Hitched: Spinoff from the Dark Romance Thriller Series: Edge and Whisper Are Getting Married

by Emma James

  Flora turns to her son instead. “Thank you for being honest with me, Bowie. Are you sure there isn’t anything else you want to add?”

  “Here we go,” Bowie mutters dropping his head, “this would be the embarrassing bit.”

  “Honey, I don’t think there’s much worse I can hear than you could have gotten killed and Mr. Scott and Mr. Torque could have gotten badly injured saving you, not to mention the bride got taken down along the way, so, if there is more, then I need to hear it now.”

  “Harper...” Bowie croaks out.

  A look of complete understanding washes over Sunflower’s face like a light bulb has switched on. “Oh, honey, did you take Toran’s skateboard to impress Harper wi—?”

  “You know about his crush on Harper?” I can’t help biting off her sentence.

  “Yeah, he talks about her all the time. It’s just a phase he’s going through.”

  “It is not a phase. I am gonna marry Harper one day!” The little guy stomps one foot glaring up at us in his determination to get his point across to his mother.

  “Yeah, yeah, kid. So I keep hearing,” I rumble, trying to hide my amusement.

  “Bowie respects Harper for the beautiful soul she is. It’s only puppy love,” Flora tells me as though she owes me an explanation, which she doesn’t—but I like the female thinks she does.

  “It’s not dog love!” the kid growls.

  “Hey, kid!” I command him to focus on me. He swings his head around and looks waaay up at me with the copycat glare he’s knifing at me, just like his mother’s.

  I arch an eyebrow before returning the look, except mine has more of a don’t-fuck-with-me ‘tude about it. “Take a big tip from me. You might want to keep a lid on your forever love until Harper’s at least thirty, and her daddy can handle another guy interested in his daughter.”

  Sunflower spears a warning at me to keep quiet. She’s the cub’s mother, and I’ve entered her territory, and I need to back off a bit.

  “I don’t think Bowie needs to be worrying about all this just yet.” Flora is clueless to how a man like Edge thinks about his daughter—no matter her age.

  “Sunflower, just saying it like it is.” I shrug. “Kid’s gotta know now, since he’s all about the love, that Edge is a man like me when it comes to any female we care about, especially a daughter. They are completely off-limits. Two MC clubs are very protective of her. Imagine what it’s doing to Edge. And that ain’t a question. Your kid might be harmless, but I can tell you now, he better not break her heart—now or ever.”

  “That isn’t gonna happen.” Bowie’s put some steel into his voice, as much as he dares to use in front of me.

  “Just try not to show off around Harper, and life will run a little more smoothly for your friendship with her.” I won’t repeat myself. If the kid is man enough to be in love, he’s man enough to listen and learn.

  “Okay, I’ll try, but she does things to my heart.”

  Christ! Give it a rest, kid! I struggle not to roll my eyes at him.

  I think it’s wise to change the topic. “Sunflower, I’ll make sure your other son’s skateboard gets replaced as soon as I can.” I want an excuse to come back and see this beauty another day if her ringless fingers are any indication of her status.

  “What?” She arches an eyebrow as she looks down at Bowie and then back up at me. “I don’t have another son...” She looks bewildered.

  So am I.

  “Sunflower, I could have sworn your kid told me it was his brother’s.”

  A deep flush hits her face when she cotton’s on.

  Let me guess. Dennis-the-Menace told a porky pie.

  “Oh… um, there’s no need to replace it. Actually, it’s irreplaceable, and my name’s not Sunflower it is Flora.”

  “I know.” My admission has her frowning before crouching down next to her son, taking his hand. She inhales and purses her lips as she exhales like she’s trying to center herself.

  “Bowie, honey… why did you tell Mr. Torque, Toran is your brother?” she says softly. His response is to shrug both shoulders and clam up. Sunflower drops her head for a few heartbeats. “Buddy, why now? You’ve never shown any interest in Toran’s skateboards until now.” She sounds deeply affected by what her son led me to believe.

  She tilts her head towards me and mouths “sorry” giving me an apologetic look before bringing her attention back to her son.

