It had been awhile since I was at Friday night dinner, and as soon as I walked through the door and smelled Martha’s cooking, my stomach growled in anticipation. The woman sure as hell knew how to cook the hell out of a piece of chicken. I hoped she made the honey pineapple teriyaki kind.
Cash greeted me at the door with a pat to my back, and Aubree bounced over in a pair of fancy navy blue shorts and a pale yellow top, smiling even bigger than usual. She gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I’m so happy you came.”
“Me too,” I said, when I really wanted to say I didn’t have a choice. Cash would have gone to my house and dragged me out at gunpoint if it would make Aubree happy.
Aubree clapped her hands together. “Almost everyone is here then.”
I scanned the group and gave a collective nod. Miles, Dice, Beast, Braxton and Hudson were gathered around the TV. All acknowledged me in some way with a nod back or holding their beer bottle up in greeting. Nick sat next to Phil at the dining room table, and didn’t bother to look in my direction.
The prospects, Byrd and Stumpy, were in the kitchen with Stumpy’s aunt, Martha. The only person who was missing was…
There was a slight knock on the door and Aubree yanked it open, taking Sienna into her arms. Sienna’s long blonde hair was pulled back, and my eyes landed on the sexy curve of her long neck, knowing how easily she squirmed when I ran my tongue from collarbone to just behind her ear.
She was a vision of beauty in a black low cut tank top that clung to her growing belly, and a long skirt that showed off her amazing ass.
Cash greeted her next with a kiss on the cheek and, as fucking stupid as it was, I was jealous of my best friend. With Nick only a few feet away, I wasn’t sure if I should even be looking at her.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” Aubree said to Sienna, just as she said to me. “And, now that you’re here…” Aubree didn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she grabbed Cash’s hand and walked to the middle of the room, leaving Sienna and me alone by the door.
“Hey,” I said to her, when really I wanted to scoop her up in my arms and feel her warmth against me. Feel her moan when I thrust my tongue against hers.
“Hey,” she said back in a mere whisper before heading toward the rest of the group. My cock strained against my jeans when she passed, leaving me in a blanket of her coconut scent.
Miles and Dice fought over the remote while everyone chatted and laughed loudly.
“Can I get everyone’s attention?” Aubree said, but her voice was no contest for the rambunctious crowd. “Guys!” Her voice was a little louder, but still not enough. She shifted her weight to one foot and sighed.
“Yo, fuckers!” Cash’s voice boomed through the entire house and everyone froze. “My girl has something to say, so shut up and listen.”
Miles snatched the remote out of Dice’s hand. Cash gave Miles the death glare, and Miles hid the remote in the couch cushion beside him before giving his attention.
I shook my head and laughed. Fucking guy. Sometimes, I wondered if he stopped progressing at sixteen.
“Thank you, baby,” Aubree said, reaching into her pocket. “I just want to say you guys have become like family to me, and thank you for continuing the tradition of Friday night dinner. Today’s dinner is also a celebration.” She pulled her hand out of her pocket, holding up the ring Cash had shown me not to long ago. “We’re engaged!” Aubree squealed.
“Oh, shit!” Dice said, jumping up to congratulate them, followed by the rest of the brothers. Sienna went to Aubree, taking her hand in hers and admiring the ring. She genuinely looked happy for her, and it gave me hope for our future.
“Congratulations, brother,” I finally said to Cash when the crowd around him cleared. I took his hand in a shake and pulled him into a hug. I patted his back, thrilled after a rough road of loss, my best friend finally found happiness.
“I just want to say one more thing,” Aubree said and, since no one stopped talking, Cash whistled. “Thank you. Tonight is a night of celebration. And, because of that, we’re going to finally acknowledge the fact that Sienna and Kade are going to bring a new member into this family. I’m sick and tired of the tension and people not speaking. Grow up and move on.” Aubree turned her attention from Sienna to Nick, and then to me.
Everyone sat stunned in silence. She was feisty as hell, and the only person that could get away with telling Nick to grow up.
Sienna’s lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes narrowed to tiny slits, and I swore she was going to launch herself at Aubree.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Aubree said to her. “Creating life is one of the best things you can do. It’s not a burden. It’s a blessing.”
Martha handed Aubree a champagne flute, and it was all I could do not to laugh. Aubree had already taken over Cash’s house. Before she came into his life, the only things he had to drink out of were plastic. Aubree held the glass up as Martha, Byrd and Stumpy passed a glass to everyone.
“Sienna, yours is sparkling grape juice,” Aubree said with a wink, ignoring the scowl Sienna was still directing at her.
Miles smelled the liquid, and Beast eyed it like it was poison.
When everyone had a glass, Aubree rolled her eyes. “It’s champagne, people! I came from a different world, and, when you celebrate, you celebrate with a toast and some champagne. I might have started fresh when I moved in with Cash, but some traditions die hard, so humor me here.” She motioned for everyone to hold up his or her glass.
We followed her lead, as Cash gave us his death glare to make sure we did. “To the future and to remembering what’s most important in life: to family”
“To family,” Cash said, and we all sipped the champagne.
