RMCB 07_Bound by Consequences
Page 17
Austyn grabbed Remy and threw her up into the air, Remy laughing the entire time. My little girl love, love, loved Austyn. Remy had a lot of love to give and spread it around to everyone. She had a soft spot for Austyn. Hell, so did I. The woman was a godsend.
“Ya know. He’s lucky he has an awesome kid,” Austyn said before blowing a raspberry into Remy’s neck and swinging her from side to side.
“What if they don’t like each other?”
It was crazy how my fear went from Micah taking Remy away to now them not getting along. I was seriously losing my shit. Hell, I couldn’t even believe I just asked this. She was going to think I was a nut case.
“They will. There’s a bond between a daughter and her father. Daddy’s little girl. And I have no doubt this one”—she poked Remy in the belly to Remy’s giggles—“will have him wrapped around her little finger five seconds after meeting her.”
Austyn and I didn’t have code with words like Katie and I did. It wasn’t something that Austyn did. She was straight forward and honest to a fault, and never would I ask her to change that. I just hoped Remy didn’t put two and two together. She was still young, right?
“Life is hard,” I complained, and she laughed.
“You haven’t seen anything yet, girl. Just wait.”
Fuck, if it was already like this, I needed a vacation. Maybe a sandy beach with only Remy, Katie, and me. Somewhere no one would ever find us, and we’d lay in the sun drinking margaritas.
Those were pipe dreams. No one had the money for that, especially not us.
The hour went by way too fast. So much faster than I wanted it to. It was amazing that when you wanted time to hurry up, it ticked so damn slow you’d want to scream. Then when you’d want it to slow way down, that damn thing sped up making you want to scream even louder.
“It’s time,” I told Austyn, who came up to me and wrapped her arms around me tight.
She whispered in my ear, “He does anything you don’t like, you tell me and I’ll take care of him. Not jokin’ around. I’m at your back. Anytime.”
Damn, I loved that. Loved it so much it made me want to cry. Not once since the moment her and Ryker picked us up had she ever let me down. She was the best friend a girl could have. She’d loved us unconditionally since the moment we met in that sleazy hotel.
“Thank you. We’ll be under the tree by the playground. Thought it would be good for Remy to be in a space she’s comfortable.”
“Smart woman,” Austyn said, pulling away, and she then ran up to Remy and grabbed her. “You have fun playin’, alright?”
Nervously I pulled my t-shirt down even though it hadn’t risen up. The time was here. It felt like this moment was pivotal in mine and Remy’s lives. That it would change the course of it forever, and it scared the living shit out of me.
“Essssss,” the ‘s’ came with some wonderful slobber all over Austyn’s face. She took it like a champ, though, as she sat my little girl down and swiped her arm over her face.
“Go on. It’ll be good,” she encouraged me, giving me that last bit of strength I didn’t know I needed.
“Thank you. You’re the best.”
Austyn waved her hand and teased, “Don’t I know it.”
I left her house laughing.
Hand-in-hand, Remy and I walked from Austyn’s home to the tree. I’d parked over there earlier and went to the car, opening the door and pulling out Remy’s sippy cup. “You thirsty?” She nodded, and I handed her the cup. She immediately started guzzling.
I was a big ball of knots, and my stomach wanted to throw up. This was not the time for that. I’d be mortified. Closing my eyes, I took in several deep breaths.
Calm down or Remy will know something’s up. Breathe. In and out. Out and In. You got this, Ensley. You’re strong. You’re determined. You’ve got this.
When I saw the SUV coming our way, I forgot to breathe. I mean, who needed to breathe anyway? Surely not me. Even with all the positive words I’d given myself, it didn’t stop the tremble in my hand. Luckily, it was the one Remy wasn’t holding on to.
I knelt down, getting on Remy’s level, and pointed to the SUV. “Remy. That’s mommy’s friend, Micah. He came to see you and play with us today.”
My focus was on Remy and her reaction to my words, wanting to get a read on my little girl. If this was too much for her, I’d pull the plug and we’d be gone.
I jumped when I felt someone behind me.
Looking over my shoulder, Micah was bending down to one knee next to me, and he held out his hand to Remy. “Hey, Remy. I’m Micah. Nice to meet you.” He engulfed her little bitty hand in his and actually shook it as if she was an adult. My heart melted at the sight. I hoped with everything inside of me that this meeting meant as much to him as it did to us.
“I…” Remy said with a flap of her other hand.
“That means hi,” I translated, rising to my feet and seeing Remy was perfectly fine with meeting Micah. Remy speak was hard to understand until you got the hang of it. It wouldn’t be long though before I’d probably want to put cotton balls in my ears because of her talking so much, so I wasn’t complaining. Her time would come.
