Resurrecting Ghosts (MC Romance) (Kings of Chaos Book 4) (18 page)

“Worse.”

“Thanks for the honesty,” I retort dryly.

“Anytime.” He pats my ass. “Now get home, so I can follow you and make sure this asshole keeps his distance.”

“You’re so romantic.”

“I live to please,” he teases stealing a kiss. He opens the car, takes my portfolio and puts it into the backset.

I slip into the driver’s seat. He’s a hands on man. There’s rarely a time when I carry anything heavier than a coffee mug. It used to drive me crazy, until I realized this was his love language. That or the baby had him topsy-turvy. Either way, there were worse qualities a man could have.

He closes the door behind me, taps the roof and climbs onto his bike.

As I pull out of the parking lot with him and his brothers behind him, I’m overcome by a sense of safety and security. I made the right choices with my life because I’ve never been happier, despite the family drama.
I just need to prep myself for the inevitable.

Chapter Eleven

Skull

“Are you excited?” I ask running my hand over the belly that seems to have popped out overnight.

“I am. Nervous too, I think. Are you going to be disappointed if it’s not a boy?”

“Hell, no. I remember all the trouble I got into growing up. If I could avoid that, it’d be a plus.”

She giggles and I give her a kiss on her forehead. I’m doing my best to keep my nervousness from showing. It’s been two days since the wedding, and I haven’t heard anything about her father. He’s a slippery eel. I wouldn’t put it past him to be hard to take care of.

“I’m glad you say that. I know most men want a boy to pass on their legacy to,” she says.

“Don’t know if I’d want this life for my kids. I’m thinking college and a life outside of the insanity would be the way to go. As much as I love the club. I’m fully aware of the fact that it shortens many lives.” I lean back against the headboard and study her as she slips from the bed. She’s beautiful right now. Her hair has grown longer. It grazes her breasts and curls around her nipples when we make love.

She slips on a white skirt and flowy white blouse with pink flowers on it. “Can you believe this?” she asks turning toward me cupping her belly.

“I think the secret is about to be out, love,” I say.

“Yeah.” She sighs and pulls out a light pink blouse with a flower pattern. She ties the shirt in the center and turns to me. She’s a maternal goddess with her glowing skin and Mona Lisa smile.

“Beautiful.”

She wrinkles her nose. “We’re only four months in. I’m going to be huge.”

“No, you’ll be pregnant.”

She huffs, unties the shirt, and slips on a bra with a white tank top.

It’s insane how normal watching my woman dress has become. The days of staying in the guest room are long gone.

“How are you sessions with Dr. Reichsight going?”

“Intense, but good. There’s a lot to clear out of dark spaces, but I feel like we’re getting there,” I answer honestly.

“So you’re glad you went?” she asks.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Are you still worried about the baby having schizophrenia?” she asks.

“I’ll always be worried about that, but I’m seeing it’s not the demonized condition I made it out to be.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

My phone buzzes. I reach over to the dresser. “Hello.”

“It’s done, brother,” Stone says.

I release a shaky breath. “That’s a good thing.”

“We need you to come in and debrief, and make sure our asses are covered.”

I close my eyes. “You there?”

“Yeah, was about to take the Old Lady to her doctor appointment.”

“Everything all right?” Stone asks.

“Yeah, today we find out the sex of the baby.”

“Sorry, brother. This is important.”

“I know, I’ll make arrangements,” I say hanging up.

Ruthie stares at me with glassy eyes. “You have to go?”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“I’ll get the doctor to put the sex in an envelope.”

“I’m sorry, babe.” I slip out of bed and hug her from behind.

“Maybe Rochelle will go with me?”

“Have you talked to her?”

“No, but I figure this way, I can bribe her with baby crap.”

I laugh. “Good plan.” I force myself to move away from her and pull on a clean white t-shirt and my jeans. I grab my cut off the chair and shrug it on. “Call her now, so I know you’re not going to be alone.”

She sighs heavily.

“You want to see who’s more stubborn?”

“No.” She grabs her phone off the nightstand.

I wait and then cringe as she holds the phone away from her ear and a shrill voice from little Rowan comes out of the earpiece.

“You want to go to my gyno appointment? I’m finding out what the baby is today,” Ruthie yells.

“Really?” Rochelle asks.

I pat Ruthie’s back to let her know I’m leaving.
She’ll be fine.
She looks up at me and I mouth,
“Boundaries.”
She nods her head. I pat her ass one last time and leave the room before she sucks me back in. I want to know what happened to this shit stain.

Twenty minutes later, I walk into the clubhouse and Shadow cheers.

“Pay up!” He holds his hand out to Echo who scowls and slaps a C-note into Shadow’s open palm.

“I miss something?” I ask.

“Just betting on what you’d roll in here looking like,” Shadow explains.

“Dixie Rose gave me hell when I had to leave her in that plush honeymoon suite. She understood why, but damn she was going to make sure I had an ear full.”

“No, Ruthie rolled with it. Called her sister up and said she’d put the sex of the baby in an envelope, so we could find out together.”

“Everything good between them now?” Shadow asks.

“I have no clue. This was the first time she’s called her up. I hope the olive branch works. It’s just the two of them, and family should stick together.”

“As long as their crazy ass mother doesn’t get involved,” Echo says.

“I know. She knows to tell her she needs boundaries. Ruthie is a good girl. She’ll do the right thing,” I say.

The door opens and I straighten as the Hell’s Dominion crew begins to file in. With their blackout cuts, they blend in well. All their patches and information are done in black. I’m impressed. It’s a smart idea.

