“Come sit, baby,” Silas said, sliding off the stool and patting the seat.
I sat at the island beside Nova, while Silas stood on the other side and ate. We were halfway through our food when a few of the guys arrived to put Nova’s bed together and she went a little crazy. But in the best of ways, so I just let her skip and giggle and ‘help’ the men, letting Silas guide her interaction.
While they organized her room, I cleaned up dinner, and tried to figure out a way to get Silas out of my house before I went to bed.
“Cat, you got Nova’s bed shit?” Silas asked, walking into the kitchen.
“Language,” I growled.
He rolled his eyes. “Do you have Nova’s bed… stuff.”
“Better,” I said. “Yes. I’ll get it.”
“Hey.” He took my arm and pulled me closer. “You need to stop spiraling.”
“Who said I was spiraling?”
“I’m going to stay tonight, but I’m going to stay on your sofa.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you suddenly not trust me?”
“After that kiss,” I hiss-pered. “I don’t know what to think.”
He leaned closer to me. “You need me to spell it out for you?”
“Spell what out?”
“What you mean to me.”
“Stop,” I ground out.
“I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen—”
I let out a snort of derision and he crowded me against my kitchen counter.
“Do you think I’m lying to you?”
“You photograph some of the most beautiful women in the universe, so… yeah, kinda.”
“Need you to look at me, Cat.”
I met his eyes.
“I photograph women who magazine executives think are beautiful. I personally think they need to chow down on a pizza or two.”
“Liar.”
“Have I ever fuckin’ lied to you?” he growled.
“I don’t actually know,” I admitted.
He frowned. “Don’t like that you don’t know.”
I sighed. “I know you’ve never lied to me about anything other than you thinking I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Universe,” he corrected.
“Oh my god, you’re delusional.”
He waved a finger toward me. “Don’t like that either, but we’ll work on it.”
“We’ll work on it?” I parroted.
He smiled slowly. “Yeah.”
“And why exactly will we work on it?”
“Because I want you.”
I pushed at his chest. “Don’t be an idiot, Silas.”
He didn’t budge, leaning down to kiss me, but I covered his mouth with my fingers, so he kissed those instead. “I’m a liar and an idiot now?”
“Don’t be dramatic,” I sassed. “We’ve been pretty close friends—”
“Best friends,” he corrected.
“Fine. We’ve been best friends for over four years now, you’ve never said anything about being interested in me.”
“I have so,” he argued. “You just haven’t been listening.”
I shook my head.
“Who was there when your mom died?” he challenged. “Who stayed up with you for a week and held you while you cried, putting you to bed when you finally fell asleep and sacking out on your sofa to make sure you were okay?”
“You were being nice.”
“I’m not fuckin’ nice, Catalina.” He leaned closer. “Who threw that asshole out of your apartment when he attacked you?”
“Technically, Doom.”
Truth be told, though, my brother and Doom wouldn’t have known there was a problem had it not been for Silas’s overabundant need to protect me.
“Bullshit.”
I sighed.
“And who got you out of your lease and moved you into this place in less than forty-eight hours?” he continued.
“You did, but I’m going to pay you back.”
“You need to shut up, Catalina, and answer the goddamn question.”
“Which is it?” I sassed. “Am I to shut up or answer the goddamn question?”
His mouth twitched and he touched his lips to mine.
I pulled away. “Stop.”
“I want this, Catalina. I want you.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I snapped.
“No.”
“You’ve never said a word,” I pointed out. “Why all of a sudden?”
“Jesus, woman, it’s not all of a sudden. I’ve been showing you for years,” he said. “But what is all of a sudden is I’ve figured out you need words, so I’m giving you the words.”
“Shutter?” Stump bellowed.
“Be right there!” Silas yelled back, then focused on me again. “I need Nova’s stuff,” he said quietly, but before I could respond, he covered my mouth with his.
I gripped his cut as his tongue slid between my teeth and I pressed my own against his. God, what he could do with his tongue.
“Brother?” Stump called again.
Silas pulled away before Stump could see us, and I licked my lips as I tried to pull myself together. “I’ll get them,” I whispered.
“Be right there, Stump,” Silas growled, sliding his arm around my waist, keeping me locked to him. “We’re gonna finish this conversation when we’re alone.”
I wrinkled my nose, but he smoothed it with his thumb.
“I’m making no promises,” I said.
“Your body just made all the promises I need,” he retorted, and finally let me go.
I rushed to put distance between us and grabbed Nova’s things from the dryer.
“Come and see my princess bed!” Nova squealed.
“I’m coming, sweetie,” I promised, and followed her into the bedroom. “Oh my word.”
My spare bedroom had been transformed into a little girl haven. The bed had a wrought iron canopy that made it look like the carriage from Cinderella, complete with pink netting over it. As I was taking in everything, all I could think about was how many injuries I would more than likely receive when attempting to change the sheets.
Nova jumped up and down. “It’s like a fairy tale.”
I cupped her chin. “I’m so glad you like it, baby. Let’s get your sheets on it, so you can get ready for bed, okay?”
