“Where are we going?” I asked as he took my hand and tugged me out the back sliders and towards the outbuildings.
We arrived at the shed and I frowned. “What are we doing here, Sundance?”
I knew what this building was used for, outside of mechanic work, so my stomach started to churn. Sundance released my hand and slid his arm over Teddy’s shoulders. “Come with me, buddy.”
“What’s going on?” I asked, trying not to panic, particularly when we walked in and the entire club stood shoulder-to-shoulder facing us.
“Sundance,” I warned.
“Teddy, I have an important question to ask you.”
“Okay, Sunny,” he said.
“We find ourselves a man down, so we were wonderin’ how you’d feel about prospectin’ for the Howlers’.”
I groaned, but Sundance smiled over his shoulder at me and it was my cue to trust him. At least until we were in private.
“Okay, Sunny,” Teddy said.
“We’ve got your cut here, with your name patch.”
Orion stepped forward, a cut in his hand, with ‘SHOTGUN’ on the name patch and a prospect rocker across the back.
“Who is Shot…gun?” Teddy stuttered out and I was a bit taken aback by the fact he was able to read it. He could read a little, but his level was very rudimentary at best, so I was really impressed he’d managed this.
“It’s you, buddy,” Sundance said.
“Shotgun!” Teddy said excitedly.
“Exactly. So, if you prospect with us, you’ll need to be here a lot more and you’ll need to do what I tell you to do. You’re gonna have to help around the club and shops and help clean the cabin. You wanna do that?”
Teddy nodded and Orion helped him with his cut. “Look, Riot, I’m a Howler.”
“I see that, Teddy Bear.”
“Now, if you’re gonna be part of the club, you need a bike.”
“Sun—”
“Baby, he needs a bike.”
“Bike!” Teddy shouted.
Sundance slapped Teddy’s shoulder and then settled his arm around him again, guiding him outside.
“Now, Wrath has been restoring Gerty, and he’s added somethin’ just for you.”
We stepped outside and I let out a quiet squeak. “What…?”
“Sidecar,” Orion explained.
“Oh, my god,” I whispered. “Seriously?”
Sundance grinned, giving my hand a squeeze. “Ori and I have been workin’ on it for a couple of weeks. We added a harness strap, so if he wants to put his hands up, he can. Ratchet painted it.”
The sidecar was gun metal gray with ‘Shotgun’ painted across the side with flames shooting out of the letters.
“So, this is your bike, buddy, but you can’t ride it alone, that’s the deal,” Sundance said. “If you want to go for a ride, you let one of the officers know and either one of us or someone we assign’ll take you out, got it?”
“Okay, Sunny. Look, Riot, it’s my bike,” Teddy said, excitedly. “I’m a Howler.” He let out a wolf howl and I settled my hand over my heart.
“I see that, honey,” I said, blinking back tears as the men gathered around Teddy and showered attention on him.
Sundance made his way over to me and smiled. “I’ve got a cut for you as well.”
“You do?”
He nodded and handed it to me. The name patch read ‘Dimples,’ and there was another one on the back that said, ‘Property of Sundance.’
“Oh my god.”
Sundance leaned down to kiss me gently. “You gonna put that on?”
“No way in hell,” I whispered, and he laughed.
“Let’s just see if it fits.”
I narrowed my eyes at him as his biker brethren watched on in interest.
I handed him my purse and slid the vest on, which made the men hoot and holler with celebration.
“It looks great,” Sundance said, kissing me again.
“You’re a bitch now!” Teddy yelled, and I groaned.
The men laughed, slapping Teddy on the back.
“I’ll wear it here. On special club occasions. Maybe,” I said.
“I’m good with that,” Sundance said.
“We need to figure out Teddy being here more often, though, honey. He’ll need a special room—”
“Got that sorted.”
“You do?”
He nodded and turned to the group. “Teddy, you wanna see your room?”
“Yeah!” he said.
“Come on.”
Sundance handed me my purse, took my hand, then led us back inside and upstairs. Unlocking and pushing open the door next to his, he stepped aside so Teddy and I could walk in first. The room was set up exactly like Teddy’s room at Meteor house, complete with cameras on the outside of his door and just inside it.
“There are sensors so that we’ll know when he comes and goes,” Sundance said as Teddy explored. “There’s also an adjoining door through the closet, in case there’s an emergency and we need to get to him quickly.”
I faced him, gripping his cut and leaning up on my tiptoes to kiss him. “I love you.”
He grinned, kissing me back. “Love you too, baby.”
“How do you feel about putting some of your clothes here?” I asked Teddy.
“Yeah! Can I stay now?”
“How about we plan for tomorrow night?” Sundance suggested. “That way your sister can pack a few things for you.”
“Okay, Sunny. Can I play pinball?”
“In a minute. I have another question for you, and it’s really important.”
“Okay, Sunny,” he said, focusing on him.
“I love your sister, and I wanna know if you’d give me your blessing to marry her.”
“Oh my god,” I breathed out, blinking back tears.
“So, you’d be my brother?” Teddy asked.
“Yeah, buddy, we’d be brothers.”
“Yeah!” he said.
