Chapter 12
Sutton
I had just washed the last breakfast dish after the men told me I didn’t have to cook or clean.
And then they all yelled at me that since I cooked, I shouldn’t have to clean.
Why couldn’t I have met one of them before I met Irish?
Damn.
But then a thought crept into my head.
He killed men for me.
Two.
Wasn’t that worth something?
I shook my head, and then, as I dried my hands, my phone on the counter rang.
When I saw it was Asher, I smiled, then answered, “Hey.”
His smokey voice came over the line, and I knew he had a cigar in his hand, “Hey, sweetheart. How’s things?”
I shrugged, even though he couldn’t see me, “Things are okay. I’m still trying to get my bearings.”
“Yeah, I get that.” He was silent.
And so was I.
Then I heard him sigh, “I’m going to tell you something. I need you to give me some respect and listen. Alright?”
It was my turn to sigh, but I did respect Asher. A hell of a lot. So, I said, “Okay.”
“He’s hurting, Sutton. I know he hurt you. I do. But he’s a good man once he pulls the ‘whatthefuckamIdoing’ stick out of his ass. He wouldn’t be my brother if he wasn’t a good man. Give him another chance, Sutton. If he breaks your heart or lets you down one more time, I’ll put a bullet in him myself.”
I grinned at the thought, but... “But you’ve watched him, Asher. You’ve watched everything. You’re the first person to tell anyone who will listen that if you give someone a chance and they blow it, then they're not worth your time.”
I heard him sigh then, “Yeah, I know. But I know Irish, Sutton.”
And with that, he disconnected.
And over the next week, I did nothing but think.
But in those three weeks.
Packages showed up at the clubhouse.
Jewelry.
Chocolates.
Thick, warm socks.
Spa kits.
You name it, it arrived.
Even the men thought it was funny at first until they had to haul everything to the room I was staying in.
And then a package came.
It was a letter from Maisie.
‘Mommy, I miss you. I know Daddy messed up. I don’t understand all that happened, but at night, when Daddy thinks I’ve gone to bed, I heard him crying. And one time, I saw him holding a picture of you. The same picture he put on my bedside table. Daddy also had the house redecorated, and he bought you new stuff. It’s all in the house. But if you don’t come home, then I’m talking Daddy into bringing me next time when he comes to see you. I love you, Mommy. And I miss you.”
And at the bottom of the letter, read.
‘We miss you too, Sutton. So much. We want you to come home. Forgive him. Please. And I wrote the letter. Irish has no clue about it. – Adeline.
After I read the letter, I folded it up and put it in my memory box.
Then I closed the lid and sat down on my bed.
And then, I didn’t even try to stop the tears that trailed down my cheeks or the broken sob.
I didn’t even hear a knock on the door.
Nor did I see Raj poke his head in.
But I found myself in his arms as I cried big freaking tears.
His only words to me were, “You got your miracle. He manned up. Give him a chance. Alright?”
It was the very next day when I came in from riding four-wheelers when I pulled out my phone and saw that I had a voicemail.
After I hit the button and brought the phone to my ear, my breath hitched at his ragged tone.
‘I love you, Sutton. Fuck. But I love you. Me and Maisie are here waiting for you. And if you never want to come here, then me and Maisie will come to you. I’ll work as a janitor, as a fry cook, I don’t give a fuck. Not as long as I have you. And you have me. I want my family. Me, you, and Maisie, so take your time, alright. We aren’t going anywhere.’
Irish
Seeing the sadness on my baby girl’s face all but did me in. Today was her birthday. And she had let me know right quick that she wasn’t having a party if Sutton couldn’t be here.
So, I didn’t order the cake.
I didn’t hang the decorations in the house that Sutton had bought.
I curled up with my daughter; her soft snores were hilarious, but I just couldn’t smile.
I haven’t smiled since I smiled at Sutton when I tried to get her to forgive me.
