by Erin Osborne
“I’m sorry guys. I had to do this,” I explain to them with a smile on my face.
Yeah, I got pictures of the confusion on their faces. These ones will definitely be printed and hung somewhere or placed on a shelf somewhere I can always look at them.
“Gwen, I’m gonna get you for this,” Kim says, lacking heat behind her words.
We all laugh once again as my husband and sister get ready to truly reveal the gender of our second baby. They each wait for our countdown once more before twisting the ends of the poppers. Pink confetti flies through the air and covers us all as I continue to snap photos. Especially of Stryker. He’s the only club member besides Killer who guessed the gender of each baby. I’m not sure how he knew when no one else did. Everyone else believed I was having two boys or one of each.
Killer walks up to me again and wraps his arms around me.
“You’re givin’ me two little princesses?” he questions, placing a kiss against my lips.
“Yes I am. We’re gonna have two little girls. Are you ready for this husband?” I ask him.
“Yep. They aren’t datin’ until they’re either seventy years old or I’m dead and buried in the ground. Even then I’ll come back to haunt whoever the man is that thinks he’s good enough for my angels,” Killer deadpans as Stryker walks up to us stuffing a wad of money in his pocket.
“And Uncle Stryker will be there to help,” he adds in.
“Oh boy!” I say as I roll my eyes at the two men standing before me.
Within minutes I’m being wrapped in arms from all of the ol’ ladies at the same time Killer is pulled away by the men. There’s laughter and picking on Killer for knocking me up with girls and not a sign of a boy in sight. I have to admit, Killer’s complexion has paled slightly at the thought of having two little girls to love, care for, and raise. He’ll love them unconditionally; there’s not a doubt in my mind about that. I’m sure he’s just not relishing the prospect of having to chase off boys and everything else that comes with raising little girls instead of boys.
“Now,” Shy begins, “While the men are out grilling the meat and getting the rest of the food ready, we have a surprise for you.”
“What do you mean?” I question the women surrounding me.
“We’re throwing you and Killer a baby shower today. There’s no better time than when we’re all here together already,” Jennifer responds, a smile lighting up her face.
Turning my head, I look at Killer who’s watching me. He knew about this. We each had a secret for today. My heart fills with love at the thought of these people doing this for us. They’ve already done so much for me and I’ll never be able to repay them. They don’t expect me to either. That’s what family does for one another and how we operate as a club.
I’m walked over to the rocking chair where Sam helps me sit down. Shy and Kim are ushering the men through the back door of the clubhouse so we can have some time to ourselves in here.
“Since we know the men won’t stay outside and you’re going to want to eat soon, we don’t have all the games and things planned for today. You’ll be opening gifts before we eat and then I know Killer is gonna make you rest,” Sally tells me as she sits down on the edge of the chair next to me.
Sally looks beautiful today. She’s wearing a multi-colored maxi dress with her hair pinned up on her head. Loose tendrils fall here and there. The only thing taking away from her natural beauty is the sadness filling her eyes and haunting her. The death of her daughter’s father, Killian, still haunts her to this day. Stryker’s been by her side since she moved here, and I fear one of them are going to get hurt because Sally doesn’t seem ready to let go of Killian’s ghost yet.
“Are you doing okay?” I ask her, reaching out to place my hand on her own as the rest of the women begin to bring all the gifts over to me with the help of Tommy and Rich.
“I’m okay. There’s still good and bad days,” she answers, unshed tears filling her eyes. “Today is about you and those two princesses you’re going to bring into the club family.”
“I’ll let you get away with it today. Just please know I’m here if you ever need to talk or anything,” I offer her.
“Thank you, Gwen,” she replies as Kim hands me the first present to open.
For the next hour and a half, I open one present after another. Killer and I have been given everything a baby, or two, could ever need. We’ve got clothes, blankets, sets for the cribs, mobiles, bath stuff, diapers, wipes, different creams for diaper rashes, laundry soap specialized for babies’ tender skin, bottles pacifiers, boppy pillows, swings, and some toys. Tears have filled my eyes at each new item I remove from the bags and boxes. Especially when I see little shoes for girls and headbands.
“Um, we’re not done yet. There are some special gifts we have to go outside to see,” Shy tells me, helping me out of the rocking chair.
“Why would we have to go outside?” I question her as Killer makes his way into the common room.
Everyone steps back as we walk out the front door. There’s an enclosed trailer parked in the middle of the parking lot. Stryker and Tommy open the door and tears fill my eyes. I know exactly where Stryker and Killer went today. They went to Clifton Falls. Sitting inside the large trailer rests two identical cribs with the Phantom Bastards colors burned into them. Two dressers and a toy box also fill the trailer. Killer walks to the truck hooked to the trailer and opens the back door. He brings me back a large box.
Raising my eyes, I have a feeling I know what this is. Having been at the Wild Kings in Clifton Falls, this box is from Bailey. I open the package while Killer hangs on to it. Resting inside sit two outfits. One onesie is white while the other one is black. Each one says Phantom Bastards Princess on them. Little skirts and black booties rest in the package along with the onesies. There are two little black leather jackets. Pulling one out of the box, I turn it around and the tears I’ve been holding back fall down my face. The back of the jacket says, ‘Property of Killer’. When I go to place it back in the box, two little red bandanas lay at the bottom. They’re made to resemble headbands that will fit a baby’s head. These outfits are so cute.
