Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
LILITH
My arms ache. My back aches, but I have a smile on my face.
Today I am making a pretty pink unicorn for a little girl’s fifth birthday.
When her mom came to me and asked if I could make the cake strawberry sponge with pink and white icing, but she wanted a unicorn on top made from pure sugar, I agreed.
The buzzer sounds, letting me know to take the sponge out of the oven.
Once they are out, I set them to one side to cool down before I even think of moving onto the next step with them.
“Hey, hey, Auntie Lilith, we need you,” gets called out from the front of my store.
I can’t stop the big smile that moves across my face hearing Kady call out to me.
“Be right there,” I reply.
Stepping over to the sink I quickly wash and dry my hands, making sure that I don’t have any stains from the food coloring on them. I scoff to myself, hearing my mother’s voice scolding me about not cleaning myself good enough for her.
She drives me crazy.
My mother has never liked that I love to bake and make models and displays out of sugar. It is an art, and I am freaking good at it. All of my desire to bake comes from my grandmother Thelma, who taught me everything I know about baking, but it was her drive and support that helped me turn my baking into something far more than most want.
When I step into my store from the kitchen, I see Tree, Kady, along with Luna and the two babies who hold my heart: Kane and Archer.
“We have sold out of the rhubarb and custard candies, Lilith. Some of the older customers told me to tell you to make more next time,” one of my employees informs me with a bright smile.
“That is amazing.” My heart swells. “I will add that to the list; thank you, Casey.”
I walk over to the table where my cousins are sitting with their kids and Luna.
Leaning down, I kiss Archer on his head while he sleeps in his stroller, but Kane reaches for me.
“Oh, baby boy, I missed you.”
“Woman, you saw him yesterday,” Kady states, before she pops a piece of pastry into her mouth.
I am glad that they have already been served; my staff are amazing when it comes to family, and I make sure that they include their own in the special privileges also.
“I know but he is changing so much.” I snuggle in, smelling his baby smell.
“She is right. Archer is changing every day. It is scary to think about,” Tree murmurs, looking lovingly at her son.
I want this one day. I look at my cousins, who both have baby boys. One gave birth naturally, and the other became a mom when her boyfriend found out he was a dad, but both of them are equally in love with their sons. Family is not always blood.
It has been my dream to open my own shop, which I have succeeded at, and to have a family of my own. A man who loves me and sees me, and a child who will be made from love and loyalty.
An image flashes through my mind of Jack and Dom, playing with a dark-haired little boy. In a blink, the image is gone.
Looking down, I see Tree frowning at me. I plaster a smile on my face to ease her worry.
“You okay?”
I nod.
“I am okay.” I sigh, breathing in Kane’s baby scent again. “My mom called me, told me that I had to attend the wedding. She informed me that I had to get over my issues and not ruin my cousin’s big day. Also, she is sending a dress for me as I am unable to dress myself.” I huff, sinking into my seat a little.
My body always feels deflated when I speak of my family. It is only my father who I want to speak to when it comes to them all; he understands and supports me, I just wish he had the balls to leave my mom.
“Your mother is a C-You-Next-Tuesday,” Kady leans forward and whispers to us, making us giggle.
“I know; for once in my life I wish I could find the strength to stand up to her and not back down. When she speaks, I get this overwhelming feeling to do what she says, and I know she has conditioned me like that. I was nothing to her growing up, always having the nanny watch me while she took Claudia everywhere with her. I was the forgotten child, especially when Dad was away.” My nose burns when I speak about myself this way, but I can’t seem to pull up my big girl panties and do it.
I am pathetic.
I freaking hate what they have made me become.
“I wish we had known how bad it was, sweetie. You know that our parents would have tried to get you to come and live with us,” Tree admits.
“Your father needs to grow a fucking backbone and leave that snooty bitch.” Trust Kady to speak her mind but I nod in agreement.
“I have tried to talk to him over the years, but he says that he loves her and knows how to handle what she does. It is why he also gave me my trust fund early, so I was able to get this place open. He knew my dream.”
“Are you going to the wedding?” Kady asks. Before I can answer, Casey comes to the table.
“Can I get you ladies anything else?”
“Can I have one of the lemon drizzle slices please, and more coffee?” Kady asks.
“I will have a salted caramel latte, please, Mads.”
Tree is looking at the menu on the wall, then gives her order of a passion fruit and mango juice, with a banana muffin.
Even though I wanted to make big extravagant cakes, with big sugar structures, I loved the idea of people coming into my little shop to enjoy a treat and relax, to unwind. My orders come from online as well as in store. It was only last month that I had to make a fruit bowl with little insects on it for some college event.
Once Casey is gone, I look at my cousin, then down to the now sleeping baby in my arms.
“I am going to the wedding,” I divulge.
“Lilith, can I give you a bit of advice?” Kady asks, leaning forward to remove her son from my arms.
She settles him in his stroller; it is unreal how much he looks like Calder.
