by Paula Cox
“What else?” she asks.
“You obey my and the club head’s commands. You work the shifts we give you. You live in the community. No complaints. Star here can tell you that if you do that, we treat you right. You even keep your tips when you work the bar. I hear you already got that skill.”
“Yeah.” Aimee nods a bit more eagerly. “I can do that.”
“Then I think I can talk to our president, Vance, about you. Maybe put in a good word. In the meantime, you can sleep in the basement bedroom. Just stay out of the way and keep that smart-ass mouth of yours closed.”
Charlie rolls in my arm, clearly bored by the conversation. I excuse myself before walking back out the door. I don’t even see Bear coming as I smack into his chest.
“Whoa! Sunny! Shit! I was just coming in to check on you.” He walks me back to the room where the two girls are still sitting.
Bear clears his throat, and both girls instantly shut up. I remember the first time I saw Bear. It feels like years ago, not only two. He had that power to make the whole world stop in its place. No one can deny how powerful his presence is, especially now that he was Vance’s second.
“I’m going to need you to take Charlie for a little while longer,” Bear announces to Star. “You cool with that?
“What the hell, Bear?” I demand. I can’t think of any reason he’d have for not doing his duty right now. “For God’s sake, Star’s had him all day already. And I got my nails and hair done, like you told me,” I whisper to him. I was surprised when I got his note early this morning. He was out doing a shift, but he left an envelope on the pillow next to me, along with some spending cash.
Bear shakes his head, a big grin stretching across his face. “Nope, sorry,” he insists. “We’re going out tonight.” He reaches behind him to a black backpack he uses while he is riding. I help him unzip it, and he pulls out a long, white plastic garment bag that swishes against the floor. He hands me the hanger as he orders, “Put this on, Sunny.”
I hand him Charlie, and the baby giggles and coos excitedly in his daddy’s big, burly arms. I hurry away to see what he has brought me. In the ten months since Charlie was born, Bear and I have spent many nights staying in—getting to know one another again, finding our way back to loving each other, then making love like it’s our first night together on the floor of that motel room. But he knows that the one thing I’ve been longing for is a night out with him, only him.
Inside the bag is a long, hunter green dress with black lace lines. It’s the kind of dress that clings to every curve, and as I shimmy my way into it, I thank God I’ve managed to get my figure back rather quickly. My larger tits just barely fit in the small cups. He’s even included shoes at the bottom of the bag; a pair of gold, sparkly wedge heels. I hold them in my hand. No way in hell I’m riding in these.
The living room goes silent as I step out of the room. “Do I—”
“You look fucking fantastic.” Bear breathes. He cocks his head to the side as he adds, “But what about the shoes? They don’t fit?”
“No, they fit. It’s just that I can’t ride with them on.”
“We’re not riding.” He smiles, reaching his hand out to me. I’ve only got moments to thank Star and Aimee for watching Charlie and to blow a kiss to my baby before he whisks me back out of the small home and to the garage. A black luxury car sits in the parking lot.
“How did you get Vance’s Mercedes?” I ask, completely dumbstruck.
He shrugs his shoulders and walks over to the passenger side to grab the door for me. I try not to blush, but my cheeks are on fire as he helps me inside. I slip on the shoes and hold on tight as we rush off towards the highway. The city of Los Angeles opens from the twinkling lights to the winding roads. I’m only half aware of where we are. It’s not until I see the side road, the bridge, and the empty gravel street that I realize he’s taking me back to the spot where we met. My mouth goes dry as I try to calm my racing mind.
“What are we doing here?” I ask as I look towards the spot where the headlights shine. There’s a large wooden table there and two chairs, with a blanket and a wicker basket sitting on top. The setting is circled by about two dozen candles stuck deep into the ground. They make a halo of light that dances in the soft breeze.
“Come on,” Bear whispers, avoiding the question. He walks around to the side of the car and offers me his large, warm hand. We walk together towards the circle, me trying to take this all in. I glance over my shoulder towards the spot where I sat when I watched him fight that first night. I can still hear Kitka’s voice goading me on—telling me I could never sleep with a guy like him. What a mistake she made…
“Sunny?” he asks, and I go numb. Bear’s large frame sinks down to one knee, and his hand searches for his pocket. I wait for the box, but instead, he pulls out the charm, the bear’s paw. It’s the same one he gave me the night of the dare. He holds it up to me as he says, “I always thought this was lucky. Maybe I was right. This brought me you, and I want you to have it, so you will always know how much I love you.”
