by Lexie Davis
“Will you tell the nurse I need some more medicine?” Her stomach continued to twist. “I feel horrible.”
He nodded. “I will.”
He pushed the button on the side of the bed and told the nurse what she’d said. Ella curled up on her side and clutched the pillow beneath her head. Her father sat on the sofa in the far corner of the suite. He’d been talking on his phone, and she couldn’t help wondering with whom.
“We’re spending the night.” Pat glanced over at Ryker. “They’ve marked this room off limits due to contamination. We have to stay a minimum of twenty-four hours.”
She chuckled. “Me and my two men. What could possibly go wrong with that?”
****
Ryker watched Ella while she slept. She looked as though she was feeling better than before. She had painful stomach cramps, and the nurse had said it was because she hadn’t eaten anything. She probably wouldn’t eat anything for a while either. Pat had made the bed on the pullout sofa in the room. Ryker didn’t have much to say to him. They didn’t get along, but they had come to a civil understanding of sorts. Both of them had put aside their own feelings to make sure Ella got better.
She shifted in the bed and opened her eyes. “Hey.”
“Hey,” he whispered. “Do you need something?”
“A new stomach?”
“I can’t help you there.”
She swallowed. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”
“No.”
“I really need you to be straight with me.”
He studied her. She hesitated, glancing over to where her father slept. Razor had told her something; Ryker knew it from the look on her face. It had to be something bad too if she was contemplating how to approach him about it.
“Razor brought up Beth being pregnant. Would you leave me like you did her if I were pregnant?”
“Are you pregnant?” He glanced down at her stomach.
“No.”
He thought about his life with Ella. “I think you know the answer to your own question.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“Not a chance.” He laid his head on her thigh. “You being pregnant is not the same as her being pregnant. It’s completely different.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you.” He closed his eyes. “We’re going to get married. I’m not really the marrying type, but I like the idea of you wearing my ring and taking my name.”
He glanced up at her. Ella had curled on her side, watching him. She looked so fragile, and all he wanted to do was make her feel better. His stomach had been in knots while she was with his father. It really hadn’t settled down.
“I like that idea too.”
He reached for her hand and kissed her fingers. “You need to get better so we can have an engagement party and all that crap.”
“Be straight with me. Do you want kids?”
“No.” He laid his head back on her thigh. “Not planned ones anyway. If they’re a surprise, then well, whatever.”
She dropped her head to the side, tired from the events of the day. “I think you’d be a great dad.”
“You don’t know me very well if you think that.”
“You’d take our son out and teach him how to ride a motorcycle to pick up girls. Every girl loves a bad boy on a bike.”
He shook his head.
“And you take our daughter to father-daughter dances at school and dare any of the boys to come near her.”
“How many fucking kids are you planning on having?”
She closed her eyes. “We’d take family vacations and make memories together.”
“Or we could simply forget the idea of kids and spend our lives together.”
She brushed her fingers along his cheek. “For a while. Then we’re having a baby. I want a baby.”
He chuckled softly. She knew he wouldn’t say no. And if Ryker were honest with himself, the idea didn’t sound so bad with her. She was everything he wanted and never thought he deserved. The idea of creating a life with her made him happy. They could write their own story together.
“I love you, Ryker.” Ella ran her finger along his cheek. “Thank you for saving me.”
He wanted to kiss her mouth so bad he couldn’t see straight. Instead, he kissed her finger. “Anytime and every time, babe.”
Chapter Eleven
Ella couldn’t wait for her discharge papers to be signed so she could go home. Ryker and her father spent an entire twenty-four hours in the same room with her and they hadn’t tried to kill each other.
She called that progress.
Now she simply wanted to sleep in her own bed. Take a shower in her own bathroom. Watch her own TV. Basically hide away until she felt completely better.
“Are they going to release you today?” her father asked. He sat in the chair next to her bed while they played a game of cards.
“They’d better.” She glanced over at Ryker who stood by the window. “You two are being civil. What gives?”
Neither said anything to her. She snorted and slapped a card down on the growing pile between her and her father. Men were interesting creatures.
“Okay. Can you at least tell me if this is just for twenty-four hours or is there some kind of agreement going on outside these four walls?”
“I don’t have a beef with Pat.” Ryker kept his attention on whatever was outside the window. “Me and you are getting married some day. I’ve gotten used to him being around.”
She turned to her father. “What about you?”
“He’s saved you twice. I can’t exactly hate him for that.”
“Aww. You love each other.”
She laughed when both men jerked their attention to her. She slapped another card down and reached for her drink.
“You might as well. Ryker is eventually going to be your son-in-law and the father of your future grandkids. And Dad is going to become your father-in-law. He’s going to come over all the time to play with our kids. You two really need to bury the hatchet now.”
“Don’t rush into that too soon.” Her father slapped down his own card. “You’re still a baby yourself.”
She tossed another card to the pile. “It’s going to happen soon. I’d say a year or two tops.”