  “And Toran is...?” I’m rightly confused. I want a clearer picture as nobody is ‘fessing up to who Toran is, so I just made it my business, because I’m a nosy son-of-a-bitch when I want to be.

  “He’s the guy who got Mom pregnant,” the kid deadpans, not at all sounding happy about it.

  So, the kid lied to my face.

  Of course, she has a man in her life. And why does that thought sting? It takes two to make a baby cocktail, and no man in his right mind would voluntarily give up this amount of sunshine in his life. A woman like Flora is sure to have a man around to provide a good life for his family. Duh!

  My brain short-circuited when I laid my peepers on her. A man in her life didn’t even enter the equation because I saw me coming home to a woman like Flora.

  One cock-block served with a side order of deflated ego on a silver platter, coming right up.

  I shouldn’t still be standing here witnessing their private family business. Just walk away. Turn your body and lift those feet. I don’t need to be a part of these skateboard dramas. It’s only a skateboard. But I stay where I am because there’s this need inside me to protect them and it’s not letting up.

  Where is this guy?

  Why did the kid lie?

  “Flora, do you need me to talk to your man? Explain it was an accident?” My spidey sense is tingling.

  She sighs loudly before saying, “Toran was... is Bowie’s father.” Her cheeks redden while her eyes look like they are getting misty. Oh, hell, no!

  She rapidly blinks tears away.

  I would have offered up my pocket square of fabric for Flora to dab her eyes with if I had my suit jacket, but the kid comes through with the same idea handing his mother his kerchief square from his suit pocket. He knows how to take care of his mother when she needs it. He earns himself some brownie points from me.

  “Toran died before I was born.”

  I jerk my head back at Bowie’s words.

  What the fuck?!

  “I’m sorry about your dad, Bowie.” Now I feel like a total dick for pushing for answers and not dropping the kid off and leaving them to it.

  Bowie calls his father by his first name like he’s got no connection to him, which I can kinda understand if the guy died before he was born, but he’s still his dad, nothing changes that. Blood is blood.

  “Bowie... honey, go on inside and wait for me in your room. I’ll only be a few more minutes.” Flora gives his arm a gentle squeeze.

  “Sure, Mom. Thank you, Mr. Torque. I’ll tell Mr. Masson I’m sorry for messing everythin’ up for their wedding. Thanks for taking the fall for me.” Yep, the man lying dormant inside the boy shows his head when he needs to.

  “No worries, Bowie.”

  He nods at me and takes off inside. I think he’s probably glad to get away from me.

  Flora’s standing, smoothing her dress out nervously.

  “Thank you Mr. Torque, I am very sorry for any pain my son has caused you, but I best be getting inside for a little chat about what Bowie did wrong here today and then I’ll bring him back over shortly.”

  “Please call me Torque. We will easily be half an hour before we’re ready to leave again. Doc Evelyn will be stitching Boxer up because his head did split like a tomato. If it helps, I’ll come to get Bowie when we’re about to head out, that way you can follow on behind to Cuvier Park.” I want her close when we drive to the ceremony because I’m feeling as protective as fuck over these two, so that means we all leave together.

  “That won’t be ne—”

  “Flora,
I’m sorry about your husband.” I cut her off.

  “Thank you, but to clarify, we didn’t marry. I’d only known Toran for eighteen months before I got pregnant and then he was dead thirty-three weeks later. He was a good friend, my best friend and so important to me. It’s ... um...” Flora pauses, looking down at the ground like she’s not sure if she should continue, which turns my nosy-son-of-a-bitch levels right up, but I don’t want to cause her any pain.

  I touch her hand determined to mind my own business. “Hey...” She looks back at me. “You don’t have to explain any of this to—”

  “We were both young, and we stepped over the friends’ barrier for one night into friends-with-benefits,” she barrels right through my sentence. “My son was never anything but loved by both of us from the minute I discovered I was pregnant. Bowie is a gift. It was never a mistake the night we spent together—we just managed to use the condom with the flaw in it. I loved Toran very much in the way best friends do.”

  “It happens,” I reply, “I mean a condom breaking. It can be the luck of the draw, even when you’re trying to do the right thing.” Edge and Whisper understand; they were gifted twins from a flawed condom.