He pauses as he looks me in the eye. His hands take mine, turning them so that the palm faces up. In one hand, he places the charm and in the other, a small, silver ring.
“Sunny, will you—”
I don’t let him finish asking; I leap into his arms, the ring and the charm clasped in my hands.
He already knows my answer.
THE END
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Books by Paula Cox
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Overprotective: The Valves MC
The bad boy next door is getting a little overprotective.
He’s a single dad by day.
And a ruthless biker by night.
I wanted a taste… but I got too close.
And then I fell for the bad boy.
Ever since he’s moved in, my life has been turned completely upside down.
That motorcycle of his is always roaring outside of my window.
I see him every time I step out.
Hard muscles and dark tattoos glistening under the sun—a dangerous combo of ink and testosterone.
Every time those steely green eyes look at me, I can feel them pierce right through my clothes.
His little baby is a student in my class.
So what better excuse than a parent-teacher conference to some…*gulp*… ”alone time”?
But I might have bitten off more than I can chew.
Up close, Dawson is…
Intimidating.
Powerful.
An alpha male, in every sense of the word.
His voice alone makes me shiver.
But you know what the crazy thing is?
I want more.
I want him to do more than just stare.
I want him to pull me into that broad chest of his.
I want him to pin me against the backseat of his Harley.
To use me.
I want him to make me scream…
… But when I made that wish, I had no f***ing idea what I was getting myself into.
Southpaw: A Bad Boy MMA Fighter Romance
SHE PRAYED FOR AN ANGEL. SHE GOT ME INSTEAD.
She ran away from an abusive home.
She just wants safety. Peace. Protection.
I could give her all that.
I SHOULD give her all that.
But I won’t.
Because Rose woke up something in me that I never knew existed:
Dark and dangerous needs.
And the closer she gets, the louder my inner demons scream for me to claim her.
I don’t know how much longer I can hold back…
Dirty Don: D’Orazio Family Mafia
I WANT TO SCREW THE BRATTINESS OUT OF HER.
Escorting the mafia princess around town sounds like my idea of a nightmare
.
But there might be more to this girl than meets the eye.
She’s got desires almost as dark as mine.
And if she wants to get dirty with me, away from her Daddy’s snooping spies…
I’d be more than happy to oblige.
At first, I’m just doing as I’m told:
Pleasing the princess.
But nothing ever stays that simple.
And by the end of this, I’ll have to decide:
Is she worth me risking everything?
Thief: Steel Saints MC
F**K THE RULES. I TAKE WHAT I WANT. AND I WANT HER.
She didn’t ask for me to come crashing into her life.
But when I needed a place to store some stolen jewels, that’s exactly what I did.
Now, if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to do as I say.
Today.
Tonight.
Forever.
But once I have her in my grasp, I realize…
I may have bitten off more than I can chew.
Our Unlikely Baby: Blacksteel Bandits MC
WE SHOULD KNOW BETTER. BUT WE DID IT AGAIN ANYWAYS.
And now look what happened…
There’s a baby to deal with.
I was never meant to be a father.
All I care about is drinking, f**king, and fighting – in that order.
But when my motorcycle club starts to fall apart, I head home for a little R&R.
My mini vacation was going well…
Until I ran into my ex.
I was wrong for her back then, and I’m wrong for her now.
But that doesn’t stop me from claiming her body once more.
Her moans are just as sweet as I remember.
And her curves have only grown more delicious.
But there’s no denying this was a mistake.
Especially when Miranda finds out she’s got a bun in the oven.
Perfect timing, too, because the chaos enveloping the Blacksteel Bandits MC has caught up to me.
I never had anything to care about before.
But now that I’ve got a woman in my arms and a baby on the way…
I’ve got everything to lose.
And I’ll kill anyone who tries to take them from me.
Our Accidental Baby: Hellhounds MC
I CAN’T LET HIM FIND OUT ABOUT OUR ACCIDENTAL BABY.
It was a night in heaven with a man from hell.
If only it had ended there.
“Welcome to my playroom,” he said.
