One year later…
“SILAS,” I said into the phone. “Silas, take a breath.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m just excited. You and Colt will be back in time, right?”
“Yeah, honey.” I looked at my husband, who was naked from the chest up and slowly undoing the button of his jeans, a wicked glint in his eye.
“We’ll be home. First place in the science fair. Like we’d miss watching you get that big blue ribbon. I’m proud of you, Silas.”
“Thanks,” he said. “It was all because of Ramsey. He helped me.”
“You should call and tell him you appreciated his help.” I grinned at his enthusiasm, even though I wasn’t terribly excited that Ramsey Buchanan had taught my son how to rig delayed timers for bombs and disguised them as heat lamp timers for chicken coops in an agricultural setting. Hopefully winning first place at the science fair meant that Silas was on a solid, academic path instead of a criminal one.
“Where are you guys now?” Silas asked.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Colt strip off his jeans, quickly followed by his boxers. He gave himself a few pumps and leered at me.
I turned to him and gave him a sharp glare, which only made him laugh.
“We’re in Florence, Oregon,” I said. “Tiny little town off the coast. There are sand dunes here, Silas. Do you think Captain would love the beach?”
“Yeah, he would, definitely!”
“Then we’ll have to bring you both here for a visit. I’m sorry we couldn’t bring you this time.”
“Mia,” he said, sounding like an adult instead of the twelve-year-old- boy he was. “People who get married go on honeymoons. It would be weird if you’d brought me. You don’t bring kids on your honeymoon.”
My hand absently went to my stomach.
I’d just entered my second trimester and had only recently started to show. Joni had caught me throwing up on my wedding day and had called me on it. I’d finally come clean with her—the only other person who knew was Colt. I hadn’t been ready to share it with the Blue Angels. I was superstitious; whenever anything good happened in my life, someone or something came in to shit all over it.
“Mia? You still there?” Silas asked.
Colt came up behind me, placed a large palm on my belly, and yanked the phone from my ear. “Hey, Silas,” Colt said. “How’s it going?”
I looked up at him and caught him smiling and nodding.
“Atta boy. Knew you could do it. I’m about to take Mia out for a really romantic dinner. Can we call you tomorrow? Great. Take care, kid.”
He hung up and chucked my phone aside.
“He’s twelve,” I said. “Not an idiot. Pretty sure he knew you wanted to get into my pants.”
“You’re not in pants. You’re in a dress. And I can’t wait to get you out of it.” Colt quickly stripped me of my blue sundress and flung it aside. And then he tossed me on the bed.
I landed with a gentle bounce, and before I knew it Colt was gripping me by my legs and dragging me down to the edge.
He got on his knees and grinned.
His mouth devoured me, his tongue lapping at my center, making me thrash and moan.
“Damn,” he muttered between my thighs. “You’re more sensitive now than you were before you got pregnant.”
“Shut up and keep going,” I commanded.
He laughed and then did as he was told. His hands slid to my thighs, his palm grazing the scar on my thigh. It was hardly visible now that it was covered by a tattoo. I’d put a lot of thought into the artwork and had decided on a dandelion with its seeds blowing in the wind, and Shelly’s name spiraling up the stem.
Colt knew exactly what to do to make me scream his name, and while I was still crying out for him, he slid up my body and slipped inside me.
He was gentle, yet relentless in his thrusts. I could feel him everywhere as our open eyes locked on each other. He reached underneath me and held me against him. He ground into me, hitting all the right places, filling me up.
“Colt,” I whispered.
“I know.” His lips took mine in an insatiable kiss and didn’t stop plunging into me. Not until I was coming again. And then he was shouting my name. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest from happiness.
After, he rested his head against my naked breasts, entwining his fingers with my left hand, his thumb grazing the ring finger tattoo. He’d given me a wedding band, which I never wore because I hated how it felt against my skin, but the tattoo…that was forever, something that couldn’t be lost.
I’d lived so much life in the past year.
I’d finished my degree. I’d rebuilt Dive Bar and renamed it Shelly’s. It was turning a profit—and not just because the Blue Angels used it as its unofficial headquarters to do business and launder money.
Once the smoke had cleared from Grammie’s house, I’d assessed the damage and realized it could’ve been so much worse. I’d lost a few mementos in the fire, but not all. Grammie’s teacup had survived, along with my favorite framed photographs.
I’d remodeled the house entirely and bought brand new modern furniture and then had Laura and Brock move in. They’d been living in less than stellar conditions because of a shitty slumlord. The Blue Angels had taken care of that problem, but I’d wanted her to have a home. A real home. With flower bushes and a roof that didn’t leak. Grammie would’ve been happy the house had become a home once again.
“Are you happy, darlin’?” Colt looked up at me, resting his chin on my breastbone.
