by Sam Crescent
“Baker?”
“Hear me out.” He stopped and grabbed her hands. “I’m ready. I know what you wanted me to wait for, and I’ve done it.” He held up his hand, and she was shocked to see his wedding band was gone.
“What did you do?”
“It’s time for me to move on, right? I’m ready. I can’t lose you, and I won’t do it.”
Millie’s heart was pounding. “Baker?”
“There’s no reason for us to not to be together. I’m here. I’m ready.” He released her hand, and cupped her cheek. “I want you.”
Licking her lips, she saw the need in his eyes, and knew without a doubt that he was speaking the truth.
What was wrong with giving in?
The ring he always wore was gone, and she couldn’t help but notice that his gaze wasn’t filled with pain. Even when he came to the shop, she always saw the love and pain for his wife.
“How about we agree to go on a date?” she asked.
“Not the Italian place. I don’t want you to think of that asshole when you’re dating with me.”
“How about I leave you to pick the place? I like everything.”
“Baby, that is a challenge. It’ll be perfect.”
“I don’t need perfect, Baker. I never did.” Then, going against everything, she pressed her lips to his. It wasn’t anything special. She simply pressed her lips against his. The pleasure she got from that small touch completely shocked her. Breaking away, she saw his eyes had closed, and the look of bliss on his face made her toes curl.
“I’m going to remember this moment for the rest of my life,” he said.
“You know how to charm.” They stopped outside of her shop. “This is me.”
Baker cupped her cheek, and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’ll call you tomorrow night.”
Without saying another word, Millie made her way into her home, and couldn’t wait until the next day.
Chapter Two
The following day Baker made his way downstairs at seven o’clock. What he found in the kitchen was chaos. Angel was rushing around, shoving sandwiches into lunchboxes as Eva was feeding the babies. Everywhere he turned, one woman was rushing around.
“What happened?” he asked.
“They’ve got a trip today,” Lacey said, pouring water into the goblets.
“We thought it’d be good if we all stayed at the clubhouse today,” Tate said. “That way we could get them to school.”
“We’ve got to leave in ten minutes,” Angel said, starting the countdown.
“I’m pleased I don’t have any kids,” Fighter said. “This is just too crazy.”
“Shut up!” Tate glared at the brother, and began to rush around once again preparing everything that needed to be done for the school trip.
Baker walked in, and made his way around the kitchen, trying not to bump into anyone. The last thing he wanted to worry about was being the person who ruined the kids’ school trip.
“So, erm, where are they going?” he asked, pouring some coffee into his cup.
“We’re going to the zoo,” Tabitha said. “Simon told me all about the zoo. It’s awesome.”
They all knew she wasn’t talking about Tate’s son, Simon. No, Tabitha was talking about Devil’s son, Simon. The Prez of the Chaos Bleeds.
“You’ll get to see it now, won’t you, honey?” Eva said.
“Yeah. Dad is so tired of hearing about Simon though. He says that he’s got a son, and he’s more interested in him. He’s got two sons.” Tabitha shrugged. “I don’t care. I love Simon. We’re going to get married.”
Baker laughed, and quickly turned it into a cough. Tabitha was adorable. The two kids were adorable, but in recent months they’d not seen much of the Chaos Bleeds crew. They’d either come for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a special barbeque.
“It’s fine. It’s fine,” Angel said. “Ha, eight lunchboxes for eight kids on the trip. Plus the rest for the kids going to nursery.” She pushed some of her blonde hair that had fallen. “I totally rock.”
Out of all of the women, Angel was the sweetest he’d ever known. Of course, Millie was fast taking over in that regard. Both women were so damn sweet, and it just annoyed the hell out of him the thought of anyone doing something awful to them.
“Are we ready?” Lash asked, walking into the clubhouse, sipping on his coffee.
All the kids shouted yes, causing them all to laugh.
“Oh, just a warning, Sally’s on her way home today with Drew,” Lacey said, grabbing empty bowls.
“She is?” Steven asked, walking into the room.
“Yeah. She doesn’t want to be at the campus this weekend, and Drew needed to come home for some kind of family dinner. I don’t know the whole reasons, but there you go. Whizz offered to pick her up, but seeing as Drew was already coming home, she turned it down.” Lacey shrugged.
“Yay, Sally’s coming home,” Daisy said, throwing her arms up. The young girl had moved so suddenly that she tripped back.
Before any of them could stop her, she started to fall back, about to have her head hit the floor.
Anthony was there, grabbing her and tugging her up.
“Wow!” Daisy said. “That could have been horrible.”
“Sweetie, what have I told you about that?” Lacey said, hands on her hips. “You keep falling over just lately. We’re going to need to get you a crash helmet.”
Daisy scrunched up her nose.
“That’s okay. I’m here to stop her falling,” Anthony said.
“That’s my boy.” This came from Lash. “We’re ready to move out.”
One by one, the kids grabbed their lunchboxes, and Baker watched as all of the kids, old ladies, and dads left. The once chaotic kitchen had changed, becoming silent and calm.
“Now that sound is bizarre as fuck,” Fighter said.