“But I don’t wanna go to bed.”
“It’s your first night in your princess bed. You’ll get to go to magical places in your dreams,” I countered, and she dropped her head back and cried.
No tears.
I smiled. “Nova. I’d like you to thank your uncles for all the hard work they did for you, then I’d like you to go and brush your teeth.”
Her head straightened and she stared at me for a few seconds, before sighing and nodding.
“Epic,” Stump said with a chuckle as Nova hugged him quickly, then hugged the club’s newest recruit, Dylan, before hugging Milky and Fletch.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, and walked out of the bedroom to the bathroom.
“You were born to be a mom, sweetheart,” Fletch said, kissing my cheek.
“Thanks, bud.”
“You need help with the bed?” Dylan asked.
“I got it,” Silas replied. “Y’all are relieved of duty.”
The men grabbed the trash and empty boxes and filed out of my house.
Silas locked up then helped me make the nightmare of a bed, and we went through what I’d decided would be our nightly ritual with Nova. Bath, story time, and lots of hugs before getting tucked into bed.
As we pulled the door closed, my phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to see my brother calling, so I answered. “Hey, NoNo.”
“Hey, sissy. Just checking in. How’s Nova doin’?”
“She tried to pull a little drama tonight, so that’s a good sign in my book.”
He chuckled. “Yeah. If she’s doin’ that, she’s feeling comfortable enough to test the boundaries.”
“Ah, you remember your counseling.”
“We had enough of it, right?” he pointed out.
“So true.”
“How are you coping?” he asked.
“I haven’t had enough time to think about it,” I admitted. “The guys just left after setting everything up.”
“Good. Sorry I couldn’t help.”
“You would probably have just been in the way.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow and check in,” Nolan offered.
“I’m working early, but how about dinner? I’ll cook. Bring Posey.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“Six.”
“Okay, see you then,” he said. “Love you, sis.”
“Love you, too. See you tomorrow.”
I hung up and set my phone on the kitchen island, facing Silas, suddenly feeling totally insecure.
He crossed his arms. “Ready to finish our conversation?”
“Not really.”
He smiled. “Are you willing to give this a go?”
I shrugged.
Silas sighed. “Give it to me.”
“What?”
“Your fear. Tell me why you’re so freaked about the prospect of startin’ something with me.” He closed the distance between us. “And I want the truth.”
“Have you looked in the mirror?”
He frowned. “Yeah. Have you?”
“Men who look like you don’t typically fall for women who look—”
“Shut it,” he growled.
“You said you wanted the truth.”
“Yeah, I want the truth. Not your warped version of a lie.” He settled his hands on my shoulders. “You are beautiful.”
“I would be even more beautiful if I lost weight.”
“Swear to god, Catalina, I’m gonna lose my shit if you keep sayin’ that.” He cupped my face. “Do you think Alamo regrets hookin’ up with Jasmine?”
“Jasmine’s sex on wheels,” I countered. “Not to mention, she doesn’t take shit off anyone, and if Alamo stepped out of line, there wouldn’t be a hair or a fiber to be found.”
“You’re sex on wheels, too, Cat, you’re just quieter about it. And, newsflash, you’ve never taken shit off anyone either. Again, you’re just quieter about it.” He grinned. “You’re shy, Jasmine’s not. But you’re way prettier than she is, even though it’s a fact she’s beautiful.”
“It’s also a fact you’ve slept with several women who look nothing like me.”
“And how long ago did you take note of that fact?” he asked.
“What?”
“When was the last time I fucked anyone, let alone someone who didn’t look like you?”
“How the hell would I know that?” I demanded. “I don’t pay attention to the bevy of women who throw themselves at you.”
“Oh, I think you do.”
“Well, you’d be wrong.” I dropped my eyes. I honestly didn’t, mostly because the thought of him fucking someone other than me was entirely too much for me to bear.
“Let me enlighten you, then,” he said, lifting my chin. “The last time I fucked someone, anyone, was two weeks before your mother died.”
I gasped. “What?”
“She was someone who’d come to the club with a friend, we got drunk, had mediocre sex, then she left the next day. I don’t even remember her name. I don’t actually know if I knew it to begin with.”
“Not Darlene?”
“No, baby, that had been over for a little while by then. Even before, though, she was cool, we were friends, but we weren’t exclusive.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I rasped, my heart shredding.
“Because the day your mom died was also the day you finally let me in and I decided right then and there, you were it, Catalina.” He leaned down to kiss me. “I love you.”
I slid my hands around his neck and kissed him back with desperation.
“Mama!” Nova screamed, breaking our connection.
I tore my lips from Silas’s and made a run for her room, pushing open the door and gathering her into my arms. “I’m here, baby. Did you have a bad dream?”
She looped her arms around my neck and cried softly. “Bad man.”
“Baby, Uncle Shutter’s here. There’s no bad man, I promise.”
She tapped her head. “In here.”
“Nightmares are scary,” I said. “But Uncle Shutter is staying tonight, and I’ll always be here. No one will ever hurt you. I promise.”
