by C. A. Harms
“No, man, your woman wants a burger, so I am making her a burger.” Jude continued to work his magic, unaffected by Kade’s obvious irritation.
Jett’s chuckle caught my attention, and I turned to see him and Easton watching Kade with interest. I knew instantly they were somehow responsible for the scene unfolding before me.
“I don’t need you to feed my girl. I can do that myself.” Kade squared his shoulders and took a step closer.
Jude looked up to meet his stare, and a smirk stretched out over his lips as he looked back over his shoulder toward Jett. A deep chuckle shook his chest as he turned back to face Kade.
“That jackass fired you up, didn’t he?” Jude asked. “He told you about the nachos and ice cream.”
Kade’s aggravation faltered just a little as a grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. “Yep,” he replied. “And as I said, I can feed my woman without your help.”
Jude hung his head and chuckled as he pushed the plate, holding a half-made burger, toward Kade.
I watched in confusion as Kade took the plate and Jude slowly backed away. He made his way over to the other two guys, and all three began to laugh.
“What was that all about?” I asked.
Kade looked me straight in the eyes. “I’m responsible for your salty and sweet,” he said with authority, “and everything in between. Got it?”
I looked over at Jett, noticing he was still watching Kade closely. Then it clicked. Jett, still smiling, offered me a reassuring wink, and I knew instantly he was responsible for the testosterone-driven display.
I stepped toward Kade and placed my hands at his waist. “I got it,” I whispered before raising up on to my toes and placing a soft kiss against his lips. “I love you, Kade Thomas,” I said without hesitation or regret. “Now make me that burger, Daddy. Your baby’s hungry.”
His features softened. “One burger coming up, pretty girl.” He offered me one last kiss before he busied his hands.
Men. And they say women are dramatic.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Kade
I had tried to call Avery four times, but every call had gone unanswered. So I left the shop and rushed to her apartment. She’d left work early yesterday because she wasn’t feeling well and called in today, so the fact she wasn’t answering was freaking me out. Without even a second thought, I used the key she’d given me a few days ago and entered her apartment. I stopped in the doorway as I saw my sweet girl all curled up under a blanket in the recliner with her earbuds in.
A huge relief filled me as I closed the door and walked to the chair. I knelt next to it and traced her lower lip with my thumb. My touch must have tickled her, because her lip twitched and her eyes fluttered open.
“Hi,” she whispered hoarsely. “What are you doing here? You should be at work.”
“I tried calling.” I shrugged, and her eyes grew wide.
“I’m sorry. I fell asleep. I didn’t hear it ringing.”
“I know,” I replied. “But don’t be sorry. How are you feeling?”
“My throat feels like sandpaper when I swallow. And it hurts when I cough. I called my doctor, but he’s been called in to the hospital for an emergency C-section on one of his patients. They’re supposed to call me back. Or call something in. But with the appointment being tomorrow, he may just treat me then.”
She had a chest cold in the middle of summer, and I felt horrible for her. “No,” I said a little more aggressively than I had meant to. “He’ll treat you today or I’ll take you to urgent care.”
She smiled and closed her eyes, laughing softly. “You are such a bear,” she whispered.
“No, I’m just taking care of the woman I love.”
She opened her eyes.
“I know you told me a couple weeks ago that you love me,” I said. “I didn’t say it back, but not because I don’t love you. I was honestly so overwhelmed with the feelings that rushed through me when you said that. It kind of shocked me stupid for a few moments.”
She giggled, continuing to watch me.
“But I do love you, Avery. I’ve loved you from the day we met. When we were friends, you cared for me even when I acted as though we had no future. But that love just grew from friendship to something more intense over time, and I can now say without a second thought that I am in love with you.”
She blinked, and a tear rolled down her cheek. “I love you too.”
***
I was in a pissy mood as I sat in the examination room. Hoping to tame the irritation our ol’ friend Dr. Miles seemed to bring out in me, I flipped through the pictures on my phone as a means of distraction.
“Stop pouting,” Avery said. When I looked up, she was staring back at me with a big smile on her face.
“I’m not pouting,” I replied, narrowing my eyes.
She giggled. “Yeah, right, then what do you call it?”
I was just about to answer her when I heard a light tapping on the door. My jaw flexed as I ground my teeth. But when the door was pushed open, the irritation rolling through me slowly faded. A young woman, not much older than myself, entered, wearing the same type of coat Dr. Miles usually did.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Allison Graynes.” She held her hand out to Avery, but her eyes took a little bit too long to roam away from mine. “I’m a colleague of Dr. Miles. He’s been called out for an emergency with another patient, so I hope it’s okay that I see you today?”
She waited for Avery to respond. My girl looked over at me and, yes, rolled her eyes when I grinned from ear to ear. I wouldn’t have to deal with Dr. Fuckwad feeling up my girl today.
“It’s fine,” Avery replied. “But will we still be able to have the sonogram today?”
“Of course,” the doctor said as she looked over Avery’s chart. “It says here you are sixteen weeks and two days along. We just might be able to find out the gender.”
