Heart Stopping (St. Leasing Book 4)

by L. P. Maxa

  “Okay, girls, time-out is over. I hope you thought long and hard while you were…holy fuck. Is that a baby?” Linc stopped short, his face a mask of confusion and horror.

  “Oh thank god. We need a clamp, for the umbilical cord, hurry.” Madden got to her feet, shooing Linc back out the door. “Jasper, bring me your weed box,” she called out loudly into the kitchen.

  “Uh, what are you talking about? I don’t have a weed box.”

  “Get it now. I need to clamp the cord,” Madden was still screaming at the kid from across the house.

  “What cord?” Dom’s voice was close, like he was already on his way to them. Pen watched as he pushed past everyone, barging into the room and immediately dropping to his knees by his mate. “Babe, I left you alone for an hour.” He started crying, sobbing really. “What happened?” He was talking through tears, dipping down to kiss his daughter’s tiny head.

  “As soon as we got in here, my water broke, she wasn’t waiting.” Corey beamed up at him. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

  “She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” He kissed the baby again, and then kissed his mate.

  “Where’s Riley?” Corey looked up from her daughter, her eyes searching the small crowd.

  “I’m right here.”

  “Well, come meet your little sister.” Corey held her arm out, gesturing for him to come closer.

  He stepped forward, dropping down to his knees next to the new family. “She’s so perfect.”

  And she was. She was a perfect tiny miracle that had been born on a night that would otherwise be full of nothing but violence. She was the beginning of their new life, a life without danger or violence.

  There wasn’t a damn dry eye in the whole house by this point. Keller had come to sit by Molly, who was still holding Corey up. Jasper handed Madden his box and she used a roach clip to clamp the baby’s cord. Then she used Jace’s kitchen shears to cut it. Linc watched his mate in fascination. Baze was standing behind Pen, his arms around her front, his chin on her shoulder. Jace was on the other side of her, his hand holding on to hers.

  “Everyone, meet Hadley Cooper Hardy.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Baze

  Dom, Corey, Riley, and Baby Hadley were all at the hospital. An ambulance had arrived at the house about three minutes after Grimes and Brooks had helped the pack pile all the dead bodies along the back of the house. It was agreed upon, by everyone, that pretending like none of this had ever happened was the best course of action. The man without a hand was still alive, but Matias took care of that before anyone could decide one way or another.

  Franklin was a murderer. Everyone who worked for him was a criminal, at the very least. None of these men had families; Jace told him that Franklin never hired anyone who wasn’t a loner. He thought loved ones were baggage, and a weakness.

  He was wrong though. Having people who cared for you was a strength. Having people who had your back, who wanted to know you were safe at the end of the day, was a gift.

  “Rough day, huh?” Baze smiled when Pen came out of the bathroom, her hair still dripping wet. He’d wanted to join her, but she’d said she needed to wash Corey’s insides off her hands so he’d decided against it.

  Pen used a towel to dry some of the moisture from her long blonde locks. “The second longest day of my life.”

  “What was the first?” He reached for her arm, pulling her down into his lap.

  “The day after I lost you.”

  He kissed her shoulder where her baggy T-shirt had slid down her arm. “Only happy days from here on out, bumblebee. Days filled with kisses.” He kissed her again. “And love. And kids? You still want to work on those babies of ours after watching Corey have Hadley tonight?”

  Pen winced. “It was kind of gross, and super scary. But the second she was out, I straight up melted into a puddle on the floor.”

  “She’s so damn cute I think she even gave Linc baby fever.” He nipped at his mate’s neck, his hands working her panties off at the same time. “What are you feeling tonight? Wall? Bed? We could hop back in the shower if you want.”

  Pen climbed off his lap and crossed the room to open the drawer to her nightstand. She pulled out a pair of police-grade handcuffs. “I actually thought we’d try something a little different.”

  Baze’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Where did those come from?”

  Pen studied the object in question. “Why? They look familiar?”

