“Can we see the house?” He grins.
“Of course.” Callum lets me in and closes the door behind him.
“We still need to talk,” I tell Callum as I look around.
“I know.” He sighs and sets Elijah down who goes exploring straightaway.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Yes.” He looks at me, confused.
“Then stop worrying.” I kiss him quickly and follow Elijah.
Callum shows us around our new home, and I love it. It’s the same set up as Nancy’s house so I’m already familiar with how it is, but he made it ours. We don’t have many pictures together, but the few we do have are framed and on the walls.
Elijah’s room is similar to the one in his previous house except bigger. He’s already drawing on the chalkboard wall.
“When are we going to talk?” Callum whispers as we watch Elijah play.
“When he’s asleep.”
“Damnit,” he mumbles kissing the crook of my neck.
“You’ve waited three weeks; you can wait another couple of hours.” I turn to look at him.
“Are we good?”
“I should be the one asking you that. I’m the one who left.” I sigh wrapping my arms around his waist.
“I’m the one who was a dick and said hurtful things.”
“We’re even then.” I chuckle softly.
“Let’s just start fresh.”
“Good idea.” I smile up at him.
“What do you think of the house?” he asks sounding nervous.
“I love it. It’s perfect.”
“We do need to take more pictures and make it more our own, but I wanted to do it with you.”
“You’re getting good at this.”
“At what?” he asks, confused.
“Showing and expressing your feelings.”
“I’ve realized that if I didn’t I’d lose you again, and I wasn’t ready for it.”
“Nor me. It was horrible out there.”
“As it was for me staying here.” He sighs and kisses my head.
A few hours later, we’re in bed after having Nancy and Bennett over for dinner. Elijah is asleep, and we’re ready to talk.
“Can we get this talk over with so we can enjoy our first night here?” He smirks.
“Trust you to think about sex now.” I roll my eyes and sit up.
“It’s been a while now.” He pouts and I laugh.
“I know, too long.”
“Where were you? Why did you leave instead of talking to me?”
“I panicked and did what I used to do when someone was getting too close—pack up and leave. That’s what I was used to doing, and it was the easy way out yet, it was also the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I wanted to come back after five minutes of us leaving, but I had to do it to protect myself from getting hurt again. I don’t know if it’s the fact that you thought I’d want you just because you could provide protection and money, or if you compared me to a woman who was paid to get with you. Either way, I was hurt.
“I went to Denver because that’s the last place that felt like home for me. I needed somewhere familiar so I could fall on my feet quickly and not get in trouble because it’s not just me now. From the first day, it was horrible. I wasn’t happy there and neither was Elijah. He was miserable and missing you so much. I had told him that you’d be joining us so that he’d come quickly, but I regret doing so. I regret leaving.” I sigh.
“I can understand why it would hurt you, it’s pretty obvious that it would hurt anyone. It killed me to say the words, and I got two fists to the jaw for that,” he scoffs.
“Who?” I chuckle.
“Bennett and Nancy.”
“That’s my girl!”
“I couldn’t even be mad at her for punching me, she had every right to do so and so did Bennett.”
“Did you ask him to go with you?”
“No, he insisted. He came with me to confront my…I don’t even know what to call him now. Anyway, he was with me when I finished what I couldn’t finish when I was younger, and then he came with me to find you. He had to force me to leave or I would have stayed.”
“I wouldn’t have allowed you to see Elijah,” I groan, frustrated with myself.
“Why not?”
“I was too angry and wanted to hurt you as much as you hurt me.”
“Fair enough. Where did you go the next day?”
“You’re gonna laugh.” I grin at him sheepishly.
“I feel like I’m not going to laugh at all. As long as you weren’t at my cabin. Nancy forbid me from going there.”
“No, I wasn’t in your cabin. Although that’d have been a good idea.” I shrug.
“No, it wouldn’t have. It would have annoyed the hell out of me.” He chuckles.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because I wanted to go hide there.”
“You didn’t shut everybody out?”
“No, for once I didn’t, although I wasn’t great company for the holidays.” He sighs.
“I’m sorry I ruined what was supposed to be our first Christmas together.”
“It’s alright. This house was going to be your present.” He brushes a strand of hair from my face.
“What?”
“Yeah, when I got out of the hospital, I’d want to find us a place for us to make our own and create memories.” He shrugs.
“You’re a bit awesome, you know that.”
“I know.” He smirks. “That doesn’t tell me where you we…you were at the fucking safe house, weren’t you?” he groans, sounding frustrated with himself.
“What made you figure it out now?” I chuckle.
“Something Nancy said that just popped into my head.”
“What was it?”
“That you were in the safest place you could be. I can’t believe it didn’t click, and I didn’t go.”
“I’m glad you didn’t, I needed to come to terms with it and get over my stubbornness.”
“At least you really went to the safest place you could be in. I’m glad the girls gave you the address and security code number. Were you there since you left Denver?”
“Yeah, I didn’t know where else to go. I knew the place was stocked up with canned food and it’s secured. I have to say you guys have the place filled with enough stuff to last a zombie apocalypse and never be bored.” I chuckle.
