Natalie's Choice

by Sam Crescent

  “I’m so nervous,” she said. “Does it look good?”

  “You tell me.” He removed the blindfold, and she blinked a few times as she got used to the lighting.

  Looking around, she was captivated. The house was perfect. The windows had been replaced, letting so much light come through each room. The floors had been cleaned and treated. The walls had been fixed and covered in magnolia paint.

  “Oh, wow,” she said.

  She moved from each room, seeing the personal finishing touches, and when she came to the dining room, she saw it was set up for a romantic meal.

  “Slash?” she asked, turning to see him.

  He was already on one knee behind her. She covered her mouth in shock as he held out a velvet box.

  “Natalie Pritchard, loving you, being with you, knowing you, is the greatest gift I’ve ever had. You are the love of my life, and I’m hoping that in our new house we can build a family together. I chose you, and I really hope that you chose me.” He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out an envelope. “Before you give me your answer, read this.”

  She took the letter, turning it over.

  She’d recognize her father’s handwriting anywhere.

  Tearing open the envelope, she started to read.

  To my beautiful daughter,

  Slash has just told me that he’s in love with you, and at first, I was sad that I wouldn’t be able to see my little girl walk down the aisle. Then I felt incredibly selfish because I know I’ve had you all to myself.

  Sweet girl, I know losing me and your mother broke your heart, and you probably didn’t know what to do for the longest time, but I want to say, you’re not alone. Chaos Bleeds will take care of you, and when I look at Slash, I know he will take care of you. He will love you like a man should, and I gave him my blessing.

  I hope in time you will love him as well. I know you’ve got the biggest crush on him. I’ve never seen you blush so much in my life, and it is a great joy to know that you’re going to be happy. Leaving this world knowing that, is the greatest gift of all.

  Don’t hold back, Natalie.

  Fight for what you want, and love every second of your life.

  Love forever,

  Your dad.

  “Yes,” she said, dropping the letter as she went to her knees. “Yes, yes, yes, yes.” She cupped his face and kissed him deeply.

  Slash wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. “I’ll love you for the rest of my life, Natalie. I’ll be the husband you deserve, I promise.”

  “I don’t care. I know you love me, and I love you, too, more than anything. You asked my father all that time ago?”

  “I love you, baby. Always have, and nothing is ever going to change that.” He stroked her cheek. “My life didn’t have any real meaning until I met you. Then it was like I woke up, and I don’t want to fall asleep again. This house, I bought it for us. This is our home, and you’re my future.”

  She kissed him again, and laughed as happiness flooded her.

  Her love for him went beyond everything else in her life. This was where she wanted to be.

  For a while after her father’s death, she’d lost her way, but now she felt like she’d found herself and there was no turning back, not now.

  “How soon do you want to get married?” she asked.

  Slash held up his cell phone. “We can be married within a month at the clubhouse. I’m not flying to Vegas. You deserve more than that, baby. You deserve the wedding, the celebration.”

  He sank his fingers into her hair, kissing her possessively, and she relished every second of it. After they’d made love on the dining room floor, Slash still deep inside her, he made the call to Devil to organize a wedding for them as he couldn’t wait another moment. The sooner he was married to this woman, the happier he would be.

  ****

  “You feel like you’re making a big mistake?” Butler asked.

  Slash turned to the third club brother who’d come and asked him as he stood at the altar in the backyard of the Chaos Bleeds clubhouse.

  Lexie and the other old ladies knew how to throw together a wedding on short notice. As promised, one month after his proposal, he was waiting for his bride to arrive. She’d spent the past month making her dress, and he’d not been allowed to see any of it.

  The yard looked beautiful, and with the last of summer fading fast, he knew it wasn’t going to be long before the first frost hit, not that he minded.

  He had a lot of plans for keeping them both warm during the cold season ahead.

  “Fuck off,” Slash said.

  “I’m just saying. You want me to take your place?”

  Slash growled at the brother. They had all done something similar to each of the brothers who were now married.

  Resting his hands in front of him, he stared at the point where Natalie would arrive. Devil was going to be the one to walk her down the aisle. He knew without a doubt that Arnold wouldn’t mind. Devil took his responsibilities seriously, and knowing he was willing to give him Natalie filled Slash with a sense of pride.

  The music changed, and Lexie along with the other old ladies made their way toward him, letting him know any minute now his woman was about to take the next step. The Skulls had also made the trip and sat in the audience watching them. Simon and Tabitha were sitting together in the front row.

  They were holding hands and looked so cute together, even as they were getting older.

  Finally, he saw a vision in white, and his heart nearly stopped. She looked breathtaking. She didn’t want a veil as she’d told him the moment she saw him, she didn’t want anything between them. The dress she wore molded to her tits, and flared out at the hips. The simple white gown just enhanced her beauty. Her multi-colored hair had been dyed a deep brown, and he didn’t care. All that mattered to him was his woman, and the smile she beamed his way as she walked toward him.

  He stepped down the aisle, and took her from Devil.

  “You take care of her now.”

