by Sam Crescent
She took care of his daughter as if she was his own, her kindness showing through in every passing second.
He’d even put a few cameras around his home to check on her to make sure he wasn’t getting the wrong vibe off her. It had been easy to do, and now any time he wanted, he could check in at home through his cell phone and she didn’t even know that he was checking up on her. Each time he did, she was either playing with Bethany, feeding her, cleaning, cooking, or something that a wife would do.
It was like having a wife, only he didn’t get to fuck her—and he really wanted to. Coming home every single night wasn’t about getting her home-cooked food, which in itself was like heaven on a plate. No, he went home every night because he liked being in her company. She didn’t make demands on him. They hung out, watched movies, talked about everything and anything. She never asked about the club or what he was doing. If she didn’t see him for days at a time, she didn’t expect an explanation. He would tell her if he’d be gone a few days but again, no questions or curiosity as to why. Just simple acceptance of it.
Climbing off his bike, he made his way inside and was once again met with the most amazing smell.
“I think that’s Daddy, baby girl. I think he’s come to see you. Let’s hope he likes your surprise.”
He walked down the short corridor and entered the kitchen where he found an apron-covered Jasmine and his little girl in her high chair. Bethany had some toys, and Jasmine was covered in flour.
“Hey, you’re home. You’re a bit early.”
“What are you making?”
“We’re making pizza. We’ve already done some chocolate chip and walnut cookies. They’re over there cooling if you’d like one. My pizza sauce is ready, and now I’m just shaping my pizza.” She held a ball of dough in her hand.
“That’s a lot of pizzas you got there.” He did a quick count and discovered ten already made and cooling on trays.
“Yes. Life can get pretty hectic, and I’ve been making food that can go straight from freezer to oven. That way I don’t have to worry.”
“You could order out.”
“That I could but I know how to make myself some pizza and tomorrow it will be lasagna. I’ve already cleaned every surface in this place, and Bethany loves seeing me in the kitchen. I think she likes it here.”
Since Jasmine had been living with him in the spare bedroom, he’d enjoyed a whole month of full nights’ sleeps.
He’d not even heard his little girl wake up.
“I’m sorry to ask this, does she wake up in the night?”
“The first week I was here, she did. I’d change her diaper, feed her, burp her, and then just rock her for a few minutes before putting her back to sleep. We do so much during the day now that she’s too tired to wake up. Why?”
“I just, I could never get her to sleep before you came along. She’d be awake and that was it, she wasn’t going back to sleep.”
“Babies thrive on routine, but she spends a lot of time playing. I’ve got a little secure playpen in the living room. She can crawl around and play with her toys. She’ll be walking before you know it. I’ve taken her out into the garden as well. If you tire her out, she’ll sleep soundly at night.”
Jasmine always knew what she was doing.
He didn’t want just anyone taking care of his little girl, so he’d gotten a background check done on her. There were a few things about her life that she wasn’t telling him. He didn’t want to just blab them out or demand answers. She’d not technically lied to him. Jasmine didn’t have children, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been expecting one.
The thorough background check he had done made him aware that at one time she’d been pregnant. The child she’d given birth to had been stillborn. She’d had umbilical cord prolapse. Her baby had been starved of oxygen within her womb and had died. It was a rare condition. Less than a year after her loss, she’d gotten a divorce. He also knew she had to sign herself into a psychiatric ward for six months where she was evaluated because she wanted to end her own life. She’d been strong enough not to do that and to seek help. After a period of time, she released herself, and hadn’t been back. She wasn’t on any medication or watch list.
No cops wanted her in different states.
During that time, she’d been all alone in the world.
Her husband was long gone. Over five years now, and since then he’d married someone else and now had two children. Hawk didn’t want to bring up bad memories, but he was curious about her life. Why she kept it a secret and especially now as she seemed healthier, better. He’d also gotten the full details of her employment record at the agency where he’d hired her.
In the last five years, she’d been their best employee. Her clients were nothing but happy with her, and she seemed perfectly content with her life. The first day he met her at the grocery store, she’d been happy and now she was even more so.
His curiosity was getting the better of him.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” he asked.
This made her freeze as she was shaping the dough.
Jasmine looked up at him.
He saw the frown on her face and then her lips pressed together.
“You had a background check run on me?”
“I’m the Prez of the Satan’s Rulers MC, Jasmine. I have to make sure that my daughter is well taken care of.”
She looked at his little girl. She looked disappointed and even a little hurt. “You know everything then. All about my life.”
“Yes. I know about your marriage. What caused it to end. The loss of your baby and your stay in a psychiatric ward,” he said.
“Just because you’re part of an MC doesn’t give you the right to interfere with my life.”
“No, but there’s nothing you can do about me finding out, so now just talk to me. I want to make sure that my daughter is okay.”
“I would never harm a child.”
“That may be. Why did you put yourself in a ward if you weren’t worried about what you were going to do?”
She put down the dough. She wiped her hands and lifted Bethany up in her arms. “I’ll be back.”
