Chapter 38 Bonnie
BONNIE
The compound comes into view as Jackal and I round the final turn. Home. The word settles in my chest with a warmth I never expected to feel.
We park our bikes in the lot. I kill the engine and pull off my helmet, shaking out my hair. My legs are stiff from the ride, and my back aches, but it was worth it.
He laughs and pulls me in for a quick hug. “Love you, kid.”
“Love you too.”
We head toward the clubhouse. The sun is setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Brothers lounge on the porch, drinking beer and bullshitting. A few nod at us as we pass.
The door swings open before we reach it. Titan fills the doorway, arms crossed over his massive chest. His eyes drop to my stomach, then travel slowly up to my face.
A grin spreads across his face. “Damn, baby. I’m really enjoying watching your tits grow with every new week.”
I feel my face heat. “Titan—”
“What? It’s a compliment. You’re filling out in all the right places.” He winks. “Pregnancy looks good on you.”
Jackal makes a strangled noise beside me. “Jesus Christ, man. That’s my sister.”
“Yeah, and she’s my woman. I can appreciate her body.”
“I’m leaving.” Jackal turns on his heel. “I don’t need to hear this.”
“Coward!” I call after him.
He flips me off without looking back and disappears around the corner of the building.
I turn to Titan and try to look stern. “You’re terrible.”
“I’m honest.” He steps closer, crowding me against the doorframe. “And you know you love it.”
“I love that you chase away my brother? Yeah, that’s pretty great actually.”
He laughs, deep and warm. “Come here.”
Before I can respond, he bends and sweeps me up into his arms. One arm under my knees, the other supporting my back. I yelp and grab his shoulders. “Titan! Put me down!”
“Nah. I like you right where you are.”
He carries me through the doorway. Brothers whistle and catcall as we pass through the common room. I hide my face against his chest, laughing despite myself. “You’re ridiculous.”
“You like ridiculous.” He nuzzles my neck. “Admit it.”
“I admit nothing.”
His laugh rumbles through his chest. He stops in the middle of the room and kisses me. Hard, possessive, and completely inappropriate for the audience we have.
When he pulls back, I’m breathless. “What was that for?”
“Do I need a reason to kiss my woman?”
“No, but—”
“Love you, baby.”
The words are casual. Easy. Like he’s commenting on the weather. But they make my heart skip anyway.
“Love you too,” I whisper.
He grins and resumes walking. “Good. Now let’s go upstairs.”
“Titan, I’m tired—”
“Too bad. It’s my night and I’m not wasting it.”
He carries me toward the stairs. My stomach flutters.
We’re halfway up when Ash appears at the top of the landing. He’s wearing jeans and a black T-shirt that stretches across his shoulders. His hair is damp like he just got out of the shower.
His eyes drop to me in Titan’s arms, and his mouth quirks. “Where are you two going?”
“Ghost’s room,” Titan calls up. “You coming?”
Ash’s eyebrow rises. “Is that an invitation?”
“Do you need one?”
“Fair point.” Ash starts down the stairs, meeting us halfway. He cups my face and kisses me. Slower than Titan. Deeper. Like he’s savoring the taste of me.
When he pulls back, I’m dizzy. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself.” He traces my bottom lip with his thumb. “Have a good ride?”
“Yeah. Jackal took me to our spot.”
“I know. I’ve been tracking your phone.”
I roll my eyes. “Of course you have.”
“Can’t help it. You’re carrying precious cargo.” His hand drops to my stomach. For weeks after we got the paternity results, he could barely look at my belly without flinching. Now his thumb traces slow circles over the swell like he’s memorizing it.
“How’s she doing?”
“Good.” My throat goes tight. “You’ve actually been asking lately.”
Ash’s jaw flexes. He blows out a breath. “I know I was weird about it. About her. About… whose blood she’s got.” His eyes meet mine, stripped bare. “I hated myself every time I pulled back. She’s ours, Bonnie. I needed a minute to get my shit together, but I’m in. Completely.”
“I thought you didn’t want her the same way,” I admit. The words scrape coming out. “Thought you were just saying the right things so I wouldn’t freak out.”
“Then I did it wrong.” His fingers press a little firmer against my stomach. “I don’t care what the DNA says. I’m her dad. That’s not changing.”
Something in my chest loosens. I cover his hand with mine. “She’s okay,” I whisper. “We both are.”
“Yeah.” His mouth softens. “And I’m going to keep worrying anyway.” He kisses my forehead and looks at Titan. “Ghost’s room?”
“Yeah. Figure we shouldn’t leave him out just because he went and got himself shot.”
“He didn’t get himself shot,” I protest. “He saved my life.”
“Details.” Titan adjusts his grip on me and continues up the stairs. Ash follows close behind.
We reach the second floor and head down the hall. Titan kicks open Ghost’s door without knocking.
Ghost sits on his bed, shirtless, cleaning his gun. He looks up when we enter, expression impassive as always. “Do you ever knock?” he asks.
