I flush the toilet at the Cash Bar before making my way to the sink and washing my hands, then I cup them under the running water and pour water into my mouth. Swishing it around, I spit it out. Grabbing a paper towel, I clean off my face before looking into the mirror.

“Fuck,” I hiss.

I don’t have to take a test because I already know—I’m pregnant. I shouldn’t be surprised, I knew it was going to happen. Pressing my hand against my stomach, I look down.

Easton is almost two, so it’s not as if I’ll have two infants at home, but still, me and Ward are new. A baby adds stress and pressure to relationships.

“Oh shit,” Traci’s voice echoes. I groan, turning to her. “I knew it. You’ve looked pale as shit lately.”

“Nobody knows yet. I haven’t even confirmed it,” I say, letting my hand fall from my stomach.

Traci smirks. “Oh, you are. No way that man didn’t knock you up,” she winks.

“We’re too new,” I say, repeating my thoughts. “I’m too young for another baby.”

Traci shakes her head. “He loves you, he’s loved you. You’re not new to each other, even if your relationship status is new,” she explains. “You’ve loved one another for a while. Ride the wild ride, sugar pop.”

She turns around and leaves me alone in the bathroom. I stare at the closed door, thinking about her words. She’s not wrong. I already know that Ward wants this baby, and he’s an awesome dad to Easton—always has been.

I can’t help but worry about the future, but there’s really no use in it. The future is something unpredictable. All I can do is trudge forward day-by-day and hope for the best in life.

I leave shortly after my shift is over, I hurry toward my car and slip into the driver’s seat. I’ve been learning to drive for the past two months, and this is my first week on my own. Ward bought me a small SUV and I love it. It’s big enough for Easton’s car seat and his stroller, yet small enough that it doesn’t intimidate me to maneuver.

Instead of driving toward Gracie’s house, I decide to go to the drug store. I need to be sure. Although the all-day sickness, change in appetite, and sore boobs are pretty telltale signs. Parking in front of the drug store, I hurry inside and head straight toward the pregnancy test aisle.

I’m on a mission and don’t notice anything around me when I bump into someone.

“I’m so sorry,” I say. Brown eyes meet mine, and I blink. “Hey,” I smile. Whitley gives me a shaky smile of her own, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Are you okay?” I ask.

I haven’t seen her in a while, I’ve heard she and Free have been holed up in his house in town. According to Ward, he hasn’t really even been to the clubhouse much. Whitley nods.

“I’m okay,” she says her voice soft and gentle.

She’s wearing her hair in a messy bun, and she’s got on jeans and a tank top. I’m surprised, seeing as she only wore dresses the days I was at the compound with her. She looks around, almost nervously and I lift my hand placing it on her bicep.

“Talk to me,” I urge.

She lets out a breath, glancing to the side and then back to me. “I need help,” she whimpers.

“Help?”

She nods, letting out a puff of air. “Free says there’s a party this weekend and he wants me to go. I’ve never been down there, and I don’t know what to expect and I don’t know what to wear. I’ve never even worn makeup,” she blurts out, practically crying.

“What night is the party?” I ask.

“Saturday.”

I smirk. “I’m off all day Saturday. How about we go shopping and we can get ready at my place? I’ll help you. I mean I’m not a pro at makeup or anything, but I bet we could get Gracie to help us in that department,” I wink.

Relief floods Whitley’s face and she nods enthusiastically. “Thank you so much, so so much. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“I don’t know where Free lives, but just have him drop you off Saturday mid-morning and we’ll hit the shops for something sexy. I’ll probably need something too,” I wink.

Whitley thanks me again before enveloping me in a hug and then she turns around and hurries away. I smile watching her go, wondering why I didn’t go to her sooner to continue our budding friendship. She’s been through a hell of a lot, and she needs a friend other than Free. Just like I needed one other than Ward. I had Gracie, even when I wouldn’t really let her in, I knew that she was there for me. I need to remember that when it comes to Whitley.

Hurrying over to the pregnancy tests, I grab the one that boasts of an early response, not that it’s really that early. I haven’t had a period since Ward and I got together, and it’s been well over two months, which means I’m most likely pregnant and I really should have kept better track of my cycle.

After buying the test, I shove it in my purse and make my way toward Gracie’s to pick up Easton. Parking in front of her house, I walk inside with a knock. Lea is on the floor helping Easton with a puzzle. She looks up at me and gives me a wide smile.

“Hey,” she calls out.

“Where’s your mom?” I ask, my brows knitting together.

“Kitchen. Dad called,” Lea says, rolling her eyes.

I leave her and Easton in the living room and walk toward the kitchen. I hear Gracie’s voice before I see her. “I know, but I miss you. It’s hard doing this all alone. Okay, yeah. Fine,” she sighs her last word before ending her call and setting her phone down.

“Talk to me,” I urge.

Gracie looks up at me and shakes her head. “Nothing,” she shrugs. Her eyes narrow on me and then she changes the subject.

“Tell me,” she demands.

“Will you help me and Whitley get ready for a club party this weekend, and will you come with us and have some fun?” I ask.

Gracie’s eyes widen. “I usually don’t go to those without Fish,” she smirks.

“He’s gone. Come and have some fun,” I beg. I can tell she’s mad at Fish, but she’s not ready to agree yet. “I’ll tell you what I have in my purse if you’ll come,” I offer.

Her eyes narrow before her lips twitch into a smirk. “Fine,” she sighs.

It’s there at Gracie and Fish’s house with Lea and Easton playing in the living room where I take the pregnancy test I bought. I feel badly telling Gracie before Ward, but I need to have a friend’s comfort before my man’s. There’s something about getting that love and support from a girlfriend that you respect like Gracie that gives you all of the hope and confidence in the world.

