Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
I worked still, but never offered to do overtime anymore. Sebastian was promoted from captain to Battalion Chief after his role in the arsonist case was uncovered.
Devon McRae was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his temple the day after he’d attacked Kettle and Sebastian.
Kettle had changed after that day.
He’d mentioned to me once how he’d felt that he’d failed that day, and had been trying to make up for it ever since.
He was all about the club and work, never taking any time for himself.
“I can’t find my pants!” Johnny yelled from his bedroom.
I diverted from my path and made a pit stop in Johnny’s room to find him pants before I went to Blaise’s room to get her dressed.
The outfit I chose was a Harley Davidson onesie and a pair of tight skinny jeans that made her butt look enormous.
Then I started hunting for the boots that Sebastian insisted on buying her in every single size available.
No cute shoes for his girl. No, she had to wear baby motorcycle boots everywhere she went, or Sebastian would just take them off.
His girl wasn’t what you would call ‘girly’ by any means.
“You need any help?” Sebastian asked from the doorway.
I looked up to find Sebastian staring at my ass that was in the air, as I looked under the bed for Blaise’s boots. “Know where her boots are?” I asked.
His eyes moved reluctantly from my swaying ass to my face and smiled. “Sure do.”
“Think they’re upstairs,” he hedged.
I sighed, took Blaise to her playpen, and then headed upstairs to find the elusive shoes.
I should’ve known better than to fall for it, but I did, every single time.
“Sebastian, I don’t-eek!” I squeaked as Sebastian’s strong arms went around my hips and threw me bodily on the bed.
I bounced, laughing breathlessly as he followed me down, pinning my front to the mattress.
“What are you doing?” I asked breathlessly.
“Your t-shirt is wet and I can see your nipples. And those jeans hug your ass so well that it takes my breath away.” He said, pulling said jeans down until they were around my knees.
“The kids.” I tried.
“Sterling’s here. We can spare twenty minutes.” He said convincingly.
And convince me he did.
***
Sebastian
“What do you think of it?” I asked my father.
The ‘it’ in question was the Arkansas chapter’s new clubhouse.
Earlier that year, a tornado had come through and ripped the old clubhouse to shreds.
The club had gathered around and rebuilt it within weeks, and from there, we helped the community by rebuilding the surrounding buildings and town.
“Looks good. Everyone did a good job.” My father replied. “What’s that girl of yours doing?”
I squinted to see across the smoke from the fire to my wife sitting at the outdoor bar. “Looks like she’s arm wrestling Trance.”
My father’s head moved from something to the left of my wife. “Yeah, that’s not the girl I was talking about.”
My eyes moved around the room until they settled on my daughter. The light of my life. My little Blaise.
Who was currently chewing a corn on the cob, sitting comfortably in Kettle’s arms. “She’s teething.” I shrugged.
“Somebody’s going to have to slap some sense into that boy.” He said.
I agreed. He’d not actually said it, but he blamed himself for me being hurt. Ever since, he’d been distant.
He hadn’t acted like himself since then.
He needed something, but I sure didn’t know what.
“Let me know if you think of something.” I said before heading into the direction of my wife.
The day that I nearly lost Baylee changed my life also.
I saw things differently now.
I lived life a little bit harder, and I loved a whole lot deeper.
I knew what it felt like to nearly lose two of the most important beings in my life, and I lived life like it was meant to be. By giving all I had to give.
I took the time to jump on the trampoline with my son. I held my daughter for a little bit longer than I probably should. And I made love to my wife like it would be our last time.
I savored. I experienced. I repeated.
Why?
Because tomorrow it could all be gone, and I had to live like today was my last.
“You’re thinking deep thoughts.” Baylee whispered into my ear as she turned my hat backwards, and then wrapped her arms around my neck.
My hands went low, until they cupped her ass. Then I leaned down and kissed her. “Nothing too deep. Yet. Just thinking about a place to sneak off to for a few minutes with my wife.”
Baylee smiled seductively, and her eyes became hooded. “I saw a nice little bathroom inside somewhere. Maybe we should go check it out.”
Some people might say that I wasn’t a lucky man having experienced all that I had over the last couple of years, but I saw things differently.
She squealed as I wrapped her legs around my hips and started walking purposefully.
I had the perfect wife. Two healthy children. A job that I loved. The best family that anyone could ever ask for in the Dixie Wardens. And I was living to tell about it.
What more could a man ask for?
“Did you know, Sebastian?” Baylee asked as I carried her to into the bathroom and slammed the door.
“What?” I asked, pinning her against the wall.
My lips skimmed up her jaw and came to a rest against her mouth.
“That you’re the lights to my siren.”
And that was why I was a lucky son of a bitch.
***
Kettle
I watched as my best friend walked away with his wife.
Looking down at the baby in my arms, I realized what I was missing.
Life was passing me by.
If I wasn’t careful, I’d be dead before I ever really lived.
I’d tried it before and lost.
Could I try it again?
Then I laughed harshly. What would it matter?
There was no light at the end of my tunnel.
That ship had sailed a long time ago.