by Wilder, L.
“She had some work to finish up, but she’s heading over later.”
“Hey, Gunner,” Riley called out from the other table. “Glad you could make it.”
“A team of wild horses couldn’t have kept me away.”
“Might’ve if you’d been trying to ride one of them,” she said as a smirk crossed her face.
“You’re not going to let me live that one down, are ya?”
“Well,” she giggled, “I’m not the one who tried riding a horse to impress a girl when I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.”
Riggs leaned over to me as he snickered. “She’s got a point, brother.”
“It was that fucking horse. I would’ve been fine if I was riding one that wasn’t crazy.”
“Karma, brother,” Blaze poked. “That’s what you get for trying to make a move on Gigi when you knew she was Hunter’s girl.”
“Gigi wasn’t his girl … Well, at least not yet,” I replied, trying to justify my actions. “And besides, me trying to ride that horse had nothing to do with her.”
“Mm-hmm. Keep telling yourself that. We all know what’s what,” Murphy teased.
I was about to attempt to defend myself when Grady walked up with some guy I’d never seen before. He was a big dude with a black leather jacket and a menacing stare. Just by looking at him you could tell he wasn’t someone you’d fuck with, making me wonder what he was doing with a guy as easygoing as Grady. But then it all made sense. As they headed over to the table where Murphy and Riley were sitting, he said, “Hey, guys. For any of you who don’t know, this is my brother, Jasper.”
As soon as I heard his name, I remembered the stories about him. He wasn’t a biker, but he was a badass motherfucker just the same. When Riley’s father ran into some financial problems, he turned to Jasper for help. Her dad was desperate to save his farm, so he decided to try his hand at running guns. Jasper apparently had the contact her father needed to get his foot through the door, enabling him to delve into a new, substantially more dangerous line of work. When the money started rolling in, her father thought he had things under control, but he was wrong—very wrong.
A deal gone bad almost cost him Riley’s life, but by then, Murphy had fallen for her and there was no way in hell he was going to let any harm come to her. The club did what we could to help, and in the end, things played out in our favor. After we all greeted him, he and Grady sat down next to Riley.
“Hey, Jasper.” Riley smiled as she said, “It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it has.”
“Are you in town for long?” she asked.
“Yeah … Madison and I are actually in the process of moving back, but it’s going to take some time,” he replied.
“Madison?”
“It’s a long story,” Grady interjected, cutting Jasper off. “I’ll tell ya all about it later.”
“Okay.”
Murphy looked over to Grady as he said, “Wanted to thank you again for taking on Gabriella. I owe you one.”
“Not a problem.” He glanced over his shoulder and watched as Gabriella took an order from the table across the room. Something about the way he was looking at her made me think that he might be interested in her. I couldn’t blame him. She was a pretty girl, and from what little I’d talked to her, she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. But she had secrets, big ones, and if Grady wasn’t careful, they might bite him in the ass. Grady pointed in her direction as he said, “She seems to be fitting in just fine.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Grady lifted his empty beer then announced to all of us, “I think it’s time for another round.”
“Hell, yeah,” T-Bone cheered. “Make it two!”
“You got it.”
He motioned to one of the waitresses, signaling her to bring us more drinks. We spent the next hour or so drinking and talking amongst ourselves. I loved having the time to just cut loose and enjoy the company of my brothers, but I couldn’t stop wishing that August was there with me. When I glanced over at Gus, he wasn’t saying much. It was pretty clear he had something on his mind. I wondered if it had anything to do with Samantha, but knowing Gus was a man who shared only what he wanted, I knew better than to ask. I finished off my beer then turned to Riggs and Blaze. “I’m heading out.”
“It’s barely after ten, brother.”
“I know, but I’m leaving early in the morning to go see August and Harper.”
Blaze’s expression grew serious as he asked, “Is she the one?”
“Yeah. Without a doubt.”
“Then, what the hell are you doing?” Riggs grumbled. “You finally found her, and you just leave her? What the fuck is that?”