“Okay, then we’re gonna get married. How do you feel about Wyatt having a baby?”
Teddy glanced at my belly, then met my eyes. “Baby?”
“I’m having a baby, Teddy Bear.”
He frowned. “But what…?”
“What, honey?”
“Will you love me still?”
I slid around Sundance and went to my brother, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Oh my god, Teddy Bear, I could never stop loving you. You’re my favorite.”
“Will you stop visiting?”
“No, buddy, we’re gonna make it so you live with us full-time.”
This came from Sundance, and I gave him a warning frown, which he ignored. There was so much involved with getting Teddy moved from Meteor House into a regular home, including safeguards, nursing staff, tutors, and a home that will accommodate him.
“You are?” Teddy asked.
“Yeah, buddy, we are. It’s gonna take a little time, but that’s the plan,” Sundance said.
“Yeah!” Teddy bellowed, releasing me. “Can I go play pinball now?”
“Yeah, honey,” I said. “Go for it.”
Teddy left us and I crossed my arms and stared at Sundance. “We were supposed to talk about how to proceed.”
“You were takin’ too long, baby, so I made an executive decision.”
“I’m too tired to argue with you,” I ground out. “But you’re gonna spend a shit ton on a dress and a party, along with a very tasteful, but gigantic diamond for my hand.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. And if you’re not sleepin’, you need to take some time off work.”
“Honey, pregnant women go to work all the time. If I take time off whenever I’m tired, my company will fail.”
“Talk to Ripley and figure it out.”
“I will, Sunny. I just have to figure out how to tell her I’m pregnant first.”
“Jesus, you haven’t told her yet?”
“Don’t start,” I warned. “She and Calvin a
re going to freak.”
“You underestimate your friends, Wyatt.”
I sighed. “Maybe so. I’ll do it on Monday.”
“I’m gonna come take you to lunch and I’ll expect it done by the time I get there,” he said. “I’ll have the rock in hand for your approval.”
I chuckled. “You’re a pain in the butt.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“I love you, though.” I gripped his cut. “More than you could ever know.”
“Love you too, baby. Thanks for doin’ this with me.”
He kissed me and we went to find Teddy.
* * *
Monday morning, I walked into work, exhausted but with a full schedule to look forward to, including telling my two best friends I was pregnant.
“Morning, Wyatt,” Calvin said, meeting me in the lobby, and handing me my messages. I still liked paper messages and he gave me copious amounts of shit about it, but I was a tactile person and liked to be able to keep a record.
“Hey, Calvino.”
“You’re in a good mood.”
“When am I not in a good mood?”
“I love my job, so I’m not going to answer that,” he sassed.
“Smart man.”
“Your first appointment is running late, so you have a half-hour reprieve, but that puts you behind,” he said, walking with me to my office.
“That’s okay.” We stepped into my office and I flipped on the lights before setting my purse on my desk. “I need to talk to you and Ripley anyway.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yep. This’ll be quick.”
“I’ll grab her.” Calvin left, and I fired up my computer and dropped my purse in my drawer while I waited.
Ripley and Calvin walked back in and closed the door, sitting in the chairs across from me. “Got you a coffee,” Ripley said, sliding it across my desk. “What’s up?”
“Thanks,” I said, sipping it and feeling the overwhelming need to vomit.
“Are you okay?” Calvin asked.
I nodded, setting the coffee on my desk and taking a couple of deep breaths.
“You don’t look okay,” Ripley said.
“Wyatt?” Calvin pressed, and I promptly puked into my trash can. Thank god it was lined.
“Oh my god!” Ripley cooed, then began to gag. “Sorry. When someone pukes, I kind of have to as well.”
“Out!” I ordered, continuing to lose my breakfast into my garbage can.
They both scurried out of my office, but Calvin returned a few minutes later with a box of garbage bags, a Sprite and saltines, and a brand-new garbage can.
I noticed he’d donned a pair of rubber gloves that were two sizes too big for his hands and I tried not to laugh because the man sweetly covered the soiled can with a garbage bag, then double bagged it and took it away.
“I love you!” I called and opened the Sprite, sipping it and letting out a sigh of relief as it calmed my stomach.
Calvin came back in, sans rubber gloves, and set a liner in the new garbage can and I smiled up at him. “You’re getting a raise.”
He grinned. “Of course I am. You couldn’t live without me.”
“It’s so, so true.”
“Want me to get Ripley?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
He nodded and he retrieved my second in command and they sat in their same chairs again.
“So…,” I started. “I’m pregnant.”
“Holy shit,” Ripley said, at the same time Calvin said, “Wow.”
“Is it Thorne Graves’s?” Ripley asked.
“Yes. We’re actually engaged,” I said.
Calvin let out a squeal, jumping up and circumventing my desk, pulling me in for a hug. “Oh my god, I love babies! Congratulations.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
“Can you give us a few, Calvin,” Ripley asked, and Calvin nodded, leaving the room.
“Rip—”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Honey, I just found out a few days ago. I have kind of been processing all of it.”
“Last I heard, you dumped Thorne.”
“Yeah, well, he’s worked hard to apologize, and I love him, so…” I sighed. “I’ve been processing all of that as well.”
