Savoring Mila (Angels Halo MC Next Gen & Rockers' Legacy Book 3)

by Terri Anne Browning

  Amusement made his eyes light up. “That was better than you hoped?”

  “You didn’t get cut, and no bullets entered your delicious body. I call that a win.” I started tugging at the hem of his shirt. “Tomorrow, however, is another story. Let’s make the most of today.”

  Chapter 17

  Lyric

  I knew it was coming. Knew before I even opened my eyes the next morning that I was about to be swarmed, and there was nothing I could do about it.

  I was just hoping to prepare Mila a little more before that happened. Instead, she kept me busy all night with my cock in her, and neither one of us thought much about what the morning would bring.

  Now, I was looking at my parents and Aunt Emmie through sleep-deprived eyes as they stood on my front steps, expecting to meet the girl who was now one of their own.

  “Why is your phone off?” Mom demanded, hands on her hips as she glared up at me. “I’ve been texting and trying to call you all night, young man.”

  “I was busy, Mom,” I told her, scrubbing my hands over my stubbled jaw. “Mila wasn’t feeling well last night. I had to take care of her.”

  Dad’s knowing eyes took in my hastily pulled on basketball shorts, bare chest, and unkempt hair. “Right,” he said with a smirk. “I bet you took care of her all night long, dude.”

  “Jesse,” Mom scolded. “That’s our future daughter-in-law.”

  The smirk dropped off Dad’s face in a flash. “Right. Where is she? We got shit to plan, boy. Let us in so your mom and Emmie can get started.”

  I held up my hands, blocking the three of them from entering. “First, let’s set some ground rules. Mila is having some major low blood pressure issues. You are not going to overtire her. If I see she’s having problems, the three of you are going back to Malibu until she has the babies.”

  “Babies!” Mom and Aunt Emmie screamed, practically bouncing up and down. “So, it really is twins?”

  “Yes, Mom.” I continued to stand in their way when they tried to barge in. “And this wedding…it better not be some circus show like you tried to do with Lucy. I remember how miserable she was back then, and I’ll ban you all from coming near Mila if you stress her out. Even if it’s just a little. I will personally drive your asses to the airport and toss you on the plane if you pull any of that shit.”

  Mom’s face turned contrite. “I promise on all that I love, I will not stress your Mila out, Ric. This is her wedding, and I only want to make it as perfect for her as she will allow me.”

  “Wedding!”

  I turned at Mila’s screech and swallowed my groan. Fuck, of course, I’d forgotten to propose. I’d meant to ask her the night before, but she’d kept me otherwise occupied.

  Seeing her wide eyes and pale face, I slammed the door in my parents’ faces and dropped to my knees in front of her. “Baby, don’t freak out,” I begged, clasping her hands in both of mine. “I know this is moving fast—”

  “What fucking wedding, Lyric?” she demanded, her gray eyes turning wild.

  “Ours. If you’ll have me, babe.” Her mouth fell open. “I love you, Mila. I was miserable all damn summer without you. Please, baby. Please don’t ever make me have to live without you again.”

  “But… We don’t even know each other.” Her chin started to tremble.

  “We know all the important things, and that’s all that matters.” Wrapping my arms around her slender waist, I pressed a kiss to her stomach through the T-shirt she’d pulled on. One of my shirts that fell to her knees, she was so tiny. I liked her wearing my clothes, but she didn’t have a bra on, and my parents were only a door away. “I love you, and even though you haven’t said it yet, I know you love me too.”

  “I-I do,” she whispered, a tear spilling over her thick lashes and falling down her cheek. It dripped onto my chest, burning my flesh like acid. I hated when she cried.

  She scrubbed her hand over the damp trail the tear had left. “Fuck. I am not a crier,” she muttered. “But it seems I can’t control my emotions lately.”

  “It’s the babies!” Mom called through the door. “It doesn’t get any better, trust me.”

  “Mom, I’m kind of in the middle of something,” I yelled.

  “Right. Sorry. Carry on.” A pause. Then, “Does he even have a ring?”

  A laugh escaped Mila. “Well, do you?” she demanded.

