ELLE
Zodiac acted completely chill as he entered the house with his red overnight duffel bag. He wore a cocky grin and walked with his natural swagger. Despite how casual he behaved, I sensed something was bothering him.
Sutter led the way through the kitchen to the open staircase leading down to the basement. Hobbs acted as if he might follow after us, but the lazy Chihuahua decided to keep lounging by the upstairs windows.
Newton lifted his head when he saw us coming down the stairs. As soon as he spotted Zodiac, the cat took off for Sutter’s room.
My parents designed their dream home with plenty of bedrooms, upstairs and downstairs. Originally, they had my uncles in mind. Donnie and Devin lived in Little Rock but often visited. The basement was designed for them with a living room and kitchenette. Once Sutter came along, I moved down here.
“Where will my boy sleep?” Zodiac asked as if distrustful.
“Wilbur will be in my room at first,” I said and smiled at Sutter, who heard Zodiac’s weird tone.
“I’m on this end,” I said and gestured toward my bedroom.
“Sutter mostly stayed with me until he was around two and got his big kid bed. Next to his current room is where my uncle Devin sleeps when he visits. That’ll be Wilbur’s space. ”
Zodiac followed me to the simple bedroom. He opened the closet and looked around like he wasn’t happy about the situation.
I subtly gestured for Sutter to let Zodiac and me talk alone. Once my boy was upstairs, I joined Zodiac at the closet door.
“Are you rethinking sleeping over?” I asked and patted his ass. “Or is this bad attitude a sign that you’re getting clingy?”
Zodiac narrowed his eyes, clearly trying to intimidate me. I smiled up at him and thought back to his sleepy eyes when he first woke up.
Still grinning, I admitted, “I was so relieved when Sutter looked like my family. His dad could have been funky-looking. For this boy, I hope he looks like you.”
“Stop kissing my ass.”
Zodiac’s tone felt threatening. A smart move would be to back off. Maybe my battered pussy had derailed my common sense, but I moved closer.
“This family stuff makes you uneasy. But you need to know where your boy will rest his head. Plus, you want to fuck me again tonight.”
“All true.”
“I think you also like spending time with my dad. He’s an old school hardass like you. I think he’s curious about you since you think big like Clint does.”
“Don’t coddle me.”
“I’m pointing out what you already know,” I said and smacked his ass. “But you’re feeling hormonal right now, which has got you acting like a goofy broad.”
I headed out of the room before Zodiac could snarl at me. He still managed to grab me around the waist and yank me back against his hard body.
“I don’t want a mother.”
“Good because I’m not looking to raise a grown ass man,” I said and smiled at him over my shoulder. “Plus, fucking my quasi-kid is nasty. So, stop talking about me like I’m a mother figure.”
Zodiac thrusted his groin against my ass. One hand cupped my tit while his other stroked my belly.
“You need to come up with a better name for our boy. Wilbur is dumb.”
“You’re full of shit. Wilbur Megatron Reed is a solid name.”
Zodiac spun me around so he could frown right in my face. “He needs my last name. I’m the only Bondi. Your brother will have kids with the Reed name.”
“But I like my last name.”
Zodiac leaned down and murmured against my lips, “I don’t care.”
Snickering at his bullshit, I shrugged and turned away. “I need to change my clothes. I’ll consider the name Wilbur Bondi.”
Zodiac followed after me. “I should make sure you pick a flattering shirt. I don’t want you wearing one of those baggy outfits that hide your tits.”
I ran across the family room and got to my bedroom door before he did. I started to shut it right in his fucking face before switching gears and opening it wide.
“I will allow this,” I said and bounced back when I realized he might tackle me. “Feel free to rummage through my closet while I strip down.”
Zodiac grinned at how I obeyed him. His smile vanished when I tugged off my shirt and added, “No fucking until tonight.”
“I bet I could get a quick orgasm if you just bent over and gave me a few minutes to play.”
“No way. My pussy is already raw, and I don’t want to wince each time I move. Sutter’s young mind doesn’t need to put two and two together.”
“How does he think Megatron was created?”
“He knows how babies are made. I mean, I told him the basics, but he also searched conception and pregnancy. Sutter doesn’t half-ass knowledge. He likes to know every little detail.”
Zodiac nodded. “I always thought nerds were lame, but your kid is interesting. I don’t like normal, and his tiny brain is bizarre.”
Repeating his words in my head, I decided they were complimentary enough for me not to lash out.
Zodiac frowned. “We could have fucked in the time you’ve taken to deal with what I just said.”
“No one messes with my kids,” I snarled at him before dropping my pants. “Now, hurry up and pick what you want me to wear. If not, I’ll choose the baggiest, boner-killer outfit I have.”
Dodging his horny hands as I walked to the bathroom, I stopped at my small dresser where I kept clean panties and bras. Zodiac waited until I was fully behind a locked door before he gave up his dream of a quickie.
I returned to find he’d placed my “Tits & Tats” black T-shirt and loose gray draw-string pants on the bed.
“I considered picking one of your skankier outfits, and you have plenty to choose from,” Zodiac said as he stretched out on my bed. “But I worried your mom might faint or cry.”
“If you think Shay is a shrinking violet, you have not been paying attention.”
“She’s delicate.”
“Not really, no. She isn’t a sweet as sugar woman who won the heart of a scary man. She’s a tough chick who submitted to the charms of a scary man.”
“And you think you can do the same with me?”
