by Jade Kuzma
“That’s right.”
“Headaches. Morning sickness. Fatigue. Any other symptoms?”
“None that I’m aware of.”
“I apologize for all of the questions. I’m only asking because I can give you something to deal with anything you aren’t able to manage.”
“I’m fine. I think I’ll feel better with a little bit of rest.”
“There’s no substitute for some relaxation. But your symptoms…” She looked up from her clipboard.
My heart stopped in my chest. Her stare alone was enough to tell me what I already knew. “Are you sure?”
“All your tests are positive, Summer.”
“How… How far along am I?”
“A little over a month.”
I looked down and put my hands over my stomach. I kept rubbing myself, unable to shake the growing feeling of disbelief. “Is there any chance the tests are wrong?”
“Anything is possible but I wouldn’t count on it. Summer… You’re pregnant.”
It hit me and knocked me down like standing in front of a tidal wave. I closed my eyes, thinking it would only be a matter of seconds until I woke up from my dream. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. My eyes shot open but the dream wasn’t over. I was still in the examination room with Dr. Brand smiling at me.
“I’m guessing this isn’t something you were planning on.”
“No… It’s… It’s unexpected.”
“You’re not the first woman something like this has happened to. I want you to know that I’m here for you. Not just to deal with the symptoms you have. Not just to provide the prenatal care your child will need. But you can talk to me. If there’s anything you need, I can lend you an ear. There are counselors I can put you in touch with, too. It will be strictly confidential.”
“Thank you, doctor. I… I’m fine. I’m just… I’m surprised.”
“How about the father?”
The father…
There was only one man I’d been with. I thought I left him behind in Ivory. There was a part of him that was in my memories. Now I’d taken an even bigger part of him with me.
“The father isn’t in my life anymore. It’s for the best.”
“I see…” Dr. Brand sighed a deep breath and nodded. “You’re a single woman. You’re in school. Do you have any friends or family?”
“My parents left me a long time ago. I had to put myself through college. Never made any close friends. It’s just… It’s just me—”
“It’s not just you, Summer. I’m here for you. Whatever you decide, I’m here for you. You’ll never be alone.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
Dr. Brand scribbled her pen on her clipboard then ripped off a piece of paper.
“Here. In case the headaches get stronger or you experience any further pain. It’s perfectly safe for the baby.”
I took the prescription from her, rubbing the paper between my fingertips while my thoughts raced. I still couldn’t believe what she was telling me.
“Everything will be all right, Summer.”
“I know… I just…” I hesitated for a second. Dr. Brand still had that friendly smile on her lips. It hurt me to think that the only person I could talk to about this was a woman I’d only just met a few hours ago. But at this point, I knew what I had to do. I couldn’t go back now. Not after knowing what I’d left behind.
“What is it?”
“It’s…” I swallowed to clear my throat and shook my head. “It’s nothing. I’m a little overwhelmed, that’s all.”
“That’s perfectly normal. Becoming a mother is a life-changing event. It’s not something you should take lightly. But just because your life will be different doesn’t mean your life will be worse.”
“Do you have any children, Dr. Brand? Wait… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be asking—”
“I have two sons. One in high school. Another in college. I was a little younger than you when I had my oldest one.”
“And you still managed to make it through school?”
“I wasn’t alone. Their father provided me all of the support I needed.”
Theo…
Listening to Dr. Brand tell me her story just made it that much harder to stay away from him. But I knew this was for the best. I couldn’t go back to Ivory. I had to start my new life in the city and get away from the MC.
“There are some other patients I need to speak to. I apologize, Summer. But if there’s nothing else—”
“It’s okay. You’ve already done enough. Thank you again, Dr. Brand.”
“Any time. Feel free to take your time before you leave.”
The doctor excused herself from the room. I slowly removed my gown and got back into my clothes. All of the doubts and fears I had continued to weigh heavy on my mind.
Something strange happened when I stepped out of the hospital though. It was a bright, sunny day in the city. The sky was clear. The people walking along the streets seemed to be in a good mood. The traffic didn’t seem as congested. I was in a city miles up north from where I grew up.
Ivory was the past now. I left it behind for a reason. I would make it here. Even if I had to do it by myself.
Chapter 15
SUMMER
A few days had gone by since the incident. Things were relatively quiet in Ivory. Considering what just happened, I couldn’t imagine things getting more volatile than they were.
While Theo took time to recover, I got more reacquainted with the confines of the Bone Pit.
I remembered Jordan, the president of the club. I remembered Rex, who was the VP and probably Theo’s closest friend. Then there was Ash and Grant. They were like brothers. Doc, of course, was the easiest man to remember. The only member I didn’t recognize was Micah. He was the newest patch but wasn’t any less intimidating than the others.
If there was one place in Ivory I knew Sage would be safe, it was here. We stayed in a hotel just across from the clubhouse in case anything happened. But along with reassurances from Detective Bradford, Moore went from the first thing on my mind to not in my thoughts at all.
