Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Morris
T he next morning, Hael fills us in on what happened last night with Arbor. I’m teetering dangerously close to tripping over the line into going feral, as evidenced by the fact I spend the next few minutes daydreaming ways I could slaughter Adam and places to get rid of his lifeless corpse. It’s inconvenient that the ground is frozen solid right now, seriously limiting disposal methods.
Hayes sighs, snagging the coffee pot and refilling his cup. “Easton called last night. Adam is still in Arizona, but East said his family is pretty connected. He has an uncle that’s a congressman out of Utah or something. Even though East is going to continue monitoring the situation, I would have preferred if he said something along the lines of don’t stress. I’ll handle him for you. ”
“That would be nice,” Hael agrees, running his fingers through his curls.
I nod.
It would be.
Hayes told me all about the security company their older brother owns. If Easton is truly capable of finding someone to kill Arbor’s ex, I wouldn’t be morally opposed to it. Not after seeing the bruises on her cheek and hearing about how Adam treated her.
I’d feel much safer with him out of the equation completely. I’ll murder him with my bare hands before I let him take Gracie away from us. That man will never hurt Arbor again.
Not on my watch.
Arbor puts in time at the gym organizing admin stuff with Hayes, which helps get her out of the house over the next couple of weeks. She’s asked a few times about coming to the shop, but I had to hire someone to do a deep clean of my office before I was willing to have Arbor and Gracie in the space.
Shops are filthy, and the business has been open for decades. It was in need of a solid scrub down. I’ve done my best to make the space hospitable, but I’m still stressing about bringing Arbor and Gracie into the office once her checkup is complete.
Doctor bills are charged separately from the hospital bill, but I manage to pay Arbor’s past-due balance for the care they gave her in the hospital after delivery, along with the cost for her checkup today while she’s preoccupied with filling out the new client paperwork. It’s a significant chunk of change, which will likely be a drop in the bucket once we receive the full statement from the hospital. It’s not ideal, but it’s one of those things that has to be paid, so there’s no point in spending time lamenting over it.
Arbor and Gracie are safe, and that’s what really matters.
After they call Arbor back, the lady next to me looks at me like I’ve grown a second head as I pull Gracie out of her car seat.
I really don’t care what she thinks.
The new parent audiobook that I listened to a few weeks ago said it was important to never leave a baby to nap in their seat once you arrive where you’re going. They can tilt their head wrong and cut off their oxygen flow.
It’s fucking terrifying.
Supposedly, it’s not a risk when they’re in the seat while the vehicle is moving, but I’ve officially unlocked a new fear.
If I had planned better, I could have brought her stroller, but the back seat is filled with her bouncer seat.
That way, Gracie has a place to chill while Arbor tackles some admin stuff at the shop.
There’s every possibility I’m a ball of nerves because this is the checkup where they’ll give her clearance to go back to normal activities.
Not that I’ve been counting down the days until she can have sex, but there’s been a certain block there—at least on my part. It seems inappropriate to creep on a woman who is still healing after giving birth, but if she gets the all clear… It’s on.
My gentlemanliness has been pushed to the point it’s paper thin.
I’m ready to truly woo Arbor.
To court her loudly and do things the right way.
Gracie wakes up before Arbor is done with her appointment. She grunts, and her little lips push together, like she’s about to crank up the volume in the quiet doctor’s office.
“Aww, sweet pea,” I coo, bringing her to my shoulder as I fumble around for her bottle in the diaper bag. “I’m working on it. Shh, Daddy’s got you.” My head darts around, making sure Arbor hasn’t popped out without me noticing.
That’s a disaster waiting to happen, but honestly, I want the right to call Gracie mine.
My name is on the birth certificate.
I’m already attached on a level that’s hard to fathom. I would lose my fucking mind if someone tried to take Gracie from us now.
Snagging the bottle, I swirl it around and bring Gracie back to rest in the crook of my arm. The little “neh” cries she releases prove that she’s hungry. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’m learning that her fussy sounds mean different things.
“Here we go,” I murmur, popping the bottle into her mouth. Her whole body trembles as she exhales heavily. “I know, that took a whole thirty seconds. How dare I make the princess wait that long?” I chuckle.
God, she’s perfect.
Her little arms flail, and she reaches one toward my beard. She’s so much more alert than she was only a few weeks ago. It even feels like she knows who’s feeding her. Hell, maybe I’m wrong, but there’s nothing like the way she makes eye contact now. It seems like there’s some recognition there.
My head flies up as Arbor comes to a stop in front of me.
