Without thinking, I lift my arms and slide them around his shoulders, tipping my head back to look into his gray eyes.
“The fuck, Red?” he murmurs in a low hum.
“Happy birthday, Bear,” I breathe.
“Didn’t need a party.”
Nodding, I lean forward and press my lips to his. “I know you didn’t, but I also know you missed your family and you’ve been wanting to see them.”
“Gonna fuck you hard for this, Thea,” he growls, his teeth nipping my bottom lip.
“I’m counting on it,” I breathe.
“All right, break it the fuck up,” my dad barks.
Even after seven years and two children, he still doesn’t like to see us together. He loves me and our children, but he tolerates Bear. Sometimes I think it’s all a front and he really does like my husband, but he doesn’t want to admit it, other times I’m sure he’s plotting his death.
Bear ignores my dad, as he always does, and blows out the candles of his cake while the room cheers. Scooting off of his lap, I reach for the knife and plates, only to have my mom appear and bat the knife out of my hand.
“Let me cut, you never do it straight,” she sighs.
“Like you do?” my uncle Lisandro laughs.
“Lis, hush,” she hisses, her eyes narrowed on her best friend.
They start to bicker between themselves and all I can do is watch with a watery smile on my face.
“Are you going to tell him?” a voice whispers behind me.
Spinning around, I see Bear’s mom, Kentlee, watching me, her eyes dancing as her gaze roams over my face.
“Tell who what?” I ask, attempting to play really stupidly dumb. She tilts her head to the side, her eyes widening a touch as she just stares at me. “How did you know?” I ask.
She snorts. “Did you forget, I have four children and if it had been up to his father, I would have had four more. I know, trust me, and so does Mary-Anne and Brentlee. We’ve been dying for Bear to find out, for the men to find out. They’re going to be ecstatic.”
I look over my shoulder at my dad who is blowing kisses on Paxley’s belly and making her giggle before she screams in delight. I could pretend that he wouldn’t be happy, but my dad loves being a grandfather. It’s like he was made for this role.
My eyes skirt over to Ellie, Bear’s sister, who is holding our son, Atticus’ hand as they watch the cake being cut. Atticus is our oldest, he’s five and just starting school. Paxley is two and a downright handful.
We never talked about how many children we wanted and after Paxley was born, I just assumed that we had one of each and that was all we were going to have. To say that this pregnancy is a shock is an understatement.
I’ve been terrified of telling Bear, not because I think he’ll be angry, but because I honestly don’t know how he’ll react. I don’t want him to be disappointed that we’re starting all over again.
“He’s going to be thrilled, Lysandra,” Kentlee says as she reaches out and wraps her hand around my forearm.
Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I lift my gaze to hers, then nod. “Tonight, I’ll tell him tonight.”
“It would make the trip that MadDog took to see him that much sweeter, I know that he just wants his family happy,” she whispers.
My eyes find MadDog, and notice that he’s sitting next to Bear. He’s still a mountain of a man, even at his age, though time is definitely showing in his features and as much as we all want him to, he will not live forever.
“I promise, tonight,” I state, turning back to meet Kentlee’s gaze. She gives me a small smile and then she narrows her eyes as she looks over my shoulder.
“These damn men,” she grumbles before she stomps off.
Looking behind me, watching the direction she’s stomping toward, I can’t help but let out a giggle. Her youngest son, Rogue is standing awfully close to Soar’s youngest daughter, Gwyneth. Then my eyes skirt over to where Bristol, Dirty Johnny’s daughter is pressed up against Danger, Kentlee’s other son.
A warm hand slides around my waist and lips touch the side of my neck. “Thank you for my birthday, Red,” Bear’s deep voice rumbles against my skin.
Turning in his arms, I look up at him, smiling. “Thank you for being you.”
He shakes his head, his gaze following the path that mine had been just moments ago and he chuckles. “My brothers have goddamn death wishes. If I thought your dad was tough on me, I can’t imagine what Soar and Dirty Johnny would be like if they saw that shit going down.”
Rising to my toes, I press my lips to his. “Not our problem. Your brothers are grown-ass men,” I point out.
He snorts. “Man-children maybe.”
“Let’s sneak away,” I whisper, grinning up at him.
