CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
– LIVI –
I leave Thorsten and Macsen in church and notice Falcon who is standing in front of the window. He has his fingers turned into fists, knuckles white, and is furiously glaring at something happening in the parking lot.
“What’s going on?” I ask and come to a stop next to him.
I frown when I see Archer talking to my friend. “Why is my cousin talking to Kenz like they’ve known one another all their damn lives?”
The muscle in Falcon’s jaw jumps and he gives me a quick shrug.
“Why is she even here? Did you invite her over?” I wonder.
I get a tight nod, so I smack his arm. “Okay, then let’s find out why she knows Archer.”
Falcon is right behind me when I step out of the clubhouse.
Raising my voice I say, “Hey, Kenz, mind telling me how you know Archer?”
Kenz squeals and runs right at me to grab me in a tight and quick hug. “Why the fuck am I the last one to know you’re my freaking cousin?”
Shocked, I pull back. “Say what now?”
“Yeah, I’m freaking pissed I only found out ’cause I ran into Archer here. You’d think the rest of our family would at least call me to–”
“My ma said it’s your own damn fault for not wanting to be in the group chats, and dodging calls from your parents and brothers,” Archer states, his phone aimed in our direction, showing his mother with a scowl on her face.
I give her a finger wave. “Hey, Aunt Lynn.”
“Aunt Lynn,” Kenz gushes. “Great to see you.”
We turn to look at each other and burst out laughing.
“Oh, this is the best fucking news I heard in months,” Kenz says and pulls me into another hug. “We went from besties to cousins. Fucking awesome.”
A whistle comes through Archer’s phone. “Well, hello there epitome of badassery, what’s your name? Kenz, Livi, who’s the hottie with all the ink, looking like he wants to kill something for breakfast and do a little torture for dessert?”
“Ma!” Archer grunts.
Chuckling, I tell her, “Falcon, Thorsten’s younger brother.”
“Rawr,” Aunt Lynn groans. “If only I were younger.”
“Hanging up now,” Archer grumbles and ends the call.
I glance over my shoulder at Falcon who only has eyes for Kenz. He’s also ignoring his phone.
It doesn’t take me three guesses to know why his phone is ringing and it’s why I tell him, “You need to head inside, Falcon. Church. The brotherhood needs to vote on something.”
Falcon snaps his fingers and points at me and Kenz before throwing a thumb over his shoulder.
I give him the finger. “Don’t you snap your fingers at me. Go on, scoot. Inside and we’ll follow.” Throwing a look at Archer, I tell him, “You might wanna come back inside too, ’cause I think the voting will be over quickly.”
Archer nods and we all head back inside. Falcon palms his phone and taps the screen.
I hear Kenz’s phone giving a notification of an incoming message.
She checks it and there’s fire in her eyes when she tells Falcon, “Learn to use more words or at least throw in an emoticon or three so you don’t sound like a dick. A message with only ‘Sit. Wait.’ is like throwing orders at a dog.”
Falcon strides right up to her and completely towers over Kenz as he starts to growl. Holy shit, the man is huge and threatening. Even Archer takes a step closer until Kenz suddenly flashes her arm out and it disappears under Falcon’s leather cut for a breath or two. Falcon steps back and slams a hand over his shirt and leather covered nipple.
Kenz jabs two fingers against the hand Falcon has over his pecs. “Growl at me again and it’ll be a dick twist instead of a titty twist. Understood, pal?”
Before I can blink Falcon has her by the wrist and makes her hand cover his jean covered dick.
“Falcon, get your ass in church. Now,” Thorsten roars in time to prevent escalation.
Archer was ready to punch Falcon, not something we need right now. Falcon disappears in church, and I’m about to scold Kenz to question her mental state when she interrupts me.
“Holy smokes, that dude is hotter than a sausage roasting on a fire. The sausage in question, though?” She hums in contentment while waving her hands in front of her face as if she needs to fan the heat coming from her body.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Archer grumbles.
While I mutter, “Interesting.”
Archer wants to say something else, but Kenz interrupts him when she storms my way. “Sorry, cousin. I have to borrow Livi for a moment.”
“Wait, please,” I tell Archer and I don’t start to move until he gives me his nod.
“Can we go somewhere private?” Kenz asks.
I lead the way to Thorsten’s bedroom. Well, it’s mine as well. Once the door is shut, Kenz flips the lock, and searches her bag for something she hands to me. Glancing at the small brown bag, I check what’s inside and feel my eyes widen.
“How the hell did you know?” I ask, leaving her to fill in the blanks.