“I didn’t have a choice. She’s got a life there.”
“Of course, you had a choice. There’s always a choice,” Riggs argued. “You could’ve stayed there, helped her get things sorted, and bring her and the daughter back with you when she was ready.”
“He’s right. You don’t leave a woman like August behind.” Blaze shook his head. “She can have a life here, brother.”
“So, you’re saying I fucked up?”
“That’s exactly what he’s saying,” Gus chimed in, then turned and looked me in the eyes. “And I can’t say that I disagree.”
Well, damn. I knew in my gut they were right. I’d felt so torn, like I needed to be in two places at once, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I thought I was doing the right thing by coming back, but after talking with them, I realized how wrong I’d been. I looked at Gus and asked, “You gonna be good with me staying up there for a while?”
“You gonna bring my girls with you when you come back?”
“That’s the plan,” I answered.
He nodded. “Then, you have my blessing.”
“Thanks, Prez,” I said, then stood up to leave. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Determined like never before, I headed home, and after I packed a bag, I was on my way to Nashville. I was going to take my brothers’ advice and go get my girls. With each mile I drove closer to her, I could feel all the tension I’d been carrying with me this past week start to fade. That’s when I knew for sure that I was doing the right thing. I just prayed that August would feel the same way.
When I got to her house, it was just after four in the morning. I knew she’d be asleep, and I was worried that I might scare her if I just walked up and knocked on the door. I killed the engine and was trying to figure out what I should do when the carport light came on. I spotted a shadow in the window, so I decided to take a chance. I got out of the truck and headed towards the house. I’d just started up the steps when the front door flew open and revealed August standing there half-asleep in her nightgown. Damn, she looked absolutely stunning, making me wish I’d come even sooner.
“Cade!” She leapt forward and landed in my arms, hugging me as she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Couldn’t wait a minute longer to see my girl.”
“God, it’s so good to see you.” She pressed her lips to mine, kissing me passionately. Like every time I was close to her, my hands got a mind of their own and started drifting over her body, and it wasn’t long before I started to lose control. After several moments, she took a step back and released me from our embrace. “Come on in.”
I followed her inside, and after she’d locked the door, she led me into the living room. When I saw that the TV was on, and her pillow and blanket were on the sofa, I asked, “Were you sleeping in here?”
“Yes and no.” She looked down at her spot on the sofa and sighed. “I haven’t been sleeping much lately.”
“Why not?”
“It’s kind of a mix of things. Mainly the fact that my boss wasn’t pleased that it took me so long to come back after Harper’s kidnapping, so he fired me. Now, I have no job, and I have no idea what I’m going to do about it. Things like that.”
“You lost your job?” Knowing what her career meant to her, I asked,
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m telling you now.” She gave me one of her looks and said, “Besides, that’s only a small part of it. I’ve had all kinds of things on my mind.”
“Me too.”
“Really?” Her eyes narrowed as she asked, “What have you had on your mind?”
“You. Just you,” I said as I stepped towards her. “I can’t do this anymore, August.”
“Can’t do what?”
“Be away from you.” I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her close. “The minute I walked out that door, I was too far away from you.”
“Cade,” she whispered.
“I mean it, August. I want you to keep getting to me until the day I take my last breath.” Her eyes locked on mine. “I want to spend my life with you, marry you, and have a family with you, and I don’t want to wait to make that happen. Call me crazy, but I want it now.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy. In fact, I feel the same way.” A smile crossed her face as she asked, “So, what do you suggest we do about it?”
“I say we do what feels right.” I lowered my mouth to her neck and trailed kisses along the curve of her collarbone and whispered, “And the only thing that feels right is being together, so we find a way to do that.”
“Then, we’re doing this?”
“I know we have some things we’ve gotta work out, but yeah, baby, we’re definitely doing this.”