“Hey, this shit’s pretty good,” Miles said, downing the rest then pointing to the glass Dice placed on the table to switch out for his beer. “You going to drink that?”
“It’s all yours,” Dice said.
Sienna placed her glass down, and went right out the door. Against my better judgment, I went to run after her, but Aubree clamped down on my arm. “Let me,” she said, her brown eyes pleading with me.
Aubree was the first real girlfriend that Sienna ever had and, even though I wasn’t exactly thrilled with her little speech tonight, I knew she meant well with it. She and I had the same goal in mind: to fix things. I tried and failed miserably, so maybe she would be able to make some progress.
I nodded my head and she took off after Sienna while I went in search of something stronger than the damn champagne I was still holding.
16
Sienna
I couldn’t believe her. She was supposed to be my friend. She wasn’t supposed to put me on the spot like that, and totally air my dirty laundry. Not that it was some big secret anymore, but still. Would a little discretion be too much to ask for? And, to top it off, I was hurt and disappointed that Daddy still couldn’t look at me after everything that Aubree said and it nearly broke me all over again. I was stuck in the middle, Daddy on one side and Kade on the other, just like I have been this whole damn time. By the looks of things, I would remain there for god knows how long.
“Sienna!” Aubree called out as I approached my bike.
I took a deep breath and tried to succumb my anger. “Go away, Aubree,” I said, deciding it was best if she just left me the fuck alone. It was safer for the two of us.
“If you think that’s going to work, then you don’t know me at all,” she said with a laugh, and I spun toward her so she could see the anger in my eyes.
“I don’t want to hear your apologies. It’s a little too late.”
“Good. Because I wasn’t coming out here to apologize.”
“Then, what the fuck do you want? Seriously, what the fuck was that in there?” My anger exploded in my words, as I walked toward her.
“I was doing what I thought needed to be done.”
“That’s not your decision to make, Aubree.”
“Do you re
member the first time we met?” she asked. I didn’t answer because of course I did. She had just killed Anthony, one of Gordita’s sons, after he broke into Cash’s house and attacked them in Cash’s bedroom. She was a shaking mess, a girl who was just stripped of her innocence. “You came right over to me and sat me down, gave me a shot of whiskey and told me to plug my nose. You helped protect me from the horrible thoughts consuming my mind. From the fear that wracked my body. This tough biker chick who, from first glance, I’d suspected to be the biggest bitch turned out to be the best friend I’ve ever had. I’m sorry if you’re mad at me, but I can’t just sit back and watch this. You protected me, and now it’s my turn to protect you.”
“What do I need protecting from?”
“Yourself.”
Her words caught me off guard, freezing me in place.
“I know the stuff with your Dad sucks, but it’s more than that, Sienna. Kade loves you, and he already loves that baby of yours, yet for some reason you’re pretending like he’s not a part of this pregnancy.
“He’s not,” I spat. “He’s not the one getting hormonal and fat.”
Aubree laughed. “You’re not fat. Hormonal, I’ll give you that, but we all know you’ve always been a bitch and this is just an excuse now.”
Despite myself, I smiled.
“I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“If you honestly believe that, you’ve never known true happiness.”
That’s where she was wrong. Being in Kade’s arms… feeling him press inside me… that was pure happiness. The best feeling in the world, but like everything else, it didn’t last. It came and went like the sun. There one minute, only to be taken way by the darkness.
I accepted the darkness long ago, and I’d been content with that, until Kade cracked the shades letting in the light and flipping my world on its head.
“Not every gets what you have, Aubs.”
“That’s because not everybody fights for it. It’s time you fought for your happy ending.”
“No offense but I’m not going to live in a fairy tale. They don’t exist.”
“Then, tell me how I found mine.”
“You guys are an anomaly. That shit doesn’t happen for most people. We live in a life of drugs, violence and death. That’s my fairytale.”
“God, you’re so thick headed some times,” Aubree said. “How can you not see what’s right in front of you?”
Daddy walked out of the shadows, and rested his hand on Aubree’s shoulder. “Because she never had a good example to go by,” he said.
I stared at him in total amazement. Afraid if I so much as blinked, he would disappear. It has been weeks since he even looked in my direction. Weeks since he looked at me with those kind eyes that he only had for his little princess.
His large frame dwarfed Aubree, making her look even more petite. His stomach stuck out past his cut, and I wondered what he’d been eating since he wasn’t eating the meals I prepared for him.
“If you don’t mind, Aubree, I’d like to take it from here.”
“Good luck. You’re going to need it. She’s a tough one to crack.”
“That’s because she’s just like her mother.”
At his words, tears pricked my eyes and it took all that I had to keep them from falling.
“Daddy,” I said, and when he smiled the tears fell freely.
“Come here, pumpkin.” Dad held his arms out to me and I ran into them. He engulfed me in his embrace, and I found comfort in his warmth, the distinct pine smell of his cologne and his large hands soothing my back.
“Daddy, I’m so sorry,” I said into his chest.
He grabbed my shoulders and held me back. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“I disappointed you. For the first time in my life, I disappointed you.”
He let out a loud sigh. “You did, and I didn’t know how to deal with that. After your mother died, I relied on you more than I probably should have. You took care of me when I should have been taking care of you.”