  “They might.” Those were the handcuffs he’d given Madden one night before she and Linc had bonded.

  Pen nodded, her lips pursed. “My new friend Maddi brought them by this morning while you men were out shooting. You want to tell me why the man who didn’t have sex owns a pair of legit police-grade cuffs?”

  “Not really.” The truth was they were a gag gift from one of his friends in college. They all made fun of Baze for never wanting to take a girl home. They joked that they were going to find someone to tie him down. They never did.

  “Have you ever used them?” He shook his head, his eyes on Pen as she locked their door and then climbed onto the bed. “Do you want to?” He nodded, licking his lips. “Good. Put your hands together over your head and grab the headboard.”

  “Whoa, wait, I want to handcuff you.” And he did, he so fucking did. He wanted her handcuffed at the wrist and the ankles. He wanted her spread before him like a fucking feast.

  “Maybe next time.” She gestured with her hand. “Do it.”

  He complied, because the wicked grin on her face was too hard to resist. After she cuffed him, she moved down to the foot of the bed. She took off his briefs, leaving him completely naked. She dipped down, licking up the length of his rigid cock, taking the head into her mouth and sucking until her cheeks were hollow. She let go with a pop and then straddled his thighs, running her nails down his chest and across his hips. He was so hard he felt like he was going to explode at any second.

  But she didn’t let up. She kissed and sucked and nipped at every inch of his exposed flesh. Just when he thought he was going to come, she’d move far away from his cock, drawing his attention elsewhere. She was torturing him, in the best way imaginable.

  After what felt like an eternity she pulled the key from under her pillow. She unlocked the cuffs, and then bit at his lower lip. “Now fuck me.”

  He jumped up, wrapping his arm around her waist and bending her over the bed. He hammered into her, not stopping until he was fully inside her. He gripped her hair, pushing her torso farther down on the mattress. He was so fucking deep. He pounded into her from behind, the sounds of their flesh coming together filling the room. He wanted to own her; he wanted to fuck her until she could no longer stand. He was primal when it came to his mate; his shifter was in full control.

  Maybe it was because of the danger they’d been in tonight. Maybe it was because he’d spent the last thirty minutes letting her have all the control. He didn’t know, and it really didn’t matter at this point. He was too far gone.

  He slapped her ass, the sight of his handprint making his mouth water. He wanted her to wear his mark. He wanted her covered in his scent, always. He leaned down, pressing his front to her back, biting at the flesh where her shoulder met her neck. He reached around, pinching her nipple and growling when she cried out in pleasure.

  He was being so fucking rough, and she was loving every damn second of it. He stood tall, his hands gripping her hips. He was thrusting into her, pulling her back harder against him every time. She was calling his name, over and over.

  He leaned his head back, roaring out his release when he felt her shatter around him.

  Chapter Forty

  Baze

  Everyone had their bags packed and their cars loaded. It was time to go back to their own homes, time to go back to normal life. If any of them even remembered what that felt like. They’d been living in this odd in-between state for so long. Always in danger, or always recovering from the run-ins from
danger.

  But no more.

  Franklin was gone, and baseball season was around the corner.

  “I’m going to miss this place.” Pen was sitting on their bed, prolonging saying good-bye to Jace. Baze knew she was reluctant to leave his beta, and if he was being honest, he was too. “It’s where we started over.”

  “We’ve fucked and destroyed every inch of this room. We should probably move on and defile the apartment for a change.” It wasn’t his anymore; it would be theirs. His teenage dreams were coming true, a small apartment with his girl while he played ball and saved money to buy her a house.

  “Hey, can I talk to you? What the hell happened to that wall?” Jace cocked his head to the side, his face morphing from shocked, to surprised, then impressed. “Never mind, I think I get it.”

  “We’ll, uh, bring some supplies over and fix it next weekend.” Baze bit his lips together, trying like hell not to let his proud smirk show.