She grins, tucking her dark hair behind her ear. “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger.”
I snort, shaking my head.
Both my girls do.
Would it be inappropriate to ask Arbor how her doctor’s appointment went?
Probably.
I should have asked when we were leaving the office. That’s when it would have been acceptable to ask. It’s been hours, so if I bring it up now, it’ll be weird.
I think.
Fuck, Arbor makes me feel like I don’t know anything. She’s so damn beautiful. I creepily watch her through the window to my office as I work. My face twists into a frown as Hael swaggers over, opens the door, winks at me, and disappears inside.
That dick better not encroach on my plans with Arbor tonight. She might not know it yet, but I intend to woo the hell out of her.
A few minutes pass as I split my focus between the engine I’m currently working on and the door to my office.
Hael comes out with Gracie strapped to his chest in the wrap-contraption-thing Arbor always wears. He smirks, flipping me off with the hand resting on Gracie’s head. Well, it’s on the back of the carrier. He’s more than likely supporting her neck, and I can’t murder him because he’s holding my baby.
Our baby.
Whatever.
I might be willing to share once I’ve buried my teeth in Arbor’s soft flesh, but I’m so close to the edge of going feral that even one of my best friends seems like a threat.
Hael saunters closer, nodding back toward my office. “You better get in there and ask her on a date before I forget that I’m trying to be a good packmate. This mission leaves no man behind, so get your shit together and go tell the girl she’s pretty and that you like her.” He chuckles darkly. “It’s weird that we’ve got a baby mama, but we’ve never actually?—”
“Hael,” I growl in warning.
He chuckles, grabbing one of the shop cloths and tossing it at my head. “You get the idea. Now, clean your ass up, and go ask your woman on a date.”
I snag the rag and start cleaning the grease from my hands. He makes it sound so easy, but I’m not convinced that I won’t lose my shit and bite her at the first opportunity—whether or not she’s given consent.
I swear, I’m a little too close to losing my damn mind.
Arbor is bent over, digging in one of the ancient filing cabinets when I let myself into my office.
A low growl rattles out of my chest as my head tilts.
Fuck…
What’s one step past feral?
Rabid?
I’m in motion before I can stop myself, crossing the room in a few large strides. My arm wraps around Arbor’s middle, and I flatten my palm, pulling her up until she rests against my chest.
She smiles at me over her shoulder. “Mmm, you smell really good. Have you been working hard?” She spins in my hold until she’s facing me and circles my waist with her arms. “Does it get hot enough in the shop to sweat? When we walked through, it felt pretty close to the temperature outside. I assumed you must be cold.”
“Arbor.” I hear myself growl as she twists in my hold and dances her nose across my dirty T-shirt.
She ends up in my armpit, snuggling her face into the space between my arm and chest. “Yeah, Morris?”
“How do you feel about that other dress Hael bought when you went shopping?” My nostrils flare, picking up her delicate cherry blossom scent. It causes my dick to jump, thickening simply from her smell and having her this close.
“It’s nice.” Her fingers dig into my back as the sounds of her huffing my scent in return fill the air. “I like it. Why?”
I slide my hands down her back, over her ass, and dig my fingers into her lower butt cheeks.
“Perfect. I want you to put it on tonight around six-thirty. I’d like to take you out for our first real date.” I clear my throat. “If you’re open to that.”
Her head wobbles up and down as she melts against me. “Okay, but right now, I want you to pick me up.”
My hands are already perfectly located on her ass, and I barely have to lift because she scrambles up my chest.
Arbor nuzzles her cheek to mine and buries her nose in my throat. “You smell better than any cup of coffee I’ve ever smelled.” My knees go weak as her naughty tongue flicks against my throat just under where my beard ends. “Taste better too,” she mumbles, digging her hands into the back of my neck as she grinds against my pelvis.
Don’t bite without permission. Keep your goddamn teeth to yourself.
The little omega brushes her nose over mine and kisses the hell out of me.
I growl against her lips as her pheromones flood the air. Spinning around, I rest her back against the wall to keep us both upright as our tongues dance. My fingers dig into her ass, and I try to keep myself from helping her grind over me. She’s a wiggly little thing, and she seems desperate for more, but I’m a gentleman, dammit.
I intend to savor every inch of her skin, but I want us to have a real date before we do anything past kissing. It takes every ounce of willpower I possess to pull back, resting my forehead against hers. “You’re gonna destroy me if you’re not careful.”
Arbor’s eyes widen, and her forehead rolls around mine. “I’m pretty sure that goes both ways.”