“Do you ever wear a shirt?” Titan counters.
“Touché.”
I study Ghost as Titan carries me into the room. The gunshot wound has healed into a puckered scar on his left side, just below his ribs. Pink and shiny still, but closed. He moves without the stiffness that plagued him for weeks after the shooting.
He’s been cleared by the doctor. Back on patrol. Back to normal.
Well. As normal as Ghost gets.
“What’s going on?” Ghost sets down his gun and rag.
“Family time,” Titan announces. He deposits me on the bed beside Ghost. The mattress dips under my weight.
Ghost’s eyes narrow. “Family time?”
“Yeah. The four of us. Quality bonding.” Titan grins. “You got a problem with that?”
“No.” Ghost looks at me. “You okay with this?”
I reach over and trace the scar on his side. He doesn’t flinch. Just watches me with those dark, unreadable eyes.
“Does it still hurt?” I ask.
“Sometimes. When it rains.” He catches my hand. “I’m fine, Bonnie.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “Stop worrying about me.”
“Everyone keeps telling me to stop worrying. It’s not that easy.”
Ash sits on the edge of the bed and pulls off his boots. “We know. But we’re all here. We’re all safe. Let yourself enjoy that.”
I look around at the three of them. Titan leaning against the closed door with that wolfish grin. Ash beside me, steady and solid. Ghost holding my hand like it’s something precious.
My men.
My family.
“Okay,” I say softly. “Okay.”
Titan pushes off the door. “Good. Now, somebody, get this woman out of those clothes. She’s been wearing too many layers all day.”
I laugh and throw a pillow at him. “You’re unbelievable.”
He catches the pillow one-handed. “You love it.”
“Unfortunately.”
Ghost tugs me closer. “Come here.”
I shift toward him, and he pulls me into his lap. His hands settle on my hips, careful of my stomach.
“You smell like wind and sunshine,” he murmurs against my neck.
“I smell like exhaust and sweat.”
“That too.” He nips my earlobe. “But mostly sunshine.”
Ash moves behind me on the bed. His hands skim up my sides, fingers finding the hem of my shirt. “Can I?” he asks.
I nod.
He pulls my shirt over my head slowly. Reverent. Like unwrapping a gift.
Cool air hits my skin, and I shiver. My bra is simple—black cotton, nothing fancy. But the way all three of them look at me, you’d think I was wearing lace and silk.
“Beautiful,” Ash says quietly.
Titan moves closer, kneeling on the floor in front of me. His huge hands span my thighs. “You know what I love about you being pregnant?”
“What?”
“You glow. Like you’ve got a light inside you.” His thumbs stroke circles on my skin. “Makes me want to put another baby in you the second this one’s out.”
I laugh and shove his shoulder. “Absolutely not. One is plenty.”
“For now,” he teases.
Ghost’s lips brush my shoulder. “Ignore him. He’s delusional.”
“Hey,” Titan protests. “I’m romantic.”
“You’re insane,” Ash corrects.
“Same thing.”
I lean back against Ghost’s chest and look up at him. “How are you really?”
His expression softens. Just barely. “I’m good. Promise.”
“You’d tell me if you weren’t?”
“Yeah.” He kisses my temple. “I would.”
I believe him. Ghost doesn’t lie. Not to me.
Titan stands and strips off his shirt. His chest is a canvas of tattoos and scars. Battle-worn and beautiful.
“You just gonna sit there all night?” he asks Ash. “Or you gonna help me out here?”
Ash smirks. “Depends. You gonna be patient?”
“Fuck no.”
“Then I guess we’ll see.”
The banter is familiar. Comfortable. This is us—the four of us together, trading jokes and insults and casual touches like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
And maybe it is. Maybe this is what we were always meant to be.
Ghost’s hand slides over my stomach. The baby kicks against his palm, and he goes still.
“Did you feel that?” I ask.
“Yeah.” His voice is rough. “She’s strong.”
“Gets it from her dads.” I cover his hand with mine. “All three of you.”
“Damn right,” Titan says.
Ash reaches over and presses his palm beside Ghost’s. We all wait. The baby kicks again, right where Ash’s hand rests.
He smiles. Actually smiles. “Hey there, little girl.”
Titan kneels again and adds his hand to the pile. “Come on, princess. One more for me.”
We wait. Five seconds. Ten.
Then she kicks. Hard.
Titan laughs. “That’s my girl. Already got a strong right hook.”
“God help us,” Ghost mutters.
I laugh so hard my stomach shakes. The baby kicks again, probably annoyed at all the movement.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” I tell her. “Your dads are ridiculous. You’ll learn that soon enough.”
“We prefer ‘charming,’” Ash says.
“‘Delusional’ works too,” Ghost adds.
“Fuck both of you,” Titan says cheerfully.
I sink deeper into Ghost’s arms, surrounded by warmth and safety and love.