  “With my life.”

  They stood before the priest, and his gaze stayed on her.

  “I love you,” she said, mouthing the words, and he did the same, holding her hands.

  They said their vows, which they’d practiced together. By the time the priest told him they were man and wife, he didn’t need any urging. He pulled his wife into his arms, kissing her deeply.

  “This is the best day of my life,” he said.

  She giggled. “Really? Don’t men usually hate this day?”

  He stroked her cheek as everyone began to make preparations for the photographs. “For some men, maybe. For me, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. This is the start of my life, seeing you come to me. Knowing my club Prez trusts me with your happiness, this is a dream come true for me.”

  “Come on, you two lovebirds,” Lexie said. “It’s time to capture that look on your face before he does something to annoy you.”

  They were both laughing as they were forced to pose for the camera. The two clubs took one together as well. All of the old ladies and kids were in another.

  Simon and Tabitha got one taken together.

  They danced and accepted congratulations from the club. Natalie didn’t leave his side, and he kept his arm wrapped around her at all times.

  “It’s time to throw the bouquet,” Lexie said.

  “We’re still doing that?” Natalie asked.

  “Yes, of course. There’s single women here, too, and it’s a lot of fun.”

  “Two seconds,” she said, kissing him on the lips.

  He took her drink and made his way toward the single women. Even the kids had joined in, as well.

  Sipping at his drink, he watched as Natalie turned her back to the group and threw the bouquet over her head.

  Slash chuckled as the bouquet of flowers landed in Tabitha’s arms. Simon fist pumped and rushed toward her.

  “We’ve got to get married now,” Simon said.
r />   Tabitha laughed, and they both ran to their fathers, holding up the roses. “We’ve got to. We’ve got to.”

  Natalie came to him, wincing. “I think I just caused a little trouble.”

  “It’s fine.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I think it’s time I took you home and carried you over the threshold.”

  “You don’t think it’s too early to leave?”

  “Nah.”

  Devil and Tiny were talking with their kids, and everyone was having a great time.

  No one would blame him for wanting to cut the celebrations short. The club would still be partying long into the night, but for him and his woman, it was time for their own special time.

  Everyone cheered for them as he carried her to his car, both laughing and waving.

  Just Married was printed on the back of the car, along with beer cans tied to the bumper. He’d have to clean everything up.

  Climbing behind the wheel, he took her hand as he drove them home.

  “I love you, Slash.”

  “I love you too, baby.” He kissed her knuckles, knowing he was the luckiest man in the world.

  Epilogue

  Nine months later

  “I hate you right now,” Natalie said, gripping Slash’s hand.

  “I hate myself right now.” He held his wife’s hand, and tried not to show that her grip was fucking hurting.

  She wasn’t the only Chaos Bleeds woman who was giving birth today. Snake and Jessica were in another room as she’d gone into labor. The two women had conceived around the same time. Their due dates on the same day, and they both had said they’d give birth at the same time as well. They called it female intuition.

  He didn’t think for a second it would come true, and yet here he stood, holding his wife’s hand as his club brother did the same.

  The whole of Chaos Bleeds was waiting for the news on the safe arrival of both babies, and the health of both mothers.

  “One more push, Natalie. You’re doing really well,” the doctor said.

  She sobbed and moaned. “I can’t do another one. It hurts.”

  “I know, honey. Not much longer, I promise, and then you’ll be wondering what all the fuss was about.”

  Natalie lifted up, squeezed Slash’s hands, and screamed as she pushed down, and then he heard it.

  The unmistakable sound of his little boy. They were having a baby boy, and Jessica and Snake were having a girl.

  “Is he okay?” Natalie asked. She collapsed on the bed, and he watched as the nurses cleaned up their baby and did whatever checks needed to be made. “Slash, is it taking too long?”

  Suddenly the doctor turned, and in his arms, he had a wrapped bundle. Their son.

  “Oh, my,” Natalie said.

  Their son was placed into her arms, and Slash felt love bloom inside his chest. This was their son. Their baby son that they’d made together.

  “Look what we did, Slash,” she said.

  “He’s so beautiful. He looks just like his mom,” he said, reaching out to stroke his baby’s cheek.

  “Nah, he’s handsome like his daddy,” she said, leaning back. Tears filled her eyes. “I love you, Slash. I don’t hate you at all. I love you more than anything else in the world.”

  He kissed her head. “We can’t go through that again.”

  She laughed. “We’ll see.”

  Lexie had warned him that even if the pain seemed to be getting too much, the moment the doctor handed your baby to you, everything faded away.

  “Please, find out if Jessica is okay,” she said.

  “Can I show him off?” he asked.

  Natalie handed over their son, and he made his way out toward the waiting room. Snake joined him seconds later.

  “She okay?” Slash asked.

  “Jessica is fine. It went perfectly.”

  Together, they made their way out to the waiting room to give the good news. Neither of them lingered, and as soon as they were able, he went back to his wife.

  Placing their son on the bed, he wrapped his arms around her.