With Theo getting discharged from the hospital, I was invited back to the Bone Pit early in the afternoon to celebrate his release. I should have thought twice about bringing my daughter to a biker bar but in the middle of the day, there was no chaos that came with all of the alcohol-fueled testosterone you usually saw.
I leaned up against the bar and watched as Jordan and Doc played with Sage in the booth across from me. My daughter laughed at both of the funny faces they made.
“It must be a hell of a feeling to see her again after everything you went through.”
I turned toward the man next to me. Ashton hadn’t changed one bit from the last time I saw him. A blond-haired, tattooed stud who was a little too pretty to be in an MC. Of course, I would never say that to him. You couldn’t remind a biker about how un-rugged he was without hurting his feelings.
“I never took my daughter for granted,” I sighed. “But after not being with her, just seeing her smile makes you realize how nothing else matters.”
“I’m glad things worked out for the best. Sorry I wasn’t on that ride with them. Grant and I are always busy at the mechanic shop.”
“You don’t have to apologize for not being involved in a shootout,” I scoffed. “It’s good to know you’ve got priorities.”
“How about you, Summer? It’s been a long time since you’ve been around here. What’s up with you?”
“Things have changed but my goal hasn’t. I finished school and I’m teaching economics at the community college.”
“Economics? Maybe you could teach Doc a thing or two about handling the club’s money.”
“Maybe. I think Doc’s got everything under control though. I try to teach my students about legitimate ways to handle their money.”
“Don’t let Jordan hear you say that. Anybody talking about the Bone Pit doing bad business will get an earful. Even you.”
We shared a laugh in the comfortable atmosphere of the bar.
“How about you, Ashton? You’re still a mechanic but anything else going on in your life?”
“Still the same ol’ shit. My only priorities are work and the MC.”
“Is that right? You’re telling me there isn’t some special old lady in your life?”
“Well…”
If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear he was beginning to blush. But just when he was about to show a hint of embarrassment, Ashton shook his head and sighed.
“…Unlike Teddy, I know there’s more to life than getting some tail. Wait… You aren’t upset, are you?”
“Upset? About what?”
“About Teddy and… you know…”
“Oh… That… Doc mentioned how he’s been the last few years. I’m not his girlfriend or his mother. He can live his life however he wants. I’d be a hypocrite if I was mad at him.”
“Now that’s interesting.” We shared another laugh. Ashton gulped down the rest of his beer then pushed the empty bottle across the bar. “Won’t be around for the celebration. Got another shift at the garage. Can’t turn down good money when it’s there.”
“Hey. Look who you’re talking to. I’m the last person who needs a lecture on the value of a dollar.”
Ashton winked before sauntering toward the exit.
The clubhouse was mostly empty outside of a few patrons and the patches scattered around. Jordan and Doc continued keeping a close eye on my daughter while Micah cleaned up behind the counter.
The entrance opened up and Rex walked in. “Everybody! The Cobra has shed his skin and returned anew!” He held his arms up as Theo followed just behind him. Everybody came up to congratulate him on his recovery. All things considered, a bandage on his shoulder was remarkably insignificant.
“Mommy!”
Sage rushed up to me with a big smile on her face. I scooped her up in my arms and watched as Theo spoke with his adoring fans. As soon as our eyes met, he made his way toward me.
“Welcome back,” I said. “How are you feeling?”
“I was feeling fine this whole time. Staying in that hospital room just made me restless.”
“There was no need for you to hurry. We were all waiting patiently for you.”
“Well, I didn’t wanna keep you waiting any longer than I had.” He turned his attention toward Sage. He had a big grin on his face, which forced her to hide her smile behind her hands. “And how are you doing, Sage?”
She giggled and shook her head like she was embarrassed.
“Go on, sweetie. Tell him you’re okay.”
She responded to my instructions by giggling again. Theo’s smile softened as he kept staring at her.
Dammit…
I knew this moment was coming. I couldn’t avoid it. But that didn’t make it any more comfortable.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” he said. “I’ve got a room in the back of the clubhouse.”
“Yeah. Of course.” I leaned forward and set my daughter down. “I have to talk to Teddy for a second. You go play with Doc for a little longer, okay?”
“Okay…” Sage scampered across the bar toward Doc and Jordan, who were both waiting for her with an enthusiasm they wouldn’t have for anybody else.
“This way.” I followed Theo through the back of the bar and down the halls. The members had rooms for themselves where they could relax outside of their own places. It was like a personal hideout for every member of the MC.
He closed the door behind me while I looked around. “Wow… Just as messy as I remember it.” I laughed at his unmade bed and the clothes scattered across the floor. It was everything I would expect from a bachelor, including the open box of condoms on his dresser. “You’d think after five years you’d learn how to clean this place up.”
“After five years, why fix something that ain’t broke?”
“That’s the Teddy I know…” I walked over to the window and stared out into the streets. I anxiously twiddled my fingers. It didn’t help that I could feel his eyes behind me.
He already knew. I just had to wait for him to say it.
“Your last boyfriend… Roger… How long were you with him?”
“Just a few years.”
“And before him.”
