by L. Wilder
“About?”
“Do you want to come back here and stay at the club… or do you want to leave here with him? The choice is yours, doll.”
She paused for a moment as she looked over at Nitro. There was something about the way she looked at him that let me know her answer before she even said the words. Moments later, she looked back at Cotton and said, “I’ll never be able to thank you for all you’ve done for me, Cotton. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t let me stay here. All the guys have been good to me, and I love all of you… but, I don’t belong here anymore.”
“You sure about this?”
She glanced back over at Nitro and then answered, “I am. This is something I need to do.”
He removed his hand from her shoulder and took a step back. “You gotta do what’s right for you, Tristen. I get that. Just know the door is always open.”
“Thank you, Cotton,” she cried as she gave him a hug. She quickly wiped her tears away as she turned and looked at us. “I guess I better go get my stuff.”
“I’ll give you a hand,” I offered as I followed her down to her room. I didn’t mention Josie, so she was a little surprised to find her sister anxiously waiting inside when she opened the door.
“Tristen!” she shouted as she rushed over and gave her a big hug. “I can’t believe you’re really back! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“It was a spur of the moment kind of thing. I wasn’t expecting to be released until later in the week, but Dr. Jeffries said I was ready.”
Josie took a step back and studied her sister for a moment. “So, you’re really okay?”
“I’m more than okay, Josie.” She walked over to her closet and pulled out several suitcases. “I could use some help, if you don’t mind.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m packing.” She walked over to her dresser and pulled everything out of the drawer, shoving it into one of the suitcases. “Can you grab the stuff out of the closet and put it in the hanger bag?”
With a puzzled look, Josie asked, “Why are you packing?”
“Because I’m leaving. Nitro has arranged for me to stay in one of the lofts in his apartment building.”
I could see the wheels turning as Josie stood there staring at her sister. “You’re really leaving?”
“I’m moving, not leaving. I’ll just be a few minutes away, and I’ll have a place of my own.”
“You mean a place Nitro is paying for?” Josie argued.
Tristen turned to face her sister. “He is, but not for long. I’ll pay rent once I get my first paycheck.”
“Paycheck? Where are you—?”
“Stop, Josie. Just stop. I know this isn’t a perfect situation, but it’s a fresh start. I need your support on this.”
Josie took in a deep breath and sighed. She was worried, but anyone could see Tristen had come a long way over the past month. “Okay. I’ll pack the clothes in the closet. Don’t forget all that stuff you have in the bathroom.”
I leaned against the doorframe and watched as they filled up the suitcases with her clothes, shoes, and makeup. They were just about to finish up when Nitro came up beside me. “They about got it?”
“Getting close, I think. She’s got a crap-ton of stuff crammed into this little room.”
“Guess I better start loading this into the truck.” I followed Nitro as he took a step inside and grabbed several of the bags. The girls continued talking and packing as he walked out to the parking lot and loaded the bags into the back of his SUV. Once we were done, Nitro offered me his hand. “Thanks, brother.”
“Let the dust settle, and I’ll be in touch. Know Josie is gonna want to check in with her sister.”
“You know my number.”
Just as we got everything loaded into the truck, Tristen and Josie came outside with the last of her bags. Before Tristen got in the truck, she assured Josie once again that she was sure about leaving. “I’ll call you in a couple of days. I’ll come meet you for lunch or something.”
She gave her a big hug, and then turned to get into the truck. Before they pulled out of the parking lot, Josie walked over to Nitro’s window. When he’d rolled it down, she leaned in and said, “I’m trusting you to take care of her, Nitro. Don’t let me down.”
He gave her a slight nod. “You know I will.”
We watched silently as they pulled out onto the main road. Once they were out of sight, Josie looked over at me. “You think she’s going to be okay with him?”
“I do.”
“Okay. Then I’ll try to stop freaking out.” She tried to feign a smile, but I wasn’t buying it.
“Might want to try harder,” I teased. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close as I kissed her on the forehead. “She’s going to be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”
She sighed with relief and smiled. “How did I get so lucky?”
I’d never planned to fall in love. I never found much use in it and certainly never really thought I was any good at it, but all that changed when I met Josie. Looking at her and seeing the undeniable love in her eyes, I knew how good I had it, and I would move Heaven and Earth to hold onto it. “I’m the lucky one, Josie.”
Four Years Later
Over the years, we’d had all kinds of cookouts and parties, but this party was like none other. The brothers and their ol’ ladies had gone all out for Lauren’s sweet sixteen party, and it was a perfect day for it. It was a warm, beautiful day, and they had picnic tables covering the backyard and colorful balloons spread out all over the place. There was music playing, and everyone was ready to celebrate Lauren’s birthday. A pretty big crowd had gathered. Not only our kids and families, but quite a few of her friends from school were there. We all wanted to be there to spend the special day with her, especially Cotton. He was determined to make the day perfect for her. Over the years, Lauren had truly become like a daughter to him, and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He’d wanted to buy her a new bike, but Cass convinced him it wouldn’t be practical, especially since she planned to go off to college in a couple of years. Agreeing that it wasn’t an option, he bought her a bright red Volkswagen Beetle and hid it in the garage so he could surprise her when the time was right.