“Now shut the door and open your mouth.”
I’d never had a night like that before.
And I promised myself I’d never let it happen again.
No matter how good it was.
No matter how hard I shook.
No matter how loud I moaned.
I couldn’t be his animal, his toy.
I wouldn’t be.
I won’t be.
But Cain gave me something I never expected, something I never asked for:
His baby in my belly.
I never meant for this to happen, but now that I’m pregnant, I can’t let him find out.
I have to keep our baby safe from her father.
Even if that means giving up my own life to save her.
Because Cain’s coming back for us.
He wants what’s his.
And it’ll take everything I have not to let him get it.
Our Unexpected Baby: Black Legion MC
THIS WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
A forbidden tryst. An unexpected surprise.
A boy and a girl who were never meant to be together.
WHO IS HE?
A biker. An inked rebel. A playboy with a million notches on his belt.
A.k.a., the last man on earth I should ever be with.
But also, the only man I’ve ever loved.
WHAT DOES HE WANT?
My body. My heart. My soul.
And - *gulp* - his baby in my belly.
WHAT’S ABOUT TO HAPPEN?
He’s going to take me, or say he says.
He whispers in my ear that I’ll never forget his hands on me.
Bending me over.
Pushing me down.
Teasing me to my peak – over and over again.
But being with him is strictly forbidden.
There are rules in our little corner of the world.
And the punishment for breaking them is too severe to even imagine.
But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming of him. Night after night after night.
HOW’S IT ALL GOING TO END?
With tears and heartbreak. That much is guaranteed.
A man like Jax can never stick around.
Especially not with a diehard motorcycle club demanding his utter loyalty.
He won’t be with me. He can’t be.
But then my belly starts to grow.
And everything starts to change along with it.
Our Surprise Baby: The Damned MC
The biker’s thickness gave me morning sickness.
I thought I could rescue him from a life of crime.
But the bad boy biker didn’t want anything I had to offer.
Instead, he wanted to give me something of his own:
The baby I’m carrying in my belly.
It was my job to talk him out of his way of life.
But Rust was playing me all along.
He didn’t want my help.
He just wanted my body.
Now, he’s dragging me into an underworld that I’ll never survive.
But I can’t say no to him.
His touch, his scent, his power…
It’s all too much to resist.
I’m a good girl librarian, not a rebel biker chick.
But when I’m on the back of Rust’s bike, I feel like the whole world is ours.
I’ll be whoever he wants me to be.
His ride or die.
His old lady.
And the mother of his children.
At least, until his enemies come for me and our baby.
Our Secret Baby: War Riders MC
SHE KEPT OUR DAUGHTER HIDDEN FROM ME. TIME TO PAY THE PRICE.
I did the right thing once.
Never again.
No one takes what’s mine.
Not even the mother of my child.
I saved Kayla from that hellhole.
Took in her, kept her safe, made her mine.
I put my neck on the line for that girl.
And what do I get in return?
Lies.
Deceit.
Betrayal.
I was good to her then, but no longer.
She owes me everything.
And I’m coming to take it.
Filled by the Bad Boy: Tidal Knights MC
THE ONLY WAY I COULD ESCAPE WAS WITH HIS BABY IN MY WOMB.
I’ll do whatever it takes to get out of this life.
Leering men who think their measly tips give them a right to touch me?
Hell to the no.
I’m a waitress, not a stripper or worse.
I’m done with this world.
Sick of it.
And I’m taking the first thing smoking to literally anywhere else.
But when a sexy biker on a monster motorcycle pulls up to the cafe, I begin to question how bad I really want a ticket out.
He looks… dangerous. Scary.
It’s easy to tell that those hands of his have done some awful things to an awful lot of people.
And by the way he looks at me, I can tell: I’m next.
He says he’ll help me get what I want:
A fresh start.
But it’s gonna cost me something.
Because you see, the bad boy biker wants to carry on his name.
And to do that, he’ll have to put his baby in my belly.
As his enemies circle us and our child begins to grow, I keep wondering…
What have I done?
Was it worth it?
Should I have let myself get filled by the bad boy?
Stolen Bride: A Dark Hitman Romance
I STOLE HER FROM HER WEDDING AND MADE HER MINE.
She wanted a way out.
So I put her on the back of my bike and took her away.