Chapter 18
Raya
“Raya, are you a firefighter?” Venom asks in shock, his eyes wide.
Blade, whose attention was on Venom's neck for reasons I have no idea why, looks my way quickly, also wide-eyed as he takes in my outfit.
Well, safe to say the ladies kept quiet about my profession despite my not keeping in touch. Not that they haven’t tried to contact me wanting to kick my butt for blocking them out. Heck, the lecture Lake gave me all the way here, despite screaming in pain, was terrifying.
Her eyes were all crazy, though that could have been the labor pain.
I have no idea how Luna gave birth to twins a few months ago because watching Lake, I thought she was going to pass out.
“Holy shit,” Blade gasps as he eyes my uniform for a second time, and I sigh.
“Is it so hard to believe a woman can be a firefighter?” I ask with a bit of force, annoyed at how shocked they appear to be.
Are they shocked because of my profession, or are they shocked that the little rich girl crap they used to spew was just that, crap?
Wonder what they’d think if they knew I was studying family law…
I sigh as more brothers come into the ER, all pausing to see my outfit, all eyes instantly widening.
I wasn’t even supposed to be working today.
I was ready to go to Mama and Gregory’s to celebrate their wedding anniversary when I got the call about a large fire breaking out.
I called Mama and let her know about my unfortunate encounter with Venom and my little payback of kissing Medic to piss him off, which made her laugh.
Then I mentioned the emergency warehouse fire, which was actually already out by the time we got there, meaning I basically had my evening ruined.
We were driving back to the station when I recognized Lake’s car with the hazards on and got Liz to pull over, thinking maybe she’d broken down, only to see she was in full-blown labor.
I’d quickly, with the help of Liz, got her in the passenger seat before bringing her to the hospital.
The whole ride here, she gave me the biggest lecture and actually threatened to kidnap me if I went MIA again.
“It’s not the fact you’re a firefighter, darling, it’s the fact everyone thought you lived off your trust,” Psycho admits, and I shake my head and lock eyes with a quiet Venom, the one who shouted the loudest about my family’s money.
Without breaking eye contact, I say to everyone, “You all put me in a box, all because of my family name, a name you never even put two and two together with my father. I never saw a cent of the money. I was brought up to respect what was in the bank account. I didn’t have lavish parties, or expensive clothes and if I wanted a shopping spree which was barely ever, or even have a day out with Ives, I had to earn it,” Venom doesn’t blink while I feel the men around us look away with shame and I finish, “My father, Chase Wilson, was a respectful fireman who loved the MC and never once did any of you question his background despite the name Wilson being well known no thanks to my grandparents and Uncle's gloating, so maybe it’s about time you stop questioning me!”
“What about your trust?” Psycho asks, and I look at him with a raised brow, but he shrugs with a smirk.
Jackass.
“Is untouched,” I admit, shocking everyone while Psycho smiles widely. Shaking my head, I state, “Maybe you brothers need to stop judging a book by its cover. That money was my father's, and he’s dead, so I don’t want it.”
I raise a brow at Venom, whose face doesn’t change, before I turn and head to the family room to wait for some news on Lake.
For an hour, I sit in the corner of the waiting room that is full of brothers and their women while Venom stares at me and Ivy glares.
She’s definitely pissed, and the fact that I moved to the other end of the waiting room when she arrived made her anger heighten and cause the brothers to wince but it wasn’t because I didn’t miss her. It was more for my own safety because well, she looks ready for murder.
Two months, and I have managed to dodge her calls, and I know she is fully aware it isn’t about Angel and the baby any longer. She knows I’m pushing her out because I haven’t stopped trying to take down Hayden.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still hurt she didn’t give me the courtesy of finding out what Venom did from her mouth, but I can’t have her in the middle of what is going to go down eventually.
I don’t even know if I’ll come out on top.
“It’s a girl, Grace,” a voice announces, causing cheers to erupt, and I look up to see a proud-looking Viper standing near the door and I smile widely as he looks around the room and holds his hands up and states, “Mama and baby are both good and healthy. Thank you, everyone, for being here, but for tonight, no visitors except for Raya, please.”
My mouth parts in shock as everyone begins to complain while Viper looks my way and grins widely as he admits, “Lake wants you to meet your goddaughter,” shutting everyone up.
Oh damn.
My eyes tear, and I sniffle as he chuckles and nods for me to come with him. I don’t hesitate, and I stand and rush over, heck, I don’t even flinch or glare when he states, “You too, Venom. Grace wants to meet her godfather.”
“Fuck,” I hear Venom choke before I feel a heavy tatted arm wrap around my shoulders, Venom’s scent filling me, and I lean into him, my emotions all over the place.
I’m tainted, yet Lake chose me as Grace’s godmother, me!
Venom pulls me into him and kisses my head as he guides me towards the double doors, following Viper, and I allow him, wishing things could be different while promising never to let the world's evil touch Grace’s aura.
“Hey, you,” I whisper a few seconds later as we enter Lake’s room and she looks up from the beautiful bundle of joy in her arms, wearing a tiny pink hat.
Lake’s eyes are tired but oh so full of happiness, and I can’t help the grin that overtakes me while a few tears fall.
She’s been through so much and overcome a lot, and this, she deserves it.
“Hey, friend,” she whispers in return, “Would you like to hold her?”
I nod and rush over to her bedside, carefully removing my big yellow coat and placing it on the chair. Then, I grab the wipes from the table and quickly wipe my hands, making Lake smile widely at me before she gently lifts her daughter.
