Chapter 24

Teddy

One month later

“Is this what normal is? It’s been so long I forgot.” Lounging in Jana’s backyard felt so much like old times that my heart actually sighed.

“This is our new normal, I suppose,” Jana said, beaming. “Old about to be married ladies with babies on the way.” She glowed as she rubbed circles on her growing belly. At six months, she was all baby belly, smiling and damn near radioactive. “It’s nice though, isn’t it?”

Damn straight it was. “Yeah, I enjoy having no one try to kill me.” Aside from a few extra trips to the doctor and talking to the cops, the past month had been pretty great. Things between Tate and I were better than ever. I was practically living at Max’s old house because it would be a long time before I was able to stay at my place without nightmares.

After the blow up, Sheena had been handcuffed and shoved into the back of an ambulance, the whole time screaming for her precious Golden Boy to get her a lawyer so they could be together. It was sad and embarrassing, and if she hadn’t tried to kill me and burn my house down, I might’ve had an ounce of sympathy for her. I didn’t. “At least Sheena will be spending a long time in prison.”

Jana looked over her shoulder with a worried look. “I think the guys are worried what she might try to offer up to reduce her sentence.”

I blinked and tried to sit up, eager for the cast to come off in a few weeks. “What do you mean? I thought they were on the right side of legal?”

Jana sighed. “They’re legal, but the gun thing is in a...grey area. And who knows what she might have overheard.”

Well, shit. “I thought she made a deal already?”

“She did, but none of that matters until the papers are signed. The club paid for her lawyer so we’ll have word soon enough.”

I sat back and thought about what Jana said. Sheena could still pose a problem for Tate and all of the Reckless Bastards. “And you’re sure they’re not the kind of motorcycle club to knock people off?”

Jana laughed so loud she had to grip her belly, which sent Max running in our direction with a worried scowl on his face. “What’s wrong, babe?”

She huffed out a breath between laughs, clutching her breath. “Oh good,” huff, huff, “Teddy asked,” huff, huff, “if you guys offed people.” More fucking laughter.

Max frowned and then looked at me like I’d grown three more heads. And then he also burst out laughing.

“It’s not like we haven’t thought about it,” Tate said as he dropped a kiss on top of my head. “But she knows we can make it very difficult for her on the inside.”

I smiled up at him. “My little bad ass biker dude.”

Tate leaned in with a panty-melting grin on his face. “We both know there’s nothing little about me, sweetheart.”

Amen to that. “I know. I can’t wait to get some of that juicy, sizzling meat in my mouth.” His gaze darkened intensely. “I’m starving.”

“Very funny.” He leaned over and brushed a gentle kiss behind my ear. “You’re lucky I love you.”

I was damn lucky and I knew it. It wasn’t just having the love of a man as good as Tate, it was that feeling of being loved and being in love. The security and satisfaction of coming home to his smiling face and waking up in his strong arms. But it was worrying about him and hearing him talk about his day, the way his eyes lit up as he tried out things for GET INK’D. Just being together was pure bliss. “And you’re lucky I love you too.”

“I know it every damn day, Cover Girl.”

I laughed. “Just for that, you’re sleeping on the couch, Golden Boy.”

“Yeah right, how will you sleep without rolling on top of me every night?”

He was right. Pregnant me preferred to use Tate as a body pillow and every morning I woke up completely wrapped around him, and he woke up soaked from the furnace hug. “I’ll manage.”

“Hey none of that right now,” Jana insisted with a wag of her finger. “Save that for later, otherwise I’ll never get to talk to Teddy about the wedding.” She squealed excitedly. “I was thinking Hawaii, but maybe we should do a beach wedding in San Diego? What do you think, Teddy?”

Hawaii would likely be out of the question for Jana anyway with her pregnancy so far along, and maybe even for me as well. “I think it would be pretty hilarious to watch a bunch of bikers descend on the little tourist town.”

“Oh, me too! But they have a really nice hotel there and we could hold everything there from the rehearsal dinner to the wedding reception.”

“That’s a great idea! Give me the dates and I’ll get it all set up.”

She squealed and tried three times to get up without success. “Damn constantly changing center of gravity.”

Max helped her up and she came and hugged me tight, around both of our growing bellies. “You are the absolute best! And I promise when it’s time for your wedding, I’ll help too.”

I laughed because we both knew that was a joke. Jana would have to be pulled, kicking and screaming, and that was fine by me. “Sure, you will.”

She laughed and hugged me again. “Promise.”

“Did someone say food?” Max and Tate stood above us, casting long shadows. But they held plates overflowing with succulent steaks and Jana and I both clapped with excitement.

“Yes, please!” I held my hands out greedily. “Food.”

“You only want me for my food,” Tate teased.

“And your body. Don’t forget your totally hot body.” He barked out a laugh and handed me the plate.

“I can’t wait to make you mine,” he growled in my ear, dropping something on my lap.

I looked down at the butter yellow sundress I wore and found a tiny turquoise box. “Tate,” I said, a warning in my voice. “What is this?”

“That,” he pointed with a satisfied grin, “is a promise. A proposal for forever.”

“I’m listening.”

His grin widened. “You know I’m not good with talking about my feelings and shit, but I love you with everything in me. You and our baby, and I want us to be a family. Theodora Elizabeth Quinton, will you be my wife?”

All the months of hell and uncertainty had brought us to this moment. Circumstances brought Tate and I together, attraction kept us together, but it was a deep and lasting love that would push us toward forever. So I looked at my golden-haired biker with love shining in my eyes and said the only thing I could. “Hell yeah, I will!”

And right there in Jana’s backyard, surrounded by those who mattered, we got started on our little family and our huge forever.

~ T H E ~ E N D ~

Wow! I hope you loved this story as much as I loved writing it! Turn the page for more yummy goodness!

I’ve included a sneak peek of Cash the second book of the CAOS Series. It’s a novella length stand-alone MC Romance. Hope you enjoy!