  “I don’t,” I told her with a grimace. “But only because I wanted us to pick them out together.”

  “Like matching rings or something?” she murmured, her brows lifting.

  “Whatever you want,” I said with a nod.

  “You have to wear a ring too,” she said, stabbing me in the chest with her index finger. “If I have to wear a ring, you do too so that all those thirsty bitches out there know you’re taken.”

  “That’s right. Lay down the law, girl!” Mom cheered.

  “Mom!”

  “Sorry. Sorry.” I heard Dad chuckle, and I shook my head exasperatedly when Mila giggled.

  “I think I like your mom,” she whispered.

  “She likes me!”

  Mila giggled again, and I decided it didn’t matter as long as she kept laughing so sweetly and her tears dried up. Kissing her belly again, I looked up at her beautiful face. “I’ll wear whatever you want me to wear. I’ll even tattoo your name around my finger.”

  The smile on her lips turned down. “My dad isn’t going to let me marry you, Lyric.”

  “Let me worry about your dad. All I need is a yes from you.” I cupped her ass, giving each firm globe a squeeze. “Say yes, my Mila. Tell me you’ll marry me and be mine forever.”

  “Yes,” she breathed. “But…”

  My heart stopped as I waited for her to finish.

  “But…only if my dad says he will give me away.”

  “Is that all?” I asked, confused. If that was all she wanted before she would marry me, I’d make it happen.

  She sank her teeth into her bottom lip for a moment before she nodded. “Yes. If Dad says he will walk me down the aisle, I’ll marry you. But if he won’t…”

  “He will,” I gritted out. “I promise. Your father will walk you down that aisle to me, or I’ll die trying.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she grumbled with a pout.

  “Um, Lyric?” Aunt Emmie called through the door. “Who did you say Mila’s parents were?”

  “I didn’t!” I yelled back and stood. Keeping one arm around Mila’s waist, I pulled the door open. But all eyes were on the driveway where a black Suburban was now parked.

  The vehicle was turned off, and a woman who was slightly shorter than Mila with the same gray eyes stepped out of the passenger side. Moments later, Mila’s dad opened the driver’s door and slammed it shut behind him.

  I felt Aunt Emmie tense, and Dad stepped in front of her and Mom protectively. My aunt’s green gaze went from Masterson to Mila before turning on me. “You didn’t tell me Mila was related to the MC, Ric.”

  “Why does that matter?” I demanded.

  “It matters,” she whispered, her face as pale as death.

  “Everyone in the house,” Masterson commanded, his black eyes glaring at Dad and then Aunt Emmie. “Now.”

  “James,” Mila’s mother admonished. “Cool it, or I’m going to take you home.” Putting on a smile, she held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Willa Masterson, Mila’s mom. You folks must be tired. Why don’t we go in and get some refreshments?”

  Mom shook her hand after only a small hesitation. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Layla, Lyric’s mom.”

  “I’ll make coffee,” Mila offered. Taking my hand, she tugged me out of the way, letting our parents and Aunt Emmie into the house. “You guys make yourself comfortable in the living room, and Lyric and I will get drinks for everyone.”

  “No coffee for you,” I told her as we walked into the kitchen. “You want juice?”

  “I want a shot,” she muttered, rubbing a hand across her
brow. “This is a nightmare, Lyric.”

  “How so?” I asked as I grabbed the canister of coffee.

  “I’m meeting your parents for the first time, and my dad is here,” she hissed, glancing over her shoulder as if she expected someone to walk in on us. “He had a gun to your head yesterday, or have you forgotten that little detail?”

  I snorted out a laugh. “He’s a father. Of course, he held a gun to the back of my head. If we have a daughter, I’d do the same thing.” I added water and switched on the machine. Crossing my arms over my chest, I turned to face her. “I’m seriously hoping we only have boys, though. It will keep me out of jail.”

  “Oh my God,” she groaned. “Please let us have only boys.”

  Laughing, I crossed to her and kissed the top of her head. “Let’s go put on some clothes while the coffee is brewing. I love that shirt on you, but I don’t think your dad would appreciate us having this conversation with you only wearing my shirt.”

