Chapter 17
HANNAH
Acouple of days after everything went down with that other motorcycle club, I woke up with my stomach heaving before my eyes even opened. I barely made it to the bathroom, dropping to my knees in front of the toilet as everything from last night came back up in violent waves.
The second I started retching, a strong hand settled on my lower back and began to rub slow circles. Then Griffin gathered my hair back and held it out of the way.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he murmured, his worry clear in his voice. “Breathe through it. I’m right here.”
When the worst of it passed and my stomach finally settled, Griffin helped me to my feet. Then he lifted me onto the bathroom counter before wetting a washcloth with cool water. After wiping my face with gentle care, he handed me my toothbrush.
His frown carved lines between his brows as he studied me. “You’ve been exhausted for days, and now this. I’m taking you to the doctor today. No arguments.”
I rinsed my mouth and shook my head, already feeling surprisingly better. The nausea had vanished as quickly as it arrived. “It’s probably just a stomach bug. I feel fine now that I threw up again.”
Griffin’s expression turned thunderous. “This isn’t the first time?”
I flushed guiltily, clutching the edge of the counter as my shoulders slumped. “I was sick the past two mornings too. It just happened after you left for work.”
“Hannah—”
Before he could gear up to yell at me, I hurried to explain, “You’d already taken care of Isa and let me sleep in because I’ve been so tired lately. And you had Miri coming over to help with Isa during the day. She’s great with her, really patient and sweet.”
Some of the wind went out of his sails at the reminder of the extra rest I’d been getting and how helpful the seventeen-year-old girl from the winery next to the orchard had been.
He stared at me for a long beat, his eyes narrowing.
Then a slow, devastating grin spread across his face.
The kind that made my knees weak even when I was sitting down.
Without explaining his reaction, he picked me up off the counter, set me on my feet, and smacked my butt with just enough sting to make me yelp.
“Go get dressed, sweetheart. I’ll make sure Isa is ready.”
I pestered him as I followed him into the nursery. “Griffin, what’s going on? Why are you grinning like that? Tell me! You can’t just say stuff like that and walk away.”
He just laughed while he scooped a sleepy Isa out of her crib and pressed a kiss to her dark hair. “You’ll see soon enough. Flint and Razor are gonna be glad they stocked up after all.”
I had no idea what he was talking about, and he seemed to be enjoying that.
I kept trying to get answers the whole time we got ready, peppering him with questions while I pulled on jeans and a soft sweater.
He only kissed me quiet every time I got too insistent.
I huffed in frustration when he turned his phone so I couldn’t see the screen while he sent a quick text before bundling us into the SUV.
He kept up the stonewalling all the way to the clubhouse.
“Why are we here?” I asked after he opened the passenger door for me.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Finally,” I grumbled, making him chuckle.
He flung the diaper bag over his shoulder and grabbed Isa’s carrier from the base. Then he guided me into the clubhouse. Spotting Stella on one of the leather couches with Cadell playing on the cushion next to her, he asked, “Can you watch Isa? It shouldn’t take long.”
“It?” Stella echoed.
I shrugged. “Don’t ask me. He’s being all cryptic about what we’re doing here.”
“Gonna take her to see Razor.”
“Oh,” she snorted. “No wonder you wouldn't take the bet.” Stella bounced on her seat a couple of times before holding her arms out. “Give her to me.”
Her reaction only confused me more, but Griffin didn’t seem at all surprised. “Thanks.”
After setting Isa down on the corner of the couch and dropping the diaper bag near her feet, he took my hand and led me straight to the on-site clinic tucked in a building on the other side of the clubhouse.
I sighed as he opened the door, and I saw one of his club brothers who also happened to be a doctor. “Okay, now I get it.”
“Get what?” Razor asked when we walked in.
“Why I’m not freaking the fuck out over Hannah waking up and puking the past three mornings in a row,” Griffin explained with a smirk.
Razor nodded, a knowing gleam in his eyes. “Looks like Flint owes me twenty bucks already. Told him the big man here wouldn’t last long before putting another baby in his old lady.”
Griffin flipped him off without missing a beat. “Just give her the test, asshole, before I change my mind about letting you keep your teeth.”
Razor chuckled and handed me a pregnancy test, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he tilted his chin toward a door to my left. “Bathroom’s right there.”
I glared at Griffin when he tried to come with me. “Stay out here.”
He held up his hands in mock surrender, making Razor laugh. But the second I finished peeing on the stick and was washing my hands, he opened the door.
Pulling me into a corner of the waiting area for privacy, he wrapped his strong arms around me. I tucked my face against his chest as he rested his chin on top of my head.
“I love you, Hannah.” His voice was rough with emotion. “No matter what that test says. I needed you to hear it first, before anything else. I’m not saying it because I knocked you up. You’re mine, and I can’t go another day without you knowing exactly what you mean to me.”
I tilted my head back to look at him, my eyes stinging with happy tears. “I love you too, Griffin. So much it scares me sometimes.”
“We’re getting married.” He cupped my face, his thumbs brushing the tears from my cheeks.
“You’re already the most incredible mom to Isa, and you’re gonna be just as amazing with all our kids.
I’m gonna give you everything, sweetheart.
The house full of babies, ring on your finger, and the life you’ve always deserved. ”
I laughed softly, a little dazed by the intensity in his eyes. “All our kids? How many are we talking here, exactly?”
His grin turned wicked. “Isa’s gonna need plenty of brothers to protect her. If we have girls, we’ll just keep going until we get a boy for each one.”
I sputtered, half laughing but mostly shocked. “What if we only have girls?”
“Then we’ll keep trying until it’s even.” His eyes twinkled with pure male satisfaction. “I’m not opposed to practicing as much as necessary. Every single night if that’s what it takes.”
I was still giggling as I tried to figure out if he was actually serious when Razor called out, “Test should be ready now.”
As we turned to leave the corner, he tossed something that was black leather at Griffin. “King dropped this off after you texted. Figured you might need it today of all days.”
Griffin caught the vest easily and held it up for me. My breath caught when I saw the patch on the back—Property of Cross.
“Don’t have the ring with me, but it’s at home. So hopefully this’ll do until we get back. Make it official before we know if you’re pregnant, so you never have to doubt why I’m doing this.”
I nodded with a sniffle. “It’s perfect.”
He helped me shrug it on before we checked the window on the test stick. “Test is positive, sweetheart. You’re carrying my baby.”
“I am,” I whispered.
“You’re my old lady. My wife as soon as I can make it legal. My everything.”
“I love you so much.” More tears streamed down my cheeks. “Thank you for giving me the vest and telling me we’re getting married before we found out I’m pregnant.”
“I’ll always give you what you need, sweetheart.” He kissed me with one hand splayed possessively over my flat stomach like he was already imagining it rounded with his child. “We’re gonna do this right. You, me, Isa, and this little one. The whole damn family. I’m never letting you go.”
I nodded, my heart so full I could barely speak. Before I took Isa home with me, I’d been terrified of letting anyone close. Now I was standing here in love with this man as much as the little girl who’d brought us together.
Griffin brushed his lips over mine one more time, then took my hand. “Let’s go tell our girl she’s getting a sibling.”
As we walked out of the clinic together, I knew without a doubt that this was exactly where I was meant to be.