“I know. We never know how long you ladies are going to have to stay there so we made sure everything was available.”
“I’m sorry for leaving you again,” I say softly.
“I’m sorry for being a dick, again.” He lifts my chin and kisses me passionately.
“New beginning?”
“New beginning.” He kisses me again and rolls us over so that he’s on top of me. He strips us of our clothes quickly.
The tip of his cock is pressing against my clit, and he’s ready to thrust into me when the door to our room bursts open. We just have time to move away from each other before Elijah jumps in bed with us.
“What are you doing here, buddy? You don’t like your new room?” Callum asks, sounding amused.
“I wanna sleep with you two.” He grins innocently, and I know sexy time has been cut short. Callum is unable to say no to Elijah.
“Just for tonight,” Callum tells Elijah who nods. “Okay then.” He chuckles and helps him get settled. He looks at me and mouths ‘sorry’.
“I love you both.” I chuckle and kiss them before putting my panties and shirt back on.
We might not get as much sexy time as we’d like with a kid in the house, but I’m beyond happy that we are finally back together and living in our new home.
I don’t think I’ve ever expected to be this happy. Hell, I never thought I’d ever get a second chance at life, but here it is. It all started the first time I came to New Orleans, and even though we’ve had our fair share of drama, things have been good. Hell, they’ve been more than good. Findi
ng a boyfriend, a family, and countless friends is amazing.
In the beginning, there were only Gail, Suzie, and Danny. Slowly, people joined the circle and now we’re one big family.
Life is fucking good.
Annabella
Three months later
A few things changed in the past three months.
Nancy, Ayden, and Charline gave birth. Nancy had two baby girls, Michelle and Catherine. Ayden had another baby boy, Luke, and Charline had a baby girl, Ashley. All three were born around the same time. All the babies are healthy and so are the moms.
Elijah is happy as ever being back here and in our new home with Callum. These two are inseparable whenever they are together. If we’re watching TV, Elijah is in Callum’s lap. He cuddles up to him all the time, which gives me the opportunity to cuddle into Callum’s other side so it’s perfect.
He is now going to the school where Charline teaches and has made a lot of friends, which is reassuring because it wasn’t really the case in the other school. He hated it there in the end and after I took him out without any warning, they wouldn’t take him back, which turned into a blessing.
I’m back working at the coffee shop full time now. I absolutely love it there. Not only because I get free cakes, but because I’m working with my friends and it’s so much fun. The girls come over almost daily and some of the guys, too.
I stopped going to the strip club long ago and Lawrence was amazing about it, but that doesn’t mean the girls and I haven’t been back for fun. We can just call in a few days before we want to go, and he’ll set everything up so we have a night of fun. The guys never join us, but they really don’t mind us going as long as we don’t go to the Magic Mike nights. Then we’re in trouble. It happened only once. They were all moaning about it for a week. Although it was fun, we always have more fun when it’s the women stripping. Go figure.
It’s still surreal that these people I was once scared of became my family and are so important to me now. All of them. They are so amazing that they recreated their Christmas party in the middle of January for Elijah and me because we missed it. We had a blast. I had never really celebrated Christmas since my parents’ died so this was all new to me. The kids were spoiled again as they all got presents, even though they already got theirs in December. They all spoiled Elijah and I think he has enough toys until he’s old enough to go to high school.
Callum enjoyed the party, too. He suffered the wrath of the ugly Christmas sweater, and he wore it proudly, much to the despair of Ayden and Charline. Apparently, it’s a tradition they started, and Aleck wasn’t too pleased when it was his turn to wear it. He swore he burned any evidence of it, but he wasn’t counting on Charline making doubles of all the pictures, which she happily showed me a few days later.
Next month I’m taking my exams to get my G.E.D., and I’m scared shitless. Nicole has been helping me with everything as she’s the one closest to me in age, and she was in school not long ago.
Callum has been hinting that he wants to have another kid with me. He thinks he’s being subtle about it, but subtle and Callum does not go well together. What he doesn’t know is that I’m already pregnant and haven’t had the chance to tell him yet because he’s been on a club run with the others. It’s doing my head in. Elijah found out the other day because the ultrasound picture was in my bag, and he asked me why I had a picture of a squid in my bag.
I took my time to explain things to him, and he’s buzzing to tell his dad all about it and has nicknamed the baby Squiddy until we figure out a name.
Elijah and I are sitting on the couch, watching cartoons when the front door opens. I don’t think Callum had the chance to put his bag down before Elijah jumped in his arms shouting his ears off.
“Hey, little man.” He chuckles and walks in looking hot as ever. I don’t know how the hell I got so lucky, but he’s sex on fucking legs, and what a set of legs he has. Thick and muscular. Major swoon!
“I missed you.” Elijah wraps his small arms around his dad’s neck and squeezes.
“I missed you, too, but you’re strangling me.” Callum fake gasps, and Elijah slaps his chest.
“Silly, Daddy.”
“Daddy is very silly.” I laugh at the two of them.
“So you two keep saying.” He shrugs and walks to me and kisses me. “How are you?”