“I hope so,” Avery whispered.
I sat back feeling very relaxed as Dr. Graynes looked over Avery, asking all the necessary questions. Flying high from the idea of seeing and hearing our baby soon, I grinned. I was sure I resembled the Joker, just without the creepiness factor.
“Everything looks really good,” Dr. Graynes said. “Do you have any questions for me? Anything that’s concerning you? It looks like we called in some antibiotics yesterday. How are feeling today?”
The doctor and Avery continued to converse while I sat back and enjoyed how relaxed this visit was compared to previous ones.
“Okay. Well then, are you two ready to see your baby?” she finally asked.
I was up and out of the chair before she even completed the sentence and holding out my hand to help Avery from the table.
“Someone is very eager.” Avery snickered, and I smiled in return.
“Hell yeah I am,” I said as I led her across the hall to the sonogram room.
Once Avery was in position and the lights were dimmed, we sat back and watched the machine closely. That amazing sound began to fill the room, and my chest constricted with a happy feeling that still at times felt foreign.
“I would say the chances of us finding out the gender look pretty good,” Dr. Graynes said. “This little one has nothing to hide.”
I laughed when I noticed what she was referring too. Out little bitty was spread-eagle.
“Let me just take a few more measurements, and then we’ll reveal the secret.” Dr. Graynes scanned over our baby’s head and torso with the ultrasound probe. Once she had it in the exact position she wanted, she clicked the keyboard attached just at the bottom of the screen. All the while, that strong heartbeat still gave me the best kind of reassurance that our miracle was healthy.
“Are you ready?” the doctor asked, and I looked up to meet Avery’s gaze. A big smile graced her lips.
“Yes, we’re ready,” I said without taking my eyes from the woman who had in just a short time given me more than I could have ever asked for.
Chapter Thirty-S
ix
Avery
Kade and I stood at the end of the table that held every one of our friends and members of our families. They all stared back at us with eager eyes as they awaited our news.
Kade squeezed my hand, and I turned to look up at him. He looked so unbelievably happy.
“You tell ’em,” I said.
I wanted him to have this beautiful moment, though I would be sharing in it too. Kade would get to tell our news, and in turn I would get to see the excitement in his eyes when he spoke those four words.
He turned back to face everyone as they all began to grow impatient.
“We’re having a girl.” He smiled so brightly that a small dimple pulled at his left cheek.
Clapping and squeals filled the room. Congratulations came from every direction but Harper, who responded with her snarky attitude.
“You are in so much trouble,” she said. “Do you understand that when you have a boy, you only have one little willy to worry about, but when you have a daughter, you have a million little willies to worry about?”
Easton chuckled because he immediately got it. I, on the other hand, just wrinkled my eyebrows, wondering what in the hell she was talking about.
“Oh my God, seriously, Avery?” she asked before laughing. “You are going to have to fight off all the little boys that are running after your daughter…hence the word willies.”
When she said the word, she pointed to Easton’s crotch, and my eyes grew wide. I slapped my hand against my forehead and shook my head. Harper had the greatest way of making each moment memorable.
“No willies will be getting anywhere near our daughter,” Kade stated. “She’ll have more than enough men around her to be sure of that.”
***
Jude had outdone himself. He came out of the kitchen for a short time to share our moment with us, only to return there immediately after. When Jett told him to leave the kitchen to Marco, Jude looked at him like he was insane and insisted he was needed to make things flow smoothly. He was sort of a control freak.
I noticed he had a fresh cut on his left cheekbone, and the knuckles on his right hand were bruised. So many times I’d wanted to ask him if he was okay, but I knew he would only tell me he was fine. Jude was loyal and never turned down a friend in need, but when it came to his personal life, things were just off limits, even to Jett. It was so hard for me not to attempt to fix whatever was troubling him, though. At the very least, I wanted to help him figure out things with Callie, who he always seemed to be staring longingly at.
As we all sat at the huge table in the center of the dining area at Jett’s restaurant, looking at the assortment of items Jude had created, we heard a long crash from the kitchen. Seconds later, Jude rushed out in a dead sprint toward the exit. Without saying a word, he ran through the door, and it slammed shut behind him.
Everyone looked around in shock, and Jett shoved his chair back from the table to see what had happened in the kitchen.
When Kade stood up to follow, I gripped his arm. “Where are you going?”
He leaned over and kissed my forehead. “Wanna see if there is anything I can do. I’ll be back.”
I sat quietly as he walked toward the kitchen and disappeared behind the door.
“That looked intense,” Callie whispered, and I looked up to find her staring at the door Jude had rushed out of. Quinn appeared torn, and for probably the first time in her life, Harper was speechless.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Kade
“What the hell happened?” Jett demanded as he stood facing the remaining kitchen staff. A look of horror graced each and every one of their faces.
“Not sure, Boss Man,” Marco replied. “One minute he was tenderizing chicken when his phone rang. He answered, and the next thing we knew, the tray was slamming against the wall and he was running through those doors. But the growl that ripped through him when he answered his phone means the shit he heard wasn’t good news.”