  The love he had for his family was unlike anything he’d ever felt.

  He was the luckiest son of a bitch in the world.

  The End

  www.samcrescent.com

  Other Books by Sam Crescent:

  www.evernightpublishing.com/sam-crescent

  If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:

  Recover Me by Beth D. Carter

  Rahab’s Domination by Ravenna Tate

  Saint’s Mercy by Cecile Tellier

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  BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER

  BROKEN BASTARD

  Killer of Kings, 2

  Sam Crescent & Stacey Espino

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  “Scarlett, are you being serious? No, I know you’re not being serious, because if you were, you’d be insane,” said Lisa.

  “I have no choice. You heard Carter. He’s going to cut twenty freelancers this year alone.” Scarlett hooked her oversized purse over her shoulder, and then reached for the stack of colored file folders. “I can’t lose this job.”

  “Fine, I get it, but this is suicide.”

  Scarlett rolled her eyes. “You’re being dramatic.”

  She made her way to the office elevator, her friend tailing behind her. Her next interview might be unorthodox, and theoretically a bit dangerous, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She’d only been at this company for eight months, officially still on probation, so she’d be one of the first her boss would cut. Scarlett was damn good at what she did. One day she hoped to reach reporter level, but right now she had to give the stories she always found to someone else. The truth was, her boss took the stories she’d researched and gave them to other girls. Still, she was determined to show her worth, and how valuable she could be as a reporter.

  It wasn’t easy getting a personal meeting with Alexei Semenov. He was a big-time crime ringleader, not the biggest, but it would still be headline news. Her boss, Wilson Carter, had to see her value after closing an interview with a name like Semenov. Scarlett was sick and tired of pinching pennies and fighting just to maintain the status quo. She wanted to make something of her career, not to mention she didn’t have enough money for next month’s rent.

  “Are you taking a camera crew?” asked Lisa, holding the elevator door open with her hip.

  “Yeah, like that’s going to happen. Look, I’ll be fine. Promise. Semenov wants to portray a favorable image to the media, so he’s going to be on his best behavior.”

  Lisa sighed. “You’re impossible. See you tomorrow then? I’ll bring the coffee.”

  “Thanks.”

  The doors began to close, and Scarlett watched her friend disappear from view. She wouldn’t admit that her heart raced like a freight train, and her hands felt clammy. If she wasn’t in such a dire predicament, there was no way she’d be heading out to meet one of the most hated men in the city. The man was a Russian mobster, and she had no wingman, camera crew … nothing.

  Forty minutes later, she stopped her Kia Rio in front of a set of massive iron gates. She double checked the address she’d scribbled on a piece of paper, but this was definitely the place. The gates began to open, swinging inwards, so she continued to drive along the long path. She admired the manicured grounds, water fountains, and old-world architecture of the mansion coming into view.

  She took a deep breath as she parked the car. You can do this, Scarlett.

  The sky started turning a mix of orange and pink, signaling the sunset was fast approaching. She didn’t like meeting at night, but she couldn’t get off work early and Mr. Semenov insisted they meet at eight o’clock sharp.

  Scarlett lugged all her supplies out of the passenger side. She’d brought an older model video camera with tripod, voice recorders, paperwork, and her laptop. This was a huge deal, so she wore her best suit, reserved for
only the most important occasions. The wine-colored skirt and jacket did a great job at concealing her explosive curves. Her extra weight was only another reason she had to make this work. Wilson Carter only kept the young, thin girls at the front of the house, and the same was true for the news and weather editions of his cable network.

  As she walked up the custom stone staircase toward the entry doors of the house, she was flanked by Alexei Semenov’s security detail. She held her breath as they approached her.

  “I have an appointment at eight o’clock for an interview,” she said before being asked. Scarlett swallowed hard after speaking. The three men didn’t smile, their faces solemn as they glared at her with enough malice to make her question her decision to come. One of the men snatched her bags away from her and began rooting through them, while another patted her down like a common criminal.

  “Mr. Semenov will see you in the sitting room.” Then he opened the door and motioned for her to enter. The foyer was bigger than her entire apartment, with vaulting ceilings and shiny white marble floors. There was enough artwork and stone sculptures in view to fill a small museum. She walked forward, in complete awe. No reporter had been through these doors, so she was one of the privileged few to see the inside the Semenov mansion. It probably helped that she wasn’t a reporter, and there was no mention of her in any of the articles she had been part of, not even as a researcher. She was a nobody, fighting to be a somebody.

  “Sit here,” said another man, pointing to one of the sofas. “He will be with you shortly.”

  She nodded and sat down, resting her bags by her feet. Within minutes she was alone in the sitting room. The place was quieter than a mausoleum. Scarlett tapped her foot, her nervous energy not letting up. The doors to a study were partially open ahead of her, the glow from a desk lamp catching her attention. Should she take some pics? She didn’t want to do anything that might get her into trouble, so she didn’t risk it. Instead, she began to attach the tripod to the clunky old video camera in preparation for the interview. After today, maybe they’d trust her with the newer equipment.