Chapter 27
STEVIE
Our push and pull relationship continues while we navigate the ins and outs of our personalities.
After hearing about King’s childhood, the things he does and has done start to make sense.
His fucked-up parents said and acted like he was worthless.
I can’t imagine what that kind of environment does to a child’s soul.
After his parents were gone, he had little supervision, surrounded by raw men who followed their own rules.
It’s not an environment any child should be brought up in, but it is what it is.
Would I have chosen a man like King to be the father of my children?
No. Is this rough, and sometimes brutal man putting effort into the relationship?
Yes. A huge plus, because many people wouldn’t bother.
When we’re alone, I witness softer moments with King, which I can only hope will become the norm over time.
He’s still gruff, verbally striking out at me when he feels cornered, but the quiet instances of his touch or words tamp down his anger, like when he holds me on his lap as we watch the sunset.
Or when his hand rests on my stomach while watching television.
Even the way his gaze lightens when his attention falls on me, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, not having to voice how he feels because it’s all in the look.
So, we’re getting there. I pull back from criticizing him and I’ve stopped calling him an idiot or stupid.
It’s a trigger for him, and honestly, King isn’t dumb.
His vocabulary could use a makeover, but the shop, owning his home, investing, all of this is a huge achievement from how he grew up.
And the guy is clean. He likes everything in its place, and cleans his messes.
King enjoys cooking, which is what he’s doing now. It took me a while to get out of bed this morning because of the morning sickness. The usual chair I sit in has a bowl of oatmeal topped with bananas in front of it waiting for me.
I can get used to a shirtless King, doling out food in only sweat shorts and bare feet.
There’s a vulnerability to bare feet, and he has nice ones.
He smiles, putting a small plate of scrambled eggs by me.
Damn that smile. It doesn’t appear often, but when it does, the effect hardens my nipples and causes a sizzle between my legs.
Like the sex-crazed man he is, his eyes notice my erect nipples, and he asks, “Horny?”
My head shakes and I laugh. That’s another thing I commend him on.
I’ve refrained from sex, because I believe we should concentrate on learning about each other’s pasts and navigate the present.
Sex muddies the mind. Not that a muddy mind is bad, but it won’t help things between us right now.
Besides, I haven’t had drug- and alcohol-free sex since way before Ace raped me, so to say I’m afraid is an understatement.
I thank King for the wonderful breakfast, and as he pops a piece of bacon into his mouth, he asks, “How’s the morning sickness?”
“It’s subsiding. I’m going to Lynette’s spa later this morning, so I hope it doesn’t return. I haven’t said anything.” I cross my fingers. “One more week, and I will have officially finished my first trimester.”
“A prospect will follow you.”
I drop my fork. “Seriously? Don’t you think it’s overkill?”
“No. Snake is too quiet for my liking, and that translates to something brewing.” My face scrunches up, and I shake my head.
“Tomorrow, I’ll remove the GPS from your wrist. It will hurt like a bitch, because I have to cut into your skin.
Hell, I don’t even know if I’ll be able to take it out.
It was the first and only time I’ve used the new technology. ”
“Great!” I rub my wrist. “Is there something I can do to damage the GPS? Scrub it? Pour apple cider over it?”
He laughs. “Apple cider?”
“Yeah. If it can help with weight loss, why not short-circuit the device?”
King digs into his eggs and mutters, “Bullshit.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it, except you don’t need to lose weight.”
He stops eating and glances at me. “Neither do you. Too skinny for someone stuffed with two kids.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “So poetic, King.”
All he does his shrug then clears the table once I’m finished. On his way out of the house, he returns to the deck where I’m finishing my tea, touches my bump of a belly as he kisses me and vanishes.
The spa is in the central part of town. I find a parking space in front of the place, and when I walk in, Lynette embraces me.
A few of the other club women aren’t too happy with me, but Lynette won’t allow any kind of negativity.
She has a baby on the way, which might be the reason she expects positive energy.
In the pedicure chair, Lynette sits next to me for a pedi while catching up on what’s been going on.
“Again…” I make eye contact with everyone in close proximity to me, “I apologize for my outburst at the club. It’s not an excuse, but I was stressed and I lashed out.”
Lynette pats my hand. “It’s okay. We all have bad days.” She turns to the other women and yells, “Right, ladies?”
Some nod. Some say yes. I guess it will take time for them to forgive me. Willow buffs my feet with a pumice stone. One of the Sweet Butts, Casey, works the room, picking up towels, sweeping, and anything else needing straightening up.
Casey comes over and asks, “How’s Frost?”
I’m not sure if she’s asking for herself or wondering if things have gotten better, so a slow fine comes out.
“We haven’t seen much of him at the club.”
“He’s been busy at the shop.”
She bends over, breasts pouring out of her shirt, and points to a butterfly tattoo near her nipple. “Frost did this.” Biting her lip, she backs up, twirling a dust wand. “That’s not all he did.”
