Blaine: Christmas at The Skulls

by Blaine- Christmas at The Skulls [Evernight] (mobi)

  “What are you going to do?”

  Emily listened to the women talk. She thought about Angel’s responses. They were very quietly answered.

  “Do you really want to talk about it?” Angel asked. “I know that you, erm, you can’t have any kids.”

  There was silence for several seconds. Emily was tempted to open the door to watch the two.

  “Angel, honey, I can’t have kids, but that doesn’t mean I can’t talk to you about them. Please, do not feel bad or guilty about it.”

  Emily finished getting dressed. She opened the door to find the two women were hugging. Tears were shining in Lacey’s eyes. “I can’t have kids,” Lacey said, looking toward her.

  “I’ve got one.” Emily held her finger up not really knowing what to say.

  “Good. I don’t want it to be weird between us, Angel. I hope you get pregnant soon.” Lacey took a step back.

  She felt completely confused. Angel held a towel out to her. “Here you go.”

  Emily once again followed the two women out of the room. They entered a large area that had several women swimming in the pool. There were a couple of men who wore uniforms and were watching as if they were children.

  “There was a woman a year or so ago who jumped into the pool and because we didn’t have those guys, she almost drowned. Lash tried to get it changed to women, but that didn’t work.”

  Emily was sure Lash threatened all the men to keep their eyes and thoughts firmly on the job. She walked into the pool, loving the feel of the warm water on her skin.

  “I’m just going to swim,” Lacey said.

  Angel nodded.

  Emily walked toward the side of the pool getting used to the water. She glanced across to see one of the lifeguards was watching them or, more importantly, watching Angel.

  “So, how is it with Blaine?” Angel asked, completely oblivious to the guy looking at her.

  “Erm, we’re doing okay.” Emily thought about this morning, and her cheeks heated.

  “I take it from your color it’s going a lot better than okay.”

  Emily frowned. “Is that why you invited me, to talk about Blaine?” It was Angel’s turn to go red. “He told you to bring me here, didn’t he?”

  “Blaine wanted me to talk to you.” Emily made to leave, but Angel grabbed her arm. “Please, don’t leave. Blaine’s my friend. He trusts me.”

  She looked down at the water, waiting for Angel to remove her hand.

  “He told me what you said to him last night. You don’t know if you’re in love with him anymore.”

  “That’s my and Blaine’s business—”

  “I told him that as well. He’s worried about you.”

  Emily didn’t know whether to be hurt by how easily Blaine could talk to Angel rather than her, and told her so.

  “Blaine loves you, Emily. He confided in me because he’s worried.”

  “He’s not the same man I knew.”

  Angel nodded. “He’s changed for you. He stopped the drugs.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not talking about those changes. The man I met, I was seventeen. It was a bonfire, and he was—I don’t know. He was different.” Emily stared down at the water remembering the way he’d come up to her as if he had all the confidence in the world. “The man who introduced himself to me, who made me promises, is not the man I see now.”

  “Do you love Blaine?”

  Emily opened her lips then stopped. “I really don’t know.”

  “What do you think when you think of Blaine?”

  “I can’t do this, Angel.” Emily started to move away.

  Angel held her hands up. “I’m sorry. This wasn’t my place.”

  She took off going for a swim. The lifeguard kept looking at Angel. Emily climbed out of the water and decided to warn him.

  “The woman you keep staring at is a Skull woman. She belongs to Lash. You keep looking at her like you want her then you’re going to find yourself in a world of pain.” She brushed past him, wishing someone could say the same about her when it came to Blaine.

  Chapter Four

  “I’m really sorry, Blaine. I tried to talk to her, but she got really upset. I think you need to talk to her,” Angel said, frowning.

  Blaine nodded, looking toward Emily as she embraced their daughter. He’d picked Darcy up from her parents. They’d sat down and had a talk. He’d told them of his plan that coming Christmas, and he’d spoken to Whizz. His brother was fine with his plan, providing he didn’t spoil things for him when it came to Lacey. From what he heard the meeting with the adoption agency might not have gone so well. Whizz hadn’t looked all that great since returning, but the moment he looked at Lacey everything seemed fine.