Her lips met mine, and what started off as a sweet, tender kiss, quickly became heated and full of need. Unable to wait another fucking second to have her, I lifted her into my arms and started down the hall. When we got to the bedroom, August looked up at me and smiled. “I really do love you, Cade.”
“And I love you.”
EPILOGUE
Gunner
Three Years Later
I was standing in my kitchen, leaning against the doorframe as I watched the utter chaos unravel before me. I never knew a kid’s birthday party could get so out of hand, but August wanted it to be perfect. After all, Tanner had just turned one and she wanted him to have the best birthday ever. From the looks of it, she’d pulled it off. Balloons and streamers were hanging from every corner, kids were laughing and screaming as they ran from room to room, and my brothers were hanging out in the living room. They were watching the football game on the big screen while their ol’ ladies were in the kitchen helping August finish getting lunch ready. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, especially Tanner. He was in his high chair, shoveling Cheerios into his mouth as he watched the kids race around the room. I’d just given him a few more when Blaze came up behind me and said, “He’s getting bigger by the minute.”
“Yeah. Don’t I know it.” I glanced down at Tanner, and even though I could see so much of myself in him, I still couldn’t believe he was mine. “In a blink of an eye, he’ll be walking, and then there’ll be no stopping him.”
Just about that time, August zipped by us, looking beautiful as ever. She was just a couple months pregnant and barely showing, but she’d already started thinking that it was a girl, even trying to come up with names. Like her father, she’d always had a great gut instinct, so I just went along with it, knowing I’d be happy with whatever we had. After she placed one of the trays of food on the table, she came over to me and smiled one of those smiles—the kind that told me she was about to ask me to do something for her. So fucking adorable. “Would you mind grabbing the ice out of the freezer and putting it in the cooler with the drinks?”
“Sure. Anything else you need?”
“No. That should do it.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss. “Thanks, babe.”
With that, she disappeared into the kitchen with the others. I looked over to Blaze as I asked, “You wanna give me a hand?”
“Sure.” As we headed out to the garage, Blaze said, “You’re gonna have your work cut out for you with having a third kid running around here.”
“Yeah, but I can’t wait.” I thought back to the past couple of years I’d spent with Harper. From the start, she’d stolen my heart. With her father locked up, I’d done what I could to be the father she no longer had, and I was pleased that she’d let me do that. The kid was pretty damn special, and I was lucky to have her in my life. Thinking I’d learned a thing or two from helping to raise her, I said, “Maybe August is right, and we’ll have ourselves a girl. Then, it’ll be a little easier.”
“Are you kidding me? Boys are much easier to contend with.” He grunted. “Just think about when they start dating and show up with a guy like one of us. Hell, I wouldn’t wish that on any father.”
“Especially in your case. Damn, I can just imagine what Kenadee’s father thought about you,” I teased.
“At least he isn’t the president of the club, and I’m not in constant worry of losing my balls,” Blaze poked.
“Oh, I’m not worried about that.” I pulled a couple of bags of ice out of the freezer and tossed them on the ground, breaking the chunks into smaller pieces. “I have every intention of making August happy for as long as possible and keeping my balls intact.”
“I’d say you’re doing a good job of that so far.” As we tossed the ice on top of the drinks, he continued, “August seems pretty damn happy to me.”
I was about to respond when Gus walked up behind us and said, “Yes, she does, and it’s a damn good thing too.”
“Hey, Prez.” Blaze pretended to look down at his watch as he told him, “Running a little late, aren’t ya?”
“Yeah, but for good reason.” He lifted the enormous box he was carrying in his hands. “I had to run by and grab the cake for August.”
“Great. You’re just in time.”
I opened the door for him and Blaze followed him inside. I was about to go in with them when I noticed Harper sitting on the front porch swing with my father. She was going on and on while my father hung on her every word. They were both clearly having a great time, neither of them caring that they were missing the party inside. It had been like that with them from the start. Harper had a way of talking to him, and he absolutely adored her. Knowing it wouldn’t be long before we ate, I called out to them, “Hey, you two! It’s time to come inside.”
