by Amy Davies
Fuck my life.
“Let me sort some shit out here and I will fly down. I’ll let you know the details.” With that, I hang up, not bothering to hear what she has to say.
When I was in the Army, I saw things that are the nightmares of others, but they were the norm for me. I still see them in my nightmares. Loud noises sometimes sets off a reaction in me. Opal wants me to see the head doc like he did, and after having that phone call, maybe I need to.
“Sarge,” comes a voice filled with innocence and sweetness.
“Hey, cupcake.” I catch her and pick her up in my arms. Not many things make me smile, but fuck me, this little girl can bring men to their knees with just a sweet smile.
“I know a secret,” she whispers to me, and I tap her nose.
“Are you going to keep that secret?”
We walk into the clubhouse, just in front of my brother, Slide, and his old lady and Posey’s mom, Farrah. Today they found out the sex of their unborn child, and no doubt they will share the news with the club today.
“IT’S A GIRL.” Everyone in the room laughs at Posey’s sudden outburst. She looks at me with a huge toothy smile on her face, then covers her mouth with her hand. “Oops.”
“You are trouble, Miss Posey. Trouble, with a capital T.” More giggles and celebrations go around the room. We spend time together as a club, a brotherhood, talking about the future.
“Brothers, I need to leave,” I say to them while the old ladies are across the room.
“Why?” Magnum asks. “Everything okay?” Shaking my head, I answer him.
“Just some shit I need to sort out. I need to do this on my own.” Slouching down in my seat, I let the day’s stress weigh heavily on my shoulders. Sighing, I bring a cigarette up to my mouth and light it up, needing the nicotine to destress me.
“How long will you be gone?” Opal speaks.
“Not sure. Weeks, months.” I blow out the smoke on my answer, before I suck in a another pull of the stick.
“Brother, my baby will be born in a few months. Will you be back by then?” Slide leans forward, gaining my attention. His eyes say it all. I can see the hurt in them that I might miss the birth of his daughter.
“Sorry, brother, but I need this. I will try my fucking damned hardest to get back in time, but I need to do this, Slide.”
His body hits the back of his seat with a deflated sigh. With his gaze locked on mine, he nods. “Okay, but you better come back in time. Posey will fucking gut you if you miss her sister coming into the world. Oh, and by the way, you can tell her that you’re leaving. No way in hell am I dealing with that melt down,” he states.
Leaving my cupcake makes my gut twist, but I know I will see her again, and she will forgive me.
“What about Estelle?” Edge brings up my ex from many fucking moons ago, and my gut tightens even more, my heart aches. Seeing her around the club has been bittersweet. I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms and kiss the ever-loving fuck out of her. On the other hand, I want to hate for her breaking my heart.
“What about her?” I shrug it off, but my brothers see right through me.
“Have it your way. I’ll keep an eye on her while ya gone, brother. She’s sweet as fucking Refresher sweets from back home.” Rookie smirks at me, and my blood boils.
Sitting forward in my chair, my clenched fists cause my knuckles to turn white. My nostrils flare in anger at this fucker.
“Stay away,” is all I say. He holds his hands up in mock surrender, knowing full well he has done his job. “Fucking prick.”
“When do you leave?” Magnums asks. I can see his eyes assessing me, moving around my face, looking for tells that I might be freaking out. As my cousin, he knows me better than anyone here in the club.
“In the morning. I will say bye to Posey and the old ladies and head to the airport. I’ll have a prospect drop me off. See ya in the morning.”
I leave them there and head to my room. Thoughts of what is waiting for me and Estelle mix in my mind. My headache builds, and I know I’m going to need my pills to help me sleep through this. Fuck.
Tomorrow starts a new journey for me, and fuck knows where it will take me, but I know I will have my club at my back because no one stands alone.
Epilogue
Farrah
The beautiful baby girl in my arms is two weeks old. How time flies. Her birth was quick and simple, and Slide takes all the credit for that, saying that he helped produce a chilled baby that likes to make things easy on her parents. And that is an understatement. The only time she makes a sound is when she’s hungry, and even that is only a whimper.
Luna Rae Stern is the absolute epitome of her father.
Blond hair, blue eyes, and plump lips. She is cool, calm and a very good sleeper. She is currently feeding. I didn’t breastfeed with Posey for long, so I was adamant that I would with Luna for as long as I could, and thankfully she took to the breast like a pro.
