Chapter Twelve
Janet
I’d tried to pretend I wasn’t worried, but as I chatted with Sophia and the rest of the old ladies, I kept one eye on the door. When Thor walked in, I jumped to my feet and ran to him. “It’s over?”
He wrapped an arm around my waist and lowered his head to sear a kiss across my lips. “It’s over.”
It felt like a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “Thank goodness. Let’s celebrate!”
“My thought exactly.” He scooped me up in his arms and headed out of the room to the sounds of whistles and laughter from the rest of the old ladies.
He entered his room and tossed me on the bed.
Our room. I was wearing his cut, which meant more than any state issued piece of paper, although I still wanted the legal wedding thing.
Especially now that I had a reason for it.
I placed my hand on my belly, and for a brief moment, I wondered how he’d react.
We’d never seriously discussed children.
We’d never gotten past the part where I kept telling him I didn’t want to commit.
I’d only done the tests yesterday when I realized I was late, so I hadn’t had time to get used to the idea myself.
I hoped whatever the kidnappers had used to knock me out hadn’t harmed the baby.
I’d have to make sure to mention it when I saw the baby doctor.
I’d have to find one first, though. I doubted a bunch of ex-SEALs had one of those on speed dial.
So many changes in such a short space of time.
“What happened? Is it really over? Did you find out who was trying to kill you?”
Thor shrugged out of his cut and laid it on top of the dresser. “Yes, it’s over and turns out it was all about money.”
“You don’t have any money.” Or at least none I was aware of.
“No, but apparently I have a distant aunt or fourth cousin or something and they do.” He pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it aside. “I haven’t quite wrapped my head around it yet. Some old lady up in Atlanta did one of those DNA things to find her relatives, and it came up with me.”
“Wow.” I knew how much he’d always wanted a family. “Are you going to get in touch with her?”
“Probably. I’ll have Shadow see what he can come up with on her.” He slid his pants down over his hips and kicked them over to the corner of the room.
Suddenly I had no interest in his new relative. His shaft was rock hard and just begging to be sucked. He took a step toward the bed, and I rolled over and took his cock in my mouth.
Thor groaned and fisted his hands in my hair while I sucked and licked, running my tongue down the sides of his gorgeous shaft.
Damn, the man was hung! I tilted my head back to take him all the way in.
The head of his cock hit the back of my throat, and I gagged a little but kept sucking.
Every time he let out a little groan, it sent a thrill right down to my toes.
“Honey, stop.” He tugged on my hair. “I want to be inside you when I come.”
I thought about it for a minute, and he gave another tug on my hair, harder this time. “Janet, please.”
I lifted my head, letting his cock slide out and he flipped me over on my back. “You have way too many clothes on,” he said before proceeding to undress me.
I lay on the bed and let him pull my shirt off, and then my leggings. He flicked the front closure of my bra, and it fell away leaving me completely exposed except for a tiny scrap of lace over my mound. Then he ripped that off as well.
Reaching across me, he snagged a condom from the bedside table. Tearing the packet open with his teeth, he quickly sheathed himself before propping himself up over me on his arms. “Beautiful.”
I could see the heat in his eyes as he looked down at me. Heat and desire. The tip of his massive cock teased its way through the soft folds guarding my pussy, and I spread my legs to welcome him in.
“I want to take it slow, really celebrate, but you’re so fucking tight I don’t think I can last that long.” He drew back for a minute, and I let out a low whimper.
“I love you, Janet. You know I do.” He surged forward, filling me so full I gasped.
Winding my arms around his neck, I pulled him down. “I love you too, you stupid Viking. I always have. I just didn’t want to involve you in my family drama.”
He pulled out almost all the way, and then slammed back in. “I can handle your family. What I can’t handle is the thought of ever losing you.” He started to move inside me, sliding in and out in a steady rhythm. I arched upward, meeting him thrust for thrust.