  “Yeah,” she mumbled, licking her lips as she eyed my bare torso. “And I’m pretty sure Mom was checking out your chest. Dad is very jealous. He’d cut off your balls just because Mom was looking at you.”

  “Noted,” I said with a laugh and tugged her up the back stairs. “Always wear a shirt around the MIL.”

  Chapter 18

  Mila

  I hated this sick, nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  For the first time in my life, I was terrified of my dad. The man who had rocked me to sleep when I was a baby, held me close and wiped my tears whenever I was sad. The man who told me every day of my life there was nothing to ever be afraid of because he was always going to be there to protect me.

  But it wasn’t myself I was scared for.

  It was Lyric.

  The guy who had become my whole world after a single night together months before. I could admit it now that my heart wasn’t hurting, but I’d fallen for him that night. Love at first sight used to be something I scoffed at. Lust at first sight, sure. That was a hell of a lot more believable than thinking someone’s heart became engaged the moment their eyes locked.

  Yet, it had happened to me. And now there I sat, practically shaking, on Lyric’s couch, across from our parents and his aunt, with him right beside me. Every move Dad made, I tensed more and more, bracing myself for when he pulled his gun again.

  Or worse, his knife.

  Fuck, I used to think he was so cool when he started waving that damn thing. My dad was the biggest badass in the universe. My dad was Spider Fucking Masterson, the Angel’s Halo MC enforcer. He would kill you for simply looking at him wrong.

  Now, I wished he were a boring old man like everyone else’s dad in the world.

  “Okay, this tension is killing me,” Mom finally spoke up. Placing her mug of coffee on the side table, she sat forward and folded her hands between her slightly parted legs, her gaze going straight to me. “Mila, is there anything you want to tell your father and me?”

  I inhaled slowly, trying to buy myself a little extra time as I attempted to rehearse in my head how I was going to tell them…everything. Lyric’s huge, warm hand wrapped around mine, his fingers cupping my fingers into a fist before bringing our joined hands to his lips.

  Opening my palm, he kissed the center, and I couldn’t stop myself from stroking my fingertips over his stubbled jaw. Losing him was my biggest fear.

  “I love you,” I whispered, and his lips tilted upward in a happy grin.

  “I love you too, baby.” He touched his lips to my brow, then rubbed my nose with his. “Now, tell your parents our news.”

  My gaze went quickly back to Mom. I saw complete understanding in her eyes along with tears. Happy tears, for me. It was Dad who had me gulping, however. I saw the way his gaze kept shifting to Lyric with that predatory glint in his eyes that were so black, they looked nearly demonic. Ironic, considering my Demon father-in-law-to-be was sitting only a few feet away.

  Which was something else I needed to tell him.

  Fuck.

  “Babe,” Lyric encouraged, his fingers tightening on my own.

  “Mom, Dad…” I closed my eyes and just spat it out. “I’m pregnant.”

  “Fuck,” Dad muttered. Leaning forward, he combed his fingers through his beard. Lyric had blurted it out to him the day before, but I could tell he hadn’t mentioned it to Mom. Just as I was sure he hadn’t mentioned putting a gun to the back of Lyric’s head.

  Mom made a distressed noise. “Honey, are you okay? Have you seen a doctor yet? Wait… Is that why Doc saw you at the hospital yesterday?”

  “I saw a doctor down in Redding a few weeks ago when I first found out,” I admitted. “But I’ve been having some low blood pressure issues. And after I nearly passed out on Lyric yesterday, he made me go to the emergency room to make sure everything was okay.”

  “And is it?” Mom demanded, blinking back tears. “Are you okay? Is the baby?”

  “We’re all fine,” I rushed to assure her. My free hand went to my lower abdomen, touching the babies lovingly. “All three of us.”

  “Ah fuck,” Dad groaned again. “Twins?”

  Mom put a hand to his back. “Spider, we knew this could happen. From the time the girls got their first periods, the doctors all told us the likelihood of an identical twin having twins of their own was higher.”

