CHAPTER FOURTEEN
– MACSEN –
Guiding her to my room, I let the door fall shut behind us.
Only then do I tell her, “None of this was my decision. You were under my protection; they kept this part from me and...”
She raises her hand, palm out, and slightly shakes her hand.
“Could we not do this now? I’d like the hot bath you promised and to have a mental time-out.
First my father and his trusted men, leaving me in the cold by myself, then you and the rest of the bunch.
Shit, I sound like a broken record. I’m so damn tired of everyone thinking this world is theirs.
Well, fuck them, and fuck you, ’cause it’s my world too.
Yet, here I am, still a captive of someone else.
” A sigh rips from her and it sounds as if it’s ripped from deep within her tired bones.
“Like I said...could we not do this right now?”
“It was a test,” I blurt.
I might as well come clean and tell her everything. Her face shows the fatigue I’m guessing she’s feeling.
Blinking a few times she fully faces me and asks warily, “A test? What test?”
I rub the back of my neck and give her a sheepish grin. “New club rule. When a member claims an old lady, her loyalty needs to be tested.”
We stare at one another for a few heartbeats. I can practically see the wheels turning inside her head when her eyes suddenly widen in realization.
“Old lady?” her voice squeaks, any trace of the earlier fatigue is completely gone.
Time to man up and give it to her straight. She could have reacted so damn differently. From the point she was strapped and bound in the vehicle to the fact she was questioned by Jocko.
“Watching helplessly as you were dragged away from me felt as if they ripped my chest right open and took something I wasn’t ready or willing to surrender without fighting for everything I got.
When they confronted me with the video of you killing Gideon, my own damn words were thrown in my face.
You see, I wanted to protect you and make sure they couldn’t pin a murder on you.
It’s why I said you had no other choice but to kill Gideon. ”
“Self-defense,” Lu murmurs. “Jocko threw the question in my face.”
I incline my head. “To see if you’d give me up, which you didn’t.”
She shrugs. “I knew they were baiting me, and I didn’t want to cause issues. You were there for me when it wasn’t even my plan to turn to you for help.”
“I claimed you as mine which led to you being tested.”
It’s as if she doesn’t hear me when she suddenly blurts, “They have a video of me killing Gideon? How is that possible when I used a jammer?”
“Lenz mentioned something about a high-end built in security, preventing the signal to be jammed. Anyway, they have you on video, and even if you’re wearing a mask, the way you move and your eyes?
I recognized you. If they are aware you’re Holland’s assassin?
It’s not hard to make the link and the reason why they put out a hit on you.
Why else would they put a hit out on you? ”
She shakes her head. “Impossible. Seriously, no one knows I’m an assassin.
When I go into a mission it’s one where I kill everyone and don’t leave survivors.
The only reason my father mentioned anything to you is because he didn’t have a choice.
He wanted to keep Livi’s link to him a secret.
The night we met he needed backup and it’s why I was there. ”
The reminder of the night Lu kidnapped Livi and Kenz also makes me realize something. “That night might have been why Jocko volunteered to be the one to question you.”
Lu snorts. “Because I easily knocked him out with a tranquilizer so I could take Kenz and Livi?”
The corner of my mouth twitches. “Yeah.”
We fall silent and stare at one another. Fuck. She’s gorgeous. I still need to remind her of the fact that I claimed her. We might have spent time together, but I have no clue how she’s going to react.
“You claimed me as your old lady,” she states and steps closer. “You didn’t ask me or my father, and did you forget I’m already engaged to be married?”
“Fuck them,” I roar, anger getting the better of me. “There was no choice unless you consider jail an option.”
She narrows her eyes and lashes out the words, “So, the only reason you claimed me was to keep me out of prison? No, it makes no sense. No sense at all. You’re the VP, you wouldn’t take the risk.
Not for anything. Wait. This is another test, isn’t it?
Trying to see if I roll over due to your kindness and then give up my father. You’re trying to use me.”
