CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
The new bed sleeps amazing. I wake the next morning snuggled in Marcel’s arms and turn to face him.
“Sleep okay?” he asks with a cocky twist to his lips.
My alarm goes off and I groan. Mentally, I’m running over my calendar for the day, assessing whether I can move around some appointments so I can stay in bed with Marcel all day.
He rolls away and grabs my phone, silencing the alarm. “Shit, I have to get going.”
“You’re leaving?”
He presses a kiss to my forehead before throwing back the sheet and stretching. “God, you’re beautiful,” I murmur, trailing my hand down his chest.
“Beautiful, huh?”
“A work of art,” I amend.
He chuckles, but a few seconds later his face pinches when I run my fingers over the scars on his leg and hip. “I’m sorry. Does it hurt?”
“Nah.” He sits up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and I snuggle up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my cheek against his shoulder blades. His hand runs over my arms a few times. “You all right?”
“Yes, I’m figuring out what to cancel so we can stay in bed all day.”
He turns, glancing at me over his shoulder. “I can’t.”
“Oh, okay.”
We did say I love you last night, right?
I wait for him to elaborate, but he stands. “Need to find my clothes, Sunshine. Your greedy little hands stripped them off all over the house.” He stares at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
He sighs. “I need to get up to the clubhouse. Some of the guys are going on a run and I promised Heidi and Murphy I’d watch Alexa so they could go.”
“Oh, why didn’t you just say that?”
He lifts one shoulder. “They’re not coming back until Sunday, so I’m going to be tied up with that. Didn’t want you thinking, hell, I don’t know.”
“You can bring her here.” The intensity in his eyes is too much for this hour so I turn away. “If you want to.”
“I can take care of her.” He runs his fingers through his hair, so it’s sticking up everywhere. “I didn’t want you to think I was being all ‘here, watch this baby for me, woman.’”
I snort, then full-on giggle. “I want to see you. So, you come with a baby this week. That’s okay. I think it’s sweet you’re doing that for them.”
“Yeah, it’s good timing too because I plan to get a few things done for them at their house before they get back. It’ll be easier without Murphy there to bitch about me helping out.”
My heart squeezes from the affection in his voice when he talks about his sister and best friend.
“I love how you show up right at the last minute, you fucker,” Murphy growls as soon as he sees me.
“Sorry.”
His hand lands on my shoulder, squeezing tight. “You sure you’re all right with this?”
I shake him off with a quick jerk of my arm. “Yes. I was at Charlotte’s.”
Finally, he lightens up. “Figured.”
Everyone’s waiting in front of the clubhouse except Heidi, Hope, and Trinity.
“Where’re the girls at?”
“Hope’s utter lack of respect for time is infectious,” Wrath grumbles, earning a smack from Rock.
Z taps my shoulder. “The stoner twins are taking care of the dogs.” He rolls his eyes. “But I’d feel better if an actual, functional adult checked on them.”
“No problem.”
“You still stopping at Sway’s?” I ask Rock.
His jaw tightens and he nods. “Yeah, but he decided to join us.”
“Oh, Christ. You didn’t tell me that,” Wrath bitches.
Rock chuckles. “Now you know.”
Heidi emerges from the woods with Alexa on her hip. Alexa’s babbling a mile a minute, waving her tiny fists around. “Oh, you’re here!” My sister almost sounds disappointed.
“You good?” Murphy asks her.
Her eyes gloss over but she nods. “I’ve never been away from her this long,” she whispers.
I hold out my hands and Alexa squeals when she sees me, reaching for me to take her. “Someone’s a happy baby this morning,” I say, pressing kisses to both chubby little cheeks.
“She is,” Heidi agrees. “Makes it even harder to leave.”
“She’ll be fine. I may take her down to Charlotte’s later tonight. That okay with you?”
“Sure.”
“Does Charlotte know this?” Murphy asks with a sarcastic edge.
“Yes, jackass.”
Heidi taps my arm to take my attention away from Murphy. “All her travel stuff is in the closet in her room.” She lists a number of things, ticking each one off on her fingers until she runs out of fingers.
“Heidi, I’ve watched her before. I’ll be fine.”
“She’s slept through the night for the last week or so. Her schedule’s on the counter.”
“She has a schedule?”
“Yes, she has a schedule. There’s enough formula and—”
“Heidi, we’ll be fine. Promise. I have taken care of babies before.”
She glances at Rock. “I know. Besides Hope and Rock, you’re the only one we trust.”
