Fuck yeah, you will.” He smiles and it’s genuine, big, and beautiful. “Light up the room with this smile, sugar,” he says, running his thumb over my bottom lip.
“I’m glad you don’t want me to be your dirty little secret anymore,” I murmur.
His eyes narrow and his jaw clenches before he opens his mouth to speak.
“Get one thing straight, Kentlee. You were never, ever, a dirty secret to me. I’ve always been pleased as fuck you were in my bed. I didn’t want you immersed in the club life as an Old Lady because I didn’t think you were strong enough.
“Takes a strong as fuck woman to be at the side of a man like me for life. That’s what it was going to be, too—life. I also wasn’t sure I wanted any woman there forever, baby girl,” he admits as his thumb continues to trace my bottom lip.
“You think I’m strong enough, now?” I ask in a whisper.
“Know you are. Dealt with a shit ton while I was away. Did it effortlessly,” he says.
“Not effortlessly,” I snort.
“You didn’t fall apart. You got your shit straight and you took care of business. You didn’t go out and whore around. Fucking effortless,” he points out.
“You want me, forever?” I shift the subject slightly and he grins.
“For-fuckin’-ever, baby girl,” he murmurs as his lips gently brush mine.
Bear starts banging his plate on his high chair and I giggle against Pierce’s lips before I slide out of his lap and get Bear to clean him up.
“What’s your agenda today?” I ask while I’m wiping Bear’s face and hands from his messy breakfast.
“Need to do some shit at the club, but that can wait for tomorrow. Gonna spend the day with my family,” he says.
I couldn't wipe the huge smile off of my face even if
I wanted to. The ring that he’ll put on my finger, being his woman.
The security of being his wife and having him at my side also give me guarantee of his club being at my back if he goes away again.
I’m not stupid, he could easily go at any time.
Being his Old Lady and having his last name guarantee’s a place in the club for me if he isn’t around.
It takes care of myself and Bear in a way that we didn’t have the past three years.
It is the only way I can give him what he wants, me leaving my job, and get what I want in return too—security.
“Yeah?” I ask.
He grins.
I hear the front door slam and Pierce stands up, his fists balled and clenched tightly as Bates walks through the kitchen and then stops.
His eyes go to Pierce and they widen.
“The fuck you doin’ walkin’ into my woman’s house like you own the place?” he barks.
It's then that I realize that he doesn’t know that Bates lives here. How could he not know? How could Bates not have told him?
“You didn’t tell him?” I blurt out.
Pierce’s angry gaze leaves Bates and crashes with mine. I’m holding Bear in my arms and my eyes leave Pierce’s to collide with Bates’.
“Uh…no,” he stammers.
“Someone better tell me somethin’ pretty fuckin’ fast,” Pierce growls.
“Bates moved in after Mary-Anne moved to California. He offered to help with rent and protect us. He said it was better than us living alone,” I confess.
My eyes scan back to Pierce, who is now focused on Bates. His jaw is so clenched, it’s ticking.
“You been livin’ here with my woman and kid?” Pierce asks.
“Nothing’s ever happened, Fury. Roommates, that’s all,” he says.
It sounds like a plea.
“I know nothin’ happened. I trust my woman. Who I don’t trust is you—livin’ in her house while I’m away, and you never mentioned it to me,” he growls.
It scares me. He’s on hundred percent Fury right now. There is no Pierce in sight.
“I was trying to help her,” Bates says, squaring his shoulders.
“Get your shit and get the fuck out,” Pierce roars, making Bear jump in my arms.
“No problem, man,” Bates says as he turns.
Before he leaves, Pierce speaks.
“No matter what happened, what didn’t happen, you laid your head down in the same house as my woman. It ain’t right and it ain’t respectful.
“I’m your fucking president, you disrespected me in my own home,” he adds.
I watch Bates’ shoulders tense and his spine straighten before he turns back around to face Pierce.
“You didn’t claim her, brother. You left her out swingin’ with nothin’. I did nothing but help her, showing her, and you more respect than any other man in the club.
“I sent Mary-Anne over here to help, I gave her a job, and when she needed it, I stepped in and helped pay your fuckin’ rent. I didn’t have to do shit.
I’ could have treated her like the rest of the brothers—gave her a job and then slapped her ass when she walked by at the club, suggested she ride my cock, too, while she served me drinks. That’s what you want? That more respectful than what I did?”
I watch as red literally climbs up Pierce’s chest and to his face.
“Just go,” Pierce says through a clenched jaw.
I watch as Bates leaves the house. I’m sure he’ll be back later for his stuff, but right now, he’s pissed.
“Where was Bear last night? He sure as fuck wasn’t in our room,” he growls, turning his anger onto me.
“Bates is hardly here. I have a little bed that I move back and forth. When I work, Bates doesn’t come home, so Bear sleeps in his room. When I’m home, Bear is with me,” I answer.
Pierce nods once. I hope he’s satisfied with that answer.
“What about women?” Pierce’s nostrils flare and I shake my head.
“He’s never brought anybody over here, man or woman. Honestly, Pierce, he’s been nothing but a gentleman. He’s never even tried to touch me.” I whisper the last sentence, hoping he’ll believe me.