  “Don’t worry about it,” said Blaine.

  “I believe she’s still in love with you.”

  “What?”

  He forced himself to stop looking over at Emily to look at Angel.

  “Emily’s a sweet woman. You can see it, and the only way to remain hurt like that and for this long is because of her feelings for you. Whether she even knows it or not, she’s still in love with you, and that’s why she’s finding it hard to let go. She doesn’t want to be hurt again.” Angel touched his arm. “I like you, Blaine. I like Emily as well. I’d love to see you both happy.”

  “Hey, Angel, will you stop touching everyone?” Lash said, coming up to stand behind her. He held Anthony’s hand while the boy walked. Lash banded his arm around her waist protectively. “Hands off, Blaine.”

  Angel slapped Lash’s hand. “Stop it. He’s got his own problems to worry about.” She looked over at Emily who was sitting at the dining room table going through Darcy’s homework.

  Emily had bound her hair up on top of her head. The strands cascaded down but exposed her neck. Blaine recalled the times he used to kiss and suck on her delicate flesh. Her neck was one of her most sensitive areas.

  “Thank you for all you’ve done today.”

  He moved away from the small family to go to his own. Blaine didn’t allow Emily’s frosty exterior to affect him or send him away.

  “Hey, princess, what ya doing?” He leaned down to press a kiss to Darcy’s temple while gripping the back of Emily’s neck. She didn’t jerk away, and he slowly started to caress her.

  His daughter looked up at him with those same blue eyes as her mother’s. “Math, Daddy. It’s hard.”

  “We’ll get it done together.”

  Blaine stayed standing up, stroking the back of Emily’s neck as he helped his daughter to work out all of her problems. When he chanced a glance over at his woman, Emily was staring right back at him, shooting fire with her gaze. He didn’t stop. Emily was going to learn that she was his woman and he wasn’t going to back down.

  Tabitha climbed up on a seat across from them with Eva sitting beside her. “Here you go, honey,” Eva said.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “What’s going on?” Tiny asked, coming to stand with them.

  “I’m making Simon a Christmas card,” Tabitha said, grinning up at her father. Tate was standing with Simon and her man Murphy, who was currently rubbing her very swollen stomach.

  “He’s right over there,” Tiny said, looking confused.

  “Not that Simon.”

  “Devil’s Simon,” Eva said.

  The look of fury on Tiny’s face was clear to see. “I told you to handle this.”

  “They’re friends.” Tabitha was oblivious as her parents started to argue over her budding friendship with Devil’s little boy.

  “I’m not having her thinking she can do this shit, Eva.”

  “Tiny, they’re two friends that have gotten to know each other. In a year they’ll both be in fucking school. Back off. It won’t be long before they’re forgetting each other. Nothing is going to happen between Simon and Tabitha. I promise.”

  Blaine watched as Tiny nodded.

  “For now, just pretend it doesn’t bother you. She’s young, Tiny. An
other guy will come along and be her superhero.”

  “I’m supposed to be her superhero.”

  “Then act like it.”

  Tiny gritted his teeth but took a seat. “Hey, honey, what’ve you got there?”

  “Reindeer, Simon’s scared of them, but they’re not scary. They’re going to help Santa deliver presents.”

  “Where’s his sleigh?” Tiny looked over the paper, but all Blaine could see was a motorbike.

  “This Santa is cool like our dads who ride motorbikes.” Tabitha grabbed imaginary -handle bars and made brum-brum-brum noises.

  Tiny burst out laughing. “God, I love you, sweetheart. You can never change.”

  “I know, Daddy.” Tabitha gave her father a hug.

  Blaine finished helping Darcy with her homework with Emily chipping in to help as well. He remembered Emily doing homework when they were together. While she worked he’d sit and watch her, content to just see her.

  You fucked up and now you’re living with it.

  He wouldn’t be living with it for much longer. The past was going to finally stay in the past.

  “Are we going home now?” Darcy asked, putting her pens away and flipping her homework book closed.