Both men looked like they wanted to throw up. Ella collected the cards and lay back in the bed. She didn’t know why she kept thinking about babies. She’d seen a woman gushing to her husband in the hallway of the hospital and pictured herself doing that one day. She wanted that with Ryker.
“Stop looking like that. Both of you.”
Ryker leaned against the window. “No babies.”
“Yes.” Ella smiled. “Two or three.”
“Shouldn’t you get married first?” Pat leaned back in his chair. “Take it one step at a time. You didn’t pop along until five years into my marriage. That’s a good amount of time to wait.”
She pursed her lips. “I don’t think so. We can sign the papers and he can get me pregnant before the ink dries.”
“That concussion has got your thinking all messed up.” Ryker moved away from the window. “No babies.”
“Three.” She closed her eyes. “Mom will be ecstatic.”
“Are you pregnant now?” Pat asked her.
Ella’s eyes popped open. “No.”
“You sure?” Pat asked. “Because it sounds like you are.”
“I’m not. I’m still on birth control. I’m not trapping Ryker or anything.”
Ryker walked to the other side of the bed. “Pat’s right. Five to ten years before we even consider bringing kids in to the mix.”
“I’ll be an old woman.”
“Even better.” He sat in a chair, smiling.
“You really don’t want kids?”
“No.”
She glanced over at her father. “You don’t want grandkids?”
“No.”
She huffed a breath. “You two are crushing my dreams here.”
“You’re a doctor. When are you going to have time for a kid…or three?” Ryker arched an eyebrow at her. “You’re not leaving them with me.”
She laughed. “You would be an awesome stay-at-home daddy.”
“They got you on some good shit. Your mind is fucking delusional.”
Her father actually cracked a smile. “You’re just busting his balls, aren’t you?”
“Mostly.”
“It’s a daily event in our lives.”
Ella reached for his hand. “Just think. If we have five, you can have your own mini motorcycle club.”
He touched the back of his hand to her cheek. “Yep, you’ve got a fever. Delirious.”
Ella linked her fingers with his. “You said you’d do anything for me.”
“I’m reconsidering that offer.”
“No, you’re not.”
Ryker kissed her hand. “Can we talk about something else?”
“What happened to Razor?”
He huffed a breath. “Not that.”
“I’ll get it out of you eventually.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. There were things they could talk about and things that were better left unsaid. While their life was mostly great without Razor’s influence, she really wanted to know if he’d pop up again to ruin the good thing they had going, or if she was finally done with him.
“You’re milking my sympathy.”
“I know you.” She waited a moment before continuing. “He hurt me. You’re not going to let that go.”
He rubbed his forehead. “What do you want me to say? That I killed him?”
“I would like to know.”
“No.”
“You didn’t kill him?” She glanced over at her father who didn’t seem too surprised. “I know you didn’t let him go. What happened? Did you beat him up? Drag that blade across his skin just to fuck with his head?”
Her father frowned. “You’ve been watching too much TV.”
“Don’t worry about Razor.”
“I am, Ryker.” She dropped his hand to her thigh. “He came after me twice. What if he does again and succeeds? He blames me for you going against him.”
“You don’t have to worry about Razor.” Ryker met her gaze. “Trust me.”
She didn’t know what to believe. “You killed him.”
He smoothed his hands along her thigh. “How exactly did you get the stomach bug?”
“A patient threw up on me.” She glanced over at her father. “Did he kill him? Do you know anything?”
Her father scratched his chin. “He hasn’t been arrested. If I knew anything, he’d be in jail.”
“Really? I thought because you loved each other that you’d protect him.”
Ryker laughed.
“Love is a really strong word.” Her father folded his arms over his chest.
She smiled. “I think you’re at least getting used to one another.”
Neither man said anything further, and she clicked on the TV. They were restless, and she was loving it. There as no way she could have forced them to stay with her like this in real life. Being quarantined with them quite possibly was the best thing that could have ever happened to her.
Chapter Twelve
Ella didn’t want a long engagement. Ryker gave her the most beautiful diamond ring when she got out of the hospital, and it only made sense to get married soon. Thankfully, everyone understood. With the help of her mother and a few friends from work, they put together a fabulous outdoor wedding at her parent’s house. Ryker invited the club members and she invited those that she felt the closest to. The backyard was decorated in soft off-white roses. Beneath the arbor stood the officiate and Ryker—both making her smile as she rounded the corner with her father. The mood was intimate and perfect.
They exchanged their vows and Ryker kissed her in finality. Their friends cheered, and Ryker walked her down the aisle toward the house. When they made it out of everyone’s sight, he grabbed her, pulling her to him for a kiss.
“You look gorgeous.”
His declaration made her tingle. “They won’t miss us if we leave.”
Laughing, he pressed his forehead to her. “You and I both know that’s a lie. How the fuck did I get so lucky?”