I don’t want their relationship to deteriorate over this—over me. I don’t want him to know about our one failed attempt at a kiss.
It wasn’t anything, neither he or I felt anything.
“The other guys, they do that shit?” he asks, refusing to comment on my statement about Bates.
“They’re men, Pierce. They were drunk,” I say. He nods.
“Never again, baby girl. One of them even looks at you funny, I’ll kill ‘em,” he announces.
I take a step back. He’s so angry, so fucking furious.
“Pierce,” I say hesitantly.
“Serious as fuck, baby girl. Didn’t ever want you around them, that’s why. They’re dirty fucks. Now, they’ll be dead dirty fucks they try anything with you again,” he growls.
He stalks quickly toward me before he pulls both Bear and me into his arms.
“Okay,” I murmur, looking up and into his gray eyes.
“Go get dressed. Little man and I’ll hang out, then we can all go do something together.” He grins and, just like that, his fury is gone.
I’m not sure what to think about his rage and blow up, but I understand where he was coming from.
I thought that he knew Bates had been living here this whole time.
I would have never wanted to anger him over something like that, something that didn’t mean anything.
I shower and dress in a pair of skinny jeans and a black tank top, leaving my hair down and my makeup light.
I have no clue what we’re going to do today, but I don’t care.
All I care about is that Pierce is going to be with me, and that’s all that matters.
I walk into the living room to tell Pierce to go ahead and get dressed, but as soon as my eyes land on what is happening in the room, my breath hitches.
Pierce is sitting on the floor with Bear across from him and they’re playing with Bear’s oversized toddler Legos. Pierce is sitting cross-legged, his long hair messy and tumbled around his shoulders, but he’s laughing and it’s the best thing I have ever seen in my life.
“Don’t just stand there, sugar,” Pierce murmurs.
My feet quickly shuffle to my boys.
“You guys just looked so cute together,” I say, placing a red block on top of a yellow one.
We don’t say another word. We play with our son, and it’s the best fifteen minutes I have ever experienced.
Eventually, Pierce leaves to shower and change while I dress Bear for the day.
I grab my cell phone, so I can capture the day in pictures. Bear’s first full day with his father. His father’s first full day with Bear.
It is definitely a day to capture, if there ever was one.
We don’t go far. First, we go to a park and play—as a family. I turn into crazy picture mom, making Pierce laugh.
Then we go to lunch and Pierce is able to see the true joys of having a toddler.
He doesn’t seem to mind Bear’s activity level, though; he has more patience than I thought possible with him.
Finally, he takes me to a car dealership and buys me a black Camaro—brand new.
I try to protest, but he won’t let me. He pays in cash and my eyes bug out at the wad of money he hands the man.
“Your car’s crap, baby girl. This is what you should be driving. It’s you. No convertible this time, though. They aren’t very safe,” he murmurs. I don’t care about that.
“You bought me a car,” I whisper, my eyes welling with tears.
“Yeah. Gonna buy you a ton of other shit, too, and you ain’t gonna balk at none of it,” he mutters.
“I’m not?”
“Fuck no. Got three years of fuck-ups to make up for and this is step one. Nice wheels for my Old Lady,” he says, grinning. It makes me smile big and br
ightly.
This man is too much. He doesn’t have to make up for shit. Loving me and loving Bear is more than enough; yet, for him, it’s not nearly enough.
I understand it, so I don’t say a word.
I let him be a man.
I let him take care of his family, and I do it all with a giant ass smile on my face. He’s home and that’s what’s really important.
FURY
Best day of my life.
Never thought the best day of my life would be so calm, easy, and chill. I spent the day with my son and my woman.
Closing my eyes, I think back on my day. On the moment I met my son’s gray eyes, eyes that are clearly identical to mine.
I grin, recalling his first word to me.
Daddy.
I never heard anything more beautiful in my life. I’m a fucking pussy and I don’t even give a shit.
This woman and this boy have me wrapped around their fingers.
When we came home from our day, Sniper had his shit cleared out of the bedroom and I helped Kentlee move all of Bear’s things into the room.
His own room. Something he should have had since the day he was born.
Another fuck up of mine.
“Pierce?” Kentlee’s voice breaks me out of my thoughts and my mouth goes dry the second I lay my eyes on her.
She’s standing at the doorway to the bathroom, the light spilling out of the room behind her, and she’s so goddamned beautiful it makes me ache.
“Do I look okay?” she asks, fidgeting with the scrap of fabric that I assume is supposed to be some kind of nightgown.
It’s short and tight, encasing her tits and showing them off. They’re almost spilling out of the top, and it goes straight to my dick.
But what makes my belly clench is the thigh highs she’s got on, along with the highest heels I’ve ever seen.
Her long blonde hair spills down around her elbows and it’s too much.
It’s exactly what I’ve been dreaming of for years, except it’s better than I could have ever imagined.
“C’mere, baby girl,” I murmur as I sit up on the bed and turn to let my feet hang off.
I spread my legs wide as she walks between them, her hands going to rest on my shoulders. My own hands immediately wrap around her hips.
The Notorious Devils MC: Complete Collection BoxSet Page 21