“I hope those are happy tears, Sparrow,” Killer says, wiping them away.
“They are happy tears. I’ll have to call Bailey and Pops to thank them. Along with the rest of the club,” I tell him as we walk back toward the truck.
Sitting in the backseat is another box. I look at him with questions filling my eyes. Killer lets me know she sent home boxes for either gender. That way she covered her bases. Once the box is safely placed back in the truck, Killer leads me inside. We get food and eat until I’m so full I feel as if I’m going to burst.
Once we have cake, Killer leads me back to our room. My time in the common room is done for the day. Honestly, I’m exhausted and ready to climb in bed with him. Killer helps me undress and slides one of his tee-shirts over my head. He pulls the covers back for me and I slide in bed as gracefully as I can. My husband chuckles at me before getting undressed himself and getting in bed behind me. As with every night, he wraps his arms around me and pulls my body close to his. Sleep claims me after the work I did today and the excitement of an impromptu baby shower.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Killer
GWEN’S SURPRISE BABY shower was almost a week ago now. She’s been washing everything even though we still have months to go in her pregnancy. I guess it gives her something to do until we find Neil and she can freely leave the clubhouse once more. Once the clothes are clean and folded or hung, she places them in large totes to remain covered up until we get a new nursery set up.
Today is the day I surprise my wife with her last gift. This one isn’t for the babies; it’s for our family as a whole. The guys and ol’ ladies know about the house I’ve had built for our family on the compound since losing our other one thanks to Neil. We’ve decorated it and secretly been putting everything together without Gwen’s knowledge. Until now.
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br /> “Sparrow, where are you?” I call out, entering our room and not seeing her on our bed.
“Bathroom,” she calls out, opening the door.
Gwen walks up to me and I pull her into my arms. She sinks into me as if she’s exhausted and can’t bear to remain on her feet any longer. That happens more and more lately. I’m glad she’s still only working half days for now so she can get as much rest as possible. Her doctor says it’s normal since she’s carrying twins. I still don’t like it.
“Can you stay up for a little bit longer?” I ask her. “I have somethin’ to show you.”
“Yeah,” she says, stifling a yawn with her hand as she buries her face in my chest.
Wrapping my arm around her body, I help her out of our room and lead her to the front of the clubhouse where one of the SUVs is already waiting for us to use. After helping her in, I jog around to the driver’s side and hop in. When I don’t leave the compound, she looks at me with confusion filling her face. I drive us up past Slim’s house and toward the back of the compound. Stryker and I have each built a house up here. He doesn’t want to be that far from Gwen.
Stryker doesn’t let many people in or act as if he cares about anyone but the members of the club. However, he loves with his whole heart and when he lets you in, you need to be thankful. The only two women he’s truly let in to see the real him are Sally and Gwen. Gwen was much later than Sally. Ever since she got sick with the tampered food, Stryker has been there for her. Guilt is eating him alive because he doesn’t feel as if he protected her. He’s not getting close to Gwen because he wants her and that’s the only reason I don’t hate him for the way he is with her.
Our home is the second to the last one in the line of houses for the officers of the club. Stryker’s is last. Gwen has always told me she wanted to live in a log cabin home. So, I made it happen for her. When I pull up to the three-bay garage, Gwen’s mouth drops open and stares at the building in front of her.
“What’s this?” she asks me, turning in her seat.
“It’s our new home,” I inform her, leaning over to kiss her tears away. “Let’s go check it out.”
Getting out after shutting the engine off, I run around to help her out of the SUV. Holding her hand in mine, I lead her up the front steps to our door. It’s not locked because I just left here to get her. We literally just put the finishing touches on everything. At the same time, I left, everyone else did too. They want to give us time to be in our home alone together. Later on, we’ll have a housewarming party with everyone.
Everything in the house is wood to keep true to a log cabin. When we walk through the front door, everything is open. There are only three rooms downstairs that have the sliding barn doors closing them off. One is a bathroom, my office, and the laundry room. The living room, kitchen, dining room, and a small nook filled with overstuffed chairs is left wide open. A bar separates the kitchen and living room lined with four barstools. Everything in the kitchen is stainless steel as I watch Gwen walk through the first floor taking in every tiny detail.
She runs her hands over the walls and looks at the pictures resting on the floor up against the wall. That’s the one thing I wouldn’t let anyone else do. Gwen will hang our pictures up in our home so they’re exactly where and how she wants them. In the living room is a fireplace I can’t wait to sit in front of her with. In the living room, a large rug covers most of the floor so we could keep the flooring wood like the rest of the home.
After she inspects the entire first floor, I lead her upstairs. Five doors fill the hallway. Two on each side of the hallway with one at the very end. Gwen opens each door as we make our way through the hall. The first two rooms are empty with the exception of a bed and dresser. No blankets cover the bed because we didn’t want to take everything away from her. On the right of the hallway is a bathroom that’s also left undecorated. There’s a large shower, claw foot tub, toilet, and his and her sinks in the long counter. The last room before ours makes Gwen tear up again. It’s the nursery.