“You missing them already?” Baker asked.
“Yeah. When it’s noisy I think of the peace and quiet I’m going to get. Now I just want them back. Damn, I love kids.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you’re totally not going to have kids.”
Fighter gave him the finger.
Steven interrupted them by dragging out a chair, and slumping down.
“Shouldn’t you be in a good fucking mood?” Fighter asked.
“What the fuck for?”
“Duh, your girl is heading home.”
Baker rolled his eyes.
“Sally is not my girl.”
“Could have fooled me. The way you are with her, there’s no way she’s not yours,” Fighter said.
“You know she’s of age now. You don’t have to worry about breaking the law.”
“Ugh, that’s the least of my worries.” Steven rubbed at his eyes. “Sally’s not mine.”
Sally was Whizz and Lacey’s adoptive daughter. She’d been through so much shit that she was years older than her actual age, which was twenty-one. She would be twenty-one in a couple of months. Nearly four years ago the club had been attacked by a guy who was looking for revenge. Andrew, Gash’s brother, had paid a gang to do a drive by shooting. In the process it had shot through Sally’s knee. The doctors had been unable to save her leg from the knee down, and now she had a prosthetic.
Baker would never forget how much it had changed the young girl. She’d become even more withdrawn and quiet.
“So you’re going to let her little jock take her from you?” Baker asked.
“She’s not mine. If I wanted the third fucking degree I’d have gone with the women. Stop being a pussy.”
Baker shrugged. “You’re in a shit mood this morning.”
“Of course he was. Last night he was on the booze. For someone who doesn’t care about the little woman, he sure drowns his sorrows like he does.”
Steven got up and left the kitchen. Baker no longer thought it was funny. He knew what Steven was going through. When the shit ended with Andrew four years back, Millie had walked away from him. Now, he had a chan
ce to win her back, and he wasn’t going to let anything get in this way.
Finishing off his coffee, he got to work on putting the mess to rights. The club pussy was down to only a few girls. Most of the old ladies took care of the work. Baker smiled thinking about how much the club had changed since he’d been a member. In three years they hadn’t had a single attack, and for that he was grateful.
When it came to the love of the club, he couldn’t handle the thought of any of them in pain.
“You don’t have to do that,” Angel said, coming into the kitchen. She wasn’t carrying her daughter, so she must have dropped her off at the nursery.
“I don’t mind. You do enough.”
“I made this mess. The least I can do is clean it up.”
“You’re always taking care of the club.” He didn’t stop drying the dishes that he’d just finished. Angel started on the rest of the table. Baker was going to do it in stages, but Angel lined all of the dishes up next to the washing bowl.
“I like taking care of people. Lash has his place within the club, and I want to be part of that, I want to be part of him.”
Out of everyone at the club, Lash and Angel had one of those special kinds of relationships. They gravitated to each other, and they were always touching or whispering. Nothing could come between them. Baker had seen firsthand the way that Lash had gone crazy when something happened to Angel.
“You are.”
“He’s doing a hell of a good job right now, don’t you think?” She sounded so proud. “He is. I think even Tiny’s impressed. At least I hope he is. It’s been a bit of a nervous time. Crap, I don’t know if I should be talking.”
Baker laughed. “Don’t worry, Angel. We’re all family here.”
“Speaking of family, did you know Millie just walked out on her date last night? It surprised me.”
“I know. I also know he was talking shit about the club. She had our backs.”
“That evil … man.”
“You can swear you know. Last time I checked you were allowed.”
“I know it’s just wrong. I don’t like to bring that to the club. There’s always a better way to say stuff, and I’m determined to make sure all of our kids know it.”
“They’re probably cussing better than us.”
She smiled. “Not in front of me, and certainly not in front of their teachers.”
“Did I tell you that I’ve got a date?”
“You have? Who with?”
“Millie.”
She turned to him and let out a squeal. “You finally got her to agree to go on a date.”
“Yep.”
“Oh wow, this is such good news.”
“I thought so.”
“I’d give you a big hug right now, but because I’m covered in water, I can’t.”
“Hey, no hugging my wife,” Lash said, coming into the kitchen. “Good luck on your date. Don’t screw it up.”
“Lash!”
“I won’t. I’ve learned from my mistake.”
“I noticed you dropped the wedding band. Does that mean you’re ready?”
“Lash, have you ever heard of a filter?” Angel asked.
“This guy has spent the past few years panting after that woman like a little puppy dog. Forgive me for wanting to make sure he’s not going to come crying to us when it doesn’t work out.”
Baker burst out laughing. “It’s true. I’ve been particularly miserable because I fucked up.”
“See, even he agrees with me.”
“I’ll never ever understand you. Never,” Angel said.
Lash walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “Good, I still need to be mysterious to make you want me.”
“You don’t have to be anything to make me want you.”
And that was Baker’s cue to leave.
****
Millie finished putting the latest batch of teddy bears onto the shelves, and she checked each one to make sure there was no fault. The last thing she wanted was for the bears to be faulty, for a kid to fall in love with them, and her have to take it back because the stuffing was coming out. Millie loved teddy bears. Even though she was twenty-nine years old, she still had her favorite one on her bed. When she was ever upset or ill, she would hold that bear with a death grip.