“Before him? There wasn’t anybody. It was just me and Sage…”
I slowly turned around and realized Theo was right behind me. He looked me right in the eye, a stare so intense it made me swallow.
“It’s me. You’ve always known it’s me.”
I sighed a deep breath through my nose and nodded. “It’s you.”
“Does Sage know who her father is?”
“I told her her father isn’t here. She’s not old enough to ask too many questions. She’s happy, Theo.”
“I’m glad…” He looked down at the ground and shook his head. “It’s a shame it took something like this for me to find out.”
“Theo, I’m sorry—”
“Were you ever gonna tell me? Or were you just gonna go Sage’s entire life without letting her know who her real father was?”
“I—”
“Answer the question.”
“I don’t know.”
I was expecting him to get angry. I was waiting for his face to turn red. I was waiting for his brow to furrow. But he’d never done that before. This time was no different. There was just a frown on his lips and disappointment in his eyes.
“Why, Summer?”
“Why? You already know why. I left that night because I spent the whole time wondering where you were. Then you came home with blood on your vest and underneath your nails. You know why.”
“You can’t handle life as an old lady. I get that. But Sage—”
“What would I tell Sage? How could I tell her the truth about her father? She’d find out eventually when she got older. I can’t keep secrets from her forever. I don’t want her to have to wonder where her father is just like I had to spend all those nights wondering where you were.”
“Right…” Theo took a step back and nodded. “You don’t want her to know what I do. How the MC doles out its own brand of justice.”
“That’s right—”
“The same kind of justice you came running back to when she was in trouble.”
He got me. I looked down and shook my head, realizing I could never escape it. “You’re right. I left you and Ivory behind because I couldn’t handle what it was like being an old lady. And for what? To go running into the arms of a man who was getting involved with drugs. It’s like… It’s like I can’t escape it.”
“You don’t have to escape it, Summer. I’m here for you. I’m here for Sage. We can be a family—”
“A family?” I exclaimed. “You were just involved in a shootout! I saw you bleeding to death! My daughter just got kidnapped—”
“Our daughter got kidnapped. The truth is out. You can’t deny it.”
I put my hands up and closed my eyes, trying to collect my thoughts. All the deep breaths in the world wouldn’t be enough to stop my heart from racing though. All of my emotions were washing over me to the point I thought I would fall over.
“I just… I need time to think,” I said. “Theo, I need—”
He shut me up with a sudden kiss. His hands on my wrists, he held me tight in his grip. I was stuck between struggling to break free and letting myself go in his arms. The feeling of his lips on mine brought back a flood of memories like they all just happened yesterday.
“Theo…” I sighed into his mouth. He trailed kisses along my cheeks. “Theo, please…”
“I love you, Summer… I’ve always loved you. You know I have…” His hand roamed over my chest and cupped my breast through my shirt. He squeezed me hard in his palm and pulled a gasp out of me. But even just hearing him talk was enough to turn me on like nobody else could.
His scent. His taste. The way he groaned as he smacked his lips on my skin. Every
thing about him made me slowly lose my senses.
“You’re mine, Summer… You’ve always been mine…”
“I’m not… I’m not yours…” My words were meaningless as I lost myself to him.
I stopped resisting. My defenses fell. He took complete control of me and I wanted him to.
He pulled me close and carried me over to his bed, pushing onto my stomach. I fumbled with my jeans and struggled to pull them down my knees. My panties followed and I felt just how wet I was. At the same time, the familiar sound of him unzipping himself filled my ears.
I turned around just in time to see how hard he was. He slapped my ass with a firm smack and made me squeal. Then he spread my cheeks and pushed his tip toward my entrance.
“You were always mine… Your mind… Your body… Your pussy…”
“Theo…”
“Say it… Say this pussy’s mine…”
“No…”
“Say it… Just say it… I know you want it…”
“I want it… Just give it to me… Just fuck me already—Hngh!” An embarrassing groan came out of me as he plunged his length. My jaw dropped from how much he stretched me out. The best memories I shared with him came back to me. All of the other men I’d ever been with. All of the orgasms I had. All of the times I enjoyed myself. None of them compared to the way Theo made me feel.
And he knew it. His hands firm on my waist, he thumped his cock into me with hard thrusts. He hit me deep, letting me feel every inch of his throbbing length.
I reached out and grabbed the sheets to brace myself from how good he felt. It was a matter of moments and all of a sudden, I was at his mercy.
“You’re mine,” he grunted. “You’ve always been mine, Summer…”
He started ramping up his pace. His groans became more and more desperate. His hilt slapped against my cheeks. The rhythmic thumping of his body against my ass moved the same as the bed squeaking underneath me.
“Theo… Theo…” I whimpered helplessly as his hands tightened on my waist. He started pounding me even harder, driving his length into me like a piston.
My mouth hung open. My throat grew dry from all of the stifled whimpers.
Suddenly, he seized up behind me. His body jerked. His cock throbbed against my insides. The familiar feeling of his cum splashing against my insides sent a shudder up my spine. I trembled with him as he lost himself. I wanted to enjoy every second of his orgasm the same as he did.