“Same here. Losing you would destroy me. The thought that someone wanted you dead was giving me nightmares.” I gasped as he circled his hips.
“I told you I’m not that fucking easy to kill.” He pinned me with his gaze as he reached between us and ran his thumb across my clit.
My orgasm exploded across every nerve in my body, and my pussy clamped down hard on Thor’s cock. He let out a roar as his own orgasm engulfed him. Lowering his head, he took my lips in a savage kiss, staking his claim on me as his seed pumped from his cock.
I lay locked in his arms as the aftershocks of my orgasm slowly faded. It felt good. Thor. Me. And baby would make three. A family of our own.
Opening my eyes, I found Thor staring down at me with a bemused expression on his face. “What?”
“You’re finally wearing my cut. I was starting to think that would never happen.” He dropped a tender kiss on my forehead.
“You know I always wanted to.” I reached up to trace a tattoo of an eagle on his chest. Someday I’d get around to asking him what it meant. “I was just scared my family would mess things up.”
“I can handle your family. I bet you I’ll have them eating out of my hand by next summer.”
I peeked up at him from beneath my lashes. “Won’t take that much work on your part.”
He tilted his head, looking slightly confused. “Because I’m so charming they won’t be able to resist me?”
I shook my head, placing my hand over my belly. “Because they’ll have something else to focus on by then.”
“Huh?”
I took a deep breath and blurted it out, watching his face for his reaction. “I’m pregnant. We’re having a baby.”
His expression went from confusion to shock to absolute joy within minutes. “You’re pregnant?”
I nodded.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I did half a dozen of those pee stick tests. All positive.”
He placed a hand on my still flat stomach with a look of absolute awe. “A week ago I was an orphan. Today I have a partner, an aunt, and soon, a son or daughter.”
I placed my hand over his. “A family. We’re a family.”
“One more thing we need to do then.” He reached back into the drawer he’d pulled the cut from and pulled out a blue velvet box. Sliding out of my arms, he knelt beside the bed and flipped the lid of the box open to reveal a diamond ring. “Janet, will you marry me?”
Stunned, I stared from the ring to Thor’s face and back to the ring again. For a split second I was too shocked to reply.
Thor looked nervous. “Janet?”
“Of course I’ll marry you!” I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him so tight it was a wonder he could still breathe.
He gently pulled my arms away and took the ring out of the box to place it on my finger. “You had me scared there for a second.”
I held out my hand to admire the ring. Three round-cut diamonds were mounted on a white gold band.
Simple but elegant. I knew they were supposed to represent past, present, and future but to me they represented family.
Thor. Me. And the child we’d created. “I didn’t expect this.
It took a moment for it to sink in. When did you buy a ring? ”
He grinned. “A long time ago, when I realized how very much I loved you. I knew you weren’t ready yet, but every time I saw that box in the drawer, it made me feel good. I knew some day you’d agree to be mine.”
I threw myself into his arms. “This is the day. I love you from the bottom of my heart.”
* * *
Thor
I’d arranged the BBQ for Riptide tonight with a couple of special events to announce. Everyone, including the Prez, thought it was just to celebrate Janet finally agreeing to wear my cut and be my old lady.
They were in for a surprise.
Mom and Jake were helping me with the actual work.
I’m useless in a kitchen. I could probably burn steak on the BBQ if I had to, but that’s about it.
I wanted people to be able to eat, so I enlisted some help.
Mom had made salads and baked a ton of stuff.
She was good at that kind of thing. Jake had agreed to man the BBQ and make sure everyone got fed.
I’d ordered a fucking ton of beer and some wine and hard liquor.
I had it cooling in tubs of ice out back by the BBQ pit.
I’d ordered some special, alcohol-free stuff for Janet because the baby doctor said no alcohol until after the baby was born.
Even then, if she was breastfeeding, alcohol was going to be a no-no.
