Chapter 31 Lexi
Sunlight streams through the curtains, warming my skin as I lay tangled in Reaper’s strong arms. He shifts in bed, his rough hands exploring my body like it’s the first time all over again.
“One more round,” he murmurs, his voice husky with desire.
I laugh and push him away gently. “We’re going to be late for Nina’s barbecue if we don’t get out of bed, babe.”
Reaper growls but relents, his fingers tracing circles around my nipples. “Tonight, I want to try strawberries and whipped cream on your tits,” he whispers, sending shivers down my spine.
“Really?” I tease, raising an eyebrow. “You’ll be so stuffed from the barbecue you won’t have room for dessert.”
His eyes darken with lust. “I’ll always want to eat your sweet little pussy, babe. Always.”
“Well, when you put it that way …” I lean back on my forearms, slowly spreading my thighs to give him what he wants. He groans before hooking his hands under my thighs and yanking me against his mouth.
Moaning, I tangle my fingers in his hair. I can’t get enough of him. He’s just as obsessed and hasn’t let a day go by without making me come at least twice. If this keeps up, I’m going to have an entire club full of babies. As it is, we’re trying to wait a little bit before we get pregnant, but eventually, Ace will be a big brother to a younger sibling. With the way Reaper and I are in bed, it’s going to happen sooner than later.
By the time I’m screaming his name and creaming his face, we’re way, way late. We scramble to get Ace ready before heading to Nina’s.
When we pull up to the backyard barbecue, music blares from huge speakers positioned around the back yard. The smell of grilled meat wafts through the air, mingling with laughter and the sound of children playing. Cornhole, horseshoes, and badminton are set up in the field behind the house, inviting everyone to join in the fun.
“Hey, guys!” Nina calls, waving us over. “Put the burgers next to the grill!”
I nod and carry the tray of juicy patties toward Nitro, Trencher, and Scar, who are expertly manning the flames. Julia and Holly stand nearby, chatting and watching their young sons, Eli, Trent, and Robert, play together.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Jessica and Talon making out behind a tree, thinking they’re hidden from view.
With a wicked grin, I lean closer to Reaper and whisper, “Maybe we should sneak off to the barn later and check out the hayloft.”
Reaper smirks and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close. “Count on it, babe.”
I watch as everyone mingles together, giggling over shared stories. The sun is shining, but a few puffy white clouds help to shade the back yard. Birds chirp in the trees while chipmunks scamper across tree branches in the forest surrounding the property. It’s the perfect day for a barbecue.
Wanting to help, I walk over to Nina, who’s setting up a burger bar with an assortment of patties, buns, cheeses, toppings, and sauces.
“Need a hand?” I ask, already rolling up my sleeves.
“Sure, thanks, Lexi,” Nina replies with a warm smile. “Line up the sauces behind the buns. Then we’ll put the meat and then all the toppings. The salads go on the end.”
The setup is perfect. It will allow everyone to customize their own burgers according to their preferences. As we work together, I can’t help but feel grateful for everything she’s done for us.
“Thanks for setting all of this up. And for always being there for the guys. They love you so much.”
“Oh, stop.” Nina bats away the compliment.
“Seriously. You saved their lives. I know they’re a lot to handle sometimes, but they’re grateful. I’m so thankful you rescued them.”
“They saved themselves. All Winchester and I did was give them a roof over their heads while they got their lives together.”
“You know you did more than that,” I chide. For once, I wish she’d stop being so modest.
Nina pauses, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I’m the lucky one. They’re the kids I never got to have. When Winchester died, they were the only reason to keep on living. We saved each other.”
“Oh, Nina.” I give her a huge hug.
“I can’t believe they all found love,” she admits quietly. “All I ever wanted was for my boys to be happy.”
“And they are.” I rub her back as she gets choked up. She hugs me back before quickly pulling away, returning to her badass self.
“Reaper put a bun in the oven yet?” Nina asks wryly.
“Nina!”
She chuckles, giving me a knowing look.
“Mom!” Ace calls out, interrupting us. He’s looking at the other kids playing nearby—Eli, Trent, Robert, and Ash. “Can I play with them?”
“Of course, sweetie. Just be careful, okay? They’re a lot younger than you.”
“Can I be their big brother?” he asks, his eyes wide and hopeful.
“That’s exactly what you can be, little man,” Reaper says, coming up behind us and placing a hand on my shoulder. I smile up at him, thankful for the wonderful father he is to our son.
With Ace off playing and the burger bar ready, I take a moment to breathe in the joy and love surrounding us. This is what a family should be like, full of laughter and support. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The sun sinks lower on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the back yard and illuminating the happy faces of our makeshift family. I watch as Ace takes on his new role as big brother with pride, guiding the younger kids through their games.
Leaning close to Reaper, I whisper, “You’re a good dad.”
He shrugs modestly, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. “I’m trying.”
“Trying? Babe, you’re a natural at being a father.” Sincerity laces my words, and I see the gratitude flicker across his face.
His lips curl into a smile, and he pulls me in for a passionate kiss, his strong arms wrapping around me. The world seems to fade away, leaving just the two of us, until Scar and Talon whistle and catcall, breaking the moment.
“Get a room!” Talon calls out with a teasing grin.
“Maybe we will later,” Reaper shoots back playfully, not missing a beat.
