11
Dante
“No matter what has happened in the past or at the fertility clinic, you are my future.” I meant every word. Not a day had gone by that I didn’t think of Ember, and that was why I couldn’t contact her. To hear her voice and develop stronger feelings for her would’ve been a distraction. So, I had to shut myself off to her.
And yes, it had been a dick move.
I deserved her anger and hatred, but I was determined to earn my way back into her heart. I wanted nothing more than a second chance, and I would make everything up to her, tenfold.
She blinked those gorgeous brown eyes like she couldn’t believe what I’d said. She’d always been a pretty girl, but she’d grown into a beautiful woman. My hands glided across her back and down to her waist. She was thin, not too big on top, and had a perfect ass. I’d grab it, if her folks hadn’t just entered the bar and stopped in their tracks when they saw us dancing.
Unable to control myself as we swayed to the music and her parents watching, I sealed my lips to Ember’s and kissed her. The crowd of bikers and women grew quiet, but they didn’t stop us.
“Son, you break her heart, and I’ll rip yours out of your chest,” Hero said in a tight voice. “You get me?”
I slowly reared my head back and turned toward him. “Yes, sir.”
“Good.” Tara gripped my biceps. “Now whisk my baby away so you can talk. And truly listen to her, Dante. And don’t judge.”
“I won’t.” I looked at Ember. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Okay.” She slipped away to get her coat and told my sisters something, then returned to me. “I’m ready.”
“Be safe.” Hero put something in my hand on his way toward the OG’s table. I looked at my palm and found a plastic hotel keycard. “Is he serious?”
Ember giggled. “Don’t get any ideas. He’s just helping us have a little privacy. We both live with our parents.”
“Baby, I have all kinds of ideas.” I tugged her away.
“So do I, but first we need to talk.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. There would be plenty of time to get reacquainted with each other. I wanted to do things the old-fashioned way.
Date her.
Romance her.
Fall madly in love with her… all in the matter of a week, so then I could claim her in the club and make her my old lady.
Yeah, it sounded fast as lightning. When you know, you know. And I knew Ember Fuentes was my person. I knew it the night of my farewell party and we shared our first kiss together and knew now as I held her hand.
I’d do my best to take things slow and not rush her to the altar, but I wasn’t making any promises.
Half an hour later, we entered our hotel room. I kept telling myself we’d only be talking, but my dick wasn’t listening. My cock throbbed painfully, and I couldn’t be angry about it. I wanted her more than my next breath.
“I cannot believe my parents. It was my mom’s idea. I’m sure of it.”
“They’ve always been cool. Your dad could’ve gutted me like a fish when he caught us kissing, but he was so cool and chill about it.”
She smiled and checked out the room. “Yeah, he’s not like Storm and Rocky. Those two are the worst. Uncle Ire is right up there with them.”
“And don’t forget how my granddad Justin had taken my mom away from my dad when she was pregnant with me. That was fucked up.”
“God, yes. I’ve heard the story told several times. Your poor parents.” She frowned and sat on the bed, gnawing on her bottom lip. “Speaking of pregnant…”
“Oh, shit,” I blurted like an idiot. “Are you?”
“Am I what?”
“Pregnant.”
“I don’t know.”
I dropped onto the bed next to her and took her hand. “Tell me why you did it.”
“I need a drink first.”
“All we have is water.”
“I know my parents…” Her voice trailed as she went to the mini fridge. “Jackpot!” She took out two bottles of beer and handed one to me.
“They were in our room?” Creepy. What if they hid cameras?
“They’re freaks but considerate freaks.”
“Truly. I don’t know how I feel about them being inside our room.”
“Don’t worry, there aren’t hidden cameras.” She guzzled her brewski, and I did the same. We were about to have a pretty heavy conversation and I was nervous. Doubted beer would help. Hero should have left us a bottle of whiskey or tequila.
Then again, hard liquor would’ve lowered our inhibitions, and we’d get naughty under the sheets. Not a bad thing, just the timing wasn’t the best.
“Okay, I think I’m ready.” Ember blew out a breath and adjusted herself on the bed so she was facing me. “I have endometriosis.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s when tissue grows outside of the uterus. It’s a chronic disease and for some, like me, extremely painful.”
“Jesus, Em. I’m so sorry.” I took her hand and kissed the top. “Is there a cure? I mean, if it’s a disease, there must be a cure.”
“Mines been aggressive. I’m running out of time if I want to have a baby.”
“What do you mean, running out of time? You’re not gonna die, are you?” I knew nothing about this disease and wished I could research right this second.
“No, I won’t die. But I need a hysterectomy to stop the growth and elevate the pain. Of course, once I get it, I won’t be able to have a baby.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I had IVF because I didn’t have a husband to knock me up, or a boyfriend… Having a baby means the world to me, Dante. I love kids so much; it would be cruel not to have one of my own.”
I felt punched in the gut. This endometriosis sounded like some serious shit. All these years she’d been dealing with it, and I knew nothing about it. Goddamn, I felt like a selfish prick for ghosting her.