  Jace eyed their bags stacked by the door. “That’s actually kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.” He moved into the room, sitting on the bed next to Pen but looking at Baze. “I want you to stay.” He took Pen’s hand. “Both of you.”

  “You want us to live here with you?” Pen leaned down, making Jace meet her kind gaze.

  He nodded. “It’s a big house and I, um, I don’t know, I thought maybe you two could stay.”

  Pen glanced up at Baze, the question in her eyes letting him know that it was his decision. Part of him wanted to say no, that he wanted to have his own space with Pen. He wanted to provide for them; he wanted to buy her a house and give her all the things she deserved. But another part of him couldn’t bear to tell Jace no. He was a kid, a kid who didn’t want to be alone anymore.

  Baze and Pen were Jace’s family; they were his safe space, not the house. Baze knew that if he asked Jace to sell the house and come live with them at the apartment, he would. But that would be fucking crazy because the house was kind of amazing. And huge.

  For the pack, for Pen’s comfort, for Jace, who needed peace and love more than anyone Baze had ever known, Baze knew what the right thing was, and so he did it.

  “Okay. We can stay.”

  Epilogue

  Baze

  Four months later

  “I don’t understand why we always have to have pack dinners over here.” Jace pulled a full roasted chicken from the double oven and sat it on a hot pad. “I finally got baby puke out of the rug from when they were here last week.”

  “You have the biggest house? You host.” Pen waltzed into the kitchen, taking a green bean from the stack that Jace had ready to go into the boiling water on the stove.

  “We. We have the biggest house.” He frowned. “I hate it when you guys call it my house.”

  “It’s ours until you find a mate and kick us to the curb.” Baze poured a glass of white wine for his girl, handing it to her with a smile.

  “I’m only eighteen. Your place next door will be ready long before that happens.” Jace moved the green beans out of Pen’s reach, shaking his head at her.

  They were getting their place in the mountains like they’d talked about. Jace was gifting them a piece of land to build on, eventually. For now they weren’t in much of a hurry though. “You never know, kid, I met my forever when I was sixteen.”

  Baze had been sure that she was meant for him the day his heart said “her,” and every day since had only confirmed it. Pen was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Their journey hadn’t been easy, and it certainly hadn’t been pretty. But if he had to do it all over again to end up where he was today, he would. In a fucking heartbeat.

  “Do you need help studying for that chem test, bubs?” Pen rested her chin on Jace’s shoulder. “Your teacher told me you still only have a C.”

  “Fucking chem.”

  “It’s okay, we’ll both help after dinner.” She moved away from Jace, perching on Baze’s lap. “Right?”

  “Right.” Baze nodded. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my Sunday night helping Jace study for his chemistry test.”

  Pen wasn’t necessarily like Jace’s mom, not like the way Corey was with Riley. It was more as if they were best friends or something. Baze gave up trying to put a label on their dynamic weeks ago. They were just…them.

  He wasn’t jealous and their closeness didn’t bother him. Jace seemed only to be truly at ease when he was around them, whether it was the three of them hanging out on the patio or watching a movie by the fire. Pen was good at making him laugh, and Baze made sure to carve out time every day to simply sit with Jace and talk.

  Once Pen started teaching her history class at St. Leasing, she’d done more research about the mate sharing. It wouldn’t last forever, only until Jace found his own mate. And there was nothing sexual about it. Which confirmed Baze’s original assessment. Mated without any of the perks.

  He on the other hand was mated with alllll kinds of perks. They were still practicing for that baby. And they’d given up on patching the wall behind their bed; instead they’d removed the headboard all together.

  Penelope

  “Look, no one likes chem. And your teacher is a real snooze fest.” She took a sip of her wine while still eying Jace. “But if you don’t maintain a passing grade in that class, you won’t be able to play ball.”

  St. Leasing had its first game of the season in about two months, and she was actually super pumped. Pen had always loved baseball; she’d been to every game of Baze’s she could sneak away to when he’d played in high school. And now she got to sit in the bleachers and watch him coach.

