Chapter 6
Saint
After we had gotten them all moved in and the Christmas tree back up with more ornaments, I took them to the store to get anything and everything they needed.
We had our first fight in front of the cashier in Target when she tried to pay for stuff.
“Spend that money on anything your heart desires or put in an account for college for Soraya. Whatever you wanna do with it. But you’re mine. So is Soraya. I’ll say yes, ma’am, to anything you tell or ask me to do. But not this.”
“Saint, this isn’t right,” she snapped.
Poor little Soraya’s head was flipping back and forth as we went at it, her little brown curls whipping this way and that way.
“Nothin’ has made sense for either of us. Nothin’ has added up, baby. But this,” I said as I pointed to her heart, to mine, then to Soraya’s, and said, “when something feels so right like this does.”
She had conceded but growled and stomped all the way out to the truck.
Soraya looked up at me and asked, “You like my heart?”
I looked at her in the cart, then I shook my head, “Nah. I don’t like your heart. I love your heart.”
My woman had heard every word I said. And by the time she was buckled up in the truck, she was smiling.
***
I checked my phone for the time, and when I saw that Ophelia had texted, my stomach growled.
My Woman – Pork Chops. Mashed Potatoes. Green Beans. Cheddar Cheese Biscuits. Dinner. Is that okay?
“Damn, man, we’re headed to the kitchen to eat lunch. You’ll be able to quell that stomach of yours here shortly.” Jasper said as he clapped me on the back.
I shook my head at him, not giving him a response.
Me – Sounds good, baby. I’ll be done by two forty. Want me to pick Princess up?
My phone beeped when I was almost at the clubhouse.
I flipped it open and read it.
My Woman – Didn’t you plan to go to Albert’s after you got off and help him get the water pump on his truck?
I had completely forgotten about that. Damnit.
Me – Okay. I’m picking her up tomorrow. I promised her ice cream after school one day this week. I should be home around six.
Me – Be careful going and getting princess.
My Woman – Will do. Please be careful.
Me – Always.
And I always would be, especially because I couldn’t live in a place where the two most important beings in my life didn’t exist.
Now that I found them.
No way in hell was I letting them go.
I pocketed my phone, made my way through the clubhouse, and into the kitchen.
Roast Beef with Swiss cheese subs and chips was what I had for lunch.
I had just popped the last chip in my mouth when Agatha stood up and placed her hands on her hips.
Oh shit. Here we go.
“I’m thinking about doing a potluck and a secret Santa,” Agatha told the room.
Everyone groaned.
But me, Kettle, and Merlin.
Kettle because he didn’t talk. Ever.
Merlin because it made his wife, Temperance, aka Tempie, smile like nobody’s business when the holidays rolled around.
As for me, well, I didn’t groan because, with all of this, I would be celebrating it with the two people who meant the most to me in the world. That was if I had a say in the matter.
That was why I looked at Agatha and said, “I’ll talk to Ophelia and see if she’s cool with that.”
She nodded and smiled.
I felt eyes on me, which caused me to scan the room, and when I saw that it was Jury, I looked at him and lifted a brow.
It didn’t take him long to open his mouth, one I was forcing myself not to shut it for him, “She’s got a kid. You know that. Right?”
I narrowed my eyes at him and growled, “I’m trying real goddamned hard not to knock your fuckin’ lights out.”
He threw up his hands, “Don’t shoot the messenger brother. I’m just a sayin’.”
“So, fuckin’ what if she has a kid? So, fuckin’ what if she has ten kids? She’s a good fuckin’ woman raising an incredible daughter. What’s fuckin’ wrong with that?”
Jury’s eyes bugged out, and then he said, “Uh, well, she might expect you to step in and play daddy. Pay for shit. Do all the things.”
I shook my head, “I’m tellin’ ya somethin’ right now. If you ever disrespect either of ‘em, I’ll put a bullet in your body for every word that falls out of your mouth.”
He opened his mouth, his eyes wide, but I wasn’t done.
Not by a fucking long shot.
“I’d be goddamned honored to be that little girl’s dad and that amazin’ woman’s husband. Hell, just seein’ them smile because I caused it, no other feeling like it.”
“So, you're done for. That it?” Nuke asked.
I nodded, “Yeah. They have my heart.”
Merlin asked, “What if they don’t want you?”
I thought about that, all for one second.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m theirs. Period. End of fuckin’ story.” I said with as much authority as I held in my body.
Then I looked at Jury, “We clear?”
His head bobbled so fast as he nodded, it was a wonder he didn’t have whiplash, “Crystal. Brother. Fuckin’ crystal.”
Nuke moved and slapped Jury on the back, “For the shit you just pulled and said, you're on bathroom duty clean up in the garage.
Jury groaned as he stood and tossed his trash.
I stood, tossed my trash, and walked back to the garage with a smile on my face.