by V. Theia
“Oh, yeah.” Flushed Poppy.
“When Tad was screwing my brains out this morning in the shower I had no idea I’d be in another bathroom hours later looking at sticks we’d peed on, you live a riotous life, Cinders.” Joked Roux, leaning a hip against the counter that held a row of lotion bottles.
“Is it time to look yet?”
“40 seconds to go. Remember, if it’s negative you get to fall on the biker dick tonight and make a baby next month.”
“Yeah, that’s what I keep telling myself. It’s not like that part is a hardship.”
She gave a little snort. “I bet.”
The timer buzzed from her phone made them both jump.
Her friend hesitated; a thumb nail attached to her front teeth.
“Oh, for fucks sake, look already.”
“You look at yours first.”
“We know what mine will say. Go on, see if you’re gonna be a mamma.”
“Please, Roux. I need a second.”
Poppy was either knocked up or she wasn’t, prolonging looking at the stick wasn’t going to change the outcome.
She grabbed her blue and white stick, waving it at Poppy, “There. Now you.”
Poppy approached the counter like she thought it was going to develop teeth and chomp her to death. But the moment she picked up her own stick it didn’t take a second before her friend started dancing like a lunatic. Shrieking and crying.
“Pregnant then?”
“I am so knocked up. Oh, my god!”
“You did it, Cinderella.”
The happy display went on before Poppy wilted to the couch. It was when Roux realized she still held her piss stick. She started for the bathroom to dump it in the trash when she caught the word on the digital display screen.
Pregnant.
WHAT?
That was wrong.
Did she pick up Poppy’s? No, she’d placed hers in a box to surprise Texas later.
A heavy thud started in her stomach and moved through the whole of Roux’s body until she was quaking.
The word didn’t change the longer she looked at it.
Pregnant.
Pregnant.
Pregnant.
What.
The.
Fuck!
THIRTY-THREE
“And the goat dad is back.” - Texas
Butcher had his ass on a bar stool and his boots braced on the floor when Texas strode through the entryway.
He smiled to himself.
It was a new normal to see the former treasurer coming through those doors and not be wearing his Souls garb. He still wore his ties, leather jacket and jeans, biker boots too. It was more than a year that he’d lost his place in the club and it still was a blow to see him without the patch.
The guy smiled easier these days. Butcher was happy for him, happier still that they’d all moved on from that shit.
He stood down from the stool and stretched out his fist for the guy to bump. “Hey, man.”
“Butcher. You know what this is about? I’m taking Poppy into the city tomorrow for some shopping shit she wanted to do, so a beatdown is gonna mess with that.” He said it with a half-smile and Butcher laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. Behind Texas he gave a chin jut to Pretty-boy and Snake, who tossed down the pool cues and ambled over.
“Nah, you know we’re sneakier than that, we’d get you when you’re not expecting it.”
“Yeah, what do you take us for, Tex?” Piped Snake, slinging an arm around the guy’s shoulders.
“Good to know,” smirked Texas.
“Come on, the others are waiting on you.” Pretty-boy said and they led Texas down to the double church doors which were closed.
Texas turned wary eyes on the boys because he knew no one not patched in could cross those doors. Not even a prospect without invite. “What’s going on, anyone gonna fill me in?”
“All in good time, come on.”
There was something about this windowless room Butcher liked. It felt historic, important and he loved taking his seat, no matter what the meeting was gonna be about that week.
It was a brotherhood. A connection to something more than the air and the dust. When they were put in the ground, their time on this earth would mean something to know they’d sat right here and been a part of this elite club.
Their church table with its old oak and worn chairs was the rightest place for all them. When life had been shit, they had this place. When life was good they celebrated around this table.
Around him, the boys soon took their seats. The others had been waiting already and only Lawless’ seat was empty. Even Arson had miraculously turned up for church.
Texas remained standing by the door with his gaze down to the head of the table where Rider resided as president. Stoic and killeresque as always was Hawk at his side, sprawled in his chair with his finger tapping on the table, his silver wedding band glinting every now and then.
“You look worried, Texas.” Half-smiled the prez.
“I didn’t think I’d ever stand in this room again. Kind of thrown me a bit if I’m honest.”
“Yeah, I get that. A lot of shit’s gone down since.”
A collective rumble of agreement went around the room. Preacher, the biggest bastard there, started tapping his row of silver rings on the tabletop, adding more scratches to the ancient wood.
Every mark and gouge on that wood held a story. A story of time and brothers going to battle and having each other’s backs.
It was Rider who commanded the room with his southern drawl, smoothed out over the decades he’d spent in Colorado.
“We want you back in.” He announced and every biker around that table waited with a smirk on his face at a frozen Texas.
“You want me back?”
“Yeah,”
“In the club?”
A few snickers.
“Yeah.”
“But … I don’t get it.”
“Fucking hell, Tex. You’re the money man, if you don’t get it, then we’re all fucked.” Preacher chuckled. The big bastard rose from his seat, walked the length of the table to Texas and threw an arm around his shoulders. “We’re asking you to prom, now you say yes.”