I stood back, waiting for Jett to give me the word that we were going after Jude.
When he turned to me, he wore a determined look on his face. “You with me?” he asked. “I know this night was about the baby, and I couldn’t be happier for you and Avery, but I gotta figure out what’s going on with him. I’ve been ignoring it entirely too long.”
“I’m in,” I said.
“Me too,” Easton said as he entered the kitchen. I hadn’t even heard him push through the doors.
Jett nodded at him before turning and walking back out into the dining area. “Callie,” Jett hollered.
Her eyes grew wide, and she slowly stood from her seat at the table. “Yes?” her reply was a timid whisper, not at all like the type of person she was.
“I need Jude’s address.”
She nodded before hurrying off toward Jett’s office.
I walked over and sat down next to Avery, then placed my arm over the back of her chair.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“I wish I knew. He got a phone call and got angry, then threw some shit and took off. Jett wants to check on him, and he doesn’t wanna go alone. Easton and I are gonna ride along.”
I immediately saw the disappointment in her eyes, and I thought about changing my mind. She looked over toward Quinn, and they shared some look I knew only they understood.
“Okay, um…” She shrugged. “I guess I’ll have Quinn or maybe my parents take me home.”
I pulled the keys from my pocket and held them out to her. “Drive the Tahoe, go to my place, and I’ll meet you there later.” She looked back at me with a blank stare. “We need to talk about our living arrangements anyway. This two-separate-apartments thing ain’t gonna work.”
“But—”
I leaned in and placed my lips to hers before she could finish. I kept the kiss simple because we were in public, but I think I made my point.
Pulling away, she looked back at me with wide eyes.
“No buts,” I said. “I have two bedrooms, you have one. I have more space, you live in a loft. It makes sense for you to come live with me. Plus, you said my shower is better.” I stood up, then gave her one last kiss before turning to walk away.
“See ya at home, pretty girl,” I hollered back over my shoulder as I followed closely behind Jett and Easton. I did not miss Jett’s chuckle or the smirk on Easton’s lips as he shook his head. Yes, I had fallen—hard.
***
When Jett dropped me off at home, I was exhausted, and my heart literally ached. We both sat outside my apartment in Jett’s car for at least thirty minutes, just staring off into the distance, wondering how we could have been so selfish. We were disgusted with ourselves for not realizing what Jude had been going through, for not caring enough to push harder or offer help, even though he would have shot us down.
I took in a deep breath and looked over at Jett, who looked equally disgusted. “All those times he came in with black eyes and cuts, we just blew it off.”
“I know,” Jett replied, still looking down at his hands as he gripped his steering wheel tightly.
“Do you think he’ll come back?” I asked.
“He needs the money,” Jett said. “He has mouths to feed, medicine to buy. I just wish he would have said something.” He shook his head. “I could have helped.”
He was thinking the same things I was.
Jett finally looked up. “I gotta make it right.” He sounded so defeated. “It doesn’t matter how hard he pushes and fights me. Jett’s is where it’s at because of Jude. I’m living it up with two different locations now and the possibility of a third. Yet he’s always looking for his next paycheck so he can take care of his loved ones. That shit don’t sit well with me.”
All I could do was nod, because he was right. It was time Jude knew who his friends were.
Epilogue
Kade
“I can’t believe I’m almost thirty weeks along,” Avery whispered in the darkness. My arm was wrapped around
her waist as my hand lay stretched out over her rounded stomach. I could feel the movement of our daughter against my palm. I couldn’t wait to hold her in my arms.
“She’ll be here before we know it,” I whispered against her neck.
Avery wiggled her butt against me, and I groaned. Her giggle let me know she knew exactly what she was doing.
“Then we better take advantage of our time alone, don’t you think?” she cooed.
I lowered my hand slowly, and she parted her legs just enough to allow me better access. I slid my fingers between her legs and found she was wet and ready. A small gasp fell from her lips when I slipped a finger inside her.
“I think that’s a great idea,” I said as I trailed my tongue along her neck. She arched her ass back against my growing erection, taking the last bit of control I had.
The moment she reached around behind her and took my hardness in her hand, I was lost. “Open your legs, baby,” I instructed as I placed my hand over hers and stroked gently.
She parted her legs and let her hand slip away from my cock. Tipping my hips at just the right angle, I guided myself toward her wetness. She arched her back when I slid inside her.
“Mm,” she moaned softly, pushing her hips backward. Our bodies began to move as if we’d been sharing moments like this our entire lives.
Avery was made for me. I believed that now. She was my angel in the darkness. The sweet to my salty.
“I love you, pretty girl,” I whispered against her ear as I slowly pulled back, only to slowly enter her again. Her breath came out in small pants as she moaned softly. “Thank you for not giving up, for waiting for me to find my way.”
“You were worth the wait,” she whimpered as I thrust my hips forward. “Oh my God, Kade.”