“He’s going to be so happy,” she assures me.

I nod, holding Easton in my arms as I leave the house. I know that he’s going to be happy too. He’ll probably be less terrified than I am, but I figure one of us needs to be doubly strong.

Hayden pulls up in the driveway and I wave, wiping grease from my hand. My bike needed a tune-up, so I’ve spent the afternoon working on it in the garage. Leaving my bike in pieces, I make my way toward the car to get Easton out of the back seat.

I don’t want her lifting him anymore, she may not have figured it out yet, but I did a few weeks ago. My girl is having my baby, and I’m fucking ecstatic. Hayden walks toward me and presses her lips against my own, just as Easton grabs hold of my beard and tugs.

Turning my head, I nuzzle his little neck, making him giggle with the hair of my beard. “Good afternoon, family,” I chuckle.

“I need to talk to you later,” Hayden nervously whispers.

My lips tip in a smirk and I look into her big, scared, green eyes. “Is it about you being knocked up?” I ask.

Hayden’s mouth drops open and she stares at me, shock written all over her face is an understatement. Her mouth moves up and down and I can tell she’s trying to speak, but nothing happens. Leaning down, I kiss her, fucking her sweet mouth with my tongue until she melts against me.

“I’m so fucking happy, baby,” I rasp against her lips.

“I can’t believe you knew. How long have you known?” she says, playfully slapping her hand against my arm.

I grin. “Baby, I’ve known for weeks. I can tell your body has changed, it’s so fucking sexy. Why do you think I haven’t been able to keep my hands off of you?” I ask.

Her face pinks in embarrassment at my words and I laugh. “I’m going to get fat,” she warns, placing her hand on my chest and gently pushing away.

Reaching down, I grab a handful of her ass and squeeze. “Baby, you’re going to be hot as fuck. Pregnant with my baby, growing my baby, goddamn, it’s going to be beautiful and I won’t be able to keep my hands off of you,” I grunt.

She rolls her eyes, clearly not believing me. That’s fine, she can not believe me all day long, I’m just going to have to prove it to her. I’m going to have to fuck her every single day, shower her with orgasms and compliments to show her just how much she turns me on. It’s an easy job, because it’s the fucking truth, and I can’t wait.

I watch her walk toward me. She’s wearing a pretty long white dress, nothing fancy, she called it a maxi dress or some shit. I don’t care what she called it, she looks like a fucking dream come true as she makes the short distance from the door to me.

Her auburn hair is down, curled, and her face almost bare of makeup. She’s never looked more beautiful, my ink on her chest on full display. Reaching forward, I take her hand in mine. Easton has his arm wrapped around my knee as he stands vigil to our private ceremony.

The judge clears his throat and I can’t help but chuckle. It’s only me, her and Easton. Nobody else needs to be here. This is us, this is my family.

“Do you, Ward, take Hayden as your lawfully wife?” he asks me.

My smile is immediate as I look into her green eyes, the eyes that fucking own me. “I do,” I say, resisting the urge to say that I sure as fuck do.

“Do you, Hayden, take Ward as your lawfully wedded husband?”

Hayden’s eyes fill with tears and she nods before she clears her throat and verbally speaks. “I do.”

We do the ring bullshit, and I swear to fuck I’m bouncing on my toes, in anticipation of kissing my woman—my wife.

“You may kiss your wife,” the judge chuckles.

Easton squeals, from his spot as I lift my hands, cupping Hayden’s cheeks with my palms and place my mouth against hers. I don’t give her the indecent kiss that I crave, keeping it clean for the judge and East. “I love you,” I breathe against her lips.

She smiles, her hands wrapping around my wrists. “I love you so much, Ward.”

I release her face only to pick Easton up. We thank the judge, then the three of us walk out of his office, out of the courthouse.

We’re married.

Officially.

I’m hers and she’s mine.

How in the fuck did I get to be this man? The luckiest motherfucker on the planet?

I gasp as Ward lifts my leg and slides deep inside of me from behind. He shifts my leg to wrap around his thigh while his hand slides to my stomach. His mouth is resting against my ear and I hear his heavy breathing as he pushes into me, pulling out then sliding back inside.

“Full of my baby, full of my cock, and now you have my last name,” he pants.

“Yes,” I hiss, lifting my hand to wrap around his neck and fist his long hair.

He grunts against my ear, his cock driving into me from behind. When his hand slips from my belly to my clit, I let out a long moan. “Come all over me, baby soak my cock,” he breathes.

Closing my eyes, I let the orgasm roll through my body. My thighs shake and threaten to close, but Ward doesn’t allow it. He rolls me onto my stomach, his hand wrapping around my hips as he yanks me back.

He fucks me from behind, pounding into me with deliciously brutal force. I feel him still and his release fill me. His fingers tighten against my hips, digging into my flesh as we both try to catch our breaths.

“Love you, baby,” he pants behind me.

Twisting my head around, I look back at him, a smile playing on my lips. “Thank you, Ward,” I breathe.

Slowly, he slips from my body, laying down next to me and tugs me into his arms. “Thank you?” he asks.

Nodding, I place my chin on his chest. “Thank you for this life. I thought that I would be stuck in a nightmare forever, I never imagined that I would be living in a dream.”

His gaze softens, and he reaches up, fisting my hair he tugs my face down and his lips press against mine. He kisses me hard, bruising and then his tongue fills my mouth.

This man, this beautiful man.

I didn’t lie. This life he’s given me, it’s a fantasy, a dream come true. I never imagined that this could be my life, yet here I am, living it every day.

If it’s a dream, don’t pinch me, I don’t want to ever wake up.