Instead of looking at me, she’s letting her eyes feast on the room while she says, “Falcon messaged me. Thorsten wanted me here, and I needed to bring a pregnancy test.” Finally giving me her attention, she adds, “Seriously, Livi, this guy cares about you. I kept my side of the MC family away from you when you showed your disgust for bikers when we met. Besides, I’m not as connected as the rest of the family is with Areion Fury. Still, I know a lot about the biker life, you know, being born into one. It leaves me to say that it shows how a president is toward his old lady when he asks for her friend to pick her up a pregnancy test and be there for her, you know?”
My chest tightens and warmth spreads throughout my body.
“Yeah.” I feel a smile slide across my face.
“Hold my tits, you’re in love? Dude. Really?” A laugh rips from her while I can only blink slowly.
I love him? Well, we did throw the adoration, like, smitten words around, and the chemistry is off the charts, but love?
“I don’t know,” I muse.
Kenz snorts. “The goofy smile on your face kinda seals the deal. Come on, go into the bathroom and produce some pee for you to use and get some clarity when it comes to this part between you two. We’ll talk to kill the time before we find out if the hot biker president knocked up my cousin. Damn. I do love calling you that.”
I shoot her a smile for the cousin comment but smack her with the bag as well. “Don’t call my old man hot.”
“Your old man.” Kenz snickers. “I’m still processing the whole you being claimed by a president. Definitely not something I expected when you told me you needed to go on an incommunicado vacation for your job. I mean, it was kinda obvious you went undercover, but to have this as a result? No job, a president’s old lady, getting knocked up, my long-lost cousin, and hey…oh, this is hilarious…your mother was a biker princess. Hilarious when you think about it.”
“Hilarious.” I roll my eyes. “It took me awhile to process the uprooting of my past. Then again, getting to know my family has been a wild ride. A twisted one…but nice. Especially when I thought I didn’t have any family left.”
Kenz pulls me into a hug. “You always have me, and now we’re family.” She pulls back. “Go pee and tell me if I’m getting a cousin once removed.”
I turn on my heels and disappear into the bathroom. Taking out the pregnancy test, I read over the instructions, handle my business and place it carefully on the counter. Grabbing my phone, I set a timer and wait.
“Everything okay in there?” Kenz asks.
“Not done yet,” I tell her and watch the seconds tick away.
What if I am pregnant? I glance down and place a hand on my belly. Weird how least expected situations suddenly click your life and future in place. The thought of not being pregnant tightens my chest. Wait. Why do I want for this to happen?
I swallow hard, remembering the story of how my mother fell pregnant with me after a one-night stand. She did try to find him over the years, to let him know about my existence. Never successful.
The timer makes my heart jump and brings me back to the here and now. I glance at the pregnancy test on the counter and take a deep breath. Time to find out. Shoving my phone into my pocket, I grab the test and look down.
Pregnant.
Damn. This man knows how to hotwire me, a relationship, and a freaking family. Talk about hitting the ground running.
The door swings open. “You’re killing me with the suspense here.”
My smile is huge when I show her the test. “Pregnant.”
She squeals and pulls me into another hug. Damn this woman and her hugs.
Pulling back she tells me, “Okay, I’m way happy for you and all. Super, super excited. But I have to leave, and you need to help me.”
“What?” I ask in confusion.
She bites her bottom lip. “This might sound a bit crazy.”
“Kenz, you are crazy,” I tell her.
Kenz snickers. “True story. Anyway, I’m going to slip out of here to rattle Falcon’s cage.”
Remembering how they went back and forth earlier, I grumble, “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Sure it is. Seriously, fawning all over a man like him won’t do any good. Besides, I think he’s been stalking me for the past few nights, and it really does something for my libido.”
I can feel my eyes widen.
She smacks my upper arm. “Don’t give me that look, he’s harmless.”
“Harmless?” I give her a horrified look when I remember how he threw two knives at his father, one of them lodged in his throat. “The dude plays with knives and has a steady as fuck hand.”
Kenz gets a swoony look on her face. “Adding knife play to my dream man’s stalker status. Yeah, you need to help me sneak out of here. Pushing his buttons will make him crave me even more.”
I shake my head. “This isn’t one of your smutty stories turning into reality, Kenz. This could really bite you in the ass.”
She rubs her hands. “Well, whoop de doo, let’s hope the man sinks his teeth in me ’cause I’m totally down for that too.”
Ugh. Clearly all the red flags put her in a festive mood instead of warning her away.
“Fine, I’ll help with your disappearing act,” I grumble. “Follow me.”