  “No, not tonight,” Blaine said. “Come on, let’s show you to your room.” He bent down presenting his back to her. “Get on. You’re never too old for a piggy back ride.”

  “Dad, I’m almost six.”

  “Complain when you’re sixteen.”

  Darcy giggled and climbed onto his back.

  “Tell Mommy to join us,” Blaine said. Emily could find any excuse to deny him, but she couldn’t tell their daughter no.

  “Come on, Mom. Daddy can give you a piggyback ride as well.”

  Blaine laughed. He’d be more than happy to give Emily a ride or two.

  “I’m too big and too heavy.”

  “No, you’re not, Mom.”

  He decided to take charge. “We are ready for lift off, one, two, three, four … hold on tight.” Blaine started to shake his entire body, loving the giggles coming from Darcy. This was how he imagined life to be when Emily first told him she was pregnant. They would be a happy family with so much love and laughter. He took off, rounding the table and almost colliding with Nash who was doing the same thing to Rachel.

  A couple of the brothers shot them glares, clearly not happy with being bombarded with children and all the girl crap that was going on. Blaine didn’t mind. He liked the family feel the club always had. This Christmas was more significant than any other. This was about getting back together after Gonzalez had tried to screw them over. They had lost their connection to the Chaos Bleeds crew. Blaine didn’t have much interaction with them, but Tiny and Devil had once been firm friends.

  Blaine looked forward to Christmas with his women and the club.

  He made his way upstairs with Darcy giggling. “Let’s go and see where the little angel will be sleeping.”

  Eva had pulled him aside to let him know she’d made up a room for her, and that it was one where she wouldn’t hear anything from the other room. Some of the clubhouse rooms didn’t have thick walls to keep the noise out. He heard several of the brothers had complained about the arguments happening between Hardy and Rose. The other kids were sharing a room. Darcy was older than all of the other kids and so she got her own room.

  “Mommy, would you please open the door so our princess can see her castle.”

  Emily stepped forward, turning the handle. Inside was a pink princess palace. Once Eva and the women got their hands on a project, nothing was ever safe from pink.

  “Wow, Daddy, this is awesome.”

  He eased her down, and he watched as she charged toward her bed. She jumped up and down, giggling.

  “Mommy and Daddy are going to be next door. You’ve got to promise me you won’t go wandering off without us.”

  The connecting door was locked. He didn’t want to be disturbed at night. Darcy was a good girl, and she’d been sleeping through for a long time.

  “I promise.” Darcy moved up toward him, wrapping her arms around him. “Will Santa know we’re here?”

  “Santa already knows it. I talked to him already. We’re the best of buds.”

  “Did you hear that, Mommy?”

  “I heard it.”

  He glanced back to see Emily smiling.

  “Can I play?” Darcy asked.

  “Sure.”

  He stood up, taking hold of Emily’s hand, and closing the door.

  The moment they were alone he saw Emily’s fears once again.

  “Go ahead, ask anything you want.”

  ****

  Blaine had been really sweet. Guilt once again gnawed at her heart to have doubts about his ability to be a father. He’d done nothing but prove how great he was. It was time for her to put all of those doubts to bed. She needed to get over it, as otherwise she was going to live to regret parts of her life.

  “Is it safe for her to be alone?”

  “We’re not pervs, Em. She’s safe. All the guys will take care of her.”

  She shook her head. “No, that’s not what I meant. What I meant was the club is known for having a lot of sex. I’ve seen it myself, Blaine. Will they know the room is in use? She’s young.”

  He reached out and grabbed her arms. She liked his touch way too much. This was what always made her scared. All he needed to do was touch her and she felt herself falling. He was the first and only man she’d ever been with. Blaine was the only man she ever wanted. The very thought of being with anyone else repulsed her.

  How could she have doubts about her feelings?

  The future terrified her, but being without Blaine scared her even more.

  “Em, Tiny has taken care of it. The brothers are all on board with it. The sweet-butts are on their best behavior. They’re not allowed to fuck out in the open. The brothers can still take them but it’s in the privacy of their own room. They’ll risk being kicked out of the club. When Christmas is over, it’ll be different.”

