I sit here watching Charity sleep. She looks so peaceful in her sleep and you would never believe she had a trouble in the world. This little scare of her passing out took ten years off my life and my fiancée is going to start paying more attention to her health and the health of our unborn child. I know Faith is the only family that Charity has left, and she worries about her, but it is time both Connor girls learn to stay put. I don’t know how but I have fallen so deeply in love with Charity and our child that if anything happened to either of them then I would be destroyed. Loving Charity means loving Faith just like loving me means loving my family and that is something that both Charity and I agree on. I want to lock all my loved ones in a room until this chaotic war going on is settled. We can’t lose any more family.

I know that Charity and my relationship started out through necessity. We needed each other’s help and we had one night together and after that Charity has owned my heart even though I fought it and even if I wasn’t aware of it. Charity said it was the same with her, but she functioned and kept her sister safe while it was all I could do to face another day without her in my arms. If it makes me sound like a lovesick sap, then that is exactly what I was and still am. I’m man enough to admit it. Then when I walked in that room last night and she was passed out, I couldn’t breathe. I got it together and got Charity to the hospital but until her eyes were back open, and the doctor said that our child had a strong heart-beat, I couldn’t take a deep breath. Then the doctor said they were both doing alright, and that Charity was just dehydrated. They gave her an IV to hydrate her and they kept her overnight for observation and then my heart rate went back to normal and I can breathe with ease. I am getting my ring on this woman before the week is over, so Rebel better bring Faith home with him. Charity has been napping since lunch and they should release her before dinner time. They wanted her here twenty-four hours. When she is awake all she does is worry about Faith, so her sleeping is a good thing. She needs her rest.

Mom and dad have gone home to make dinner for us and make sure there is nothing that needs to be cleaned in our house. Charity keeps our home immaculate, but if it gives mom something to do then I told her to go for it. I don’t want Charity overexerting herself cleaning and Charity just fusses at me for being overbearing. She’s ordered me out of the house more than once and I must say the last few weeks have been an adjustment but a good one. I love this woman.

“What are you doing handsome? You look deep in thought. Have you heard from Rebel yet?” Charity asks.

“I got a text a little while ago. They are on their way home with Faith on the back of Con’s bike against her will. She hasn’t lost her sass while she was gone.” I try to calm Charity’s fears.

“I don’t know where that sass came from. She’s always been such a good child and teenager. Listening when she needed to. This Faith is a new person and I don’t think I like it. Do you think she is going to hate me for giving Con the okay to claim her, I just want her safe, and all of you said that is the fastest way to get her that way, she’s acting like me?” Charity smiles at the last part.

“I see a lot of you in Faith, both good and bad and her taking off is a definite bad. I think that Faith and Con are going to take a lot of adjustment time. They push each other’s buttons, and not in a good way. They can both be high strung and react without thinking. Con is not my favorite person, but I know he will give his all in keeping Faith safe. Charity just remember we can’t interfere. If Con is making Faith his ol’ lady, then it will be his way and the faster Faith learns this the easier it will be on her. Con would never hit Faith, but he would put his hand on her ass and I don’t even want a picture of that in my head.” I let Charity absorb that before I go on. “He has also guaranteed me that even though the age of consent is seventeen in the state of Texas that he is not going there.”

“We’ll see about that, Faith has a thing for Con even if she says different. I know my sister. Con just better not keep Faith at that clubhouse and let Faith see him with another woman. I will castrate that fool myself. Faith would be crushed and embarrassed and the embarrassed part is what would make Faith run again.” Surely Con wouldn’t.

“Charity, I don’t condone or defend the biker lifestyle in any way, but I do respect it. They have a separate set of rules that they live by than we do. Taking someone as your ol’ lady is sacred to them, so I don’t think that Con would do anything to jeopardize that.” I didn’t ask Con that, but surely, he knows that Faith won’t and shouldn’t stand for any of that.

“I may have been googling a little bit about biker lifestyle, so I could fit in better with Katie and Gracie. I’ve asked a few questions and if a biker takes an ol’ lady it is up to the biker to how long the relationship last and if he renounces her in front of his club then the relationship is over, and he takes his patch back. The woman has no say. If Faith is led to believe that Con wants her and then when she is safe, renounces her, it will break Faith. I know Faith is trying to put on this strong front, but in some things, she is still innocent. She is becoming an independent woman or trying to, and that would be a rejection in her eyes and we saw what happened when Con rejected her before she even put herself out there for him.” Charity is right, but I don’t know how to take the doubt away, so I give her the truth.

“Charity, I am going to give this to you straight, but you need to think about it very carefully before you tell Faith because it might make her run again and then we would be back to square one.” I look at Charity closely and I see she knows the truth but is afraid to say it out loud and she wants to hear me say it. I want no lies between us. “If a member of the Demented Revengers MC does not fuck the woman they are making their ol’ lady it is not officially done. The member can claim the woman and put a patch on her back, but she is not an official ol’ lady until the sex has been done. It is supposed to show the woman’s loyalty and devotion to the member and the club. Their saying is loving one is loving the other. I hope you will think about this before you tell Faith. We all want her safe and I think a few hurt feelings is easier than locking her down until this is over.” Charity narrows her eyes and folds her arms over her chest.

“You are such a fucking man. Really, Brody? My sister will not only be hurt by Con but everyone that knew and that includes me.” Charity is pissed.

“I had rather have her pissed than dead.” I don’t sugar-coat it. The look on her face shows me that some of her anger is gone and she realizes that I am right, but she still doesn’t like it. “Please, just think about it.”

“Alright.” Charity says but doesn’t commit to not saying anything to Faith.

“Since your sister is coming home, our wedding is the day after tomorrow. Deal with it, I am not giving Faith a chance to go anywhere again before you are wearing my ring.” That makes Charity laugh.

“Deal, but it is not going to be much of a wedding with no preparation.” Charity is always a practical thinker.

“I already have Mom, Audie, Katie, Gracie, and Lil on it. Those five with Faith’s help will make it happen.” I don’t care if it is Charity, me and the justice of the peace, it is happening, but I want Charity to think she has a say. I love this woman and I want her to have my last name. I will tie her to me anyway that I can. I walk over to Charity’s bed and she scoots over, and I take her gently in my arms and just breathe easy. I move my hand down to the baby bump that Charity has now, and it reassures me that everything is right at this minute in our world. I just wish it was like this all the time. I hear the door open and Charity and I both watch the nurse.

“You ready to go home, Ms. Connors? If you sign these papers then I will get that IV out of you and you can be on your way.” I get off the bed.

“I am so ready.” Charity tells the nurse. I begin to gather Charity’s things up; it is time to get my family home.