Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
I type a long, drawn-out text, giving him the scoop about my mother and how hurt I am. On and on I go until I stop and reread it. He’s going to think I’m crazy. I delete the text and rewrite it. “Yeah, she offered for me to move back home.”
I hit send and watch the phone closely.
All my insecurities with Gray come back to the surface. He now has an out, and I’m hoping that he doesn’t take it.
Chapter 15
Gray
“Fuck!” I read the text from Ellie again and scream a little louder. “Fuck!”
Reaper comes out the door of the clubhouse. “What the fuck, man? You all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I start to pace, squeezing the phone in my hand. “Fuck, no I’m not all right.”
“What’s up? What’s got your panties in a wad?”
I kick a rock across the parking lot. “I’m pretty sure my wife is about to leave me.”
Reaper moves to stand in front of me. “Quit the fucking pacing, you’re making me dizzy. Now tell me why you think that.”
I hold my hand up to show him the text. He reads it out loud. “She offered for me to move back home.” He scratches his head as if the whole concept is confusing. “Who’s she?”
“Her mom. I mean her mom and dad kicked her out, but I guess now they’re willing to let her move back home.”
Reaper shrugs his shoulders. “She’s not going anywhere.”
My eyes jerk to his. I don’t know why, but his words give me hope. “How do you know? She can decide she doesn’t like it here... doesn’t like me, and she wants to go home.”
Reaper rolls his eyes. “Like I said, she’s not going anywhere. I’ve seen it... hell, we’ve all seen it. The way that girl looks at you... She loves you. She’s not going anywhere.”
I let out a breath, praying what he’s saying is true. I’m about to thank him for calming me down when he says, “Unless—” He drags the word out.
I swear my heart stops beating for a whole three seconds. “Unless what?”
He looks me square in the eye. “Unless she thinks you don’t love her, then she might go. Does she know how you feel about her?”
“I married her, didn’t I?”
Reaper bends down and picks up a rock, rolling it between his fingers. “Well, you told me the story. You married her right after your buddy’s funeral, and you gave her reasons that had nothing to do with love.”
I’m staring at him, speechless because everything he is saying is true. I know how I feel about Ellie, but maybe she doesn’t know. Her experience with men hasn’t been good. Does she think I was in this for just a good time or something?
“Fuck, I’ve got to go.”
I jump onto my bike and take off toward town. The drive seems to take longer than ever, but when I finally get to the apartment, I barely get parked and I’m jumping off the bike.
I run to the apartment and use my key to open the door. “Ellie!” I call when I walk in.
“Gray? I’m back here in the bedroom.”
I all but run down the hall and stop at the entrance to the bedroom door. She’s fully clothed lying down on the bed on top of the covers. She looks beautiful except for the fact that she’s white as a ghost. “What’s wrong?”
“I was feeling nauseous, so I lay down for a minute. I swear you have to think I’m the laziest person on the planet.”
I go to the bathroom and put a washcloth under the cool water. I bring it back to her and lay it across her forehead.
She moans. “Awwww, how do you always know what I need?”
I sit down on the bed next to her. “Do you want some tea or some crackers?”
She shakes her head side to side. “Not right now. I think I’ll be okay.”
I push a piece of hair off her face. “And I don’t think you’re lazy. You’re growing our baby, Ellie.”
Her eyes flash to mine. “Our baby?”
I nod. “Yeah, honey. Our baby.” I put my hand over her stomach. “I know he’s not my blood, but that doesn’t matter. This baby is mine.”
She blinks, and I wipe a tear from her cheek. “Don’t cry.”
She leans up a little. Her color is returning to normal, and she reaches for my arm. “Our baby would be lucky to have you for a dad, Gray, but I have to ask you... is it because of....”
Before she can get the words out, I tell her the truth, the one thing I should have already said to her. “It’s because I love you, Ellie. I love you more than I ever thought possible. I want to be a dad to this little one. I promise to love him as my own. I don’t want either of you to ever doubt my love.”