Chapter 13 #2
I come so hard I black out for a moment, my entire body shaking.
Knox follows me, spilling inside me with a roar.
When he pulls out, they both collapse beside me, their hands still on me, their breathing ragged.
"You okay?" Jax asks, brushing my hair back from my face.
I nod, unable to speak.
Knox pulls me against his chest, his hand stroking my back. "You did so good, baby. So fucking good."
Jax presses a kiss to my shoulder. "You're ours now. Completely."
"Completely," I whisper.
And I mean it.
Owen wakes up about an hour later, his happy babbling echoing through the house.
I'm still lying in bed, wrapped in a sheet, my body sore and satisfied.
Jax gets up first, pulling on his jeans and heading to Owen's room.
Knox stays with me, his hand tracing lazy patterns on my back.
"You okay?" he asks quietly.
"Yeah," I say, and I mean it. "I'm good."
"Good," he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
Jax comes back with Owen on his hip, and the sight of them together makes my chest ache.
"Someone's hungry," Jax says, grinning.
I sit up, pulling the sheet around me. "I'll make him lunch."
"We've got it," Knox says, standing and pulling on his own jeans. "You rest."
I watch as they disappear into the kitchen, their voices low and easy, Owen's laughter ringing out.
And I realize something.
This is real.
This is my life now.
And I don't want to be anywhere else.
The Old Lady Mafia arrives an hour later, their energy filling the house the moment they walk through the door.
Tessa is the first one in, her eyes sweeping over me with a knowing smirk. "Well, well, well. Someone's glowing."
I flush. "Shut up."
"Oh my God, you totally are," Lucy says, laughing. "What did they do to you?"
"Nothing," I say quickly, but my face is burning.
Hadley rolls her eyes. "Sure. Nothing. That's why you look like you just got thoroughly fucked."
"Hadley!" I gasp, but I'm laughing too.
Erica grins. "Don't be embarrassed. We've all been there."
Scarlett nods. "Multiple times."
Tessa throws her arm around my shoulders. "Come on, girl. We're taking you out. You need some girl time."
"What about Owen?" I ask.
"The boys have him," Lucy says. "They're more than capable."
I glance over at Jax and Knox, who are both watching me with amused expressions.
"Go," Jax says. "Have fun."
"We've got him," Knox adds.
I hesitate for only a moment before nodding. "Okay."
The girls take me to a baby boutique first, and I'm overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff.
"Owen needs new clothes," Tessa announces, grabbing a tiny pair of jeans off a rack. "Look at these! They're so cute!"
"He's going to outgrow them in like two weeks," I point out.
"So?" Lucy says. "He'll look adorable for those two weeks."
We spend an hour picking out clothes and toys, the girls insisting on buying half of it despite my protests.
"You're family now," Hadley says firmly. "Let us spoil you."
Family.
The word makes my chest tighten.
After the boutique, we head to a coffee shop, settling into a corner booth with our drinks.
"So," Tessa says, leaning forward with a mischievous grin. "How are things with the Carter brothers?"
I flush. "Good. Really good."
"Good?" Erica asks, raising an eyebrow. "That's all we get?"
"They're amazing," I admit. "With me. With Owen. I just… I don't know how I got so lucky."
"You deserve it," Lucy says softly. "After everything you've been through."
"Speaking of," Scarlett says, her tone more serious. "Have you thought about getting inked?"
I blink. "Inked?"
"Tattooed," Hadley clarifies. "It's a thing with the Old Ladies. We all have club-related ink."
"It's a way of marking yourself as belonging," Tessa adds. "As being claimed."
Erica nods. "I got mine when Steele claimed me. It was the moment I truly believed I was safe."
"What did you get?" I ask.
She pulls down the collar of her shirt, revealing a delicate tattoo on her collarbone, a raven with the words Steele's Old Lady underneath.
"It's beautiful," I breathe.
"Yours doesn't have to say that," Hadley says quickly. "It can be whatever you want. Something meaningful to you."
I think about it for a moment.
"I want something with Owen's initials," I say slowly. "And maybe something about belonging. About being claimed."
"We can help you design it," Lucy says excitedly. "And we'll all go with you when you get it done."
"Really?" I ask.
"Of course," Tessa says. "You're one of us now, Ainsley. We take care of our own."
Tears prick at my eyes, and I blink them back.
"Thank you," I whisper.
"Don't thank us," Scarlett says, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. "This is what family does."
By the time we get back to the house, the sun is setting, casting everything in warm, golden light.
The girls drop me off with hugs and promises to set up the tattoo appointment for next week.
I walk inside to find Jax and Knox on the floor with Owen, building a tower out of blocks.
Owen sees me and squeals, crawling over to me as fast as his little legs will carry him.
"Ma-ma-ma!" he squeals happily, throwing his arms around my legs.
I scoop him up, pressing kisses all over his face. "Hi, baby. Did you have fun with Jax and Knox??"
"Da-da-da!" he babbles, his chubby hand reaching toward Jax.
"Da-Nox!" he adds, pointing at Knox.
Both brothers are grinning, and my heart feels like it might burst.
"How was your day?" Jax asks, standing and pulling me into his arms.
"Perfect," I say honestly. "It was perfect."
Knox wraps his arms around both of us, and we stand there for a moment, the three of us and Owen, just holding each other.
Later, after Owen is asleep and we're curled up on the couch, I find myself thinking about everything that's happened.
I came to Perdition broken.
Running for my life from a man who wanted to destroy me.
And I found two men who claimed me completely.
I found sisters in the Old Lady Mafia.
I found a family.
A home.
A place to belong.
My walls aren't just cracking anymore.
They're falling away entirely.
I'm surrendering, not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually, completely.
And for the first time in my life, I'm starting to believe that I get to keep this.
That this is real.
That I'm truly whole.