Maisie had just snored again when there was a timid knock at my door.
Sutton
I stood there, waiting, and when the door opened, I stared up at him.
Has he been eating?
My word.
Even his eyes looked sunken in.
He had dark circles around his eyes, too.
And the usual vibrant gray eyes were dull. Oh. No.
But then I saw a small spark in them when his eyes looked me up and down, and he whispered, one broken word, “Baby?”
At his tone, I simply asked, “Did you mean it?”
“Meant every fucking word.” He growled at me.
Just then, I heard, “Mommy?”
Stepping around him, I stepped into the house, and then the moment Maisie saw me, I watched as excitement rippled across her face before she jumped off the couch, bringing my heart in my throat and then running full tilt towards me.
I dropped to my knees, and the moment she made it to me, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in as close as I could.
Her face went into my neck while I inhaled her scent. It was all Maisie.
I stood up with her as she wrapped her legs around my waist, clinging to me like a freaking spider monkey.
Then I looked at Irish. “You're done with her. Right?”
He nodded. “Totally done with her. Never again, baby. You're it for me.”
I looked into his eyes, looked deep, and saw it there.
Truth. Honesty. And the newest emotion... love.
I smiled.
“Think you could kiss...” I got nothing else out.
Because his arms wrapped around the two of us, pulling us into his chest, and then his lips came down on mine.
His touch was like a feather, light at first, but then when his tongue delved into my mouth, I tried my hardest to bite back the moan, but I hadn’t accomplished it.
When we pulled away, he was breathing heavily, and so was I.
His forehead rested on mine, and then he whispered, “Is my woman home?”
I smiled and then nodded, “But... you hurt me one more time, Irish, whatever the rest of your name is, and I won’t allow Asher to kill you. I’ll do it myself.”
He winked, “Deal. And it’s Michael Elias White”
I grinned.
Then I walked further into the house and frowned, “Where’s the cake and the decorations?”
Irish wrapped his arms around us again and said, “She didn’t want to have a party without you here.”
I nodded, then looked at Maisie, “You still want that party?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
I grinned, “Okay, pretty girl.”
I sat her down on her feet and said, “You open the gift I left on your bed?”
She grinned, then nodded.
I nodded back, “Go put it on for me, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy.” And just like that, she took off like a shot.
I smiled. Damn, but I had missed hearing that.
Then I called the girls.
Ten minutes of us talking and them saying they were so happy I was home, and then they said they would be right over, and they would put the word out about Maisie’s party.
Once I hung up the phone, I was back in Irish’s arms.
His lips were on mine, “Tonight, I’ll show you how happy I am that you're home.”
I smiled, “Good. I look forward to it.”
He grinned, then he sobered, his eyes staring intently into mine, and then he asked, “Will you give me an answer, Sutton?”
I tilted my head to the side, “An answer? To what?”
“Everything I left with you,” he said.
I shook my head, “I need time, Irish. I have to be able to trust you again. Is that okay?”
He nodded, “Yeah, baby. It’s more than okay. Long as I have you, I don’t give a fuck.”
And yes, Maisie’s party went off without a hitch.
The men of Zagan MC all gave me hugs, but Creature didn’t. And that was okay. I still didn’t know much about him, other than some shit went down, and he had to leave. He went nomad.
But what had me laughing my ass off was the fact that with every single one of those hugs, Irish growled and cursed.
But he cursed low so Maisie couldn’t hear it.
And the men and women of Zagan MC had given her every present known to man that would make any little girl deliriously happy.
Even though she remained glued to my side, and later that night, Irish didn’t get to show me how happy he was that I was home.
And that was due to the little girl who was now six years old and didn’t want to be separated from me for even a nanosecond.
And yes, true to everything, Irish had bought me a new wardrobe, and I was wearing a T-shirt that had his last name on the back of it.
But... he did show me how happy he was that I was home the very next day after Adeline and Coal picked her up to go spend some of her birthday money.