I’m sitting on a bench just at the back of the new Fort Academy Rescue. It’s opening day. Everyone from the club is here and then some. Families from all over have come to join in the fun and support Risky’s new project.
She hired a small carnival to entertain the kids, but the company wouldn’t take any money, saying that she was doing a great thing. Even though it’s opening day, animals of all shapes and sizes have already been rescued, and some are ready to be rehomed. Risky found a group of people that specialize in helping treat and train animals who have suffered mental and physical abuse.
“Hey, there you are. How are my girls?” Slide smiles at me as he rounds the corner and takes a seat next to me. He leans in and kisses Luna’s head, before running his finger over her cheek.
“We’re okay. She’s ready to pass out.”
“Milk coma. Or titty coma, whichever you prefer. But I can’t fucking wait for her to come off the tit. I need these beauties in my face again, baby, or have my cock sliding between them.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. There’s my Slide, ever the man with the dirty mouth and inappropriate thoughts.
“Jesus Christ, Slide. You can’t be saying things like that. You know that we can’t have sex for a few more weeks, don’t you,” I explain, and here comes the toddler tantrum.
He moans and his head falls back. He rests his elbows on the table behind him. His legs are spread wide, and he genuinely looks like he belongs in a fashion magazine with his jeans and club cut over the top of his black t-shirt. His shades cover his eyes, but I know they’re closed as he daydreams about us naked in bed together.
“Don’t remind me,” he moans again, and I chuckle. Looking down at Luna, I see that she’s finished, so I adjust her over my shoulder, but Slide takes the spit cloth and throws it over his shoulder before taking the baby from me to burp her himself.
“I’ll do it. You clean up, babe,” he tells me.
I clean up and put my boob away, before packing my things back up. Today I’m in denim shorts and a white crop top that has the name of the rescue center on it. Anything to support the cause.
Both Posey and Luna are wearing matching outfits: pink shorts and t-shirts that say, ‘If you think I’m cute, you should see my daddy’.
“Any word?”
“No,” he sighs. We got word from Sarge that he wouldn’t be back when Luna was born, but he’s due home today or tomorrow, so he will meet his goddaughter for the first time.
Slides moves Luna into her stroller. He demanded that I have one that I love, so I took him shopping and we got a Vevor three-in-one, in rose gold. It’s so pretty and lightweight. It has everything we need.
“Come on, let’s go and join in the fun. I’m sure that Rookie could do with a break from Posey.” I smile at him as he takes my hand, and with the other hand he pushes the stroller.
“Nah, baby, he loves spending time with her.”
“True,” I reply.
We walk around the land, taking in the families enjoying the day. The weather is perfect
for it. Laughter can be heard for miles, I have no doubt, and music is playing from speakers that were set up.
A small group of children run past us, their faces painted with different animals. I smile at them as they run over to the new litter of puppies that arrived last week. They were rescued from a puppy farm.
“Oh shit,” Slide mutters from my side, and I look up, following his gaze. I see Estelle standing by the food table, laughing at something a guy said to her. the stroller next to her carrying her four-month-old daughter, Hazel.
“Handsome, he can’t say anything. He hasn’t been home in months. He’s made his feelings for her very clear. You and the brothers cannot expect her to wait around for him. She’s a beautiful and strong single mother, and she deserves happiness, like us. And I’m sorry, but Sarge won’t give her that, so maybe this dude can.” I tap his chest, but his gaze is locked on Estelle and the man.
“Maybe. That broody fucker had better hurry up and come home before someone does slip into her panties and blow it all to hell for them. He wants her, sunshine, but he needs to sort his head, I think. I just hope that he isn’t too late.”
“Me too, babe. Come on, let’s enjoy the day, yeah. This is Risky’s day, and she should be proud of herself. She has done amazing.”
“Fuck yeah, she has.”
We walk around hand in hand. We wave at Posey, who is with Edge and Drix now, getting their faces painted, and yes, Edge is getting his face painted too. Looking around, I see my family and friends, and I’m glad that I made the move down here. It’s been the best thing for Posey and me. Our family has grown substantially, and I couldn’t ask for more—well, maybe my grandad Kenny could find himself a woman to keep him in line.