  When the doorbell rang, she hopped out of Baze’s lap to go answer it. She loved living here, and she loved pack dinners. It was fun to have everyone get together, and any time she got to spend snuggling with Hadley was a win in her book.

  “Come on in.” She opened the large glass and steel door wide, letting in the rest of the pack that always seemed to arrive at the same time. “Oh my goodness, look at your little dress.” She took Hadley when Riley held her out, her frilly pink tulle dress sparkling in the entryway chandelier. Pen kissed the baby’s cheek and then hugged each member of her pack in turn.

  “Dinner’s ready.” Baze came out, immediately stealing the baby from her. “And it’s on the table.”

  She set the large dining room table earlier that evening; it took thirty minutes to set all eleven places. Everyone took their usual seat and passed around the baby, taking turns eating and showering Hadley with attention.

  “Jace, this is the best chicken I have ever had in my entire life.” Madden moaned as she chewed. “Is that rosemary?”

  “Uh-huh. And lemon zest.” Jace loved to cook. Pen had caught him taking notes while watching the Food Network more than once since she and Baze had officially moved in.

  They’d kept the room they’d been sharing, and turned one of the upstairs guest rooms into an office. They thought about making one of the other rooms a little mini living room, but they always found themselves downstairs hanging out with Jace.

  She was constantly surrounded by her two favorite people in the entire world. She was teaching a class full of shifters who were literally thirsty for knowledge about their culture. She was mated and in love, living in the mountains and laughing every day with her best friends. It was more happiness than any one person deserved, but she’d take it.

  “Is there another leg?” Madden stood a little in her seat, searching the table for the apparently coveted chicken leg.

  “Here.” Jasper picked up the piece from his plate and passed it to his immediate right. “You can have it.”

  Linc reached over and ruffled his hair. “You are such a sweet boy, you are going to make the best guardian.”

  Conversation stopped and Jace dropped his fork.

  “Oh yeah, Madden’s pregnant.” Linc was beaming, looking ecstatically in love.

  Riley threw his head back, laughing loudly. “Shoe is on the other foot, hu
h, ass-face.”

  “Shut up.” Jasper hung his head, miserably. “It could be a boy.”

  “You know what it is.” Riley pointed across the table at the still-frowning Jasper. “You know, exactly like I knew.”

  Madden whipped her head around to Jasper. “You know what the baby is?”

  “No.” Jasper pursed his lips, then let out a loud sigh. “I mean, I’m assuming by the way that every time I fucking see you these days I want to get down on my knees and kiss your stomach, it’s a girl.” He waved his hands in the air in mock cheerfulness. Then his face kind of screwed up. The whole table watched while he wiped at his red eyes. “And I just, shit, I just love her so much.”

  “Aw come here, you little fuck boy.” Madden held her arm out, bringing Jasper in for a hug and letting him hide his tears on her shoulder.

  “He’s gotta be her guardian. I don’t feel at all like ripping his head off for touching my mate.” Linc frowned. “The universe is a little bit fucked up.”

  “No.” Corey shook her head. “The universe is perfectly in balance. The two biggest players on the planet are going to have to work together to raise a daughter. The only thing that could possibly make this better is if there are two of them in there and they come out mini versions of their mother.”

  Jace

  When Linc had announced that Madden was pregnant, Jace’s gaze instantly had gone to Pen. He knew that she and Baze had been trying for a baby for months now, and Jace was worried that the news would make her sad. But he’d found her smiling, excited for their friends.

  It would happen for them, he knew it would. One way or another, Pen and Baze would be parents. They were too amazing for the universe not to gift them a child. And Jace hoped he’d be the baby’s guardian; he was actually looking forward to it.

  Riley was so smitten with Hadley, he held her and talked to her all the time. It made Jace smile watching the two of them together. He’d never been around a baby before. And although he grumbled about her messing up his house, he liked having her here.