The brothers gathered around the grill making hot dogs and hamburgers for the kids while the women were busy putting the food on the tables. I spotted Cotton off by himself, and he didn’t look happy. When I walked up, he motioned his head towards Lauren and her friends. “You got any idea who that kid is?”
After a closer look, I realized he was talking about the tall, lanky boy who stood next to Lauren. “Nope. Never seen him.”
“Don’t like him.”
I looked back over at the kid and saw that he was staring at Lauren, and I immediately knew exactly why Cotton wasn’t happy with him. “Looks like he might have himself a crush on our girl.”
“He better think twice about that shit. She’s just sixteen,” Cotton grumbled.
“You know, Prez… most girls start dating when they turn sixteen.”
He looked over at me with an disgruntled glare. “Not my daughter. She can start dating when she goes off to college, or better yet… when she graduates from college.”
Cass walked up behind him and slipped her hands around his waist. “You behaving over here?”
“Always.”
“Mmm-hmm. Then can you tell me why you keep giving that poor boy the stink eye?” she teased.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t give me that, Cotton. You know good and well what I’m talking about. That poor kid is going to have a complex when he leaves here.”
“So?” Cotton shrugged. “A little complex never hurt anybody.”
“Stop before you freak him out more than he already is. You’ll upset Lauren.” Cass shook her head as she started walking back towards the others. “Hey, Big… when you get a minute, Josie needs your help with s
omething in the kitchen.”
“Alright. I’ll head that way now.” I glanced at Cotton and smiled. “Don’t think you’ve gotta worry about the scrawny kid, Cotton. But the guy over by the bonfire… the one Lauren’s been eyeballing since he got here. Now he might be a problem.”
Laughing, I gave him a pat on the back and headed inside to find Josie. When I walked in, she was washing the dishes in the sink. I slipped up behind her and gave her a quick kiss just below her ear. “Hey, sweetheart. Cass said you needed help with something.”
“Wow, that was fast.” She reached for a towel and turned to face me as she dried her hands. She wouldn’t make eye contact with me and her cheeks flushed bright red, so I knew something was up. In all the years we’d been together, she’d never been one to be able to hide anything from me. Whenever she had something on her mind, it was always written all over her face. Trying to be nonchalant, she looked at me and smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey, baby. You okay?”
“Yep. I’m fine.” She was lying.
“So, what did you need help with?”
She bit her bottom lip as she pointed at the cabinet next to her. “I… uh... I need you to get a box down for me. It’s on the top shelf and I can’t seem to reach it.”
“Yeah, I can do that.” Knowing that she was up to no good, I opened the cabinet door and was caught off-guard when I saw a box of mini MoonPies sitting on the top shelf. I reached for them and asked, “Is this what you were needing?”
“Yep, that’s it.” Still trying to act like it was no big deal, she handed me a bowl. “I need to take them outside. Can you put them in this for me?”
I had no idea what she was up to, but she was so damned cute that it was hard not to play along. “Sure thing.”
I opened the box and turned the box upside down. All the little packages came pouring out at once. I wasn’t catching on to the game she was playing until a small slip of paper landed in the bowl. I reached for it with curiosity. “What’s this?”
“Flip it over.”
When I turned the page over, it was a photograph of an ultrasound. I looked closer and noticed Josie’s name at the top. In half a daze, I stood there staring at the tiny blob on the photograph. It took several seconds for it all to sink in. “Is this what I think it is?”
“It’s our own little MoonPie, Mike.” She smiled nervously. “I went to the doctor this morning, and she told me I’m about eight weeks along.”
My chest tightened as I looked at my wife, knowing that I was the luckiest man on the planet. She was simply amazing. She faced things head on, never giving up on the things that were important to her. I couldn’t fathom what my life would’ve been like without her. She was my world, my everything, and now she was having a kid. “How?”
“Do I really need to explain that to you?” She stepped closer to me and looked down at the picture in my hand. “I was feeling a little off, especially in the morning, so I went in to see the doctor. She did a few tests, and that’s when she told me I was pregnant.”
I had a million things I wanted to say to her, but the words were trapped in my throat. I couldn’t have been happier, but she mistook my silence as ambivalence.
“I know we were planning to wait because of work and all, but my due date is around April.” After she’d graduated, she’d gotten a job at the high school teaching computer programing. Her job was important to her, and she’d wanted to hold off on kids until she’d gotten a few years under her. “But, summer break will be just around the corner, so I’ll only miss a few weeks of school. I think it’ll be okay.”
“It’ll be more than okay, Josie.” I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close as I said, “It’ll be incredible. I’ve just got one request.”
Her eyebrows furrowed as she cocked her head to the side. “What’s that?”
“We’re not naming this kid MoonPie or Moon or Pie, or anything in between.”
“I’m good with that,” she chuckled.
“And I’m good with you. I love you, Josie Davis.” I kissed her softly on the temple.
“And I love you.” She placed her hands on my chest and smiled. “You know we’ll probably have to change your office into the nursery.”