She raised her head and reached out for Silas. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a squeeze. “I’m gonna be on the sofa, keepin’ watch. If you need me, you can come and get me, okay?”
She nodded, her thumb sliding into her mouth.
“You think you can go back to sleep?”
“I think so.”
He set her back into bed and I tucked her in, kissing her cheek. “Sleep well, baby.”
She closed her eyes and Silas and I crept out of her room, leaving the door slightly ajar.
“You go to bed, baby. I’ve got her,” Silas said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” He stroked my cheek. “Four a.m. comes early.”
I nodded. “Yeah. It really does.”
“If you need me, I’ll be here,” he said, and kissed me gently.
I headed to bed and prepared to sleep soundly for the first time in a while.
CHAPTER SIX
Shutter
CATALINA WENT TO bed and I pulled out my phone.
“Hey, brother,” Doom said.
“Anything?” I asked.
Doom had been in communication with his buddy in the FBI, Dalton Moore. He was a good friend of both Doom and Doc’s, and often helped the club out when we needed a friendly law-enforcement presence. He was a by the book kinda guy, but that fact worked in our favor more often than not.
“Dalton’s old partner, Cole, is in Atlanta for a meeting, so he’s coming down Monday to help. In the meantime, Dalton’s reaching out to the coroner and local PD to see what he can find out.”
I nodded. “Did Rabbit find anything?”
Doom sighed.
“What?” I pressed.
“Not sure you’re gonna want to know, brother.”
“Jesus, what the fuck?”
“Were you aware that Nova’s birth certificate had been updated a year ago?”
I frowned. “Why the fuck would I be aware of that?”
“Because Darlene named you as the father.”
“What?” I snapped, covering my mouth, remembering I had two sleeping people close by.
“Rabbit’s diggin’ deeper, because she obviously got herself into something deep enough to set up protection for Nova.”
“Rabbit needs to alter that birth certificate,” I hissed.
“What birth certificate?” Catalina asked, padding out into the living room. She was fuckin’ gorgeous with her hair piled on top of her head, wearing an oversized T-shirt that couldn’t hide her ample tits, and I felt pressure behind the zipper of my jeans.
“Darlene changed Nova’s a year ago, naming me as her father,” I said.
Catalina waved a finger at me. “Don’t you dare change that document.”
“Let me call you back,” I said to Doom, and hung up, standing and holding my hand out to Catalina. “Why?”
She took it and looked up at me. “Because if you do, then she will be forced to go into the care of the State.”
“I’m not her father, Cat.”
“I know that. We all know that. But the State doesn’t know that, and they won’t dig if you don’t say anything. At least, I hope they won’t.”
I sighed. “I don’t know what the fuck to do with a six-year-old.”
“We’ll figure it out together, then.”
“Are you saying you’re in this with me?”
“I have some conditions,” she said.
“Which are…?”
She bit her lip. “You promise that if you
don’t want to be with me anymore, you’ll just break it off?”
“I have no intention of breaking it off, Catalina.”
“But if you do, don’t cheat on me, okay?”
“Jesus, woman.” I stroked her cheek. “I don’t cheat.”
“Neither do I.”
“I know, baby.” I smiled. “What’s the other condition?”
“You have to tell me about your past,” she said, and my stomach roiled.
“Cat—”
“I don’t know you, Silas.”
“You know me.”
“Yes, but you hold a lot back. I want to know that too. All of it.”
I studied her, my fear swamping me. If she knew everything, she’d hate me.
“All of it, Silas,” she whispered her plea.
“If I tell you, do we have a deal?”
She closed her eyes and nodded, and I couldn’t keep myself from kissing her. She wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned in, deepening the kiss.
“Baby?” I rasped.
“Yeah?”
“We need to take a beat,” I said. “I don’t have any condoms.”
She met my eyes with a frown. “Well, that was stupid on your part.”
I grimaced. “Oh, I’m well aware.” I kissed her again. “I’ll grab some tomorrow and we’ll continue this after Nova goes to sleep.”
“That won’t work.” She bit her lip. “My brother and Posey are coming over for dinner.”
I raised an eyebrow in challenge. “So?”
“So, I’d rather not fill my brother in on any of this, if you don’t mind. At least, not right now.”
“Just how much do you want me to hide?” I asked
She shrugged. “All of it.”
“Don’t like lyin’ to your brother, Cat.”
“It’s easier than you think,” she sassed.
“Jesus.” I shook my head. “I don’t wanna know.”
“Just for a little while,” she begged. “I just want to make sure.”
“I’m all in, honey,” I said, kissing her quickly. “But if you need time to fall desperately in love with me, I’ll give you that.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
I chuckled. “Sleepin’ in your bed tomorrow night.”
“I’ll allow it,” she said. “As long as you don’t say anything to Nolan.”
“I can do that, honey.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“As long as you keep callin’ me honey.”
She rolled her eyes, kissing me gently. “Don’t change the birth certificate… honey.”
Revealing the Biker's Destiny (Dogs of Fire: Savannah Chapter Book 9) Page 5