  “But she’s having issues like you did,” Dad muttered, and I realized the look in his dark eyes was worry…maybe even fear. “I was so scared something was going to happen to you or one of our babies, Willa. What if something happens to our baby girl now that she’s having babies of her own?”

  “I think all grandfathers freak out when their little girls tell them they’re going to have a baby,” the redhead sitting beside Lyric’s dad said. It was only then that I actually remembered we weren’t alone. “My husband was a nervous wreck when Mia told him she was pregnant. He wasn’t even that freaked out when I told him I was pregnant the first time.”

  “Definitely,” Layla Thornton agreed with a kind smile. Her long, burnished red-brown hair fell over her shoulder, and she quickly tossed it out of her way. “And our daughter Lucy couldn’t breathe wrong without this one nearly losing his mind. Especially during the last months of her pregnancies.”

  “See?” Mom tried to soothe Dad. “Daughters have babies every day. Mila is going to be fine. I survived having triplets, and obviously, Layla survived having twins. It’s nothing out of the norm.”

  “Layla nearly died,” Jesse Thornton muttered, his jaw clenched. “She went into preterm labor, and the twins were in the hospital for months.”

  Lyric tensed beside me. “Stop reminding me, Dad,” he gritted out. “I have nightmares just thinking of something happening to Mila. Just stop, okay?”

  “Why do you think I was so worried about Lucy when she was pregnant with Hayat and Evan?” he grumbled, rubbing a hand over his shaved head. “Anything could happen, son. You have reason to worry.”

  “Jesse,” Layla hissed at him, glancing at my dad out of the corner of her eye. “You’re not helping the current situation.”

  Glancing at Dad, I realized he was practically shaking with his own worry. “Mila, we need to get you home. I’ll call Doc, and he can come over and check you out.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” I told him, locking my fingers around Lyric’s. “I saw an obstetrician yesterday, and she said everything is fine. Yes, I’m considered high-risk because it’s twins, but she said there’s nothing to worry about.”

  “I can’t take care of you if you’re here,” Dad snapped, getting to his feet.

  “You don’t need to take care of her,” Lyric told him, rising to his feet as well. The two men glared at each other, and my nervousness only spiked higher. “I’ll take care of her and our babies.”

  “Didn’t you just come to town?” Dad’s brows lifted. “How the fuck is it that they’re your babies when you only got here a few days ago?”

  “We met in New
York,” I informed him coldly, more than a little irritated—and hurt—that he assumed the babies weren’t Lyric’s.

  Did he think I was a slut or something? One of the MC sheep that slept with anything that blinked at her?

  “Of course you did,” Dad grumbled. “Fucking New York. Shit. That’s where all this trouble started. First Monroe, and now you? What the hell do you girls do when I’m not looking, huh?”

  “What do you mean, ‘First, Monroe’?” I cried.

  Mom’s lips twisted. “She told us last night. She’s pregnant too.”

  My hands covered my mouth to hold in my gasp. “But… But she—” I broke off, because there were no words. Monroe was pregnant? That blew my mind.

  “She said it happened while she was in Italy. She refuses to talk about the father, and when I told her she needed to contact him to let him know he is going to be a parent, she told me she didn’t know how.” Mom shrugged. “I could tell she was lying, but she was so upset, I didn’t want to push it.”

  “Is she okay? I mean, no blood pressure issues or morning sickness? Does she know if she’s having twins or whatever?” I was more worried about my sister than I was myself. She was so delicate, fragile at times, it seemed. She was sweet and pure, not like me. I could take care of myself, but Monroe needed someone to watch over her. Protect her from the evil that was in the world.

  She told me everything, except…

  Fuck, was the father her stalker?

  That was the only thing that made sense to me. Monroe told me everything, except when it came to that guy. I knew it was because she wanted to protect him, but why the hell did he need protecting when he was the one always saving her? Dad would have wanted to shake the guy’s hand, not put a bullet in his head.

  Pushing that to the back of my mind until I could talk to my sister, I focused on the here and now. “Dad, Lyric asked me to marry him.”

  “What?” Dad exploded. “No way. You two have known each other for all of five minutes. You are not going to marry this dumbass, Mila.”