CHAPTER FIFTEEN
– KENZ –
“When you’re done stuffing your face we could chat, or maybe you could take a small break to breathe, and I’ll do the talking.” I blink a few times at Livi who is eating like she’s been starving for weeks.
She’s sitting on the couch across from me and I swear she’s surrounded by chips, ice cream, cookies, strawberries, sausages, cake, and some other undefined stuff I presume is edible as well.
I get a glare when she swallows and reaches for a bottle of water.
Chugging down half, she finally takes a breath and says, “Wait till you get knocked up by your very own Rhyland brother, then we’ll talk.”
My mouth opens, but the reply gets stuck in my throat. The pregnancy innuendo is a reminder of the discussion Falcon and I were having before they tried to kill us.
Livi snickers. “Any chance Falcon sealed the deal already?”
“Hopefully we will have some time together before that happens.” I reach for a cookie and add, “I did forget to take my pill with the turmoil of events. You know, when someone almost put a bullet in my head. I will have to wait until my next period comes along, or you could pick me up a pregnancy test in a few days.”
“Returning the favor you mean?” She smirks.
“Shut up,” I grumble and get to my feet. “Come on, get your butt off the couch and shove the bad shit away.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I notice the prospect is still behind the bar and ask, “Timmy, did you get all the things from my list?”
The prospect grins. “Sure did, ma’am. Everything is in the kitchen.”
I give Timmy a thumbs-up.
“Please tell me you’re going to make me food.” Livi jolts up and shoves her stash into one big bag.
Smiling, I tell her, “Yes. My special spaghetti.”
We make our way into the kitchen.
Livi rubs her belly. “I’m so freaking stoked we’re living together now.”
I roll my eyes. “Which doesn’t mean I’m going to make you food every damn time.”
She glares at me. “Don’t I know it. You’ve been here for days and only now are you gonna make my favorite food. Which by the way is healthy and good for the baby.”
I point at a chair. “Sit and entertain me while I chop veggies and make food for all of you idiots.”
“It’s really nice of you to feed the brothers as well,” Livi remarks.
Without looking at her I say, “I grew up in an MC, remember? Whenever shit hit the fan, the old ladies would make sure to keep their hands busy and the brothers’ bellies full.”
“I could have had a whole different childhood,” Livi murmurs.
Leaving the knife on the counter, I turn to face her. “No one can change the past, and it’s shitty to know what could have been due to assholes fucking up. I’m just glad you still have a chance to get to know the family you missed out on.”
Livi and I have been friends for years, and I know how devastated she’d been when her mother and grandparents died, leaving her all alone. It doesn’t matter that those grandparents weren’t hers by blood; she was raised to believe they were. Her mother never knew those weren’t her parents and never got to know the real family. Pretty screwed up shit.
She places a hand over her belly as she glances down. “Me too. The thought of this little one having a truckload of people surrounding her is overwhelming. You know how hard it was to process once the news hit me, but I’m really happy moving forward. Especially with us finding out we’re cousins as well.”
I grin while grabbing the knife. “Yeah, and if I do get knocked up? Our kids would be related anyway, but with our guys being brothers…our kids would be double linked.”
“Strange how things all fall together like that, don’t you think?” Livi muses.
Taking a bottle of water out of the fridge, I place it in front of her. “Yes. And I kinda like the way life throws havoc at your feet. Why? Because it also leads you to the people who will stand and fight with you. It’s a balance for the sake of sanity.”
“Well, we’re all a little insane.” Livi chuckles. “It’s a nice thought to have balance, but it doesn’t feel like there is.”
I keep chopping the ingredients. “It’s because bad shit always drags on and happy moments feel fleeting.”
“You’re wiser than you look,” Livi grumbles. “Hey, how was Aunt Lynn?”
Turning on the stove, I grab the ground beef. “I’m kinda thinking that’s why Archer is here.”
Livi releases a full-on belly laugh. “You might be right. She has a way of taking control over anything and everyone.”
“She’ll never change, and to be honest? No one would want it any other way.” I stir and add some spices. “Aunt Lynn might be retired and living in Ryckerdan…technology allows her to be everywhere at the same time.”
Livi sighs. “It’s nice to have people one phone call away. The undercover work I did was very risky and when push came to shove? My colleagues didn’t have my back, it was family who was there for me.”
With my back to the one person who didn’t grow up in our huge family, I feel free enough to admit, “It was sort of suffocating to grow up in the shadows of brothers who were born to lead the next generation of bikers. Even if our parents loved us equally, it still felt as if they had purpose, you know?”
“Makes sense,” Livi muses. “On the other hand, you did follow in your mother’s footsteps.”
The corner of my mouth twitches with a hint of a smile. “Yeah, I guess I did. Some things are in our blood and have a way of coming out no matter how much we crave change.”
Livi comes up next to me and leans her back against the counter when she states, “Evolution. Kids take all the annoying, shitty stuff, give it a twist and do what feels right. It’s perfecting life from one generation to the next. Evolution and all.”
I bob my head. “You’re right. I’m pretty sure our kids will hate stuff we do and think they know everything to do it better.”
Snorting, Livi states, “My thoughts exactly when I was a teenager.”
“Something smells amazing,” Archer states as he wanders into the kitchen.
Livi takes a defensive stance. “My food. Go get your own at your clubhouse. You don’t live here. Go. Scoot.”
Archer throws his hands up. “Hey, I respect your food, Livi. No need to get all defensive. Okay, I’m out of here. I just came in here to say goodbye to my cousins.”
I point the spatula at Archer. “Are they all done?”
Archer shakes his head. “Not yet. We’ve talked through all the details, and they are now updating the rest of the brothers. We can’t really jump on Amadeo’s message, instantly reply to show him proof of how we have you locked in a room and ready to meet.”
“It wouldn’t make sense for you guys to be able to kidnap me within the hour,” I murmur. “Now what? We wait a few days?”
“More waiting,” Livi grumbles.
“True, but necessary to make it believable.” I check the spaghetti and notice it’s done.
“Are you sure you don’t want to share some with your cousin?” Archer tries and rubs his belly. “It sure smells divine and it’s been ages since I’ve had some of Kenz’s spaghetti.”
I smile and tell my cousin, “Have a seat, I’ll make you a bowl.”
“Fuck, yeah,” he grunts and eagerly sits down.
“You’re too good for this world,” Livi grumbles.
I bump my hip against hers to make her move so I can reach for a bowl. “And you’re way too grumpy when you’re hungry. Are you carrying twins or triplets? ’Cause eating for two doesn’t compare to all the food you’re inhaling.”
Livi narrows her eyes. “I take it back, you’re a bitch. And that’s enough for Archer, he needs to go home.”
Archer snickers while I shake my head.
Thorsten steps into the room and the first thing the man says is, “Why are you serving that fucker food and not my woman?”
Livi smirks and I flip her off.
“Sit and all of you will get some.” Falcon enters the kitchen and instead of walking to the counter I head for his open arms and get myself a kiss.
“This is taking too long,” Livi mutters from behind me.
Pulling back, I whisper, “If you do manage to knock me up? Let’s hope I don’t turn into a raccoon who eats anything within their reach.”
“I heard that,” Livi snaps, making me chuckle.
Falcon, however, is wearing a predatory look while he stares at my stomach. My cheeks heat when his gaze hits mine and I get hit with his heated gaze.
“Food is ready,” I bellow and take Falcon’s hand and mutter, “We’re hungry for something else.”
He willingly follows me out of the kitchen and once we’re in the hallway he grabs my waist and without effort throws me over his shoulder to hurry down to the basement.