We’ve already got the cribs, her rocking chair, the changing tables and dresses in place along with the toy box. The totes of clothing, bedding, and everything else we’ve gotten for the babies fill the middle of the room. Again, I made sure no one touched this room so Gwen and I can put it together ourselves. She walks through the room, running her hand over everything until she makes her way back to me. I pull her into my body, and we remain still for a few minutes in the middle of the nursery.
When she lifts her head from me and wipes her tears away, I lead her to our room. Opening the door for her, her gaze immediately lands on the king-sized bed directly in front of the door on the back wall. A TV is mounted on the wall opposite of the bed already. To the left of the bed is a huge walk-in closet. It’s big enough for both of us to have a dresser and our hanging clothes in here. Along with Gwen’s shoes. She may have a problem with shoes. And lingerie now. There’s even a rack we can store any extra bedding sets. On the right side of the room is a large bathroom. Like the other bathroom up here, there’s a large shower, bathtub, toilet, and his and her sinks in a long counter. Our shower is big enough to fit six grown ass adults in it with plenty of room.
“Killer, I love it,” she says, tears flowing down her face once more. “These damn hormones again.”
“You really like it?” I ask her, needing to know she really likes it.
“No, I love it,” she states, staring up into my eyes. “I love you for doing this for our family.”
I love you too, Sparrow,” I reply, laying my hands on top of her where they rest on her extended belly. “There’s just one more thing to show you.”
I lead her down to the first floor and into the kitchen. There’s a set of steps leading down to a finished basement. Once down there, she looks around in amazement.
In the middle of the room sits a pool table. There’s a rack on the wall holding the sticks. A dart board is at one end of the room with a few tables spaced throughout the room. There are two pinball games and a Mrs. PacMan game for Gwen down here. A bar lines the left of the room filled with ten stools and several shelves behind the bar filled with alcohol and glasses. This is the only room in the entire house that isn’t completely wood. A large TV is mounted to the wall at the opposite end of the room from the dart board. The floor is carpeted while drywall covers the walls. I’ve got several pictures of motorcycles and the club filling up the walls down here.
“This is a great addition to the house. You guys can come down here and watch games and things,” she tells me, again taking in every detail.
“I love you, Sparrow. I wanted to make sure you had your dream house,” I state, pulling her body against mine.
Looking at her, I can see she’s barely keeping her eyes open now. Lifting her up in my arms bridal style, I carry up until we’re in our room. Laying her down in our bed, I cover her up. Gwen’s already asleep before I’m done placing the covers over her body. Placing a kiss on her forehead, I make my way back downstairs so I can make her dinner while she sleeps. Tonight we’re going to have stuffed shells with garlic bread. Tommy is gonna get her a chocolate shake when I let him know dinner is almost ready to pull from the oven.
As I’m browning the hamburger, my phone rings in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see it’s Stryker calling.
“What’s up?” I ask him, answering the phone.
“I just wanted to know how she likes the house,” he replies.
“She loves it. She’s up sleepin’ right now,” I let him know. “I’m gettin’ dinner started so it’s ready when she wakes up from her nap. You comin’ up to eat with us?”
“Yeah if you don’t care,” he tells me.
“Nope. I’m sure Tommy will end up stayin’ too. He’s goin’ after her shake when dinner is almost ready to go.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you in an hour or so.”
Stryker hangs up the phone and I place mine on the counter next to me as I go back to browning the meat. I con
tinue cooking while keeping my ears open for any signs of Gwen stirring upstairs. I’m not sure if she should be walking down the stairs alone now. She’s gotten bigger and I’m worried about her losing her balance and falling to the bottom of the stairs. Not only will she be hurt, but our babies will also be hurt. That’s one of my biggest fears now.
I continue cooking while Gwen rests. Just before I message Tommy there’s a knock on the door before Stryker strolls inside. He looks around the house as if he wasn’t here earlier today helping me put the finishing touches on it. He gets in the fridge pulling out two beers for us while I pull the stuffed shells from the oven long enough to put mozzarella cheese on top of them. As long as Gwen gets her cheese she’ll be happy.
While Stryker keeps an eye on the food, I go upstairs to wake Gwen up. That’s the only time she doesn’t mind being woken up; when it’s time to eat. Walking up to the bed, she’s already awake, but lying nestled under the blankets. I kiss her and she wraps her arms around me while she tries to pull me down in bed with her.
“Sparrow, we have company downstairs. Stryker is pullin’ dinner out of the oven and Tommy is on his way oven with your chocolate shake,” I let her know.
Gwen instantly lets go of me and I move out of her way so she can slide out of bed. I laugh at her as she moves as fast as she can to get to her shake and food. Taking her hand, I lead her down and she’s engulfed in a hug from Stryker. When I hear a knock on the door, I walk over there leaving them in the kitchen. Tommy is standing at the door with two cups for her. I wave him to come in.
“You can stay for dinner if you want,” I let him know as we walk in to see Gwen standing in front of a plate over filled with stuffed shells and garlic bread.