“My office?”
“I know you love it and all, but it’s really the only place that will work.”
“Josie.”
“Hmm?”
“You gotta know, there’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you.”
She smiled as she said, “Well, technically it isn’t for me.”
“Okay, then let me clear this up for you.” I placed the palm of my hand on her stomach as I said, “There’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for you or our kid. The two of you are everything to me.”
I leaned down and kissed her once again. In just a few brief moments, she’d changed my life once again, making me happier than I ever dreamed possible. She’d been right when she said good things come from bad ideas, because nothing could’ve been better than having her in my arms.
The End.
More from the Satan’s Fury Series coming soon.
MJ at Mayhem Cover Creations – Thank you for making such awesome covers. You always do such an amazing job. If you need a great cover, be sure to reach out to MJ. She’s awesome! mayhemcovercreations.com
Amanda Faulkner – I can’t thank you enough. Not only are you an amazing PA, you are truly a wonderful friend. Thank you for being such an awesome PA. I couldn’t do it without you. Love ya.
Natalie Weston – Thank you being such a huge support. Your kind words and encouragement keep me going. I’d be lost without you. Your positive attitude is contagious. Don’t ever lose it.
Daryl and Sue Banner, The Dynamic Duo – Thank you both for all your hard work and for putting up with all of my craziness. I don’t know how you do it! I truly appreciate your dedication to making my book the best it can be.
* If you haven’t checked out Daryl Banner’s books on Amazon, you are missing out. Be sure to check out his books: www.amazon.com/author/darylbanner
Tempting Illustrations – Thank you for your amazing teasers. I loved them all! If you’re looking for some amazing teasers, be sure to check them out. http://www.temptingillustrations.com
Danielle Palumbo – You are officially my Wonder Woman. I can’t thank you enough for all you do. Your support and help with the book means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you for being you.
Demetra Toula Illiopoulos- Thank you so much for all of your support and your friendship. It means more than you know.
Neringa Neringiukas – You’re amazing. Thank you for your suggestions and all your amazing reviews. I can’t thank you enough for sharing my book and teasers, and all your kind words of support. You rock!
Ana Rosso – My young Jedi. Thank you for keeping me on track, even when life tends to get in the way. I am so proud of you for writing your first book, Reaper’s Creed MC. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next. Keep writing!!
https://www.amazon.com/Reapers-Creed-MCDamons-Salvation-ebook/dp/B01HG1G6PS
Patricia Ann Blevins, Kaci Stewart, , Tanya Skaggs, Terra Oenning, Sarah Hooks, Sabra Browning Barowski (loved all your messages! Thanks for checking out the rest of the series), Stacie Lee, Casey Bedolla, Jennifer Yarbrough, Gina Dickerson, Stephanie Page, Jacey Jeffrey, Sunny Harley, Amanda Evans, Bille Jean Ashworth, Martha Lanham, Kaci Stewart, Jennifer Davidson, Courtney Cartman, Jessica Blank, Dana Kimberly, Tawnya Huffman, Jaclyn Ryan, Grace Hart, Sarah Harmon, Hannah, Myers, Samantha Ortegon, Ann Tracy, Jenn Allen, Kat Beecham, Rory Lampley, Lisa Cullinan, Gloria Esau, Michelle Shelly, Melanie DeVotie, Katie Nuzzi Gittel, Charolette Smith, Melissa Smith, Race Crespin, Michelle Presley, Jessica Canoto, Rachel Hadley, and Donna Parrott. – Thank you so much for always being there with your kind words and support. Your reviews and suggestions mean the world to me. Your stories and words of encouragement always make me smile. Thanks so much for sharing them with me.
Wilder’s Women – I am always amazed at how much you do to help promote my books and show your support. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. I read all of your reviews and see all of your posts, and they mean so much to me. Love you big!
Lisa Cullinan – Thank you for all your help. It’s always great to have another set of eyes checking over things. I truly appreciate it. You’re awesome.
A Special Thanks to Mom – Thank you for always being there to read, chapter by chapter, giving me your complete support. You are such an amazing person, and I am honored to call you my mom.
Continue for an excerpt of Smokey: Book 5 in the Satan’s Fury MC Series
Satan’s Fury MC
Book 5
Smokey,
I never expected this. You caught me by surprise. You stole my heart and made me feel things I never thought I could feel. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. No one. There were days when I would look at you and think it couldn’t be possible for me to love you any more than I already did. Then you’d say something to make me laugh or look at me with those beautiful, blue eyes and smile, and I just couldn’t help but love you even more. That’s why it’s so hard for me to write this letter. I can actually feel my heart breaking as I write the words, and I know after this, I will never be the same again.
I’m leaving, Smokey. By the time you read this letter, I will already be packed up and gone. We are from different worlds, traveling on two completely different paths, and in time, it would tear us apart. As much as I love you, I can’t keep lying to myself. I know in my heart that leaving now is the only way to prevent that from happening. I love you. More than you will ever know. But this is how it has to be. If you ever cared about me at all, please don’t try to find me. Just let me go. It’s the best thing for both of us.