“I’m good and you?” I ask him and he knows what I mean, has everybody made it out alive.
“Yes, I’m good.” He winks at me.
“Thank God.” I sigh in relief.
“Did you miss Mommy?” Elijah asks, sitting on the coffee table as Callum sits next to me, wrapping me in his arms.
“Of course, I did, why?” Callum asks confused.
“Did you miss Squiddy?” Elijah giggles covering his mouth.
“Squiddy?” Callum looks lost as he looks between Elijah and me.
“Yes, Squiddy.” Elijah gets up and sits on Callum’s lap before rubbing my tummy. “Squiddy.”
“Are you…? Are we…? Squiddy?” It’s not often that Callum is speechless, but this is pretty fucking epic. Big bad Callum is tearing up, and my heart swells for him.
“Yes, I’m pregnant.” I beam at him as he hugs Elijah and me, tears falling down his face.
“Best. Fucking. Day,” he says through his tears. I thought I’d be able to stay strong and not cry, but that soon went out the window. We’re both tearing up at the prospect of having a baby together. Elijah looks confused as hell as to why we’re crying, but he cuddles us both. “Are you really?”
“Yes.” I chuckle. “I found out the day after you left. I didn’t want to tell you over the phone nor did I want it to impair your judgment about what you had to do, so I’ve been patiently waiting to tell you. Elijah found out a few days ago and named it Squiddy because it looks like an octopus on the picture.”
“I love you, both of you.”
“I love you.” I smile at him.
“I love you both!” Elijah shouts and kisses us.
We’re going to have one happy family, and even though there will still be moments where the past is going to cloud our judgment and creep up on us, this is all I’ve ever dreamt of.
For so long, I’ve regretted the things I’ve done. Leaving my aunt, not letting people in, leaving Callum twice. In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take. Had I not left my aunt and done all the things I did, I never would have met Callum, and I wouldn’t be the happiest woman ever.
Callum
I still can’t believe I’m going to be a father again. Although I have Elijah and had Billy, having a baby with Bella is what I need for my life to be complete. Oddly enough, I hope we’ll have a girl. Although that’d mean countless sleepless nights when she is at the age of partying.
Bella is in the kitchen, getting dinner ready, and Elijah is still in school. The logic would be that I take her on the table and fuck her into next week because we still haven’t had time, but I have better plans.
“What are you plotting?” she asks me as she sees me staring at her.
“Come here for a minute.” I chuckle.
“I’m busy, can’t it wait?” She’s cutting up veggies to add to whatever she’s making.
“No, it’s sort of important.”
“If you have in mind that you’re going to have your way with me, you’re out of luck. I have to finish dinner, and Elijah will be home soon.”
“I know, just come here.”
“Alright,” she groans and joins me, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “What’s up?”
“Things haven’t always been peachy between us or around us. We both have been through enough to last a couple of lifetimes, but we’re finally happy. I know I am. Having you, Elijah, and Squiddy in my life has shown me that love can trump everything. I never saw myself to be a family man. I’m glad you showed me I could be and wanted more than what I thought life could offer me.” I get down to one knee holding her hand.” Annabella, will you do me t
he honor of becoming my wife?” She nods, unable to talk through her tears. I think she squeals at one point, but it’s muffled by the tears as I slip the ring on her finger.
Getting up, she wraps her arms around my neck, and I pick her up. She kisses me hard holding onto me for dear life.
I did get my way after that, and Nancy and Bennett watched Elijah for the night so that we could celebrate again.
It might have taken Bella three weeks to come back to me, but we have a lifetime of happiness in front of us. As I was starting to lose hope of ever seeing her and Elijah again, she proved me wrong and came back into my life. Things have been perfect between us. Minus the part that we can have sex whenever we want, but I knew it the minute I found out she had a kid. It doesn’t bother me. The happiness and joy of having Elijah in my life is well worth the occasional blue balls. And it’s not going to get any better with Squiddy. I still can’t believe she’s pregnant!
It wasn’t expected at all as we, well, I was just starting to talk about having a baby, but I guess it was meant to be.
Life can surprise you in a lot of different ways.
After what happened to Alina and Billy, I never wanted to be in a relationship again. I felt cursed, not only in love but with my life in general. I didn’t want to bring any drama in other people’s lives, but my friends and family stuck with me and showed me that it was okay to care and to trust again, as long as you trust the right people.
I’ve met some of the best people anyone could ever ask for in their lives, and I’m thankful and grateful that they are still in my life now. People come and go but the ones that stick with you through rough times are there for good. If they so happen to leave, it’s because they join our lost loved ones wherever you go after you die.
The day I first met Ant, I knew my life would change forever. I just didn’t know how yet. Being a part of the MC and of this family has shown me that good people still exist out there.
When I first met Bella, I never thought we’d end up together. I only thought we’d fuck a few times and go our separate ways, but it turned out to be so much more. I thought she’d send me away because I’m almost double her age, but she didn’t and still doesn’t care.
Stripping Callum (Last Hangman MC Book 6) Page 26