Micah smiled up at me. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen on a man. Perfectly white, but a small chip off the tooth next to the canine. Made me wonder why he didn’t get it fixed. Then I wanted to slap myself for even thinking that way. It wasn’t my business in the first damn place.
Remy. Remember he’s here for her.
Micah pulled his hand away, but there was a glint in his eye. Pride. Happiness. I wasn’t sure which one or if none of those were it.
“You know you’re the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen.”
Remy smiled then looked to me. “Ooooss.”
Micah’s brow went up as he looked at me to tell him what she meant.
“She wants her trolls out of the car. Let me run and get them.”
“You play with trolls?” Micah asked her as I reached in the car and pulled out the two little figurines. One was blue, the other pink. She loved these damn things, and considering they both only had about four strings of hair left, they’d be bald very soon.
“Esssss.”
I chuckled as Micah lifted his hand and wiped Remy’s spittle off of him. Oh the things he’d learn. But he said nothing to her, like ‘don’t do that’ or ‘stop it.’ He just smiled and put his hand out for the toys. I gave them to him, and he bent down to Remy.
“Do these little guys have names?” he asked Remy who grabbed them from Micah’s grasp. She loved her trolls and was a bit territorial over them. She didn’t let just anyone have them.
“Oooosss.” Remy told him. Then said, “Pay!”
“She calls them both trolls, and she wants to go and play,” I translated again.
Micah grinned and held out his hand to Remy. Surprisingly, she grabbed it, and they made their way over to the playset. “Let’s play.”
Remy had never seen this man before, yet she was willing to take his hand and go play. She already had some trust in him. That blew my mind. Maybe Austyn was right about the daddy daughter connection. Or maybe I was just reading too much into this. It was their first meeting, surely Remy didn’t feel that way yet. She couldn’t. Could she? I really didn’t know the answer to that question.
I stood back a bit and observed them. Watched their interactions. Saw how Remy melted into him with so much ease it was almost terrifying. Just in the sense that she wouldn’t do that with a stranger she met while playing in the park or anything. It was definitely a lesson that needed to be learned and quickly.
Not wanting that to dampen my thoughts, I watched as Micah helped Remy up the ladder for the slide. His hands appeared to skitter almost like he didn’t know where to touch Remy, which I found cute. He really had no experience with children. It was going to be a fun ride watching him learn.
He settled on her little hips, and seeing that she was having a ton of troub
le considering her legs were little, he picked her up with ease and set her down at the top of the ladder.
“Have a seat, and I’ll be at the other end to get ya,” he told her as Remy nodded and sat at the top of the slide. Faster than I’d seen a man move, he was at the bottom of the slide, ready to catch her.
“You ready?” he asked. There was a small cover on the top of the slide, so I couldn’t see Remy’s reaction, but when Micah clapped and said, “Come and get me,” I knew it was a go. Two seconds later, my adorable little girl came screaming with glee down the slide, and Micah was there to catch her.
He tossed her up in the air and made some funny laughing noises, causing Remy to burst out in laughter.
“Wanna go again?”
Remy nodded, then said, “Esss.”
“Let’s do it!” Micah replied, taking her back to the ladder. He let her try a few rungs, then he lifted her up and put her on the top of the slide. He ran back to the bottom and caught her every time.
This went on probably ten more times, and not once did Micah bail on her. He let Remy lead him without a word. He had to be getting tired though because I was, and I was sitting on the picnic table, not running after a two-year-old.
I decided to give him a bit of a break. Getting up from the table, I brushed my bottom to get the dirt off and made my way to the playset.
“How about we swing for a bit?” At least with the swing you were in one place and not running all around town. He was a Marine, so I thought he could hack it, but we all needed a break.
“Inggggg!” Remy cried out. Then she did something that made me stop and take notice. She ran over to Micah, grabbed his hand, and led him over to the swing.
When Remy held out her trolls for Micah to hold, tears pricked my eyes. She already gave him her approval and trust. It was what I’d always hoped for my little girl to have one day. And here it was, right in front of my eyes.
Micah put the trolls in his pocket, not really understanding the significance of what had just happened.
Austyn had put in one of those toddler swings, and it was one of Remy’s favorite things to do.
Remy turned to Micah and put her hands up in the air for him to pick her up.
He hesitated for only a second before picking her up and bringing her to his chest, like he’d done it a million times before and this wasn’t the first. Remy made a motion to the swing.
“You wanna swing, huh?” She nodded. “We can do that.” Micah looked at the swing for a moment and knew exactly how to place Remy in it and how to buckle up the safety belts.
I had to give it to the man, he was a fast learner.
Standing behind them, I struck up a conversation with Micah. I’d given them a little bit of time to get to know one another before I joined in. There was no manual or rule book on how these things went. All I could rely on was my gut and hope I didn’t screw this up more than I’d already had.
