Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Old me never would have been able to put my foot down and refuse a visit from her. This new one, with a thriving support system, a budding career, and a growing sense of self-worth, she decided to protect her peace by setting and reinforcing boundaries.
“She starts shit, I can handle her,” Rynn offered with a wicked little smirk. She was dressed in the darkest option, the deep, almost black shade of red. It looked amazing against her pale skin and dark hair.
“Or, you know, someone more calm and rational can handle her,” Sass said, smirking.
“Alaric made sure she was seated at the table with Teddy,” Lark reminded us. “Your mom will be happy to spend the night talking to him, trying to make connections.”
That was fair.
I didn’t love to admit it about my own mother, but she could be opportunistic. And meeting someone as insanely wealthy and well-connected as Teddy, a friend of the club, would make her think of all the ways she could exploit this new connection.
And Teddy was gracious enough to be willing to take one for the team in the name of keeping the peace for the wedding.
“You ready?” Eddie asked, knocking on the door. “Got someone out here eager to walk you down the aisle.”
I had no father to speak of.
But it had been Kylo who offered to give me away.
And, in a way, it sort of made perfect sense. Since if it wasn’t for Kylo getting himself wrapped up with shady people and shot, I might never have actually met Alaric in the first place.
Eddie was part of the bridal party as well. It was a surprisingly large affair.
And I felt tears prick my eyes at realizing how much had changed since I’d fallen in love with Alaric.
How much family I got because of him as well.
It was overwhelming anytime I thought about it.
The girls moved out first, taking the arms of their escorts, and starting to make their way to the hall.
Leaving me to move out to see Kylo standing there, looking handsome in a suit, but with a bit of an edge, thanks to all of his tattoos and piercings.
“Darlin’,” he said with a deep exhale. “That’s a lucky man you got waiting for you,” he said, shaking his head at me before offering me his arm.
The second we moved into the doorway, and the music started to play, and my gaze found Alaric, like magic, the nerves just… evaporated.
Because nothing had ever felt as right as agreeing to spend the rest of my life with that man.
Someone who challenged me, yet brought me security, someone who motivated me, but offered a supportive shoulder or strong arms when I needed to hide away.
The most peace I’d ever found in my entire anxious life was when I was near him.
I wanted a lifetime of that.
And that was exactly what I was walking down the aisle to promise him.
Alaric - 3 years
“Okay, I changed my mind,” Siana said, still wearing her hospital band on her wrist as she snapped about fifty-thousand pictures of our baby as he slept peacefully in his bassinet beside our bed.
“About what?” I asked, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close.
“About having a reasonable number of children,” she said, shooting me a heavy-lidded smile. “I think we need an absolutely unreasonable number of these,” she said, reaching down to stroke a finger down his doughy cheek.
He was a plump fucking baby. It was almost hard to believe he’d been inside of his tiny little mother.
We’d done a lot of talking when we’d decided we were ready to expand our family. About how many. About if we would stay and expand, or buy a new house.
For the former, we decided that a reasonable number of kids was two or three. And that we loved our home too much to ever leave, but we could see adding a second floor for more living space.
Sure, I had some issues with my own upbringing. But most of that came from an absent father and a mother too busy looking for a partner to take care of her kids, from debilitating poverty, and the feeling of hopelessness.
It was never about my siblings.
It was about too few resources spread way too thin between us.
Siana and my children’s lives would never be like that. We had enough to support however many children we decided to have. We had both of us and our dedication to them, but also a massive extended family to rely on for support.
I felt there was a reason so many of the club brothers and their wives had so many kids was because they all had the support of the “village.”
“What do you think?” Siana asked.
“I think we should maybe get through our first week before we make any decisions,” I said, pressing a kiss to her temple.