by Harley Wylde
He came closer and knelt next to me, brushing my hair off my face. “Only thing that could make this better would be having a bed we could share without Sienna an arm’s length away, because if I go to bed with you, I can’t promise I won’t ask for more.”
And if Sienna weren’t in the same room, I’d gladly let him have whatever he wanted. I’d never been so turned on in my life.
He stretched out next to me again, helping me right my clothes. Wolf tugged me into his arms and held me. “Think we need to talk.”
“No conversation ever turns out good when it starts with ‘we need to talk.’”
He chuckled. “It’s not a bad thing. At least, I’m hoping it won’t be.”
“Just spit it out, Max. You’re killing me.”
“You’re not like the women at the clubhouse,” he said. “I don’t want you to think tonight didn’t mean something. I want to see more of you, Glory, and I don’t necessarily mean in the biblical sense. Although, I wouldn’t say no to you taking your clothes off again.”
“Like… dating?” I asked, hating the slight tremor in my voice.
“Would that be okay? Or do you need more time?”
Okay? Was he serious? “Max, I…”
He kissed me soft and slow. “Please say yes, Glory. As much as I enjoy the time we spend together, I need more of it. I fucking hate all the hours and days we’re apart. If you were anyone else, tonight would end a lot differently.”
I turned a little so I could look at him. “Different how?”
“I’d claim you. Both of you. You’d be my old lady and Sienna would be my daughter. I know what I want, Glory, and it’s the two of you. Not just for tonight, or tomorrow. I want all your tomorrows.”
My throat grew tight, and I felt tears mist my eyes again. He was killing me. So damn sweet and thoughtful. He really was the perfect man.
“You’d do all that if I were someone else?”
“Not exactly what I meant. I only want you, Glory. I just know you’ve had a rough time of it, and I don’t want to send you running for the hills. Now that I’ve had a taste, I know I can’t let you go.”
Sweet, sweet man. I’d never met his equal. To think he wanted us, to be a family with me and Sienna. It made me ache. I couldn’t think of anything more wonderful than to be his.
I reached up and cupped his cheek. “I don’t want you to let go. Hold onto me, Max. I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you. Is that crazy?”
He smiled. “No. Not the least bit.”
I decided to take a leap of faith. If anyone deserved my trust, it was Wolf. “Do it.”
“Do it?” he asked.
“Claim us. I don’t know what all that entails, and I don’t care. I want all your tomorrows too.”
His kiss was rough and demanding when his lips came down on mine. He growled and held me tight against him. It seemed I’d unleashed the beast. And I was loving it.
Right into the fire, Glory. I only hoped he didn’t burn me.
Chapter Four
Wolf
I needed to do things the right way, except when it came to Glory, I found I didn’t much give a fuck. There was no way in hell the club would deny my claim. They’d all vote her in as my old lady because if they didn’t, I’d fight every last one of them. I’d waited long enough.
“You tired?” I asked.
“Not really.” She cuddled closer. “What did you have in mind?”
I smacked her ass when she tugged at my shirt. “Not that. You’re moving in with me. Both of you.”
Maybe I should have prefaced it with how much they already meant to me. Glory had been around the club long enough to know most of us were domineering assholes, but I wanted to be a better man -- for her. She made life worth living. Gave me a reason to face each day with a smile.
She lifted her head, her lips parted like she might disagree, but she only shook her head, seeming bemused. “I’m going to have to get used to that, aren’t I?”
“What?”
“You telling me how things are going to be. I’ve been on my own for a while now. I’m not used to having to think of anyone but myself and Sienna.”
I cupped her cheek and brushed my lips against hers. “I tend to be a controlling man, Glory, but I would never do anything that would hurt you. I’m claiming you, so moving in is the next step. Sienna will have her own room. You can change anything you don’t like about the house. It’s going to be your home.”
Even though Franny had come over somewhat frequently, a woman had never lived in my house. I’d never asked Franny to move in. Another sign I’d known in my gut she wasn’t the right woman for me.