“That’s a good question.” Ella looped her arms around his waist. “Did you ever think that when you were fifteen years old, that one day, we’d be here?”
He smiled before kissing her forehead. “No.”
“You’ve somehow managed to stay out of jail, and I’ve somehow managed to stay alive…” He chuckled at her comment. “We’ve been through a lot together. I don’t think there is anything we can’t overcome.”
He held her, and she liked it. The simplicity of that moment meant all the world to her. While he was rough around the edges, she saw the tender parts of his personality come out more and more. It was nice to simply stand there in his arms and revel in the fact that they were married. She needed him, and he was always there for her. It felt overwhelming sometimes that he loved her that much.
Smoothing his hand along her bare back, he pulled back slightly. “Let’s get this party over with so I can take you home.”
Afterward, they spent a nice evening eating and dancing. Ryker kept her close; even when she enjoyed a dance or two with her friends, he kept his attention on her like he couldn’t get enough. So many people doubted their relationship. He came from a different world than her.
She found her way back to their table and sat next to him, enjoying how he immediately pulled her closer. Her face hurt from smiling so much.
“When I get you home, I’m going to strip you bare and fuck you, wife.” His lips pressed against her ear as he spoke. “And you’re going to fucking love it.”
“I always love it.” She lifted his hand to her lap.
“You look gorgeous, Ella,” Ashley, a friend from medical school, declared. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you.” Ella stood to hug her. “Thank you for coming.”
“Yeah, well, I accepted a job at the hospital so let’s get lunch when you get back from your honeymoon. Catch up.”
“That sounds great.” Ella smiled at her.
Several guests came over to congratulate them and hug her. Ryker looked completely uncomfortable, but she didn’t expect any less. He wanted to get naked hours ago but instead had to wear a leather vest and denim. She could only imagine what punishments he had planned for her to pay her back for that.
“Well, beautiful, I think it’s time for us to go home,” Ryker said finally. He had his arm draped on the back of her chair as one of their guests left their table. She liked seeing the cursive “E” tattooed on his left ring finger. He had a wedding band for ceremonial purposes, but he’d taken it off almost as quickly as she put it on. The tattoo suited him better. It was a powerful feeling knowing that he was hers.
She linked their hands. “This day couldn’t have gone more perfect.”
“Wait until we get home.”
She smiled at him. They said their good-byes, and the guest blew bubbles at them as they got on the back of Ryker’s Harley. Ella wrapped her arms around him and held on as they rode away.
Leather filled her nostrils as she breathed him in. Nothing really felt different. She liked that he was hers officially. He still proclaimed she was the only woman he wanted, and she believed him. Ryker showed her that he loved her, which probably wasn’t easy for him to do.
He parked in his normal spot and killed the engine. Ella climbed off the bike and waited for him. Her ring caught the streetlight and glittered in the darkness. He said he didn’t get the biggest diamond in the store, but she didn’t believe him. He lifted her into his arms and kissed her before he carried her up the steps to their home. After unlocking the door, he carried her inside, closing it with a kick of his foot.
Ella’s shoes slipped off her feet as they walked down the hall to their bedroom. He sat her at the foot of the bed and smoothed
his hands along her neck as he leaned in to kiss her.
“I’m going to try to be patient so I don’t rip your dress, but it’s not going to be easy.”
She laughed. “If it didn’t mean so much, I’d let you rip it.”
He kissed her, taking his time. His tongue stroked along hers, intimately teasing her mouth until she panted for more. She loved the way he kissed her. Loved how much he desired her with his mouth alone.
He dragged his mouth from hers. “I want to tell you something before I change my mind.”
Ryker turned and grabbed the birth control packet she’d left on the dresser. Holding it up, he met her eyes. “If you were serious about wanting a baby, we can trash the pills right now.”
She gasped. “I thought you didn’t want kids.”
He shook his head. “It’s not about me anymore. I doubt I’d be good at parenting, but if this is something you want, I’m okay with it. One, anyway. The idea of three makes my stomach queasy and my head dizzy.”
She walked toward him. “You are an amazing man.”
“I don’t know about that.” He stared at her a moment, smoothing his finger along her cheek. “I want to make you happy. Above all else, you deserve to be happy.”
She looped her arms around his waist. “I am. I love you more than you could ever realize.”
“So is that a yes?”
Having a baby was a big step. Some parts about it scared her. If Ryker really didn’t want one, then she didn’t need to force him. He didn’t really even like kids.
“Are you going to take care of it? Feeding, changing diapers, reading books, playing, disciplining… There’s a lot that goes into being a parent.” She pursed her lips. “Giving up sex because our child is afraid of monsters and doesn’t want to sleep on their own is part of it.”
He was silent for a long time, obviously contemplating the picture she’d painted. It was on the tip of her tongue say that they could talk about it later. Nothing had to happen tonight, and big life decisions didn’t need to be made in a hurry. But he tossed her pills in the trash, distracting her from saying anything.