I carefully take the little beauty and cradle her in my arms as she yawns, but doesn’t open her eyes.
Oh wow, she’s so beautiful.
She has Lake’s nose and cheekbones, while her eyelashes are all her daddy's.
“She’s so perfect, Lake, you did well,” I whisper, not taking my eyes off Grace, even as I feel a presence behind me. Venom's tatted hand covers mine over Grace's head, while his other hand goes to my hip. My eyes stay on the little girl.
“I am going to spoil you rotten, princess, and don't get me started on my mama with you sharing a name,” I whisper, “I’ll even break into my trust just for you.”
Lake giggles while I hear a snort behind me, a warm breath that sends tingles down my spine, spreading over my ear, before I feel Venom’s lips lightly caress my ear.
“Uh, Venom, what is that?” I hear Viper ask and Venom replies quietly, “Later, brother,” but I take no notice of them.
This little girl is going to break hearts when she’s older, and I swear I’ll break anyone who hurts her`.
“How’s it feel to be a godmother?” Venom asks as he walks me out of the hospital an hour later, my arms suddenly feeling empty.
I didn’t want to let the little girl go, but she needed milk, and I definitely cannot provide that for her.
“Amazing,” I admit with a slight gush, unable to hide it even from him, “and honored Lake and Viper are trusting me with their little joy.”
Venom tightens his grip around my waist, and I lean against him a little bit. When he wrapped his arm around me after I handed Grace back to her parents, I didn’t have it in me to turn him away. I knew I should, but my body wouldn’t comply.
I wonder if I’ll ever have kids?
Would they be Venoms?
I blink that thought away, thoughts I used to have before things turned sour with Venom and me, before my eyes land on my car, and I smile a little.
Thank you, Mama and Gregory.
“If you were in the fire truck when you found Lake, how did your car get here?” Venom asks, and I clear my throat as we stop near it and admit, “Mama and Gregory,” as I move out of his hold and look up at him, and I’m instantly hooked.
“You know Greg thinks of you as his daughter, right?” he says out of the blue, and I blink before I smile a little.
“I know, and I hope I can make him proud and live up to that role for him,” I admit quietly, and Venom smiles softly before his eyes race between mine.
If I told him Hayden was sending me roses every single day, demanding I become his wife if I stay in town, would he lose it?
Would he fight my battles for me?
Or does he still want to try to keep me out of his sister's life? To hurt me enough to make me want to say screw it and leave town?
“A firefighter, huh?” he says, and I shrug and admit, “It helped me feel closer to my dad, as silly as it sounds.”
Venom replies, “It isn’t silly, kitten,” then asks, “Does Ivy know?” and I nod, because, of course, she knows. I keep nothing from my friend, which is why I’ve blocked her out. “Ivy misses you, kitten,” he says, and I break eye contact.
I miss her too, and I miss Hudson and Tate, the girls, heck, I’ve barely seen Luna’s twins.
I can’t risk them. The more Hayden tries to follow me and gather information about me, the more I need to keep everyone at arm’s length. If I could get away with pushing Mama and Gregory out, I would.
Venom sighs when I don’t say anything in return before he cups my cheek and forces me to look at him, his thumb gently rubbing against my jaw.
“I wish you’d talk to me, kitten,” he whispers, his eyes racing between mine, a small frown marring his face before he admits, “Angel isn’t pregnant,” confusing me.
Okay, I didn’t expect him to go this route.
This time, I frown as he explains, “She’s trying to get knocked up and claim the child as mine, but because she’s already shouted she’s pregnant with my child even though she isn’t, I can’t fire her without a lawsuit.”
I swallow hard, surprisingly not shocked that someone would do that, and I lie, “It has nothing to do with me.”
He tilts his head, a look I can’t decipher etching his features. I have to look away at the intensity, but I still, as my eyes lock on his neck, the large tattoo that wasn’t there a few months ago glaring at me.
Raya
My name, he tattooed my name on his skin.
My pulse races, my stomach tightening with the reality. A brother doesn’t brand himself with a woman’s name unless he sees them as their forever.
Breathing becomes difficult, my eyes unable to move from the large tattoo, shock consuming me.
“Kitten,” he says, but I don’t look up from the tattoo, and he sighs before he forces my head up so our eyes lock again. His race between mine before he asks, “Why did you never mention your feelings for me growing up?”
My eyes tear up, the tattoo still taking my focus as well as resentment because of how long it has taken him to figure out the feelings I held, and I choke, “Because I’m a patch chaser trying to piss off my daddy, remember?”
“Kitten,” he whispers, “I was blinded and an idiot, and whether you want to believe it or not, you are my girl, you have been for a very long time. I just didn’t want to believe it.”
Words I longed to hear echo, and I breathe deeper as my eyes widen in shock, not really believing him.
Years he’s tried to get me out of his sisters life and when I do finally cut ties with her, he suddenly wants me?
It has to be a trap.
“It isn’t a trap, Raya,” he says, like he can read minds or did I say it out loud?
He whispers a truth, “You and I are meant to be,” before he leans down and quickly presses his lips against mine, taking away all my senses.
Instantly, I melt into him, but as soon as our tongues touch, I realize this cannot happen.
His words are just words. I quickly break away, turn out of his hold, open my car door, and climb inside.
He doesn’t say or do anything. He lets me shut my door, start my car, and drive away.
See, it has to be a trap, otherwise, he would have stopped me from leaving. Right?