“Go to the wedding,” she urges. “But wear what you want to wear. Go shopping to get the dress that you want, one that screams Lilith Cullen. Do your hair however the hell you want it too, honey. Fuck your mother and sister, and cousin and the dick I have no doubt that she is sharing.”
I giggle at the last part.
“Sweetie, Vanessa knows deep down that he will cheat on her. Once a cheater, always a cheater. So have that in mind every time you think of them— that she is having this inner turmoil of wondering where her cheating husband is.” Kady winks at me.
“I never thought of it like that. I used to hate when he would not come home from work. Or he would shower before climbing into bed. So many red flags and I refused to see them, but I am not that girl anymore. The relationship I am in will end if I see anything that makes me think they are cheating.”
“Atta girl.” Kady holds her hand up for me to high-five, and Tree rolls her eyes at us.
“We can go shopping.” Tree smiles. “I believe that you already have a date.” My eyes flash open, my mouth matching as I look at her, shocked by what she just said.
“What? My husband could not keep a secret if his life depended on it, especially when it comes to his twin brother.”
“Is Jack taking you to the wedding as your date?” Kady screeches.
I drop my gaze to my lap, my heated cheeks burning, as I look at the rings on my fingers. Kady was always the loud, flirty one; being around men never bothers her. Whereas with me, I was, and still am, the shy one. Even seeing a guy wink at me makes me blush.
My pale skin doesn’t help me hide it either.
Picturing Jack’s built body stuffed into a tux makes my body tingle. Seeing him in his casual jeans, T-shirt, and cut makes my body hum with desire for him. I can only imagine what he looks like naked, with his hard muscles, smooth sun-kissed skin, and tattoos.
I love a man with big arms, and Jack has that in spades.
“He is.” I bite the corner of my lip thinking about how he kissed me, the feel of his lips on mine, the way his hands felt against my skin.
That man could do sinful things to my body, and I want him to. Never with Christopher did I enjoy sex, but I have a feeling that Jack will make sure that I feel good, as well as him.
“There is more to this story. Tell me, give me the tea as the kids say,” Kady sang excitedly.
“Juni is rubbing off on you.” Tree laughs at her sister.
“Jack kissed me,” I blurt out.
“Finally. Praise the Lord on all biker almighty. It is about damned time, cuz.”
“Did you enjoy it? I ask because Royal kisses like he was born to do it, and I would imagine them being twins they kiss the same. I do not know how that works,” Tree rambles.
“I did. Is it crazy that a few kisses made me feel beautiful and wanted?” I ask them.
“A few? How are we only now hearing about this? We are sisters, Lilith Cullen, you tell us everything. We all love a good gossip session about our men,” Kady gushes.
I giggle at her words. Seeing both of my cousins smiling at me like they had just won the lottery makes my heart happy. I know that they have always wanted the best for me and me them, but seeing it and hearing it makes me think that I am not as damaged as my mother makes me out to be.
“We know that you have had a crush on Jack for years, and we also know why you stepped back, honey. That was a good thing that you did, and I know that Jack thinks so too. He was in a tough situation with having Dom, and Jack needed to focus on him. Even years after, you still kept your distance with him; I think you both needed to find yourselves before this could happen,” Tree explains.
I nod, completely understanding what she is saying.
Watching Jack from a distance was bittersweet; I loved watching him being a father to Dominic. Loved seeing him grow and become the man he is today, but it also hurt seeing women hang all over him, seeing him smile and flirt with them, wishing it was me.
I know that I had no claim over him, so I tried not being where he was. If I saw him in the street I hid in a store, or at the beach I would leave, not wanting to see him with half-naked girls touching him.
“It was for the best back then, but it seems that Jack is done waiting.” I sigh. “He told me that we will go at my pace, that he will not push me. He knows all about Christopher and what my mother is doing about the wedding. That is why he offered to come with me.”
“What do you think of him going as your plus one?” Kady adds.
Nibbling my lip again I think over her question, but it doesn’t take long for the answer to hit my brain. The need to see how my family reacts to seeing Jack at my side. To see how they will react to me having a hot plus one, a man who will treat me how I should be treated.
Vanessa and her cronies will not be happy that I will be there with a man like Jack, one who will outshine all other men in the room. They have always looked down on me, they would even flirt with Christopher in front of me, offering themselves to him, telling him that I couldn’t keep a man of his caliber.
“I want to show my family, as well as Vanessa and Christopher, that I am perfectly fine without him. That he did me a favor leaving me, because I have a man like Jack Masters at my side.”
“YES,” Kady yells, scaring the couple next to us.
“I am sorry. She has not taken her medication this morning,” I offer them. “Coffee is on me.”
“High-five, sister.” I slap my hand against hers, Tree joining in.
“I would love to be a fly on the wall at the wedding.” Tree laughs.
“Thank fuck, we are on the other side of the family,” Kady chimes in.
“Will you come shopping with me?” I ask them, and they both nod.
We set up a time and day to go shopping for a complete outfit for me. One that speaks to me and not my mother or her high-society fake friends.
This wedding will be an opportunity for me to show my parents that I can stand on my own two feet and be successful, with a support system at my back, even if they are a biker club.