The way Preacher hugged anyone, he could break bones, but Texas didn’t even flinch. Butcher half-smiled watching the realization cross over his face.
It was the right thing to do.
They’d all unanimously voted on it, including Lawless from his prison cell.
It didn’t change what happened. Lessons were learned all around and every man there knew that shit would never happen again.
Texas had more than confirmed he was a Souls; he almost gave his life for a brother and he did it with no ulterior motives other than to save Rider’s life.
He deserved his patch back.
The boys wanted him around the table again.
“I think we made him mute.” Joked Snake.
“I don’t get it.” Texas spoke then. “I thought I was out for good?”
It was then that Hawk pushed his chair back and took the slow walk to Texas. He had leather in his hands.
Preacher took the coat from Texas’ back and then retook his seat.
“You want to wear your patch again, brother?” Hawk asked with his usual gruff, holding out the leather cut with the Treasurer patch sewn into the front. Beneath that was their Colorado chapter and underneath it read one percenter.
“Fuck.” Texas croaked, emotion kicking up his voice.
Everyone started to grin and then they banged knuckles on the table.
“It was unanimous, brother.” Rider input.
“Fuck,” repeated Texas. “Yeah, I want it.” He said with a strong tone, meeting the ice eyes of the VP who quirked the side of his lip, which was as close to a smile as Hawk got.
“Put your fucking dress on and let’s get this party started.” Shouted Preacher.
Texas laughed and turned so Hawk could slip the cut on his s
houlders.
Everyone erupted into applause.
Hawk clapped Texas on the shoulder. It was Rider who embraced Texas first and then the fucker was passed around like a party favor.
“Welcome home, brother.” Butcher congratulated with a huge back slap and bro-hug.
It was a good day for the Souls.
And it was gonna get better as soon as he went home to his woman.
When he stepped through the door a few hours later, more than merry after celebrating with the boys, he was all smiles for his Roux.
Something told Butcher his woman didn’t get the happy memo when she glared at him, slamming the kitchen cabinet with force.
Butcher’s eyebrows hit his hair.
Looked like his Roux was in a bad mood.
Well he had the perfect dick to fix that.
He smirked and started to shrug out of his jacket.
“Hey, Cookie.”
“Don’t you hey Cookie me!” She snapped, thundering by him.
Butcher was still trying to mentally catch up with what the fuck was going on. She’d been more than happy when he’d left the house earlier, she’d even sent him a dirty text before he’d stepped into church.
“What crawled up your ass, baby?”
His Roux had a temper, he loved every fierce inch of her. But it was rare to ever see her flappable … and scared.
“Baby.. what?” He stepped toward her.
“It’s not my ass I’m worried about.” She said. “It’s the fucking baby you put in me, Tad…”
Butcher was not a mic drop kind of man.
He didn’t shock easily.
He’d seen too much shit in his life to feel the ground shake under him.
But those words from his Roux more or less buckled his goddamn knees.
They were having a baby?
And his girl wasn’t happy about it…
THIRTY-FOUR
“A tiny savage.” – Roux
“This has got to be a fucking joke! I can’t be pregnant.”
She paced and paced, trying to figure this shit out.
They were always careful. Always. She’d taken the pill for so long to regulate her heavy cycle that it was second nature, she never missed.
This had to be a mistake, a false positive, something like that.
Behind her, she felt him towering.
“Roux, baby … take a breath, okay?”
She swung around.
Why wasn’t he freaking out too? Please get on board and freak out with her. If there was ever a time to have a couples freak out it was now, she reckoned. But he looked calm as ever, almost too calm as he rubbed a hand down the top of her arm.
“Take a breath? Take a breath? I want to smash your face in, Tad. I’m on the pill. I never forget. You’ve seen me, I’m crazy meticulous about taking the pill every day. I haven’t had any antibiotics. Haven’t thrown up, not once. And I get pregnant. This is all your fault. Your fucking majestic cannon shot my womb full of that damn sperm against my will. What did it do, use hammers to get in?”
It only took one masked chuckle and she glared at him. “You even dare laugh with that inflated ego right now and I will lose my mind and explode all over this room.”
“Risking my balls, you have to calm down, okay? Let’s talk about this.”
She breathed for a few seconds, real deep breaths and then about threw herself on the couch. “I think it could be a mistake. Those tests aren’t accurate are they?”
Only if not, her friend was at home celebrating her positive result so it didn’t look good for Roux.
“Did you suspect you were pregnant?”
“No,” she answered and watched him stride in front of her and he dropped on the leather pouffe, his arms resting to his knees. His crystal eyes focused on her face. It was clear he was keeping his thoughts in check for her sake but that flash grin when she accused him of knocking her up revealed how pleased he was.
She felt sick.
Her heart was going ten to the dozen as she whittled her lower lip with her teeth. She wanted to slap her friend; this was Cinder’s fault too.
“I know this is a surprise, not something we planned.” He started and she looked at the eyes she loved more than anything, feeling her heart twist up inside.