“I didn’t mind.”
“I know you didn’t, and that’s your mother in you. But, I’m your father and I should have let you be the kid. At your age, I had made a million mistakes and continued to do so and still do. It’s not fair of me to expect you to never mess up.” He pulled his red bandana out of his back pocket and wiped my tears. “Besides, this isn’t really a mess up.” His eyes went from mine to my stomach. “You’re giving me a grandbaby. Aubree was right. We should be celebrating that.”
I laughed, choking on a happy sob. “Please don’t tell her that. We’ll never hear the end of it.”
He laughed with me, and then pulled me back into his big arms. He kissed my forehead. “I want you to be happy, pumpkin. I want that more than anything. I know your mother’s death affects your decisions. I just hope it doesn’t hold you back.”
“Does that mean you’re going to forgive Kade?” I asked, not realizing how hopeful I was for this entire mess to be over, and to finally be able to move on with our lives.
Dad ran a hand over his gray beard. “One step at a time. He’s still my brother, but he betrayed everything we stand for. I can’t let that slide just yet. Maybe in time. But not right now. He’s still the father of this baby and, as much as I would love to kill him, you can’t keep him out of the baby’s life. It wouldn’t be fair.”
I looked into Dad’s eyes, and finally admitted what I’d been denying from the minute I found out I was pregnant with Kade’s child. “I’m scared.” I took a deep breath, searching for the courage to be honest. “I watched what happened to you after Mom died, but I’m sorry. I don’t want that to happen to me. You keep looking for someone else to love and it never works out. Then, you’re left alone again.”
“Is that what you think?” he asked.
I nodded.
“No, pumpkin. Your mother was the love of my life. I know I’ll never love anyone the way I love her. I’m not looking for that. I’m just keeping company until it’s my time to be with her again. Most of the women figure that out, and they leave because they know they’ll never be number one for me.”
“And you’re okay with that?” I asked, shocked I never knew this about my father. Never knew that he was only marrying woman because he wanted the company.
“I get lonely, but who wouldn’t? Other than that, I’m fine. Your mother might have left us too soon, but she left me with the greatest thing she ever could have. She gave me you. Every day, I see more and more of her in you and it’s a reminder of how lucky I was. Even if it was for a short time, I was still one lucky son of a bitch.”
“Knowing that you would lose her, would you go back and do things differently? Maybe not fall in love with her at all?” I hated to ask, but I needed to know. Was the pain worth it?
“I might’ve told her how much I appreciated her a little more. Hugged her a little more. But I would never not want to fall in love with her again. They were the best years of my life.”
The door opened, and Dice poked his head out. “Everything okay out here?” he asked.
“Everything’s fine,” I said.
Dad held his hand up. “We’ll be back in a minute.”
“You better hurry up before there’s no food left. You know what. I’ll go save you guys a plate.” He ducked back inside and, when the door shut, Dad turned back to me.
“Think. If I never married Linda, you wouldn’t have him as your brother.”
I couldn’t imagine life without Dice in it. Couldn’t imagine as him anything other than my brother. Like Dice said to me not too long ago, when it came to us, blood didn’t matter. We were siblings.
“Things tend to work out the way they’re supposed to,” Dad said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “What do you say? Want to head back to the celebration with me?”
“Why the fuck not?”
“That’s my girl,” Dad said with a laugh.
We headed b
ack inside. Aubree sat with Cash at the end of the dining room table. When she spotted me, I offered her a smile and I swore she would have clapped her hands if Cash weren’t holding one of them.
She was a royal pain in my ass, and had a completely different way of doing things, but she meant well and I was grateful to call her my friend.
Dice came up to me, and handed me a plate filled with Martha’s famous honey pineapple teriyaki chicken. “You’re a godsend,” I said, forking a piece and bringing it to my mouth. I closed my eyes and savored the taste.
“I had to fight Kade for the last few pieces, but, when he heard they were for you, he offered them up almost instantly.”
I glanced over to Kade, who sat with a beer in his hand, next to remote-hogging Miles. Like two attracting magnets, his eyes met mine. There were so many unspoken words between us. Things that needed to be said and worked out, but I had enough talking for one night.
Kade held his bottle up to me and smiled. It was a tiny gesture, and I realized that he was full of them. All of which when combined turned into a massive gesture that proved how good of a guy he really was.
I held my fork up in my own gesture. It may have been the first, but I hoped it wouldn’t be the last.
17
Kade
We all sat around the big oak table, discussing the meeting with Angelo that was set for a couple hours from now. Nick rested his elbows on the hard surface, linking his fingers together and displaying the rings he wore. When he punched me, he left an imprint of one of them on my face. Luckily, the bruising finally cleared, leaving behind only a tiny scar where the ring cut me.
“Miles will be up front with me to take the meeting. Cash and Kade, I want you behind us, keeping a watch on things, while the rest of the guys watch from a close distance.”
Nick wanted me on the front lines with him. Did that mean he was ready to forgive and forget? Or, was he hoping something would go wrong and I’d get killed? Either way, I was shocked he wanted me anywhere near him, especially watching his back.
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