“I still have the boxes I brought with me. I just broke them down and stuck them at the top of the hall closet.” She took a deep breath and released it. “We’re really doing this, aren’t we?”
“Yep. Any second thoughts?”
She shook her head. The soft look in her eyes made me want to wrap her in my arms and never let go. I didn’t know what made her decide to be so brave tonight. I’d never thought she’d give me a chance, much less agree to be mine. I only hoped she didn’t come to regret the decision later.
Glory stood and stretched, then disappeared into the hall. She came back a moment later with a stack of flattened boxes in her arms. I got up and took them from her, carrying them into the kitchen. She handed me a roll of tape and I got to work putting them together. I knew the kitchen stuff here had come with the place. When she’d arrived, all she’d had were clothes for her and Sienna, and of course Sienna’s furniture and toys. It had broken my heart to see how little she had. I’d snuck in a few things when I could, left a few toys on the porch for Sienna when I knew Glory wasn’t watching. It hadn’t felt like nearly enough. I’d mostly given her things for Sienna because I knew she wouldn’t refuse them.
“I can’t pack the bedroom until the morning. I don’t want to risk waking her up,” Glory said.
“It’s fine. We have the boxes ready so it shouldn’t take us long. I’ll load Sienna’s bed and stuff into the truck in the morning after she’s up and ready to face the day.” I set my hand at her waist and steered her toward the hallway. “Come on, beautiful. We need to get some rest.”
She balked a moment. “But Sienna…”
“Is asleep, and hopefully we will be too. Not going to try anything with our girl right there in the same room with us. I just want to hold you somewhere more comfortable than the floor.” I tightened my hold on her hand. “Knowing you’re mine, that you’ll be in my bed from now on, there’s no way I can walk away tonight.”
Although, if she’d asked me to, I would have. I’d never force myself into her bed. Didn’t matter if we were at her place or mine. When she moved in, if I ever made her uncomfortable, I’d gladly sleep on the couch.
She nodded and headed for the bedroom. Her cheeks were bright pink as she pulled a sleep shirt from a drawer in the dresser and started to remove her clothes. I watched as she stripped off her shirt and leggings, licked my lips as her bra hit the floor, and knew I was going to be hard all damn night. But it was worth it.
I set my cut on the top of her dresser and yanked my shirt over my head. I unfastened my belt and pants and shoved them down over my hips, then sat on the edge of her bed. I unlaced my boot and pulled it off. Tugging my pants leg up, I worked on unhooking my prosthetic leg and set it aside. I rolled the sleeve down and rubbed at the stump a moment. It took a bit of shifting, but I managed to get my pants the rest of the way off and left them on the floor.
I eased back against the pillows and reached for Glory. She curled against my side, her cheek on my chest and her arm over my waist. I felt her breath fan across my skin, and everything in me relaxed. I hadn’t been able to lie down like this with Franny. We’d had sex during our time together, but she wouldn’t have been comfortable lying in bed with me like this. My leg would have bothered her. Glory took it in stride and acted like it was no big deal. Maybe to her it w
asn’t. She hadn’t hesitated to touch it and had rubbed ointment into the stump more than once.
Sienna fussed in her crib and Glory pulled away. She lifted the baby from her crib and brought her to the bed. I held out my arms for her.
“Let me see my precious girl.”
Glory handed her over and crossed the room to a small cart she’d gotten for Sienna’s things. She grabbed a diaper pad, fresh diaper, wipes, and some ointment, then brought everything over to the bed. While she set everything out, I kissed Sienna’s forehead and murmured to her.
“Does my beautiful girl need a dry diaper?”
Sienna pressed her face against me and made a snuffling sound. The sweet angel had held my heart from the moment I’d seen her.
“I can take her,” Glory said.
I shook my head and waved her off. These two were mine now, which meant I’d be changing my daughter’s diaper. I laid Sienna on the diaper pad and removed her footie pajamas. The diaper was so full it felt like it weighed several pounds when I pulled it off her. Using the wipes, I cleaned her up, put a little cream on her so she wouldn’t get a rash, then wrapped the new diaper around her.
