Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Or… Maybe she shouldn’t make assumptions before he explained. “I don’t understand why you’re handing me this. Was this something I should’ve been worried about?”
He pressed his lips together for a few seconds. Once he had his apparent amusement under control, he answered, “No. I saw your birth control.”
She shook her head in confusion. “I’m sure you did since I don’t hide it.”
“I figured if I got tested, we could forego condoms. Once you get tested, too, I mean. If you’re willing to get tested. I don’t want anything between us, Sloane, but it’s totally up to you to decide when that happens. I wanted to do my part to show you just how serious I am about it.” He shook his head. “How serious I am about us.”
Her eyebrows pinched together. “How long have you had this?”
“A couple of weeks.”
She glanced at the date of the lab results. Holy shit. So, he knew a couple of weeks ago that he didn’t want what they had together to end?
She couldn’t hold it against him for wanting to be cautious. Not about making sure he didn’t have any STDs, but about their relationship because she hadn’t shared her feelings with him, either.
Like two responsible and somewhat smart adults, both had wanted to be sure first. Especially with him having a child in his life whom he wanted to protect.
“I’ll go to the clinic tomorrow. Even though I hadn’t had sex with anyone in a long time.” The last was purposely mumbled and rushed.
Of course, he caught it. “Sorry, what?”
“You heard me and don’t you dare gloat.”
He raised both palms to appease her. “I would never gloat,” he declared while he clearly gloated. He didn’t even bother to hide it.
She rolled her eyes.
He grabbed her hand and lifted it to his lips, brushing them across her knuckles, then interlocked their fingers together and held their clasped hands over his heart. The heartbeat beneath her fingers was strong and steady. Just like him.
In that moment, she realized that heart now belonged to her.
Hers now belonged to him, too.
And just like that, it was official. They were an actual couple in a serious relationship. With a ready-made family.
“One more thing before I leave you to finish up your work…”
What else needed to be said?
He already set the path for their bright future.
“I want to promise you, whatever you decide with Sadie, I’ll support you in that decision. If you want us to stop looking, we will. But if you want me to search the far corners of this Earth for her, I’ll do it for you.”
This man.
His dedication was one reason why she fell in love with him.
Though, it was only one out of many.
And she was damn sure many more would be added to that list in the years to come to make her fall even deeper.
One thing was for certain, she couldn’t wait to walk that path hand-in-hand with him.
With Val and their future children by their side.
Epilogue
“You’re the real Finn, huh?” Sloane asked.
“The real one? Both are ginger pussies,” Rez said with a snicker as he joined them.
Decker pressed his lips together so he wouldn’t bust out laughing.
“I’m the OG,” the redheaded Blue Avenger answered with an arm flung over Mel’s shoulders.
That answer got Finn’s woman to roll her blue eyes. “Scratch his ass and he might purr.”
With a giggle that made Decker smile, Sloane said, “I’m glad to finally meet you both.”
The swelling in her face was long gone and any bruises that remained were barely visible. She was almost back to where she was prior to her unfortunate meeting with that fucking Demon prospect.
“I need to thank you both for taking Val that night,” Sloane continued. “You all are true family.”
Decker squeezed her waist and she directed that heart-stopping smile up at him.
“She’s a treat,” Mel said. “We’ll take her anytime you need us to. Minx and Jinx loved her.”
“Minx and Jinx?” Sloane asked.
“Her Dobermans,” Decker answered.
“You two should consider getting a puppy,” Finn suggested. “Val had a blast with our Dobermans.”
Decker grimaced. “Don’t say that too fucking loud, Pippi. I don’t need her bugging us for a puppy. Unlike you are for Mel, Finn’s more than enough for us.”
Suddenly the volume of the Christmas music dropped and Jamison, the BAMC president, raised his voice. “How about the kids open their Secret Santa gifts before we grub out on this impressive feast and we’ll do the adults later?”
A murmur rose from the adults around the common area, because none of them really cared about Secret Santa, if anyone was being honest.
However, most of the kids in attendance at their annual club Christmas party jumped out of their seats and yelled in agreement with that plan. Some of the younger ones, like Val, even jumped up and down while squealing.
The older kids, like Jamison’s, Crew’s and Cross’s, were hanging out on the couches in a wild and dangerous pack made up of teens and preteens. They were either chatting, goofing around by busting on each other, or had their noses stuck in their phones. Or all of the above. None blinked an eye at Jamison’s announcement.