  Sunflower looks like she wants to get a few things off her chest. I drop my hand and hear her out. Sometimes a stranger is as good as anybody when you’re feeling the need to talk.

  “But it was also the night Toran learned what he’d always known and found hard to admit out loud—he was gay.”

  Didn’t see that coming.

  “Toran had come over to my mom’s house for dinner and a movie the previous night, and by the morning, one of his roommates had found him dead in his bed. I lost my best friend and the father of my son in the blink of an eye.

  Shit!

  “An autopsy would eventually tell us he’d had a structural abnormality of his heart leading to fatal cardiac arrhythmia which took him in his sleep. He didn’t even know he had heart disease.”

  Christ, the poor guy.

  “I’m very sorry for you and your son’s loss.” It may not be an appropriate time to follow up that comment with— “Do you live by yourselves now?” Concern for their welfare hits me surprisingly hard in the chest.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Is there a man-of-the-house that’s not under ten-years-old?” She keeps staring blankly at me like I’m asking a dumb question. “Do you have somebody looking out for you and the kid?”

  She lifts her chin. “It’s just Bowie and me, and we do perfectly fine by ourselves. No man is necessary.”

  “You got parents or siblings nearby?” Can’t help producing my shovel and using it to get her to spell out her life situation to me. I gotta know they have support. Call me a caveman.

  “I did have a mother, but no other relatives.” I can see that cost her to admit this to me.

  Did?

  “Care to humor me and elaborate?” I’m a protective guy. She’s a woman living by herself with a kid. They are each other’s protection and support.

  “God, you’re nosy,” she huffs.

  “Protective of what I like,” I unashamedly toss back at her.

  “W-well…” she stammers at my comment, but quickly picks her words back up, “if you must know, my mother died eighteen months ago. Bowie lost his grandmother to a car accident. The brakes failed. She hung on for two days, but the doctors couldn’t save her. My mother was the most beautiful, caring soul a daughter could ask for.”

  Shit. The female has lost everybody who meant something to her and the boy lost the only relative he has ever known.

  “Flora, I am very sorry you lost the most important female in your life. Is your father in the picture?”

  Her hands ball at her sides. She’s not angry; I think she’s just trying to keep it together. “There was once a man in my mother’s life, but I was adopted when I was young. He was out of my mother’s life by the time I arrived. He didn’t want the responsibility of a family, so he took a hike.” Fuck! “I’ve never had a father figure, so maybe I am blinded by what my son and I have in common. Bowie didn’t appear to miss having a father when he had his grandmother to help fill that void. And before you ask… no… I don’t have any siblings or grandparents, or blood relations hidden away somewhere that I am privy to, because I’m an orphan who was lucky enough to get adopted. I only remember living in the foster system until I came to live with the woman I would call my adoptive mother.”

  “You got any of Toran’s family for support?” I gently push for more information.

  Her hand flies up to her mouth, and she starts to bite down on her nails then stops herself, quickly folding her arms over her chest, locking her fingers away.

  She shakes her head. “That’s a story for another day.”

  “I gather that doesn’t have a happy ending?” Nosy-son-of-a-bitch on my right shoulder can’t help himself.

  She hesitates with her answer then shakes her head again while moving her legs back and forth like she’s agitated.

  “I live a full life. I have friends,” she says defensively. “I don’t need a man to complete me. I’ve carved out a healthy life for Bowie and myself. I have a life outside of work. ”Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t lonely for a man’s attentions. “Whisper kindly introduced me to Joy Donovan and offered to watch Bowie while I attended the once a week class at Joy’s garage for ‘Mechanics 101 Ladies’ Night,’ but now I don’t need any more classes.”

  “I know Joy; we go a ways back. The Lion’s Den MC respect her talents with motorcycles. She’s a super cool chick.”

  “She’s the best! Because of her, I can fix a lot of my car issues, and I can strip a motorbike and put it back together,” she says proudly. My eyebrows shoot up at this information. I gotta admit I think that’s hot!