Stone stands. “Alright boys, let’s start taking this into Church.”

I study the other club as we make our way inside the room. Their faces tell a story of violence and cruelty. Scars line sun weathered skin, and the rotted out teeth speak of the meth they consumed to stay up for days at a time. They are hardcore. The top of the food chain when it came to money, cruelty, and power. It was like looking at an order of black knights. It’s standing room only by the time we close the door. I prop myself against a wall between Echo and Shadow to wait.

“I want to thank everyone for being here tonight. This isn’t my story to tell, so I’m going to hand it over to friends, to the club HD President, Scar.” Stone take a seat, and the room goes silent.

Scar is a fifty something man with meaty shoulders. A crooked nose, cold black eyes, and long brown hair threaded with gray. The jagged deep set scar that travels across his left eye explain his name. “I want to thank the Kings for their hospitality. HD appreciates you guys reaching out to us. It seems our problem fell off the wagon, binged on a cocktail of drugs, crashed and decided life wasn’t worth living in a cheap hotel. He strung himself up with his own belt. If I was there, I’m sure it would’ve been satisfying to watch the fucker that exposed our organization squirm like a worm on a hook until he pissed and shit himself and took his final breath. Now, we were all at the wedding, so as much as the pigs have a hard on for us. The alibi is solid. We plan on getting out of dodge tonight. If they want to track us across the states, they can, but we sure as hell ain’t going to make it easy on them.”

Laughter rumbles through the room.

Personally, I’m happy the bastard is gone. There’s just certain shit you don’t do. He crossed too many lines and it caught up with him. I’m worried about the effect it’ll have on my girl though, and how I’m going to pull her out of the funk I know will follow. Pregnancy makes women mental. It makes me worry about her like a parent with a teenager.
Jesus, Christ, I’m going to be someone’s dad.
I take in the rest of Scar’s speech, but my mind is on my new family. She’s going to come home with an envelope that’s going to make this that much realer.

Time is ticking down. She’s four months. In five more months or less, he or she will be arriving.
I’m not ready.
A creeping panic rises up and winds its way through my body.
I’m still a work in progress. How the hell am I going to successfully raise a little person?
I blink. The training from therapy kicks in. I take a deep breath and think about the things I can control. She has not one, but two potential homes. We both make good money.
We need to start getting shit ready.

Shadow nudges me with his elbow. “You, good?”

“Yeah, just making a shopping list.”

“O-kay,” Shadow replies with a sideways glance.

“Let’s get these boys stocked and on their way,” Stone calls out.

There’s a flurry of motion as men move to the door.

I wade my way in and over to Stone. “Pres, do you need me right now?” I ask.

He smirks. “Naw, go be with your girl and that babe. I want to know what it is.”

“Me too.” I clap his shoulder. “Thank you.”

I walk out front and text, Ruthie.

How did the doc go? –S

Great. The baby is fine. I got the envelope. –R

Where are you now? –S

Home. Rochelle is here- R

On my way. I need to take you somewhere. She can come too – S

I pocket the phone and get on my bike. I have to do something to put my mind at ease.

***

I walk inside the house to find Ruthie and Rochelle sitting on the couch.

“Hey. Everything okay?” Ruthie asks.

I stare at her and shake my head.

She stands. “Skull?” Her voice wavers.

I want to tell her I’m fine, but I can’t speak past the lump in my throat. I walk over to her, bury my fingers in her silken hair and pull her to me. I press my lips to hers. “I love you.”

“Whoa. What happened?” She cups my face and tilts it to the left and right. Her hands run down my body.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking you for an injury.”

I laugh. “I had an awakening. I knew I needed to return home and come clean. I love you, Ruthie Gregg. Life is crazy. I have no clue what’s going to happen from one minute to the next. So I needed to tell you that.”

“I love you too.” Tears glisten in the Peridot jewels she calls eyes.

I smile.

Rochelle’s squeals make me flinch and ruin the moment.

“You guys are like some romance novel.”

I grimace. “Fuck that. This is real. Speaking of real. Get ready to go. We need to shop.”

Ruthie’s jaw drops.

“For the baby.”

“Oh, I take back everything I said earlier,” Rochelle says.

“I don’t know if I like you or not,” the words are out before I can filter and I wonder if the baby brain shit is catching.

“Hah. At least you’re honest,” Rochelle says.

“I know a man ain’t supposed to get between sisters, but I need to know where you stand with my Old Lady. When she needed you, you sided with your mom.”

“Damn, you called it, Ruthie. I wasn’t choosing a side. I love them both. Mom had just revealed a painful, dark secret. I couldn’t leave her alone. I knew Ruthie was hurt, but she’d be okay. I couldn’t say the same for Mom. I had to see where her head was at.”

“Obviously still up her ass, seeing as how she’s still acting like a crazy bitch.”

Rochelle flinches.

I stare her down daring her to defend her mother in my home.

“I don’t agree with what she’s doing. That doesn’t make her any less my mother.”

“Keep that shit separate from Ruthie. You don’t play messenger, or pressure her. You start stressing her out, and I’m going to step in.”

Rochelle looks to Ruthie.

“No this is between you and me. Cause she’s too nice for her own good when it comes to the whole lot of you.”

Rochelle huffs. “I’m not going to do anything to hurt my sister or her baby. I can keep them separate.”

“See that you do. Now you coming shopping with us or what, baby sister?”

She blinks.

I wink. I don’t dwell on shit. I speak my mind, and move on.

“Now that I know the two of you aren’t going to kill each other, I have to go pee.” Ruthie’s comment breaks the tension.

***