The baby doctor also did an ultrasound and said the baby looked fine, so whatever those assholes had used to knock Janet out hadn’t hurt the baby.
Damn lucky or I would have brought them back just so I could kill them again.
Yeah. I know that’s not possible, but I’d give it a fucking try.
“Did you manage to connect with your aunt, or cousin, or whoever that was searching for relatives?” Janet was in the ensuite, getting ready for the event.
“Not yet. I entered my contact info in the database, but I’ll leave it up to her to connect if she wants to. Otherwise, it’s like I’m after her money. I don’t need that, and I don’t need to find a family either. I have one right here.”
“Fair enough. I’m okay with whatever you want.”
“What about your family? It sounds like they want you back in the fold.”
“I’m not sure. I don’t want our child treated with anything but love and acceptance. I’m not saying no, but I think we should take it slowly. I haven’t told them I’m pregnant yet.” Janet came out and twirled around so I could get a good look at her outfit. “Do I look okay?”
“You look amazing. I love seeing my cut on you.” I stood and offered her my arm. “You ready to go face the pack?”
She grinned. “No problem. I plan to blame you for everything.”
“How so?”
“Well, I didn’t get pregnant all by myself. Even a bunch of bikers can figure that one out.”
I laughed. “Yeah. They can. I’m sure they’ll congratulate me on a job well done.”
She shook her head. “Don’t let it go to your head. I’ll be expecting you to do your share of midnight feedings and diaper changes when the time comes.”
I dropped my gaze to her generous cleavage. “I can change diapers, darling, but I’m not equipped for feeding.”
She grinned. “Don’t kid yourself. I’ll pump milk for you to use. The baby can learn to take a bottle.” She looped her arm through mine. “Lead the way, oh husband-to-be.”
We headed to the back door and were greeted by whistles and clapping as we approached the BBQ area. Most of the guys were sitting around on the logs that served as seating. They’d already started in on the beer and liquor.
Ace stood and motioned for quiet. The noise died down, and he turned and held out his arm to motion us forward. “I’d like you all to help me welcome Thor’s old lady into the Riptide family. Janet, we wish you and Thor the very best that life has to offer.”
I let Janet precede me into the circle of bikers and their old ladies. She held out her arms and executed a perfect pirouette, turning slowly so that everyone could admire her cut. I was so fucking proud of her. She managed to look like a princess accepting the homage of her court.
Sophia jumped up from beside Deuce and ran to hug her. “Welcome to the family! We’re practically sisters now!”
Emma followed, then Jasmine and Jewel. Pretty soon all the women were standing with Janet in the middle of a circle of bikers, hugging and laughing and talking excitedly. I stood back and let Janet have her moment in the limelight.
Every time a Riptide brother managed to find his old lady, the circle got bigger and louder and more joyful. We weren’t kids anymore and we were getting to the settle-down stage of life. It felt fucking good. It probably wouldn’t be long before more of the old ladies were in a family way.
I cleared my throat, and the women ignored me. Ace slapped me on the back good-naturedly. “Better get used to it. You’re not in charge anymore.”
At the sound of Ace’s voice, Janet looked over at me. I raised my brows, and a slow smile curved her lips. She whispered something to the women surrounding her, and they scattered back to their seats. She held out her hand to me and I crossed to her side.
Clasping her hand tightly, I cleared my throat again. This time a hush fell over the brothers, and they looked at us expectantly. I turned and grabbed Janet’s other hand so that we stood facing each other. “We have something else to announce.”
“Actually, two things,” Janet said.
“Two things, then.” I gazed into her eyes. “The first is that Janet and I are getting married on December 21st, the winter solstice.”
Janet gave my hand a squeeze. “And the second is that I’m going to have a baby.”
I’m sure the resulting noise could be heard for miles. Hoots and whistles, clapping and cheering. Everyone came up to slap me on the back or place a reverent hand on Janet’s still flat belly.
A new generation was beginning, and this child would know love from its very first breath.