“So, you havin’ fun?” I asked him.
He turned to me on a smile, pushing Remy back and forth. “Yeah. More than fun. It’s like finally having something that you never knew you wanted, and she’s wrapped up in this adorable package. You’ve done an amazing job with her.”
My heart warmed and expanded. “Thanks. We’ve tried the best we can. Katie and I, I mean.”
“You’re not alone anymore, Ensley. I’m here for you and for her.”
I smiled, loving that. Before I could say more, Remy was screaming, ready to get out of the swing. Her attention span wasn’t the greatest. The fact she lasted so long on the slide was a miracle.
“Tag! You’re it,” I said, tapping Remy’s shoulder after Micah pulled her out. She smiled wide but didn’t come after me like she normally did. No, she went after Micah with a vengeance.
It took Micah a moment to catch on, and he pretended to dodge her and made these silly faces at her. We were laughing and enjoying each other, running around and playing tag. Remy thought it was a hoot when she caught Micah. He, of course, let her.
Yeah. Daddy’s little girl was right. Just like Austyn said, Remy had Micah wrapped around her finger so tight it was going to be a hoot to see what he did with her when she had one of her terrible two moments.
Everything happened at once. The ground below us started to shake as bright lights came from Austyn’s home. The loudest sound I’d ever heard echoed through the skies, making my eardrums ring.
One minute we were standing, the next Micah had us down on the ground, his body over both of us like a human shield.
Remy started crying. I tried soothing her, but I had no idea from what at that point.
Looking over at Austyn and Emery’s homes, they were both on fire.
~~If you’re ready to strangle me, I completely understand.
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Acknowledgments
Chelsea. What would I ever do without you? I will never find out. You’re stuck. Sorry not sorry. Thank you for pushing me and believing in me even when I don’t. “When you can’t look on the bright side, I will sit with you in the dark.” ~Alice in Wonderland. Thank you for always sitting with me.
My amazing team who has stuck by me over the years through the thick and thin. Love you. Couldn’t do this without all of you.
To my readers. Thank you. You are the best. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for always bringing a smile to my face.
Editing by: Silla Webb
Proofreading: Linda Brashers
Critique and Sanity Keeper: Chelsea Camaron
Cover Design by: Cassy Roop at Pink Ink Designs
Photography by: Golden Czermak at FuriousFotog
Models: David & Kayla Cook
Other Books by Ryan Michele
www.authorryanmichele.com/books
Ravage MC Series
Ravage Me (Ravage MC #1)
Seduce Me (Ravage MC #2)
Consume Me (Ravage MC #3)
Inflame Me (Ravage MC #4)
Captivate Me (Ravage MC #5)
Bound by Family (Ravage MC #6) (Bound #1)
Bound by Desire (Ravage MC #7) (Bound #2)
Bound by Vengeance (Ravage MC #8) (Bound #3)
Bound by Affliction (Ravage MC #9) (Bound #4)
Bound by Destiny (Ravage MC #10) (Bound #5)
Bound by Wreckage (Ravage MC #11) (Bound #6)
Connected in Pain (Ravage MC #12) (Rebellion #1)
Fueled in Fire (Ravage MC #13) (Rebellion #2)
Sealed in Strength (Ravage MC #14) (Rebellion #3)
Connected in Code (Ravage MC #15) (Rebellion #4)
Bound by Consequences (Ravage MC #16) (Bound #7)
Bound by Redemption (Ravage MC #17) (Bound #8)
Vipers Creed MC
Crossover
Challenged
Conquering
Ruthless Rebels MC
Shamed
Scorned
Scarred
Schooled
Ruthless Rebels Box Set
Power Chain: Anti-Hero Game
Power Chain
PowerHouse
Power Player
PowerLess
Overpowered
Raber Wolf Pack Series
Raber Wolf Pack Book 1
Raber Wolf Pack Book 2
Raber Wolf Pack Book 3
Raber Wolf Pack Series Box Set
Standalone Romances
Full Length Novels
Needing to Fall
Safe
Wanting You
Blood & Loyalties: A Mafia Romance
Dream Lover
Anchored Love
Killian
Novellas
Stood Up (Billionaire Up Romance)
Short Stories
Hate Sex
Branded
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The Best Friend’s Collection
www.authorryanmichele.com/books
About the Author
Ryan Michele is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of over 40 romantic suspense novels. She found her passion bringing fictional characters to life, being in an imaginative world where anything is possible. Her knack for the unexpected twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat with each page. She is best known for her alpha, bad boy bikers and strong, independent heroines who refuse to back down. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her swing, watching the water ripple in the pond and daydreaming about her next book.
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