“You could say that. We only just moved in together.”
He seemed to pause as if gauging her reaction. He put his hands on her knees and smiled. “It’s a good surprise though, yeah? I can’t say I’m not fucking thrilled you got my baby inside you, Cookie. I always wanted kids with you one day, it’s just come earlier than planned.”
It was as though he’d pushed all the air out of her lungs.
She’d loved Tad for years, right from the moment she saw him. It’s felt like an uphill struggle to get to this good place with him now. But they also felt brand new too. She definitely would have remembered a conversation where he said he wanted kids with her.
“Cookie, baby?” She blinked and met his eyes again. Concern on his features. He squeezed her knee. “You’re happy, yeah?”
“Tad … I.”
For real she was freaking the hell out and shouldn’t even be having this conversation now. She’d waited for him to get home so she could lose it on someone else. She’d driven home in a fog not even sure how she made it from A to B without causing a disaster on the road. That damn test stuffed into her purse taunting her with its positive result. The word pregnant was so small and so fucking huge at the same time.
His love was consuming and Roux had thrown herself into the deep end. She’d never experienced a feeling like it before. At times it felt like an impossible love but here they were, so, so happy together.
She wasn’t ready to have the status of their relationship change, not this soon.
Roux looked at him. Really looked deep and what she saw on Tad’s face caused all kinds of commotion inside.
He wanted a baby with her.
However much of a surprise she’d sprung on him, he was happy about the news.
She swallowed her words at first, but he deserved the truth. They lived in a world of lies and deceit, backstabbing and wars. She always wanted the truth between them, no matter how much it might hurt.
She covered his fingers and squeezed.
“Tad…I’m freaking out because I don’t know if I ever want a baby…”
There it was. His eyes darkened with shock … unmasked hurt. She watched a tick work through his right jawline.
What did they do now?
What was the right thing to say so he wouldn’t look as though she’d stuck a knife into his gut?
She would do anything for the people she loved.
Him most of all.
But this felt too big for Roux to grasp while her poor overwhelmed brain was going in many directions at once.
There was no way she’d been prepared for this. Even if she were one of those women who’d known from Kindergarten that she wanted kids.
She knew she loved Tad more than anything. More than ever.
But would he love her if she didn’t want his baby?
* * *
Butcher had to push it to the very back of his mind for now.
She didn’t want kids.
She didn’t want his kid specifically.
Honest to fuck, a punch of sadness hit him when he replayed her words but he needed to shove them aside. His fucking feelings weren’t important, not when his Roux was having a meltdown before his eyes.
Pushing off the foot stool, he got onto the couch with her, tagging her hand he held it in his.
In uncharted waters meant he was playing it by ear as to what to say to her.
He knew one thing and that was he loved her. Fucking infatuated with this woman and he couldn’t see a time when he didn’t charge in to fix whatever was hurting her.
“Guess you hate me now, right?”
She asked the question so quietly it didn’t seem as though it came from his woman. It took
him aback a second before he growled and lifted her onto his lap. She was too damn far away for his liking. She immediately winged both arms around his shoulders and brought her soft cheek to his rough one.
“If I didn’t know already how crap you were feeling I’d spank your little ass for that question.” He told her. “Hate you? You are why I’m alive, Roux. I’m a straight up tamed bastard. Put a leash on me, I might as well be your pet because you own me. You getting that? Hate you? Goddammit, Cookie, don’t you know yet how much I love your stubborn ass?”
“Poppy and Texas have been trying to get pregnant, she was taking a test today and got nervous so I did a test with her.”
“Yeah? Do you think Poppy switched them out as a joke?” He was grasping at straws for her sake.
He wanted this.
He’d known for only a few minutes and he wanted their kid in her belly.
If she weren’t so freaked out he’d be losing his shit now, ordering cigars, calling his dad. He’d wanna know which time they fucked that won the shot.
They fucked like the world had ended and they were the only two people left alive so chances were it could be any time.
“Unless she peed on them both when I wasn’t looking because they were both positive.”
“Damn, Texas is gonna be a daddy?” Butcher’s grin spread. And on the same day he got his MC cut back. He was happy for the brother; it was about time shit came up for him.
“Yeah, hoorah, hoorah for them. What do we do, Tad?”
Roux curled so far into his chest she was almost leaving an imprint in his skin. He ranged two hands down her back, soft and soothing, kissing over her cheek. “It could be a mistake.”
His gut tightened. “Then before we do anything let’s find out for sure, yeah? I’ll go and grab some of those tests from the drug store. Think you can piss again?”
She huffed a laugh and pushed her forehead into his cheek, her gorgeous scent surrounded him. “I’m not a dog, I can’t pee on cue.”
“I’ll grab a water for you before I go. You gonna be okay for a few minutes?”
Cupping her face, she somehow felt tiny to him, though he knew his girl was a titan. She was a fucking goddess who needed the world at her feet, but he’d be happy if it were only him. He brought her lips to his. “I love you.”