“No,” I said instantly. “I don’t doubt I could fall deeply in love with you, but I also know I’m too selfish to give up my life in Little Memphis for you. Neither one of us is willing to change like Ford and Shay were.”
Zodiac narrowed his gaze like I was challenging him. I smiled at his intimidation techniques and assumed they worked better on men. As he gave up on scaring me and rested back on my bed, I got dressed.
Admiring my little round belly in the mirror, I murmured, “I can’t wait until we get the first ultrasound pictures.”
“I want to go to that shit.”
“No, but I appreciate you trying to boss me around.”
Zodiac rolled off the bed and joined me in front of the mirror. His gaze held mine in the reflection.
“I am never having another kid. Though you claim to be a good mom, here you are stealing this special moment from Wilbur’s dad. Seems sketchy.”
Leaning back against him, I sighed. “Your begging isn’t working.”
Zodiac grinned, flashing his perfect teeth.
“How come your teeth are so nice if you grew up unloved?” I asked.
“I loved myself, and I took good care of my teeth. Got the wonky ones fixed once I had money. No one values me like I do.”
“Are you trying to make me cry so I’ll agree to let you join me at the ultrasound?”
“No. You’ll obey without any theatrics from me. You can’t help yourself. You know you screwed your first kid out of a dad, so you’ll overcompensate with this one.”
“Hey, jackass,” I said, turning around to scowl at him. “That kind of talk will keep your dick out of my mouth forever.”
“I can get blowjobs from chicks at the clubhouse.”
“If you give me a disease and mess up this kid, I will fucking kill you,” I snarled. “Then, I can tell Wilbur anything I want about his dead daddy.”
“Fine, I’ll keep my dick dry with other women until you’ve delivered my kid. Then, I’m having an orgy.”
“Oh, that’s fine,” I told him and stroked his cheek. “I’ll be bored with your dick by then anyway. Let’s go upstairs before Sutter thinks we’re fucking.”
“We could have fucked twice in the time it took you to get ready.”
“Only because you come so fast.”
Even without looking back at Zodiac, I knew he was grinning. The man was well aware of his sex skills. Last night, the only way to keep him from fucking me was to fall asleep. The guy could just keep going and going and...
When I reached the top of the stairs, Sutter hurried over to me. I smiled at his worried face.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, sounding so protective.
Leaning down, I whispered, “Just foster kid hangups. No worries.”
Sutter glanced at Zodiac, who was focused on several people standing across the lake. He walked away from us and kept an eye on whoever he saw.
“He never had a real family,” I told Sutter. “It messed him up. He both wants to be close to us and feels like getting close is dangerous. I’m choosing to be patient with him.”
Sutter was a special kid. Sometimes, I felt like he didn’t belong in our family. Right now, as he studied Zodiac, I saw a lot of my dad and brother in Sutter’s expression.
“I’ll be patient, too,” Sutter said after a moment. “He’s the baby’s dad, and his club is your club’s ally. Being impatient with him would be a mistake.”
“Oh, my God,” I cooed and kissed all over his face, “you’re so smart.”
Sutter pretended as if he would squirm away, but he didn’t actually go anywhere. I suspected he missed me last night. I know I felt weird being hours away from my boy.
After I cuddled Sutter against me, we walked over to where Zodiac eyed someone.
I followed his gaze to see Joker Curran and his son Tricky standing outside, grilling like they often did together.
Joker was an affable guy with a burly build and red hair.
His son inherited his looks but not his brains.
“What’s got your back up?” I asked Zodiac.
“I wish I had kept my interest in you more discreet. That way, my enemies wouldn’t put two and two together when they see you knocked up.”
“There are no secrets in the Sleepy Eye Community. Tricky will always know my business. My mom and Amanda are friends. My dad and Joker hang out. Even if you kept your obsession with my hot body on the down-low, they would have learned you were my baby daddy.”
“Tricky will never be my friend.”
“Yeah, and he isn’t really my friend, either. But he is part of our extended family. You and Tricky will need to coexist.”
Zodiac didn’t even pretend to agree. He glared across the lake at a man he would never trust.
Ford joined us at the back windows. “What’s happening?”
“Zodiac is worried Tricky might mess with his kid.”
“No, Tricky is fond of his balls. He knows what would happen if he messed with my grandkids.”
Ford said his threat with such warmth that even Zodiac stopped glaring long enough to frown at him. Sutter grinned at his grandfather, who mimicked the gesture.
“Club shit stays outside the community,” Ford explained to Zodiac.
“That’s why Amanda gave Tricky such a hard time about that crap he pulled with Lula and Exile.
Fighting in town is one thing. Here, with our families around, everyone knows to behave.
Tricky just needed a little reminder from his very pissed mama. It’s all good now.”
Sutter followed Ford outside, where they talked about the warm day and the science behind seasonal weather patterns. Zodiac gave their conversation a little scowl before turning his gaze to me.
“Don’t cry, sweetpea,” I murmured. “My home is a safe space.”
“Fucking hilarious,” he snarled, making me laugh.
Zodiac chuckled at my amusement and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“If Tricky ever hurt the baby or you, I wouldn’t care about alliances or extended family. I’d hurt him in a way no man could survive.”
“Swoon,” I said and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Of course, if he hurt the baby or me, you’d need to get in line to fuck up Tricky.”
Despite nodding, Zodiac couldn’t quite settle down. I sensed he wasn’t even that worried about Tricky. Zodiac required something to keep him tense at all times. If he lowered his guard, he might let someone too close.