Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Oh, I forgot the drinks!” Alessa passes me the baby and runs to the kitchen.
I stare down at the floppy bundle in my arms. It’s actually the first time I’ve ever held a baby, and I don’t quite know where to put my hands. “Hi, baby.”
Kaylee must be able to tell, because she leans over and adjusts my grip. “Her name is Brooklyn. Here, keep one hand under her butt, and another behind her neck. I had no idea what I was doing either. I was terrified of breaking her for the first few days.”
“How old is she?”
“Just over a month.” Kaylee brushes her fingers over the peach fuzz on top of Brooklyn’s head.
Alessa comes back holding a tray with four glasses of something bubbly. “It’s just sparkling cider today in solidarity with the nursing mom.”
When Alessa reaches down to take the baby back, I let her go, but I’m surprised to miss the weight in my arms.
“Does it make you want a fourth?” Kaylee asks Alessa.
Alessa’s big brown eyes go wide. “Four? Are you crazy? I would die. Literally die.” Then she sniffs Brooklyn’s head again and sighs. “I would, right?”
“The boys would love it.”
“Nope, nope, nope.” Alessa shakes her head vehemently, then sighs. “I mean, if it happens, it happens. I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant with Izzy and she’s the light of my life, but we're not inviting right now, if you know what I mean. I don’t even know where we would put a fourth kid. It’s already pretty crowded here. If the guys didn’t have the run of the entire club it would never work.”
I feel a bit on the outside, but not in a bad way. Just like when I was hanging out with the sluts, it’s like getting invited to a family cookout. The closest I’ve ever come to something like this was back in boarding school, but even then I was on the outside. I was too focused on school, and my mother didn’t care about socializing with the other parents so I just… existed. I'm only just beginning to realize what I missed out on.
The door swings open and a fourth woman enters. She’s wearing hospital scrubs and looks to be about the same age as Alessa. “Sorry I’m late! The ER was crazy. Is Liam with Izzy? Oh, hey! Who’s the fresh meat?”
“That’s Rory. She’s with Bull and his gang,” Mila explains.
The new woman waves. “Hi, I’m Emily.”
“Emily is the OG,” Kaylee explains. “Eagle-eye blames it all on her.”
Emily snorts. “Please, if his men didn’t kidnap me, none of this would’ve ever happened. It’s their own damn fault.”
“Kidnap?” I squeak.
She nods. “The club was a little rougher back then. They were still settling in, and my father was trying to wipe them off the face of the earth. I was eighteen and had no idea what I was getting into.” She waves a hand like it’s no big deal, and then her face softens and she smiles. “But I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“And the guys don't mind? No jealousy? Like, even with kids? How do they know who's whose? The club supports it?” Once I open the tap, the questions pour out of me.
Alessa and Emily share a look that speaks volumes about how much they’ve been through.
“There is no one size fits all answer, but no, they don’t mind. There might be some speculation here and there, but all of the men are the kids’ fathers. We’re a team. As for jealousy, there’s no room for it in families like ours. It might seem strange that men who the outside world thinks would be violent and macho are okay with this situation, but that’s because they don’t live here. They don’t see how these men are willing to fight and die for each other.”
“Most of the guys who end up in this life haven’t had easy lives,” Emily adds. “Sharing the load with the friends they hold as close as brothers helps them stay steady when they don’t trust themselves with something as fragile as a family. They can relax more knowing that they aren’t the only one responsible for keeping us safe.” She giggles. “Maybe I should get a psychology degree to add to the nursing.”
I must look shocked, because Kaylee smiles at me while she reaches out to take her baby girl from Alessa. “I know that expression. I think we've all worn it at some point.”
“Are there any disadvantages?” There's got to be something, right?
The four of them give each other a glance, their expressions sobering. Kaylee clutches Brooklyn just a little closer. “Club life is dangerous. They say very few bikers end their days peacefully. Eagle-eye takes good care of his men, and the Screaming Eagles watch out for each other, but I don't think there's a single old lady that came into the club without some kind of trouble surrounding her. It's exciting, but it’s not for everyone.”