Chapter 2
Devyn
This was all too much. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm the nerves that were jangling inside my chest. I glanced over at Bolo’s side profile as he drove.
He’d insisted on driving my car to lunch since he’d brought his motorcycle.
He was at least caring enough not to want to put a pregnant woman on a bike.
I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t drive my own car, though.
Normally I would’ve put up a bigger fight.
When he insisted, I relented and let him have his way.
That seemed to be the theme of our…relationship?
He insisted and I let him have his way. I’d been flattered that he wanted to go out to dinner with me.
I knew nothing about him, so I’d initially said no.
Most of my dates were set ups from my sisters, my friends, even my own parents.
Those hadn’t exactly worked out. Then again, none of them ended with me knocked up either, so they had that going for them.
I’d finally said yes to him for two reasons. One, those set ups had always been bad. Like, really bad. And two, I liked Bolo’s persistence. His looks didn’t hurt either, as shallow as that sounded. He was gorgeous. There was no denying that.
It’d been stupid to get drunk at dinner.
I was nervous. He had that effect on me.
So I had too much to drink and slept with him.
I could try to blame it on the wine, but really that was just an excuse.
I had wanted him. I didn’t regret sleeping with him, or at least I hadn’t until I realized there was a major consequence for that.
I’d tried to leave him behind because, in my experience, once you slept with a guy he took off. Especially guys as hot as Bolo.
The thing was, I really liked Bolo. What I knew of him anyway. And having him ghost me because I’d been dumb enough to sleep with him too early was a reality I hadn’t wanted to face. So I left first. I had a bad habit of doing things like that and I had no idea why I even did it.
It was stupid. If he was telling the truth now, and I really believed he was, he hadn’t been planning on going anywhere the first time.
It was my own preconceived notions about him that had put a wrench in everything.
Which was why I was here with him, in my car, on our way to lunch.
Well, that and the fact that I was now pregnant with his baby.
Getting to know one another was smart. It didn’t mean things between us would work out. Either of us could still walk away at any moment. It wasn’t like we were getting into a relationship.
I wasn’t ready to fully acknowledge the part of me that was whispering inside my mind, hoping that this could be the real thing.
And not only for the baby. I wanted what my parents had.
A real love that lasted. A person who was the other half of my soul.
And then there was the baby. It would be easier for me, and so much better for my child—our child—if I was able to work things out with their father.
Placing my hand over my still flat belly, I sat in wonder over the fact that I was already head over heels in love with the little life growing inside me. That there was another life inside me.
I couldn’t believe any of this was happening. I was a little shell-shocked. But the fact that Bolo wasn’t running for the hills made me think I didn’t give him a fair shot at first.
He had this…confidence…about him. I’d just assumed, especially after I learned he was also in a motorcycle club, that he was one of those guys who played the field.
A lot. There was more to him than I realized.
Maybe getting to know him really would be a good thing I admitted to that quiet voice inside.
Who knew? Maybe this would give me exactly what I’d been searching for all these years.
“What’s up?”
I realized I was staring at him. He glanced my way with a grin.
“Sorry, just wondering. What is your real name?” I’d thrown out the fact that I didn’t know it earlier, but now I really wanted to know.
We’d kept most of our conversations light and easy at dinner before so I hadn’t asked then.
I knew how important it was to guys like him to go by their nicknames, or road names.
I wasn’t super knowledgeable about MCs, but I knew the basics.
“Ned.”
Blinking, I stared at him in quiet shock.
He was this huge man. Seriously, he was well over six feet tall.
Six-five or so, if I had to guess. And had all this muscle packed on his frame.
Not to mention the air of authority and competence he wore like armor.
And his name was…Ned? Maybe I would stick with Bolo.
He started laughing. “I’m kidding, Dev. It’s Caleb Dunn.”
That was much better than something like Ned. Not that there was really anything wrong with that name, other than it didn’t suit him. Caleb did. “And Bolo?” I asked with an arched brow.
BOLO was an acronym that law enforcement, military, and we in the fire department used for, ‘Be on the lookout’. It was used as an alert broadcast so that people knew to be searching for a person, car, or anything involving a case.