He followed her through to the sitting room where she placed Bethany.
She turned toward him and stared in his eyes. “Because every single day I felt guilty that my child was dead and I was alive. For hours I’d lay in the bath, the blade poised to my wrists, and I was so close to cutting. To just letting nature take its course. I was alone. I’d divorced my husband, and I wanted everything to just … stop. I couldn’t press pause. I couldn’t make the feelings go away. I just wanted everything to just be quiet. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want to … I don’t know, ruin my shot of getting into heaven maybe. I don’t know what happens on the other side.”
“You’re religious?”
“I’m not, but I want to think that my little boy is on the other side. That’s he’s happy and I can live with that. Instead of killing myself I did something that I never thought I’d do. I got the help I needed, and being in that ward for six months, I was able to press pause. People were there to help me and I was able to grieve and move on, and I got better. The pain still doesn’t go away, but I can talk about him. I can think about him and know that I can take a bath and not hurt or kill myself. What you found out, Hawk, is really private. I don’t tell anyone because I just don’t. It’s not important for everyone to know that. If you’re not happy with the care I provide your daughter, then please let my agency know and I will be out of here within the month, or sooner if you’re not happy. I’m also aware that my ex is happily married with kids, if that’s what you’re wondering as well. Not bad for a guy that apparently hadn’t wanted kids with me.”
She walked past him into the kitchen.
Now he felt like a fucking asshole.
****
Jasmine checked on Bethany to see the girl was still fast asleep. Slowly, creeping out of the room, she headed down
stairs. It was five in the morning, but she couldn’t sleep. Hawk’s confrontation last night had taken it out of her. She’d gone through the motions, finished pizza, cleaned up, eaten, bathed Bethany, put her to bed. The moment she’d gone to her room, other than to attend Bethany last night, she’d not left her room.
She should have known something like this would happen.
The past was always out there for someone to find. She couldn’t even blame Hawk for finding out the truth.
Pushing fingers through her hair, she entered the kitchen and came to a stop. Hawk was there.
Only this was a Hawk she hadn’t seen.
He wore a pair of sweatpants and nothing else. The leather cut that he normally sported was nowhere in sight. His muscular, heavily inked body was on full display for her to look at. Even though she was pissed at him about last night, she couldn’t stop staring at him. He looked so incredible.
Her pussy tightened, and she tried to ignore the yearning that suddenly built up inside her.
“You’re awake early,” he said, putting the coffee machine on.
“I couldn’t sleep. I had a rough night.”
“I owe you an apology.”
“You don’t owe me anything. You’re right. I’m taking care of your little girl, and you have a right to know about what happened in my past. It’s no less than what I would have done if I had a child. I didn’t lie to you. I don’t have any children. I just don’t think it would have worked me spilling out my past to you like that. Not even at an interview. I asked the agency about what I should and shouldn’t say. They were the ones to advise me that it was in the past. They are more than happy with my work.” She took a deep breath and stared at the counter.
The last thing she ever wanted was for him to think that she had gone out of her way to deceive him. That’s not what she wanted, not one bit.
“I’m sorry for prying into your life. I shouldn’t have done it,” he said. “At least, I shouldn’t have told you that shit last night. I blurted it out. I was worried.”
“You’ve got no reason to worry. I’ll protect your girl with my life.” She’d not been crazy when she entered that psych ward. In fact, some of the doctors had even said she didn’t need to do it because she’d proven to them she wasn’t going to end her life.
Jasmine hadn’t been willing to take that chance.
“You’re good for Bethany. Is the little angel sleeping?” Hawk asked.
“She is.”
“You’re a damn miracle worker, that’s for sure.”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t get her to sleep. Her favorite thing to do was to keep me awake. I’m pushing forty-six years old, and believe me, I need my beauty sleep.”
“You’re looking okay to me.” Her cheeks heated when she realized what she was saying. “Do you want breakfast?”
“I’d love some. I made some coffee. Not that it’s any good.”
She walked toward the coffee pot and poured some out. Taking a sniff, she didn’t see a problem with it so proceeded to sip a small bit of the hot, dark liquid. It was incredibly bitter, and she couldn’t keep the disgusted look off her face.
“I rest my case.”
“I’ll make breakfast and coffee from now on.” She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, feeling the hard muscles beneath.
He was such a big man; a huge man.
She grabbed the necessary items out of the fridge, ignoring the way her pussy seemed to wake up whenever she was around him. Any kind of sexual relationship with this man would be bad. She adored Bethany, but it was also against the agency policy and they were known for stopping by for random visits. She could get fired from the company.
Being a well-respected nanny meant the world to her.
Pushing some hair off her shoulder, she chanced a glance back at him. He was looking at the newspaper that he had delivered every single day but never read. She’d collect them and put them in a neat pile next to his chair in the sitting room.
In the past month they’d become very domesticated together. He didn’t mind that she cooked and baked often.