“All right, everyone! Time to eat!” Nina calls, motioning to the fully stocked burger bar.
We gather around, eagerly assembling our burgers. We sit at the large picnic tables on the lawn. Moms and dads work together to make sure their kids all have plates of food. They sit in smaller family units within the bigger club family. Trencher and Nina sit next to each other, chatting about his plans to renovate an older part of the clubhouse.
As I take a bite of my juicy, perfectly cooked burger, I can’t help but marvel at how far we’ve all come. These men, once hardened by tragedy and loss, have found happiness and love. Their lives have changed for the better, and it shows in the easy camaraderie and shared joy surrounding us now. And it’s not just them. I’ve found my own happiness here, too.
I glance around at the faces of our family, knowing we’re bound together by loyalty, trust, and an unwavering belief in each other. At this moment, I can’t ask for anything more.
As we finish our last bites, Nina stands up, clapping her hands together to get our attention. “The movie’s starting as soon as the sun sets. Time to grab some blankets and pillows from inside!”
Excited, the kids race into the house, their youthful energy contagious. I join Julia, Holly, and Daisy as we help our little ones arrange their spots on the grass in front of the huge outdoor projector. Jessica helps Holly wrangle Trent and Robert. Both kids were named after rockstars, and they’re living up to their names, rambunctious as hell. Holly and Nitro definitely have their hands full, but I can tell they love their kids as much as they love each other. Trencher and Nina share a blanket at the front of the group.
Once everyone is settled, the opening credits roll. I snuggle under the shared blanket with Reaper, his warmth instantly comforting. As the movie plays on, I find myself getting lost in the story, my thoughts occasionally drifting to how lucky we are to have everyone around us.
A sly grin spreads across Reaper’s face as he slides his hand under the blanket, fingertips brushing against my thigh. I playfully swat at his hand, my eyes narrowing with mock disapproval.
“Not now,” I whisper. “Later.”
“Later?” he murmurs, his voice low and seductive, teasing me. “Let’s sneak off to the barn, babe.”
I hesitate for a moment, glancing around to see if anyone’s watching. They’re not, and the mischievous glint in Reaper’s eyes is too alluring to resist. We carefully slip away, unnoticed by the others, making our way toward the old wooden barn.
Inside the hayloft, light filters through the cracks between the boards, casting soft shadows across Reaper’s face. He pulls me into his arms, and our lips connect with fiery passion. Our love fuels our desire.
We quickly discard our clothes, tossing them onto a pile to protect us from the rough texture of the hay bales beneath us.
As we lose ourselves in each other’s embrace, I can’t help but think this love—this connection—is what we’ve both been searching for all our lives.
Riding high, we reach the explosive summit together.
“Fuck, babe. I love you so much,” he groans as he fills me with molten heat.
“Love you too, sexy,” I whisper, trailing my lips across his throat to give him one last shiver of pleasure.
We lie together for a few minutes before rejoining the group around the fire pit. I guess we were gone for a while because we find everyone toasting marshmallows for s’mores.
Nina glances at us with a knowing smile as she points to my hair. “Lexi, honey, you’ve still got some hay in your hair.”
I blush furiously, feeling the heat crawl up my cheeks, but Reaper simply grins, his eyes sparkling with unapologetic pride. Our secret adventure may have been discovered, but it doesn’t matter. We’re surrounded by love and acceptance, and that’s all that truly matters.
The stars above us seem to shimmer in anticipation. I feel a gentle nudge on my shoulder and turn to find Talon grinning at me. His eyes dance with excitement. “Give me two minutes and then tell everyone to look up.”
“Why?”
“You’ll see.” Talon chuckles before slipping away from the group.
After two minutes have passed, I call out to everyone gathered around the fire pit. “Guys! Look up!”
As we all tilt our faces toward the heavens, a sudden explosion of color bursts through the darkness. A magnificent firework display unfolds before our eyes, showering us in vibrant hues of red, blue, and gold.
“Wow!” I hear Ace exclaim as he watches the spectacle, his young face lit up with wonder.
Around me, I see tears glistening in the eyes of those I love, tears of happiness and joy, reflecting the beautiful chaos in the sky.
Julia and Scar share a tender embrace, their smiles bright even in the dim light, while Matrix wraps an arm protectively around Daisy.
Nitro and Holly hold their kids in their laps with one hand, while reaching for each other with the other.
Trencher and Nina ooh and aww at the kaleidoscope of colors.
Reaper stands beside me, his strong hand finding mine, and I feel the warmth of his love wash over me like the cascades of light above.
“Can you believe it?” I whisper to him, my heart swelling with gratitude. “We’re all here, together, as one big happy family.”
He squeezes my hand gently, his voice low and full of emotion. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better, Lexi. This is our family, your family now, and I wouldn’t trade them, or you, for the world.”
As the fireworks continue to paint the sky, I close my eyes and savor the moment. Though life has thrown countless challenges our way, I’m grateful that fate led me to the motorcycle club and to the incredible people who make up this unique, unbreakable family.
And as I stand here, surrounded by love and laughter, I know we’ll keep fighting for justice by shining light into the darkest corners of the world, and we’ll do whatever it takes to make sure no child is ever forced to fight their monsters alone.
***
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In the shadows of New Orleans” dark underworld, forbidden love can be deadly…
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