His grin grew and sort of reminded me of the smirk the Grinch often wore in that old kids’ movie. “I was in the Army,” he told me. He glanced over and met my gaze. “I played a lot of pranks. My fellow soldiers got sick of all my shit and often put out BOLOs on me to warn everyone else.”
He had a softer smile on his face now, and was looking at me in a way that made me smile in return. I couldn’t help it. The man was a charmer. Despite this tension charged situation we were in, he was somehow managing to get me to relax.
“You must have siblings.”
His brows shot up as he glanced back at the road. “Two brothers. How’d you know?”
“I have a sister who is a trouble maker.” My smile widened. “And she’s the middle child.” I gave him a questioning look.
“You’re fucking perceptive, Dev. Yeah. I’m the middle kid.”
I’d honed my instincts over the years. I was the oldest of five sisters. Blazing the way in our family had been my job. I swore my youngest sister, Audrey, had it far easier for the trials I put my parents through. My mom claimed I wore them down.
It wasn’t like I’d been a bad kid, but I’d been all the firsts for them.
The first to date. The first to move away to college.
And now? The first to give them a grandchild.
I swallowed hard as I remembered the way Mom had wrapped me up in a hug when I’d told my parents I was pregnant.
Dad had tried to pry Bolo’s name out of me. That had gotten awkward fast.
“How many sisters you have?”
“Four.”
“Damn.” He arched a brow in my direction. “Your parents were busy.”
I made a face. As much as I admired my parents’ relationship I didn’t want to think about them having sex. “We’re all very close,” I told him.
“Yeah? That’s good.”
“Yeah. In fact,” I smiled, “Dad tried to pry your name out of me once I told them I was pregnant.”
“Wanted to kick my ass, huh?” An amused grin spread over his handsome face.
“Yup. Kind of irritated him to realize I didn’t have your real name or your location.”
“He could’ve called me. You have my number.”
“Like I’d tell him that,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “I don’t need him getting involved.”
“How big is your dad?”
I glared at him. “Not as big as you. Don’t you even think about it.”
He shrugged. “I’d never start anything with him. But I’m not about to let a man come after me and not defend myself. Not even an old man.”
“He’s not that old,” I muttered.
“My dad’s old. Yours must be around the same age.”
I laughed. “I’m sure your dad would appreciate knowing you think he’s old.”
“Tell him all the time. Pisses him right off.” He chuckled.
“You are a troublemaker. Your nickname is starting to make a lot of sense.”
“Yeah, troublemaker is a nice way of putting it. My mom calls me an asshole.”
I gasped, then relaxed when I saw the smile on his face.
“She says it with all the love in the world, but she knows her sons well. I am an asshole. And she only started calling me one once I was an adult.”
“Good to know,” I told him in a wry tone.
“We’re here.”
He parked and I got out of the car, pressing a hand to my stomach. Just standing up had made a wave of nausea roll over me. That had started happening within the last week. I never knew it was possible to throw up so violently until now.
“You okay?”
Looking over, I saw that Bolo had already come around the car and was watching me with an astute gaze. “I’m fine.”
He nodded, then went and held the door of the restaurant open for me.
His mother had taught him manners, I’d give him that.
They sat us at a table and I looked over the menu.
Everything sounded good, but my stomach was beginning to churn.
Every woman heard about this, but I was unprepared for the reality now that I was pregnant.
All the delicious foods I loved were starting to make me nauseous.
Just seeing the words was enough right now.
Not a good start to a nine-month journey.
“Everything’s damn good here,” Bolo said, his eyes on his menu.
The waiter came over. “What can I get you started with?”
Both he and Bolo stared at me. “Um…a cup of chicken noodle soup and some toast. No butter on the toast. And a sprite please.”
Bolo’s eyes narrowed. “That’s it?”
I nodded. Then my eyes widened as he ordered a quarter of the menu for his own lunch.
“You not feeling good?”
My cheeks heated. I wasn’t sure why I was feeling embarrassed. Probably because I really didn’t know this man. “Sorry. It just kind of sneaks up on me.”
“What does?”
“Morning sickness.”
His brows shot up. “It’s one in the afternoon.”
I grinned at him. “Morning sickness doesn’t only happen in the morning, Bolo.” This really was going to be a long, and educational, nine months.