“How long have you been dealing with this?”
“Um, I guess it started around the time you left. But it didn’t get unbearable until my senior year. I missed school every month, and it made going to college challenging. I ended up dropping out my first year to take online courses.”
“Damn, that sucks.”
“It was awful. All my friends were loving college life, and I was writhing in pain every month.”
“I’m surprised my mom never told me what you were going through.”
“She doesn’t know. Only Maddy and Birdie know about my condition.”
“So, you’ve literally been dealing with this alone.”
“Birdie and her mom have been all I need. And my mom.” She smiled weakly and took a swig of her beer.
“So, IVF…” My chest tightened; I could barely breathe. Ember could be pregnant as we speak, and not by me. Fuck if I didn’t know how to feel about it. Happy for her? Sad for me? Angry? Brokenhearted?
“Yeah, IVF…” She sucked in a breath. “What are you thinking? Could having a baby with a sperm donor be a deal breaker? I mean, if you want to give us a try.”
“If?” Was she joking right now? “Would I be here with you if I was unsure? Would I kiss you like my life depended on it if I wasn’t sure of what I want?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like we’ve been in touch for the past six years. Then you show up unannounced. How am I supposed to know anything about you?” She had a point.
“Okay. Listen carefully, Em. I want you. I will support you if you have a baby. Hell, I’ll treat it as if it’s mine.”
A large tear rolled down her cheek. “Really?”
“Really, baby.” I scooted closer to her, lifted her chin, and kissed her nose. “Let’s start over and we’ll conquer whatever life throws our way together.”
Another tear fell from her eye. “You’ll take me out on dates?”
“Yes.”
“Hold my hand in public?”
“Absolutely.”
“What about PDA?”
“Baby, just try to keep my mouth away from yours.” I went in for the kill and captured her lush lips.
“I’m trusting you, Dante.”
“I’ll protect your heart and will never give you a reason not to trust me.” I pushed my tongue into her mouth and devoured her.
Ember responded with the same enthusiasm as me, and my God, I was hard as stone. I wouldn’t push for more. Not yet. I also wouldn’t stop her if she initiated sex.
I prayed she took control and ripped my clothes off and begged me to fuck her.
Please, God.
Show me mercy.
“Dante?”
“Yeah?” The lustful tone in her voice when she said my name lit a fire in me. I gripped the back of her neck to hold her in place as I forced myself to cool the fuck down.
“When I got home the other night from The Cities, I took out my rabbit vibrator and got off after you kissed me.”
I reared my head back. “You needed to get off?”
“Yes.” Her cheeks turned pink.
“Me too, baby.” I took her hand and placed it on my boner. “Feel that. He’s angry and desperate, the same as he was the other night.”
“Maybe we should do something about his predicament.”
Now we were talking. “What do you suggest? A cold shower, perhaps?”
“Oh no. I don’t want to shock the little feller.”
“Little?” I snorted and moved her hand up and down my length.
“Point made.” She dug her teeth into her plump bottom lip. “I really want you.”
“Ditto.” Please, God… Have mercy on me.
“I’ve dreamed of this with you for so long. But I’m scared, Dante.” Genuine fear flashed in her eyes.
“Hey, you don’t need to be afraid with me.” I pulled her close and held her protectively against me. “It would kill me if I hurt you.”
“I believe you. It’s just the other times I tried, I couldn’t.”
“Are you saying you’ve never had sex?” Holy shit, she was a virgin. I hadn’t expected that, but I was beyond thrilled about it.
“Ridiculous right? A virgin who just got artificially inseminated. I’m a walking punchline.”
“Shh, no you’re not.” I kissed the side of her head and rubbed her arm.
“It’s not like I haven’t tried to have sex. I have several times, with different men. They were all about themselves and wouldn’t do a darn thing to help me relax and get ready for them.”
“And you have no problem with your toys?”
“Nope, no problems. So, I guess I’m not actually a virgin.”
“Not in my book. You’ve just never had sex with the right guy.”
“And I suppose you believe you’re the right guy.”
“One hundred percent.” I hugged her and breathed her soft scent into my lungs. “We don’t have to do anything tonight. Let’s just talk and cuddle on the bed.”
“Cuddle on the bed are four words I never thought I’d hear a biker say.” She softly laughed and her body relaxed against mine.
“Some of us are teddy bears made for cuddles and snuggles.”
“Okay, don’t go crazy with all this soft and cuddly talk. I like a man who is strong, protective, a little demanding, a lot possessive, and the right amount of controlling.”
“Honey, you described me to a T.”
“You’re something else.” She pulled out of my arms and went to the head of the bed. “Let’s cuddle and see where it leads, which could just be sleeping.”
“I’d be perfectly fine with that.” What mattered most to me was being with Ember, and what we did or didn’t do wouldn’t make a difference to me. Just being with her was enough.
When the time was right, we’d take our relationship to the next level.
I could be patient.