I studied her, not entirely sure what to say. She was as close to a best friend as I’d ever had, but I still felt it hard to share intimate details with her. With anyone, really.
Except Sundance, maybe.
“Oh. My. God. I knew it,” she breathed out, her face breaking out into a shit-eating grin as she jumped up from her chair and started to dance around my office. “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!”
I blinked up at her as she rushed me, pulling me up from my chair and wrapping her arms around me. “You finally got you some, sweetcheeks, and there isn’t anyone who deserves happy more than you.”
“I totally thought this was gonna go another way,” I admitted, hugging her back.
“I just want you to be happy and safe. You’ve got the happy and I made sure about the safe, so it’s all good.”
“You didn’t call Isla off, did you?”
“No way in hell,” she admitted. “But now all my fears have been put to rest.”
I blinked back tears. “Thanks for always being my champion, Rip. I don’t say it enough.”
“Got your back, honey, don’t ever forget it.” She grinned, hugging me again. “Now, go clean yourself up. I’ll get the meeting started.”
“Thanks,” I said, and she left me alone. I spent a few minutes getting my stomach under control before brushing my teeth and joining Ripley in the conference room, where we closed another client, and then spent the next three hours strategizing exactly how we were going to help them.
But then my man arrived, and I realized I’d forgotten all about lunch. He walked into my office looking delicious in dark jeans and a tight, long-sleeved Henley that I wanted to peel off his body.
I kissed him quickly before grabbing the file on my desk and handing it to Calvin. “Take this to Jenny, please.”
“No problem,” Calvin said, eyeing Sundance and I chuckled.
“Today would be great, Calvino.”
“Right,” he said, and walked away.
I sat behind my desk and opened my laptop. “I’m so sorry, honey, I’m slammed.”
“You need to eat, babe.”
“I haven’t kept anything down since breakfast, so I think it’s better I don’t risk it.”
He frowned, crossing his arms. “You’re pukin’?”
“It’s called morning sickness, Thorne,” I said distractedly, staring at my screen. “And it doesn’t disappoint.”
“Need you to look at me, Wyatt.”
I glanced up at him. “Honey, I literally have eight hours of work I have to fit into three if I’m going to get out of here on time today.”
“Not playin’ this game, Dimples. You’re gonna eat on time, you’re gonna get somethin’ for the nausea from the doctor, and you’re gonna start backin’ your hours off.”
“I have a company—”
“That can lose you for a few hours a day,” he growled. “You can also work from home.”
I rose to my feet and closed my door before facing him. “I seriously want to stomp my foot and point out that this is my company and I don’t appreciate you making demands of me that have nothing to do with you.”
“But…”
“But, I’m exhausted and the meeting this morning nearly did me in, so I know you’re right. I have a great team, one I hand-picked for a reason, so it’s time I utilized them more.”
He let out a sigh and slid his hand to my neck. “I’m taking you home.”
“Monday,” I countered, gripping his cut. “I’ll talk to Ripley and hand things off to her this week, but it’s going to take a few days, so I’ll start working part time from home on Monday.”
“Until then, I’m taking you to and from work, I
’ll bring you lunch, and I’ll pick up whatever your doctor recommends for the pukin’,” Sundance said. “I want you to call her now and find out. I’m gonna go get you food. If your doc gives you the name of those meds while I’m out, text me.”
“Okay, honey.”
“Call her now,” he demanded.
“I have—”
“Now, Wyatt,” he pressed, and I nodded, grabbing my cell phone and calling her medical assistant, who happened to answer the phone with a promise to call me back before the end of the day.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” Sundance promised.
“Hey,” I said, tugging on his cut and pulling him back to me. “Thanks for being bossy.”
He grinned. “I love you, Dimples. You’ve looked after everyone most of your life. It’s time you get used to someone lookin’ out for you, got it?”
I smiled. “I’m getting there.”
“Get there faster.”
I chuckled. “Yes, sir.”
He kissed me, leaving me to take care of everything, and I sent up a quiet prayer of thanks for the life I hadn’t expected and the man who’d made it all happen.
Wyatt
Eighteen months later…
I SETTLED OUR one-year-old baby girl in her crib, and she smiled up at me. Reagan Morgan Graves was the spitting image of her daddy, but she had my eyes and those eyes crinkled at the corners whenever she laughed. Which was often.
“I’m here,” Sundance whispered as he rushed into the room. “Is she asleep?”
“Nope,” I said, and stepped aside. “I just put her down.”
It was Wednesday, which meant church, so Sundance had walked the quarter mile from the cabin, and it had apparently ended early. It was unusually warm, but snow was coming, so he’d have to drive going forward.
We were currently living in the home we’d built on the compound land and it was more than I could have imagined… or dreamed of. Four bedrooms, plus a den, five bathrooms, along with a full basement that had a bedroom, bathroom, and access for Teddy who was finally living with us full-time. Our great room had a floor to ceiling stone fireplace with large windows on each side so we could watch the snow, and our kitchen was bigger than anything I’d ever cooked in before. To say it was my dream house was an understatement.
Primal Need (Primal Howlers MC Book 2) Page 18