Lynette stands. “I’ll have none of your shit in my spa. When we were at Frost’s house, I told Stevie you and Kimmy were cool because you didn’t mess with the guys who have old ladies.”
“Shit, Lynette. I’m kidding.”
“No you’re not. Get the fuck out of here. Come back when you find some decency.”
Casey throws her dust wand on the ground, stomping her feet, and the front windows rattle when she slams it.
I blow out a long breath. “I guess my comments at the club rubbed everyone the wrong way.”
Lynette waves her hands in the air. “Yes, it kinda stung since I thought we were becoming friends, but I get it.”
I rest the side of my head against the cushion to see her full-on and I smile at her. “We are becoming friends.” I lift my head and look around at the women, who have stopped their tasks to listen in on us. “With all of you. Granted, the MC life wasn’t what I pictured for my future.”
Willow stops and asks, “What does that mean?”
“Sorry.” I rub my eyes. “I mean…well, I’ve always hated MCs.
” The women transform into cement, so I hurry on to explain.
“When I was young, my dad left my mom and I for a MC. He never looked back. The MC life brought in a lot of money, legal, illegal, I don’t know, but we never saw a penny of what he received.
My mother struggled for four years with cancer.
I tracked him down after years of silence, begging him for money to help pay the medical bills.
He laughed and they kicked me out of the club.
Open wounds and anger linger. And what happened with Ace… well…it’s not easily forgotten.”
Lynette’s body sags into the chair, and she places a hand on my forearm. “Oh, my God, sweetie. I’m so sorry to hear your father did that to you. Did your mom survive?”
I shake my head. “Unfortunately, no. She died and the bills piled up. By the time the debts were paid, there was nothing left for me.”
“Shit, Stevie. That sucks. Yeah, I guess I would be pissed and hate them, too.”
She rubs my arm before placing her hand on her bump, which has been driving me crazy. It’s a natural thing for me to do, too, but I’ve consciously avoided doing so. A little more time, and I’ll feel better telling people.
She adds, “Skull wouldn’t allow that shit in our club.
He’d have the guy pay the child support or get out of the club.
There are single guys, like Smokey, but Skull and I are starting a family.
It’s only a matter of time others will, too.
Sure, the guys fuck Sweet Butts and other women who come around, but those are the single ones.
Skull was a man whore before we met.” She laughs. “Then again, aren’t most men?”
“It’s nice to know the Wolves of Mayhem have standards and morals. It’s taken me some time to rewire my brain and convince myself not all MCs are bad, which I’ve accepted.”
“Wait. Didn’t you know Alicia was involved in a MC?”
“No. We talked about the fun we had years ago, not spending much time on what we’ve been up to.
During the drive, she mentioned her husband was shot and killed three years prior, but then the crash happened and…
” I blow out a shaky breath to stop myself from crying.
“Since I moved here, things just seem to have snowballed, but once in a while, I think about Alicia.” My eyes scan the room.
“I miss her. She got me, you know.” A couple of the women nod.
“You know, the kind of people you don’t have to explain yourself to.
They understand without explanation. We never fought.
” I look off as if reaching for the memories.
“She told me she remarried, but he only did it as a favor to her late husband. When King got out of prison, and I went to the bar, I pieced it together to find out King and Alicia were married.”
Lynette says, “Only on paper, Stevie.”
“Alicia said she was attracted to him.”
“Except Frost wasn’t attracted to her.” Silence fills the room, and she adds, “He’s attracted to you.
” She points her finger at me. “The man could be infuriating, we all know it, but King hides a lot of his goodness. He doesn’t brag about what he does for vets and women who’ve gone through cancer and are left scarred.
And the way he looks at you…” she whistles, “…like you’re on a pedestal he can’t reach, yet he refuses to give up.
” Her face softens. “In other words, you make him work to be the man you deserve. If anyone can make an honest man out of him, it’s you, Stevie. ”
My mouth drops open, and I slowly close it. “How do you know all of this?”
She barks out, “I’ve got eyes, woman, and I talk to Frost. There’s been no one, Alicia or otherwise, who has captured his interest like you, and I’ve known Frost since my mid-twenties.”
Our conversation settles into lighter matters, and five hours later, I’m walking through the front door of the house, calling out King’s name. He doesn’t respond, so I check upstairs to find it empty. Back downstairs, I see him from the deck and what appears to be a greenhouse.
A greenhouse.
My feet move on their own accord toward him and Smokey, yet my eyes are latched onto the greenhouse.
It’s all glass. The doors slide open in front and the roof is pitched with four retractable glass panels.
At some point, I pass them while entering the greenhouse.
The front has a potting table and wood benches line the perimeter.
Tears. Magical, joyous tears pour down my face.
He actually heard me. No one’s ever heard me.
My words either went over Noel’s head or through his ear and out the other, yet it never stuck.
My feelings and wants didn’t matter to him. But King…
King is next to me, observing my reaction, and says, “I know it ain’t huge, but—”
I cradle his face, pulling him down, and kiss him. He presses me closer as my tears wet his face, and my mouth thanks him for this beautiful gesture.