“Yeah, I’m pretty happy.” I grinned.
“What about the baby?” His hand stole across my stomach. “Are you happy about that, too? For a woman who wanted to wait to have children, you adopted one and then got knocked up with another within a year.”
I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Someone told me it was bullshit to live by society’s rules and standards.”
“Who told you that? Sounds like a very smart guy.”
“One the smartest men I know,” I said softly. “One of the kindest, strongest, most beautiful men I know.”
“You’re not talking about Boxer are you?”
“Get off me,” I said with a laugh, pushing against his shoulders. He chuckled and moved off my body. My stomach growled.
“You did promise me a romantic dinner tonight,” I told him. “But can I tell you something? All I want is Huckleberry ice cream.”
“I can make that happen,” he said, reaching for his shirt. “I blame your father for your new Huckleberry obsession.”
A few months prior, Knight had sent us Huckleberry jam from a local farm in Coeur d’Alene. My addiction to it only seemed to grow in tandem
with my pregnancy.
“Speaking of your father,” Colt began as he pulled on his jeans. “He’s bringing Bishop down for a meeting with Franco and Ramsey.”
“Yeah, he told me.”
“When did he tell you?” he demanded.
“A few days ago when I talked to him. Are you guys finally going to expand?”
Colt nodded.
It had been a prosperous year after the war, and there had been very little bloodshed in the streets of Waco once Dev had been dealt with. The cartels were making too much money to let their men get out of control, the MCs were protecting the city from any outsiders who might try to edge in and cause anyone harm, and it seemed like everything was smooth sailing. Still, I didn’t expect it to always be like this because I knew better.
My phone vibrated from somewhere under the bed. I crouched down to grab it and saw Joni’s name flashing across the screen.
“It’s your sister,” I said to him. “Answer it.”
I pressed a button and said, “Hello? Joni, you’re on speaker phone.” “I’m engaged!” she shouted.
“Ow. And oh my God, congratulations!” I looked at Colt, whose jaw had dropped open. “Your brother can’t say his congratulations right now because he’s just had a stroke.”
She laughed. “Bachelorette party as soon as you get back. The wedding is a week after that.”
“Why so sudden,” Colt demanded in true brotherly fashion. “Are you pregnant?”
“No, you asshole. Some of us use protection. I’m a nurse, remember? I actually know how to put a condom on a man.”
“I don’t need details,” Colt muttered. “And for the record, it was Mia who went off her birth control and let me—”
“Oh, wow, hate to cut this short, but Colt promised me dinner. We’ll see you in a few days,” I said.
I hung up on her and glared at Colt. “Maybe you don’t tell your sister we have unprotected sex.”
He sighed. “Mia, babe, you’re four months pregnant. How else do you think you got a bun in the oven? Huh? Besides, I’ve walked in on a girls’ night. I know what goes down with you all and a bottle of tequila. Men have nothing on you gals.”
The last girls’ night had resulted in Rachel getting pregnant. She still hadn’t forgiven me for it since I’d been the one to make the margaritas. Virgin for me, of course.
“Our girls’ nights are going to be pretty tame for the next few years. Allison has a newborn, Rachel’s pregnant, I’m pregnant, and ten bucks says Joni will be pregnant within a month of her wedding.”
“A month? No way. Three—maybe.”
“She’s thirty five. Her clock is ticking. And she’s wanted little tiny Zip babies forever.”
“Great, now I’m nauseous. Thanks.” I grinned at him.
He grinned at me.
“Are you happy, love?” I asked him, gently running a finger down his cheek.
“Yeah, babe. I’m happy.”
He took my hand and we walked out of our bed and breakfast out into the misty sixty-five degree weather. We got ice cream and then strolled barefoot along the beach before sitting on the sand to watch the sunset. Colt scooted in close behind me, nestling me in the cradle of his body.
I thought about how nothing good lasted forever, but it was the same for the bad. Life was volatile and mercurial and it liked to kick me while I was down. But it also had the power to lift me up and give me everything I ever needed. And things I didn’t even know I wanted.
As the sun sank into the ocean, I thought of Shelly.
I thought of her smile and her laughter. I thought of Grammie and Mom and Cheese. I thought about them all—the people I’d lost who’d imprinted themselves on my heart.
Life was a journey. Like a river. Always changing course. Family.
Family got me through the hard times and celebrated with me during the joys.
Family didn’t have to be blood, I realized. I had chosen mine.
“What are you thinking about, darlin’?” Colt asked, his chin resting on my shoulder, whiskers prickling my skin through my clothes.
“I’m thinking about how lucky I am.” “Really?”
“Yeah.” I turned my head so I could brush my lips across his stubbled cheek. “Let’s go home, Colt. I’m ready to go home.”
Thank you so much for reading.