“You’re rather good at that,” Glory said.
I wasn’t about to admit I’d watched YouTube videos to figure out how to take care of a baby. I’d held quite a few of the kids around here, but no one asked me to babysit. I’d offered, and I’d watched Luis a few times, but he didn’t exactly need to be changed. Instead, I’d taught him to pee on a tree, which Zoe had fumed over. The look on Dagger’s face had told me he’d already covered that lesson, even though his woman didn’t realize it. Apparently, Luis hadn’t said something since his mom had been so upset. But the moment I realized I wanted Glory and Sienna to be mine, I’d learned everything I could about babies.
“Think her pajamas are a little damp,” I said.
Glory fetched a fresh pair and I changed Sienna before cradling her against my chest again. I didn’t think Glory realized exactly what she’d given me. By agreeing to be mine, she’d made me a father. Sienna might not be my blood, but it didn’t matter. She was mine just the same.
“I think she’s going back to sleep,” Glory said softly. “Want me to take her?”
I gently handed Sienna over, then settled back on the bed again. Glory put our daughter to bed before curling up against me. I ran my hand up and down her arm, feeling more content than I’d ever been before. When I’d gotten out of the military missing part of my leg, I’d thought I’d never find a woman who would accept me. I’d almost settled with Franny. Her moving away had ended up being a good thing. It had given both of us a fresh start.
“Thank you,” I murmured.
“For what?”
“Being mine. Giving me a daughter. Best fucking night ever.”
“It is pretty fantastic,” she said. “Multiple orgasms, a guy who’s almost too good to be true, and Sienna gets a daddy.”
My phone chimed in my pants pocket and I groaned, not wanting to ruin the moment. Only the club would be trying to reach me this late. I untangled myself from Glory and yanked my phone from my pocket.
We have a problem. What the fuck? Of all the nights for something to go wrong, it figured it would be tonight. I often joked I wouldn’t have any luck if I didn’t have bad luck.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
“Steel texted me. Club business.”
She sighed and rolled over, giving me some privacy. I liked that she didn’t try to read the screen of my phone. She hadn’t been here long, but she understood how things worked. Just another reason she was perfect for me.
What kind of problem? I hit send and waited to see if he’d respond.
My phone chimed. Someone broke into the clinic. Trashed the place.
Fuck! Glory would be devastated. I had to wonder if the break-in had anything to do with the strange woman who’d come in earlier, then quickly left. I ran a hand over my head, knowing Steel wouldn’t have contacted me if I wasn’t needed. At the same time, I wasn’t ready to leave Glory.
I’m with Glory. I hesitated only a moment before hitting send.
The phone rang and I answered it quickly so it wouldn’t wake up Sienna.
“You’re with Glory?” Steel asked the second the line connected. “In what capacity?”
“In the way that means we need to call Church tomorrow because I need a property cut. I’m not asking. She’s mine and that’s the end of it.”
Steel chuckled. “Won’t get any arguments out of me. Think everyone knows how you feel about her. I’m glad to see you finally made a move. Don’t worry about the clinic. We’ve got plenty of single brothers who can take this one.”
“Thanks, Steel.”
There was a tone to his voice that made me pause, but if he said they had it covered, I’d take him at his word. Just how bad was the clinic damaged? Had anything been stolen? As much as I wanted to ask more questions, I didn’t want to get dragged into it tonight.
“Badger’s blowing up my phone,” he said. “I’ll let him know about you and Glory. Save you a phone call.”
“Can you ask everyone not to call me the rest of the night? I don’t want the phone to wake up Sienna.”
“Spoken like a true father.” Steel cleared his throat. “Proud of you, brother. I’ll let the club know you need some privacy tonight. Take care of your girls.”
Before I could say anything else, he hung up. I tossed the phone onto my jeans and leaned back in the bed again. Glory curled against me once more, her fingers tracing a pattern on my abdomen.
“Does this mean you don’t have to go right now?” she asked.