“I love you, Farrah Daniels—soon-to-be Stern.” The breath gets knocked out of me by his statement. My gaze snaps to his, and I find him down on one knee, holding a jewelry box the perfect size to fit a ring in his hand.
My hand goes to my chest as he looks up at me, and everything around us goes quiet, like they knew it was about to happen.
“You know me, baby. I’m sweet and often a dirty-mouthed biker, but since this is a family day...” He looks over his shoulder, and Posey comes running over, her little legs carrying her to us.
“You, Posey and Luna are the bests things to come into my life, and I want to keep you there. So… will you marry me?” He pops open the box to show me the gold band with a bright sapphire gem in the middle, with two small diamonds on either side. It’s simple, but beautiful.
“Say yes, Mommy,” Posey says, jumping up and down. I nod, tears filling my eyes.
“Yes,” is all I can say. Slide climbs to his feet and kisses me like he’s a starving man and there isn’t hundreds of people watching us and cheering.
“You also need this,” he says, pulling out a pretty gold chain with nine different sized skulls, all in pastel colors. He places it around my neck. He once told me about the skull necklace, the significance of it.
“It’s beautiful, Ryan. I love it.” My heart races with love for this man. I never knew I could love him more. He kisses me once more before dropping to his knees again and pulling out a brightly colored sugar skull necklace for Posey, who screams and allows Slide to put it on her, before running off to show Lash and Sweets’ children.
“Come here, baby.” I step into Slide’s arms again, and everyone around us fades away. It’s just the two of us in our little bubble.
“You are my heart, Farrah. My sunshine. The master of my orgasms, the one that swallows me whole and milks my cock just for good measure.” I roll my eyes at him, making him chuckle.
“But also, you should know that you will never, ever be unloved or unwanted. I will make you feel safe, sexy, and my cock every day of your life.”
“I can’t beat that, but freaking hell, Slide… You are my everything.”
We kiss, holding each other tightly. Our tongues dance and play like they do every time we kiss. He has made me learn that the club’s motto is true in every sense of the word, because in the world of the Rugged Skulls MC, no one stands alone.
“DIBS!” someone yells. Slide snaps his head around the property but not one of the Rugged boys stands out.
“Oh, hell no. Fess up, no hiding,” Risky shouts, and everyone laughs.
“Here we go again, baby,” comes Magnum’s gruff voice.
Definitely here we go again.
The end
Acknowledgments
Again I have to thank you, my boss man, my King. Thank you for always supporting me and being at my side through it all. I love you, baby.
My 3 babies, even though you aren't babies anymore. Always be you.
Dana, thank you for such a beautiful cover yet again. They just keep coming.
Steph, always making my books read better, thank you for that and all the advice and support.
Heather, my go-to-girl for so much. Thank you for the support. Never change.
My betas, you rock as always.
Eric, thank you for taking such amazing photos. This one is perfect.
And last but never last, because as the hashtag says #AlwaysLast. Thank you for the support and kind words.
Also by Amy Davies
Standalones
Let Me Love You
What Are The Chances
This Time Around
Defeating The Odds
Christmas At Paradise Meadow
The Phoenix Boys
Rafe: The Phoenix Boys
Ryder: The Phoenix Boys
Reeve: The Phoenix Boys
Castle Ink
Dex: Castle Ink
Jay: Castle Ink
Ivy: Castle Ink
Unforgiven Riders MC
Claiming Mine: Unforgiven Riders MC
Protecting Mine: Unforgiven Riders MC
Taking Mine: Unforgiven Riders MC
Getting Mine: Unforgiven Riders MC
Keeping Mine: Unforgiven Riders MC
Reckless Angles MC
Reckless Angles MC -Part 1 in Twisted Tales of Mayhem anthology
Reckless Angles MC -Part 2 in Twisted Steel anthology
Rebel Hyper Series
Creed: Rebel Hype Pt1 in Heart Beats anthology.
Rugged Skulls MC
Magnum
Opal
Slide
About the Author
Amy lives in South Wales with her husband ad three children, their family dog and turtle. Besides writing, Amy is very fond of photography and a lover of al music. She is also a huge fan of Supernatural and Sons of Anarchy. Amy is also a huge ice hockey fan, mainly the Cardiff Devils. Amy loves spending time with her family and friends, plus meeting new people. From writing bad boys, to rock stars and bikers, Amy’s books covers them all.
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