Chapter Eighteen
Bile churns in my stomach as I stare at the contents of my mug as if my coffee holds all the answers to my problems. Lunatic is going to get himself killed.
He doesn’t know Hector like I do. He doesn’t make idle threats.
When he says something, he means it. Hot Mama confirmed the photo he sent me is real, but there’s still no knowing if he’s telling me the truth about my daughter.
Some of the guys from the club already rode out to scout the meeting spot. Hector probably knows they are there. He has eyes everywhere.
Draining the rest of my coffee, I run through the plan again for the millionth time. It sounds simple enough. Lunatic and I will meet with Hector at the bar. I’ll give him the address Hot Mama gave me in exchange for the little girl he claims is mine. Except Hector never lets anyone go so easily.
I know too much about him. About his operations. One of us isn’t walking away alive.
We’re the first to arrive.
Two of Hector’s goons are waiting for us when we enter the empty bar. They pat us down, checking for weapons. Once they are satisfied, we take our seats. I’m trying to stay calm, but my knee keeps bouncing against the table. Lunatic places a hand on my upper thigh and squeezes. “Breathe, Babygirl.”
The only other person in the room with us is the bartender who looks like he’s about to shit his pants at any given moment.
The back door of the bar opens letting light spill into the darkened room.
Hector strolls in, removing his sunglasses and resting them on the top of his head.
Gold chains glitter around his neck, and his wrists and fingers are dripping in gold and diamonds, and yet he still looks cheap.
His lips tip into a smile when he sees me.
I scowl at him, and Lunatic growls.
“Is this how you greet a friend?” he holds his arms open like he expects me to come in for a hug. “No? eh.” He waves a hand and pulls out a chair across from us. “You look good, Daisy.”
“Where’s my daughter?”
“She’s safe. As soon as I confirm the information you give me, I’ll send you an address where you can pick her up.”
“That wasn’t our deal.”
“Jose.” He snaps his fingers, and his brother steps out of the shadows. “Show her.”
Jose places a tablet on the table between us and taps on a file labeled Gracie. There are pictures from the night I gave birth and for every major milestone I’ve missed. I don’t know how to feel. I’m afraid to trust that the images are real. That she’s real. She’s beautiful. Perfect.
“Now you see.”
I give him the address to a safe house where the woman he’s after is supposed to be living. He smiles. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” He types the address in on his phone.
“Tell me where she is.”
“Once I secure what I came for––” his words die on his tongue as Jose pulls out a gun and puts a bullet in his brother’s brain.
Blood splatters across my face and chest.
“I’ll have the child brought to you within the hour.” Jose shakes Lunatic’s hand and leaves the bar with Hector’s phone.
“Wh-what just happened?” I stare at the man who hurt me for years, slumped over dead as blood seeps from the bullet hole in his temple.
Lunatic guides me to the bathroom of the bar to clean me up. My body shakes as shock sets in. Hector’s dead by his brother’s hand.
“I don’t understand.”
“When I came to Lonerock Big Daddy and Hot Mama had a meeting. There was a third man in the room with them.”
“Jose?”
Lunatic nods. “They brokered a deal, except they weren’t sure if he’d keep his word. The woman Hot Mama is protecting is their sister. Jose is the one who helped her get away.”
“You knew and didn’t tell me?”
“Only found out this morning.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You can think about it while we go wait for your daughter. Jose provided a DNA test to Big Daddy this morning.”
I shove at his chest. “You knew and didn’t tell me.” Tears well up in my eyes.
“I couldn’t risk it. Not until I knew Jose would make good on his end.”
I understand his reasoning, but I don’t want him keeping things like this from me.
“My daughter is alive,” I whisper.
“Yeah, Babygirl. Let’s go meet her.”
“I’m not prepared. I don’t have anything for her.”
“One thing at a time.”
An hour later, true to his word, one of Jose’s men drives up to the gate of the clubhouse. Lunatic opens the back right passenger door and she’s right there. My perfect angel. My little princess sits strapped in a car seat. She has my eyes.
“Gracie,” I whisper.
“Go on. Get your girl.” Lunatic nudges me forward.
I swallow. Hard. My daughter stares at me with curious eyes, but she doesn’t cry. She smiles at me like she knows me. I unbuckle her and crush her against me.
Tears roll down my cheeks, and she touches her hands to my face. “Don’t be sad, Mommy.”
“I’m not sad. I’m just so happy.”
We spend our first week at Big Daddy’s while Lunatic and his crew spend their time renovating my apartment to add a second bedroom for my daughter.
I can’t stop staring at her. She’s perfectly healthy and so smart. I am going to spend the rest of my life making up for the five years we’ve lost.
I watch her every move, afraid I’ll miss something or that I’m going to wake up to this all being a dream. I’m getting everything I’ve ever wanted and more. I have my daughter. A home. A damn good man. A fine one at that.
What more could I ask for?
Sissy chases after Gracie through the grass while blowing bubbles from a wand.
“She’s amazing,” Gwynee tells me.