  She was happier now. Darcy was too young to have sex thrown in her face.

  “Come on, this is our room.”

  Emily had been here a few times with Blaine when the club went into lockdown. All of those times they’d had Darcy in the room with them. This was the first time when they’d be alone without their daughter present. His room was simple, a black carpet, white walls, and several drawer cabinets decorating the walls. There was a wardrobe near a door.

  “Does that door lead to Darcy’s room?”

  “No, this is the bathroom. Tiny hated seeing all the men’s asses hanging out, and when he rebuilt the clubhouse, he installed bathrooms into most rooms. There’s a shared bathroom around the back, but that’s for the sweet-butts. The men have their own rooms and bathrooms. I think he hated the idea of Eva seeing other men’s butts.”

  She laughed, believing him. Tiny was a very possessive man. He wouldn’t like the thought of any man getting near his woman.

  “About Angel today—”

  “Blaine, you really don’t—”

  “I do. Angel’s my friend. She looks out for me, and I trust her with everything. I told her about you and Darcy. I want you to be happy more than anything. From the first moment I saw you, I wanted you. It wasn’t just about sex. I love being with you, listening to you talk, watching you think, I love it all. I fucked up today. Please, don’t be upset with Angel.”

  “I couldn’t be upset with her. She lives up to her name. She’s a sweet woman.”

  “I’ve been clean a long time. I got clean after I saw you that last time on your parents’ doorstep.” She watched as he pulled out his wallet, flipping it open. “You and Darcy kept me going. I’m not going to go back to the drugs or the women. I was an asshole. Words will never be good enough to say how sorry I am. I’m going to prove it to you.”

  “You’re already proving it.” She pressed her hand to his chest, directly over his heart. “I’m not going
to lie to you. It hurts thinking about you with those other women. I get scared that if I let myself go you’re going to back out on your word again.” She saw he went to speak and pressed a finger to his lips. “I can’t make promises that it’s always going to be easy between us. It’s not, but I imagine that’s the same for a lot of couples. My parents have both asked me to cut you some slack.” She laughed thinking about it. “I’m going to try with you. I want to try not just for Darcy but also for us. I think we deserve it as well.”

  He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. “I love you, Emily.”

  She couldn’t bring herself to say the words. They had a lot of ground to make up for, but she wasn’t going to make it harder anymore.

  “I’ll move the rest of my clothes into the apartment. You’re right, it’s time I moved in and gave you more of a chance.” She offered him a smile before stepping away.

  “You’re not going to be disappointed.”

  “Is it okay if I go and help out with dinner?” she asked. She wanted to go and join the women and try to make herself part of his world.

  “Sure.”

  She stepped back turning toward the door but stopped. Emily walked back to him going to her toes and pressing a kiss to his lips. It wasn’t much, but it was the first step.

  Leaving the room she walked down toward the kitchen to hear the women talking. Angel, Tate, Kelsey, Eva, and Sophia were all talking about Rose.

  “We should invite her,” Kelsey said. “She’s part of the club.”

  “She’s filed for divorce. Hardy’s been a right depressing bastard.” This came from Tate in between bites of her candy.

  “He loves Rose. He’s got a right to be sad,” Angel said.

  Tate snorted. “He cheated on her. Not only did he cheat on her, he got the bitch knocked up.”

  Emily stepped into the kitchen.

  “Ah, Emily, you’ll agree with me.”

  “I’ve got nothing to say. I went back to Blaine.” He hadn’t gotten anyone else pregnant, and she’d not walked in on him actually doing it. She knew Rose and liked the older woman.

  “Yeah, but it’s different. You didn’t change for him, Emily. Blaine has done everything he can to make up for being an ass. What has Hardy done? Nothing. He’s taken everything from Rose and given her nothing back. The only reason he hasn’t cheated is because Rose made herself available. Blaine had to change in order to get you back. He was high on drugs, and I bet he wouldn’t have touched any bitch if he’d been sober. I’ve seen some of the sweet-butts trying to get his attention, and trust me, Emily, he pushes them away. Blaine’s a good boy now.” Tate tapped her hand, affectionately.