“Why?” Harper fussed.
“’Cause we’re about to eat.”
I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was about to argue and was relieved when my dad took Harper’s hand and led her inside. I followed behind them and was surprised to see that all the food was on the table, and the guys were already making their plates. After they got something to eat, Dad and Harper went over and sat down at the table next to my mother and Samantha. Most of the guys took their plates to the living room to finish watching the game, but Gus and I hung back, watching Tanner as he dove into his apple sauce. Gus smiled as he said, “Hard to believe it’s already been a year.”
“I know. It seems like only yesterday when August was telling me that she was pregnant.”
“I’m glad she decided to stay home with the kids.”
“Me too.”
As much as August loved her new job, training to be a pharmaceutical assistant was tough, especially when you have a newborn at home. It took a little pushing from Gus and me, but she finally agreed to put work on hold and just enjoy being a mother—at least for a little while. When the line started to die down, Gus made himself a plate, then went over and sat down next to Samantha. I watched as he leaned over to her and whispered something in her ear, making her smile. It felt good to have them there—not just for Tanner, but August, too.
Once we finished eating, August brought out an enormous birthday cake with Mickey Mouse’s face painted in the center. When everyone had gotten a piece, she took a smaller version of the same cake over to Tanner and placed it on his tray. Mickey Mouse was his favorite character on TV, and his face lit up when he saw him plastered on the top. Unable to resist, he reached down and grabbed a handful before smashing into his face. In a matter of secon
ds, he was covered head to toe in icing. I took my eyes off of him just long enough to look over to August, and the expression on her face was priceless. With complete and utter adoration in her eyes, she watched as our son made a hell of a mess, and neither of us would’ve had it any other way. Laughing, I told everyone, “That’s my boy!”
“He sure is!” my mother teased as she picked up chunks of cake off the floor.
“Cade, take a picture for me,” Samantha asked as she handed me her phone. “Get one with August and Harper too.”
“You got it.”
After taking pictures, I helped August and the others get things cleaned up, and then she and I headed into the living room with my brothers and their ol’ ladies. Each of them were all nestled up, talking amongst themselves. August and I sat down on the end of the sofa and watched as Tanner and Harper played on the floor with some of his new birthday toys. August looked over to the rest of his gifts that I’d stacked in the corner and asked, “What are we going to do with all this stuff?”
“I have no idea, but I’m sure we’ll find a place for it.”
“I hope so. I can’t imagine what it’s gonna look like in here when we’ve got three kids to tend to.”
“We’ll manage, and if it gets too crowded, we’ll find a bigger place.”
“Really?”
“Whatever makes you happy, baby.”
A soft smile crossed her face as she said, “In case you didn’t know, you make me happy, Cade. You’re all I’ll ever need.”
“Well then, you’re set, ’cause I’m sure as hell not going anywhere.”
“Good to know.”
Harper got tired of playing with Tanner and went to go play with the other kids. The second she left the room, he started to cry. I was about to go get him when I noticed Gus walking towards him. My heart swelled as I watched him lift my son into his arms. Using a low, soothing tone, he started talking to him as he walked him around the room, and in a matter of seconds, Tanner stopped crying. Gus had a way of doing that to people. Hell, I could still remember the day I first met him at Danver’s Pub. I’d been feeling pretty down in the dumps when he came over and sat down next to me. After talking and having a few drinks, he had me feeling a little better about things. Gus had been on his way out the door when he invited me to take a bike ride with him. I’d told him I might, but he could tell I wasn’t really considering it. That’s when he’d said something to me that still stuck with me even after all these years—“We only regret the chances we didn’t take.” At the time, I didn’t get it. I thought they were just words, but now, thinking back on that moment, I understood exactly what he meant. That one chance opened the door to so many more, and with each one I took, I created the life I have now—a life filled with so much good that I couldn’t believe it was mine.