“Fuck no,” I grunt. “I’d do a lot for my club, and with the contract binding us to the government we do have some restrictions.
No one fucking dictates who I claim as an old lady, though.
They couldn’t pay me, bribe me, or torture me in any way to give a woman my claim if I don’t want her as my property. ”
“You want me as your property,” she echoes, more to herself than to me.
“I want you as mine, and I’ve made the claim official.
All my brothers know you’re mine and every single member of Wisely Dicey will protect you.
One of the perks of becoming mine is a clean slate.
So, don’t go on a killing spree or kill people unless we’re on an official assignment.
And just so you know? We have to fill out documents and write reports after incidents and it’s a pain in the ass to deal with. ”
She’s frozen in place and keeps staring. A slow grin glides across my face. I’ve managed to stun her with information overload. I can tell my claim and the consequences, which involve a load of perks, are finally penetrating her mind.
“You gave me a clean slate?” she croaks. “For real? It’s completely legit?”
I give her a tight nod. “Thorsten has the paperwork ready to sign if you accept my claim.”
With the smile and thankfulness radiating from her face? I fully expect her to scream “Yes.”
Instead, she completely blows my mind when she says, “I’m pregnant.”
Now I’m the one frozen in place while there’s a grin on her face. “No take backs. You claimed me and got a little bonus thrown into the mix.”
“You’re really...wait. This couldn’t have come from...when did you find out?” I ramble.
A sigh rips from her and she stalks to the bed and unceremoniously plunks down on it.
“I’ve been feeling off for a while now. Weird emotions, mood swings, munchies, things like that.
I didn’t think anything of it because I have irregular periods.
..so.” She shrugs. “We had sex again, no condom, and it made me think. It would explain the emotions running through me like wildfire. I’m normally not as affected by. ..things.”
A chuckle slips from me, and I take a seat beside her on the bed. “Are you telling me you’re hard as steel when you aren’t knocked up? If so, I need to keep you barefoot and pregnant to soften you up.”
She narrows her eyes. “I don’t like having cold feet.”
“Pregnant with fluffy socks then,” I compromise.
“Aren’t you going to flip and demand a DNA test or anything? I could be lying and pulling stuff out of my ass to use you.”
I chuckle again and can’t help but tease, “I’m pretty sure our baby will come out of your pussy, your belly if it’s a C-section, but you’re definitely not pulling a kid out of your ass.”
She smacks my arm. “Be serious for one freaking minute.”
I catch her wrist and frown at the red markings. The cuffs might have been too tight. I saw her struggle when Jocko made a stabbing motion in the direction of her belly. Yeah, she’s pregnant all right and I don’t need a DNA test.
Rubbing her wrist, I calmly tell her, “I told you how I remember very vividly how I came in your ass and over your back. Both times I fingered your pussy while my cum was dripping down. You also mentioned not having sex between me and your first husband, who in my mind doesn’t count.
For the record, I’m glad he’s dead which means you’re mine and only mine. ”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re insane.”
I don’t contradict her. “So, you did a pregnancy test? Maybe we should swing by the doctor tomorrow, get a full checkup, vitamins and shit. Yeah, we’ll do that.”
“Okay.” She smiles.
I lean in to taste the happiness on her lips and let the warmth spread through my body.
Fuck. She’s really mine, as is the baby growing inside her belly.
I can’t wait to scream it from the rooftops.
Though, we’ll probably tell Thorsten and Livi first. Livi might be a few months ahead of Lu, but it’ll give the two something similar to bond over.
I deepen the kiss and let my hands roam over my old lady’s body. Blocking every single thought out of my head I only focus on the woman in my arms. Within these four walls it’s just us, and we’re allowed to let go and put everything on hold for now.
There will be enough time to worry about life, death, and everything in between tomorrow when we’re well rested. For now, we fucking celebrate life. Us, together, and the little nugget we created inside her belly.