“There we go,” she said. “All perfect.”
Taking the box out into the back, she then threw the small boxes inside, and carried it toward the back door. She’d take everything out at the end of the day. Millie was making her way into the main shop when the doorbell rang letting her know someone had entered her shop.
“You’re going on a date with Baker?” Angel asked, entering the shop.
She smiled. “Yeah, he asked me on one last night.”
“He just told me about it. I was helping clean the kitchen from the mess I trashed, and he just blurted it out. Are you excited?” Angel asked.
“A little. I’m nervous as well. It’s my first date in like ever. Last night didn’t count. I didn’t even get to eat. This will be the first one with Baker.”
“Didn’t you go to dinner with Hardy and Rose?”
“Yeah, I did but at the time I didn’t really think that was a date.” Baker had been there, and she’d thought it was just a friendly meal that he’d been invited to. She’d never known he’d wanted anything to do with her. When he’d tried to make it clear that he wanted her, he’d still been wearing a wedding band. There was no way she was ever going to give herself to a man who still loved his wife. For once in her life she was determined to come first place, no matter what.
“Did you even know he was into you?”
“Not really, no. I thought he was a nice guy who had a really big love for kids’ stuff.” Baker had been stopping by the shop for months prior to her dinner with Hardy and Rose. He always bought little trinkets for the kids, or was always there for the big deliveries when The Skulls decided to order.
“I think it’s great what is happening to you two,” Angel said. “I keep telling you to come by the club, but you won’t listen.”
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“You won’t be. I happen to enjoy your company, and would love for you to come around the club more often.” Angel moved toward her and hugged her.
Millie smiled, and gave her a little squeeze. “It’s just never really been my place. I’m not being mean or anything. I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful to The Skulls.”
“I know you’re not, sweetie. We’re your friends. All of us, and we care about you.”
“You’re one of the sweetest women I know.”
“Lash says I am all the time. I just think there is enough evil in the world that I don’t want to add to it. I’m hoping everyone finds a smile with me.”
Millie moved away, and rounded the counter to grab what she figured Angel was here for.
“I didn’t come to pick up my order. I came to plan for your date. You need my help?”
“I don’t know what we’re doing, so I doubt it. It’s Baker, so I’m just going to dress normally.”
“You looked hot last night,” Angel said.
“You think so?”
“Yeah, Baker told me that the guy was judging The Skulls.”
“He was. I’d say he was a total a-hole.” Millie shook her head. “I don’t even know if Sandy knew how bad he was.”
“I doubt it. They work together, but from what I hear, Sandy doesn’t exactly talk about the club. It’s her personal and private business.” Angel flicked some of her hair off her shoulder, and jumped as the door was thrust open.
“You’re on a date with Baker?” Lacey asked, coming in. She carried a large bag that Millie had noticed she carried around a lot.
The Skulls had taken over the spa in town, and along with it, there was now a beauty shop that Lacey part owned.
“Wow, news really does travel fast.”
“It’s The Skulls, baby, we all know people’s business. Also, y
ou’ve got to realize that we’re our own little community. Plus, Baker’s telling everyone. I heard it from him. He’s so damn happy that you’ve finally caved to him.”
Millie laughed. “Really?”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen him so damn happy,” Lacey said, dropping her case onto the counter. “So I’ve come to help. I’m thinking we can color your hair. Such a beautiful color, but I want to enhance that look.”
All of a sudden Lacey had her hands on Millie’s hair and was running her fingers through it.
“You certainly look after your hair. This is beautiful.”
“Thank you, I think.”
“I’ve dealt with women with split ends, dry as fuck, and they just don’t deserve hair.” Lacey gave a shiver. “Now I can work with this.”
“I really don’t think it’s necessary.”
“Babe, we love you, we really do, but I’ve never seen Baker so damn happy. This has to work because I don’t want to see his miserable ass around the club.”
Lacey was the complete opposite of Angel. Both women were nice, but just had different ways of showing it.
Millie took a deep breath. “It’s lunchtime.”
“I know, so we’ve got plenty of time to get you ready.”
Her shop door opened again, and she was shocked to see Rose, Kelsey, Tate, Prue, and Eva enter her store.
“We’re the ones that have come to help,” Eva said.
“The others had to work, or are on children duty,” Tate said.
“Wow, all of this is so I keep Baker happy?” Millie asked.
“It’s completely selfish of us,” Prue said, jumping up onto the counter. “Baker is like this sucking the life right out of you look to him. I don’t want to see him like that anymore. So we’re hoping to give you all the good points that make him so awesome.”
“I adore him,” Kelsey said. “He’s great with kids, and I want to see him happy.”
Before long the shop was closed, and Millie was urged into her home, which was above her shop. She loved being able to get up and go to work. Also, she loved working for herself.
Within seconds, music was on, and Lacey had all of her stuff out on the kitchen counters.
“Who is picking up the kids?” Lacey asked.
“Whizz and Lash,” Angel said.