“I can’t wrap my mind around it. I have a daughter.”
“I’m so happy for you.”
“Do you think it will always be like this?”
“What?”
“Happy and good.”
“I think we have to hold onto all the good with everything we’ve got because there’s a balance to the world. There’s good and there’s bad.”
“What if I’m not good at it?”
“At being a mom?”
I nod and chew on my bottom lip. “You’re doing great, and you’ve got all of us to step in if it ever feels like too much.”
My man rolls up driving his truck. He steps out, and Gracie runs straight for him. He scoops her up in his arms and hands her a new doll. “He’s going to have her spoiled.”
“Honey, let him.”
I nod. I know Lunatic didn’t ask for this responsibility. It’s hard for some people to love a child that isn’t their own. He doesn’t seem to mind. I want to believe he won’t ever walk out on us, but it’s hard still to accept that this is really my life.
“You deserve every bit of good, and he loves you. Both of you. Look at him.” I know she’s right.
My man walks toward us. My daughter on his hip is wearing a big grin.
Gwynee and Sissy go inside.
He puts Gracie down and presses a kiss to my forehead to greet me. “Everything is ready. If you want to get packed up, I’ll take the two of you home.”
It’s been a few months. Gracie and I have settled into a routine.
She’s starting school next week. I quit my job at the flower shop so I could be home with her.
That job really wasn’t for me anyway. But now I need to find a new one.
I can’t depend on Lunatic or the club forever. They’ve already given me so much.
He’s already given me too much.
Lunatic comes in for a kiss.
“Do you girls need anything before I go into work?” he glances over at Gracie as she plays with one of her dolls. He doesn’t live with us, but he’s here nearly every night. I want to ask him to move in, but worry it’s too fast.
I’d hate for Gracie to be more attached to him than she already is and for things not to work out between us.
“Where’d you go just now?” He cups my face.
“Was just thinking.”
“About?”
“Us. The future. Where this is headed. Whether or not I should ask you to move in.”
“Babygirl, look around. I already live here. My clothes are in your closet. I sleep with my cock buried inside you nearly every night.” He kisses my lips soft and sweet.
I glance around the room. He’s not wrong. His keys hang on the hook by the front door. There’s building plans scattered on my coffee table for one of his upcoming jobs. One of his tee shirts is hanging off the back of one of the barstools. His favorite brand of beer is in my fridge.
“Love you. See you tonight.” He leaves me to say goodbye to my girl.
“Wait. What did you say?” I follow him to the door.
“I said I’ll see you tonight.”
“Before that.”
“I love you,” he tells me full stop. He brushes a knuckle along my cheek. “I’ve gotta get going.”
“Wait.” I tug him back.
“Babe?” he smiles his gorgeous panty melting smile at me.
“I love you,” I tell him.
“I know,” he says, and I want to punch him and rip his clothes off, but I don’t because Gracie is watching and he’s going to be late.
“Damn, Babygirl. You take this dick so fuckin’ good.” Lunatic slams into me from behind, giving it to me hard and deep.
He’s got one hand around my throat and the other on my hip. His body slaps against mine, and I bite the pillow to keep from screaming and waking Gracie up.
The headboard knocks against the wall with every thrust. He grabs a pillow and wedges it behind one of the bed posts.
His lips meet my shoulder. “Where was I? Oh yeah. I think I was here.” He slides his palm from my hip to my belly then lower to rub my clit.
“You going to come for me?” His voice grates in my ear, all deep and throaty.
“I’m going to fill you up. Might fuck around and put a baby in you. ”
I still beneath him, wondering if I heard him correctly. We’ve not talked about having kids.“Repeat that last part,” I tell him.
His teeth rake along the shell of my ear. “You heard me, Daisy. I’m going to fill this pretty little pussy up and knock you up.”
My belly goes all warm in the center.
“You like the sound of that?” he circles my clit, and I moan, arching into him.
“Oh yeah.”
“Good.” He slaps my ass and reaches over into the nightstand.
Then he’s slipping something onto my ring finger.
“Might fuck around and make you my wife while I’m at it.
” He grips my hips with both hands as I stare at the diamond on my finger.
“You like that too, don’t you?” he pumps his hips, thrusting faster. “Fuck. You’re so wet.”
“Harder.” I grip the sheets as his palm connects with my ass cheek.
“You want it harder.” He growls and pulls out slow, then slams back into me, rooted to the hilt.
“Oh God. Oh God. Yes,” I cry as he pumps into me. My eyes roll back. His rough fingers pinch my nipples. “Come with me.” I grab his hand, kissing his knuckles. He does just that, cock twitching, body jerking.
He spasms inside me, spilling ever lost drop. “Don’t move.” He runs a palm down my spine. “Stay like that. Fucking perfect.” He kisses my shoulder and I smile, fully sated.
Five months later I become Mrs. Jared Walters.
Four months after that, Maria Hope is born.
One year later, Hot Mama and Big Daddy call in a favor.
Jose Juarez is dead and they need a new King and Queen to take the throne in Mexico.