I don’t have to ask him twice. Bear’s hand finds mine and he none-too-gently pulls me behind him as his legs move through the room and toward his bedroom.
BEAR
Turning toward my wife. Wife. The concept still feels fucking foreign and unbelievable even after seven years of marriage. She’s got her back against the door, we’re in my bedroom at the clubhouse, the only woman to see this space in years.
“Red,” I say in a low warning.
She needs to tell me what’s been on her mind for weeks and she can’t cover it up with this party. I know it’s not that. I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is more. My eyes flick down to her already rounding stomach. I know what it is, I just want to hear it from her own mouth.
“Bear,” she says, her voice trembling.
Shaking my head once, I take a step closer toward her, then another, until my chest is pressing against hers. Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek and slide the pad of my thumb across the apple of her cheek.
“I hope this one has red hair,” I breathe as I lift my other hand and press it against her belly between us.
Thea lifts her arm, wrapping her fingers around my wrist as she holds onto me. “Bear,” she whimpers. “You know.”
“You think I can’t see the changes in my wife’s body? Taste the change on her cunt? Red, I’ve known for weeks, why didn’t you tell me?” I ask.
She blinks up at me, wetness forming and falling from her eyes and down those freckle covered cheeks. “I didn’t know if you’d be happy, upset, disappointed. I didn’t know how I felt.”
I hum, dipping my chin and touching my mouth to hers in a gentle kiss. “How do you feel, Thea?”
She inhales, her lips pressing against mine as her tongue slides inside of my mouth, tasting me, fucking owning me the way that she has since she walked into my strip club seven years ago.
Wrapping my hands around her thighs, I pick her up and press her back against the door, fitting my hips between her thighs.
“Like I need you, now,” she moans.
My mouth drags down her neck, to her collarbone, then below to her tattoo. She always keeps it exposed for me, so the world knows just who she belongs to, in case they miss the gigantic fucking rock on her finger.
I trace my name on her skin with my tongue, sucking on the swirls of the R at the end, then roll my hips against her hot pussy.
“I’m excited,” she sighs as she lifts her hips to meet mine, rolling them and searching for her relief.
Looking directly into her eyes, I grin. “I’m so fucking excited, Red. Never told you, thought you knew,” I begin. She stares down at me, her lips parted slightly. “Want a whole fuckin’ houseful of your babies, Thea. I want our house to be loud, chaotic, fucking insane and so goddamn full of happiness that we can’t even fucking breathe.”
“Bear,” she whispers as those tears continue to flow down her cheeks again.
Grinning, I tilt my head to the side then press my mouth to hers. I fuck my pregnant wife against the door, then I make love to her on the bed.
When she’s completely satisfied, when her entire body is sated and loose, only then do I carry her back to the bar and shout our good news to our entire family
.
I catch my dad’s, then my grandpa’s eyes and I don’t miss the way they sparkle and dance as they look at us. These men know what it means, what true family is, and they couldn’t be fucking happier for us—always.
The Notorious Devils may not be on the up-and-up, but the people who are part of this club, the family that makes up this group, they are the best people in the whole goddamn world.
Special Thanks
I want to thank all of my readers, always. You babes are seriously so fantastic. I appreciate every single one of you!!!
I always say a special thank you to my husband. He is simply—amazing.
My mom, she’s always supported wholeheartedly everything I have ever decided to take a leap of faith on, including my writing. Thank you, Banana Boots.
Celia, my friend. Thanks for the laughs, the cupcakes, the brownies, the cruises in the Mustang, and the years together. Now that we’re adults, thanks for the texts, the cocktails and the true friendship we have.
Cassy Roop, thank you so much for always making my covers so downright gorgeous.
Crystal Snyder, thank you for loving all of my stories.
Tammy Cole, thank you so much for being a great friend. I don’t know what I would do without you in life! I appreciate everything you do for me.
Ellie McLove, You are a badass—always. I appreciate you more than you could know!
Hayley’s Asshole Alphas... BABES. Thank you for always bringing a hot guy to my newsfeed and a smile to my face! You’re the best reader group a girl could have!!!
To all the Blogger babes that have taken a chance on me…
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The Notorious Devils MC: Complete Collection BoxSet Page 214