The scent of homemade cookies always made her feel safe and warm. Especially after her mother died of cancer several years ago. Her father hadn’t lasted much longer after that. They had that kind of love that bound the two of them together.
With bacon and eggs ready, she got started on making a killer breakfast. Today she was starving.
She heard a whimper from upstairs and was about to go and get Bethany when Hawk held up his hand.
“I’ll get her. You carry on. I’ve got to eat.”
Chuckling, she continued with breakfast, content to be in the kitchen. Her mother always said that a woman’s place was in the kitchen. At first, she thought it was incredibly sexist, and in a way it was, but to her, it was her place. She cooked.
Her parents had that dynamic where the man went out to work and the woman stayed home, cooked, cleaned, and took care of the kids, or kid in her parents’ case.
They were happy with that, and for a long time, she’d been happy keeping house for her husband. Pushing those thoughts aside, she smiled as he brought Bethany into the room.
“She’s changed and happy.”
“Awesome. Morning, Bethany.”
The little girl made a few gurgling sounds. It wouldn’t be long before she started to actually talk.
Hawk put her in the high chair and started to feed his daughter with the food she’d provided on the kitchen counter.
Finishing up their breakfast, she served them up on two plates. Joining him at the counter, she dug in as he fed the last spoonful to Bethany.
“I’m going to be gone for a couple of days in a week’s time. Work stuff.”
“Okay.”
“If you need anything, all you got to do is stop by the club. Don’t worry, they won’t bite.”
“I know they won’t. They all seemed really nice,” she said.
None of them had pulled a gun on her or tried to hurt her. She considered that a win.
“They were on their best behavior. Don’t be fooled by them though. They were saying some pretty dirty-as-fuck things about what they wanted to do to you.”
“Oh, okay, well, erm, that wouldn’t work at all. I told you I don’t date.”
“No, you don’t.” He kept on staring at her.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve never met a woman that followed the rules. They were always intent on breaking them.”
She shrugged. “I love rules. I love order, and when you break that apart it can hurt so many people. Mostly kids.”
“You feel strongly about that?”
“Yeah. Kids need a balance. They need structure and rules. Boundaries. You know, that kind of stuff that helps them. You must think I’m a loser or something.” She cringed. A loser? Really? Was she in high school?
“I don’t think anything of the sort. It’s rather refreshing to have a woman talk to me and not try to get off on my dick.”
She looked into his eyes to see if he was joking.
He wasn’t.
“Is that all you get? A woman trying to have sex with you?”
“Pretty much. Being Prez of an MC, it makes my tag a victory for them. To become an old lady in my world is to become queen.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. Women want power. I screw a woman, it goes to her head, and I’ve had to deal with the fallout.”
“Old lady?”
“It’s a term we use for our women. The ones that have been chosen by men of the club, not anything else.”
“Oh, it’s not exactly a nice name.”
“It’s better than sweet-butt or club whore.”
“Wow,” she said. “Yeah, it really is.” She burst out laughing. Getting to her feet, she did the dishes and left them on the drainer.
“Am I forgiven for last night?”
“You don’t even have to worry about last night.” She grabbed his daughter. “
We’re heading to the park today. Would you like to come? We feed the ducks down at the river as well. She loves that.”
She saw him hesitate for a split second.
“I’d love that.”
“Excellent. I’ll get her ready.”
She was moving across the hall when the first gunshot rang out. At first, she didn’t know what it was until she heard Hawk yell for her to get down.
With the baby in her arms, she held onto Bethany, dropping to the floor as more shots rang out. She heard the smashing of windows and stuff being broken as gunshots were fired.
Hawk’s home had just been shot out, and now she had pain in her shoulder. Bethany was crying, and she panicked. Glancing down at the little girl, she checked her all over and discovered she was fine. Jasmine herself, however, wasn’t.
She’d been hit in the shoulder. If she’d not been carrying Bethany on her other hip, she knew without a doubt that she’d have lost her charge today. Saying a quick thank you to whoever was looking down on them, she saw Hawk enter the hallway. Pressing a hand to her shoulder, she gave him a watery smile as the pain had exploded. “Bethany’s fine.”
Chapter Four
Bethany’s fine.
Not, “I’ve been shot.”
No. “Bethany’s fine.”
Hawk was fucking raging as he watched the doctor look over Jasmine’s wound. His boys had arrived ten minutes fucking late after his home was hit in a drive-by. Some piece of shit thought they could attack his home.
They hadn’t hit him. He’d gotten his gun and fired back. He had the license plate and he was going to find that piece of shit and then there was going to be some blood. No one fired on his home. Bethany could have been hit. Jasmine was fucking hit. She winced as the doctor injected some painkiller into her shoulder. The bullet was there.
“I need to go to the hospital,” she said. “Please, can I go to the hospital?”
Tears fell from her eyes, and it was breaking his heart to see her like this.
Bear was on the other side and even his VP was having a hard time watching her. They had all been shot a time or two. Even a few club whores, but they’d take whatever the doctor or the club needed to shut them the fuck up for him to do his job.