“I’m staying right here, sweetheart. Let’s get some sleep. We’ll have a busy day tomorrow.” I ran my hand down her soft skin. “Close your eyes. Everything will be fine.”
I would tell her tomorrow about the clinic. She didn’t need all the details, but since she worked there, she needed to be aware there was a problem. I wouldn’t keep her entirely in the dark. It would only put her at greater risk. I’d never agreed with my brothers who wouldn’t tell their women when they could be in trouble. If Glory knew to keep an eye out, she might not get taken by surprise.
I lay awake until the sun started to creep through the window. My eyes felt gritty, and I rubbed at them. Even though I was tired, I hadn’t been willing to miss a moment of my first night with Glory and Sienna. They may have been sleeping, but I’d lain here and just taken it all in. They were mine. My family. It hardly seemed possible.
When Sienna started shifting around in her crib, I pulled the sleeve back over my stump and pulled my jeans on before attaching my prosthesis. I picked my phone up off the floor and shoved it into my pocket. After I put on my boot, I took Sienna from her crib before she started to fuss. I knew Glory would need a little more sleep. I changed my girl, put her in clean clothes, and carried her to the kitchen. I’d need to learn how to make her baby cereal, but for now, she could eat a jar of fruit. I grabbed some peaches and one of her spoons before putting her into the high chair and making sure she was secure. Glory kept a stack of bibs on the counter, and I took the top one and fastened it around Sienna’s neck.
“All right, my beautiful girl. You ready for some breakfast?”
She smacked her hands on the tray in excitement and kicked her feet. I scooped out some of the peaches and fed her a little at a time, wiping her face every few bites. She finished off the jar and wanted more, so I found a jar of pears. By the time she’d eaten both jars, she seemed content. I wet a cloth and cleaned her up before taking her out of the chair.
“Let’s let your mommy sleep a little more,” I said, kissing her temple.
I carried her into the living room and sank onto the couch. I flipped on the TV and put a cartoon on, even though I knew Sienna wouldn’t pay much attention to it. Sometimes the colors or music would catch her attention. Mostly, she played with whatever was closest. I grabbed her stuffed bear off the floor and handed it to h
er. It made a slight rattle noise, making her giggle.
My stomach rumbled and I knew I’d need to eat before we got my girls moved into their new home, which meant Glory would want to eat too. I wasn’t about to ask her to cook anything this morning. I pulled out my phone and shot off a text to Garrick, one of our newest Prospects. After Badger patched in all four of the ones we had before, we’d needed some fresh blood.
Pick up two ham and cheddar omelets from the diner and bring them to Glory’s.
I got a thumbs-up emoji in response. With a shake of my head, I put my phone away and focused on Sienna. She had drool running down her chin and I cursed myself for not thinking about keeping a rag handy. I wiped her face with my thumb and rubbed it on my jeans.
“Most men don’t voluntarily wear baby spit on their clothes.”
I smiled and looked over at Glory, where she leaned against the doorframe. Her hair was tangled and sticking up a little on one side, and she had a pillow crease on her cheek. Fucking adorable.
“Morning, Sunshine. I ordered breakfast. Should be here before too long.”
“You thought of everything. You got Sienna without waking me up, you’re feeding me…” She stretched and padded over to the couch, sinking down next to me. “Guess I’d better keep you.”
I leaned over and kissed her. “Yeah, you better. Because I’m certainly keeping you.”
A knock at the door interrupted us. Either the Prospect had already been at the diner and had driven at the speed of light to get here, or someone needed my help. I knew Glory had made friends with the old ladies, but it was too early for any of them to come for a visit.
“Come in,” I yelled out, hoping it was our breakfast.
Garrick strolled in with a sack hanging from his hand. He took one look at me, shirtless and holding a baby, then skimmed his gaze over Glory before he opened his mouth and promptly shut it. Looked like no one told him I was claiming Glory and Sienna. Why the fuck else did he think I was having breakfast delivered here? Apparently, my news hadn’t yet reached the Prospects.