  “Sunflower, if you’ve been to her lessons then I don’t doubt you have skills of your own, she’s the best teacher.” I’m super proud of how far Joy has come. She had a big scare a long time ago and could have lost her life. She’s a fighter. Joy and Levi, her husband, have a lot in common. “You got a ride?”

  “Yes, I do. I have an old Yamaha Scrambler. Joy restored a 1970s one and sold it to me at a good price. She knew I could look after it. I ride to work most days and Bowie loves being on the back of my bike.” Not my preferred choice of bike, but each to their own.

  I place my folded hands in front of my groin and mentally tell my cock to behave itself. Flora in a pair of leather pants—HOT! I may be taking a little liberty dressing her up in my mind, but I would like to think she covers herself for safety.

  “Just know I can handle myself and I don’t need a man to keep me. I do mighty fine by myself. I have my own business, and I can afford to live with an ocean view. I work hard to give Bowie the life he has, and I’m grateful for having good neighbors.

  “Edge and Whisper have been very kind to us, welcoming Bowie over often to play. Although Bowie plays with Whisper’s children a lot, I keep to myself a fair bit through choice. I’m not the type of neighbor who drops over for a coffee and a chat. Whisper and I both live hectic lives, but if we ever need anything, we know we can call on each other.

  “Every few months we get together for drinks, but I’m not one of Whisper’s inner circle, and that’s okay with me. Any of my down-time is with Bowie. And that is all you need to know about me, bucko.” She points a manicured finger at my chest.

  “When was the last time you went on a date?” In for a penny. In for a pound.

  “W-what?!” she splutters.

  “You heard me.”

  “None of your business,” she huffs again.

  “That long... huh?” Now, I’m just having fun at her expense. Mostly to distract her from her emotions that are welling beneath the surface. When she’s sassy, she’s a fighter.

  “When was the last time you dated?” Oh, she wants to go there.

  “I don’t date, I fu—”

  Flora holds her hands up to her ears in protes
t before removing them. “Whatever!” Did she growl at me? My dick jumps at the sexy noise she just made. “So you’re single,” she says like she knows the type of guy I am, and she’s doing the math in her gorgeous blonde head.

  “Not even close, Sunflower,” I answer her silent deduction.

  “What?” she says innocently.

  “You have not got me worked out. I choose to enjoy a woman and then move on. Haven’t met a woman who does it for me yet.” Correction—I hadn’t until now.

  “Does it for you?” she says it like it’s an insult, but she’s no different. She’d surely have a husband now if she weren’t picky.

  “Well, have you met a guy that does it for you?” I challenge her.

  “W-well...”

  “See, no different to how I’m judging the female species and how you are judging the male species. Am I right?”

  “I have Bowie to think about.”

  “And I have my forever to think about. The female who will do it for me; she’s around I just haven’t met her yet.” Or maybe I’m lookin’ at her now. “I make no promises; therefore, break no hearts when I’m spending a night with a woman. All I promise her is to give her the best fu—”

  “Okay, big guy, I get the picture,” she waves her manicured hand through the air.

  “Sunflower, you’ve still not answered my question. When was the last time you dated?”

  She opens and shuts her mouth, then looks down at the ground.

  Fuck! Hasn’t she dated since she met Toran?

  “Sunflower... darlin’ you’ve gone nearly nine years without a date—without sex?”

  “Oh, my gosh! Do you have to rub my nose in it? That is none of your business. It is my choice to stay single. I’m concentrating on making a life for Bowie, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not like I haven’t had a man flirt with me or try to get me on a date. And if you must know, it’s not like I don’t take care of myself... in that way,” she says on a rush, her face beetroot.

  “Oh, darlin’, there’s so much more a man can do than a battery-operated toy, which I assume is what you mean. They can be all kinds of fun, but they can’t suck and lick your clit. They can’t tug on your hard nipples until you scream or bend you over and fuck you hard. They might be able to make you orgasm, but I guarantee, it won’t ever be like what the right man in your life can do for you.” Like I could do to you. “You’ve had sex once. You were a virgin and a teenager. Now you’re a vibrant woman. All you gotta do is say the word, and I’ll break that drought for you.”