Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“What do you want?” he asked.
Rose frowned. “Want?”
“Do you want a girl or boy?”
“I don’t care. I’ll love her or him no matter what. What about you?”
“I’m the same. Don’t get me wrong, if it’s a boy I’ll teach him about bikes, and take him for his first leather jacket. Hardy Junior. If it’s a girl, I’ll buy a rifle, and start boy proofing our house.”
Rose burst out laughing. “Boy proofing?”
“I’m a guy. I know it won’t take much imagination trying to get to our girl. She’ll be a looker, too, if she takes after her mother.”
“You’re being a charmer.”
“I’m being honest, baby. You’re a beauty, and always have been.”
“So you want to be part of our bump’s adventure?”
“Yes. I’ll be at the appointments, the classes. You name it, and I’ll be there.”
Rose took a sip of her sparkling water, and smiled at him. “You’re shocking me with this change.”
Hardy frowned, glaring down at their hands. “I can sit here and tell you over and over again how much of an asshole I was. The truth is we both know how much of an asshole I am.” He shrugged. “I can’t change what I was, but I can change what I am. I want to be the man for you. I want to earn your love and trust.”
“I love you, Hardy. I never stopped loving you.”
“And you’d have been a hell of a lot better off if you did.”
“Wow, this is not exactly a thrilling conversation,” she said, tucking some hair behind her ear.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never stopped loving you, and being here with you right now, this is exactly where I want to be.”
“Even with the suit?”
“The smile on your face is worth it.”
Rose looked away. She wasn’t used to so many compliments.
“I was, erm, I was thinking of doing some studying online. College classes,” she said, drawing the conversation away from the uncomfortable elements.
“What classes?”
“I don’t know. I’ve not picked what I’d like to study. It has been so long.”
“And you dropped out of college after you married me.”
“For some reason marriage and studying didn’t exactly go hand in hand. It was hard, and we dealt with it.”
“I’d like you to go back to college. I can pay for it. Money isn’t an issue.”
Rose licked her lips. “How is money? I mean, we’ve not had to worry about money for some time or anything like that. I guess I was wondering how we’re going to deal with a baby, and a pregnancy, hospital bills, college. The bills will mount up.”
“You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Will The Skulls be doing some of their runs?” She wasn’t an idiot. Rose knew exactly what those runs were all about. They ran drugs or guns. She’d once gone into the garage the night before a run, and she’d seen what Hardy did. The risk he put himself in scared her.
“The Skulls are getting out of that shit. It doesn’t mean we’re not still worried about a possible backlash from other clubs. We are. There are more than enough MCs out there to do the runs.”
“Why?” Rose asked.
“Why what?”
“Why are you getting out of it? After all this time?”
“It’s time. If we don’t get out and push our energies elsewhere we’re all going to end up dead. We’re not just a biker club trying to make a big payday. We’re all a family looking out for each other. The last couple of years, we’ve had so much loss, and everything has been crazy. We’re looking to change shit, be better, be safer for everyone.”
“I like that. We need to be safer, and happier than ever before.” Rose pressed a hand to her stomach. “We’ve got a baby to think about.”
“That we have. Lash is looking at setting up some businesses within Fort Wills. We’ve already purchased the land for the gym. The next stage is building it up, and putting the work together. We’ve got enough capital. I promise, baby. The last couple of years I’ve taken care of us. We’re good with expenses and shit. I promise,” Hardy said, smiling.
The rest of the meal went by with them talking about everything and nothing. She loved every second of it, the meal, Hardy, and the fact he was in a suit.
By the end of the night, she didn’t want it to end. They were climbing out of the car, and walking toward the house, and she stopped, turning toward him. “I loved tonight.”
He cupped her cheek, sinking his fingers slowly into her hair. “Me, too.”
She ran her hands up and down his chest, pressing his jacket together. “I like this. Thank you for doing this for me.”
Hardy pulled her in, pressing his lips to hers. She melted against him, opening her lips, and plunging her tongue into his mouth at the same time that he did with her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held onto him tightly, not wanting to let him go.