We. Shit, I love these two. “Come here.” I hug her to my side with my free arm. “Try to have some fun, okay?”
Hope and Trinity stroll out of the woods and Wrath mutters, “Finally.”
Heidi holds out her arms for Alexa and while she’s getting one last dose of baby snuggles, I take Murphy aside. “Be careful.”
“Always, brother.”
“And for fuck’s sake, don’t knock my sister up.”
He shakes with laughter. “You realize we sleep together every night, right?”
I gag and throw my fist into his bicep. “Yeah, well, don’t get amnesia while you’re away from Alexa.”
He laughs even harder.
“Hey, seriously though. I got Jasper coming up with his crew to pour that cement this week. So hopefully when you get back—”
“Wait, what? When did you arrange that?”
The corners of my mouth twist into a smirk. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Teller, you don’t need to—”
“It’s my gift to my sister. I’m still allowed to give her shit, right?”
Finally he nods, realizing it’s happening one way or another.
“Thanks, brother.” He pulls me in for a hug.
Wrath’s straddling his bike, threatening to leave the rest of them behind if they don’t move. Heidi hands Alexa to me. “She’ll go down for her nap in—”
“I got it. Headed to the house to get her schedule right after you guys clear out.”
“You’re staying at our place with her, right?” Rock says, sounding more like he’s giving an order than asking a question. “Don’t stress her out with too many changes at once.”
Hope brushes up against him leaning in to kiss Alexa’s cheek. “Bye, baby. We’re going to miss you.”
Alexa squeals and grabs for Hope. “Aw, let me have her.” She cuddles Alexa for a few minutes.
“There are clean linens and stuff in the downstairs bathroom,” she says to me.
Murphy and Heidi currently occupy the only guest room at Rock and Hope’s place. Clean sheets or not, the idea of sleeping in Heidi and Murphy’s bed is pretty damn unappealing.
Unwilling to admit that, I just thank her.
“You’re welcome to bring Charlotte up if you want to,” she offers.
“Thanks.”
Z’s taken up the “let’s go” chant and I seem to be the one holding everyone up.
“I’m going in. Shiny side up, Prez.” He gives me a fist bump and I say goodbye to everyone before heading inside.
The clubhouse living room isn’t far enough away to escape the deep rumbling of multiple bikes out in the parking lot. Alexa starts screaming immediately.
“No, no, no. It’s fine. You’re okay,” I coo at her.
She’s not having it.
Even when the last bike has cleared the parking lot, she’s still wailing.
Sparky pokes his head out of the basement door. “What’s going on?”
“Everyone just left. She’ll settle down in a minute.”
“Aw, poor Alexa. Come see Uncle Sparky.”
He takes her for a second and she tosses her head from side to side, screaming even louder.
“I don’t think she likes the smell of the plants,” he says handing her back to me. “Good luck with that.”
“Thanks.”
What feels like an hour later I’m about to rip my hair out. Fuck if I don’t have a whole new appreciation for my sister.
“Christ, Murphy must love her if he voluntarily puts up with this on a daily basis,” I mutter.
Nothing has appeased Alexa. Not books, fluffy toys, food, diaper changes. Nothing.
Abruptly she stops crying and closes her eyes.
“Finally tire yourself out?” I grab a washcloth and wipe her damp cheeks before settling her down in her crib. Heidi’s notes said she should be out for about two hours. Since I think I’ve got a long week ahead of me, I head out to the living room and stretch out on the sofa for my own nap.
I expect to find Marcel and his niece at my apartment when I get home from work. But my place is empty.
Well, we didn’t make plans exactly. Maybe he meant he’d bring her over later.
After changing out of my work clothes and throwing my hair into a sloppy ponytail, I say fuck it, and call him.
“Hey, were you coming over tonight?”
In the background, there’s happy yelling and babbling.
“Actually, I’m trying to get her ready for bed.” He sounds pretty stressed so I try to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
“Okay.”
He chuckles. “Heidi left me a lengthy schedule. Seven is when we start her bedtime routine, whatever the fuck that is.”
I laugh. “Babies need routine or they get cranky.”
On the other end, he blows out a frustrated breath. “She already had one epic hissy fit when everyone left. She’s been fine since, but she keeps watching the front door. I hope she doesn’t freak out when she realizes Heidi’s not coming home.”
Inside, I’m a puddle of goo at the way he talks about his baby niece. Seriously, my ovaries are setting off goddamn fireworks listening to him. I’m not sure how to explain I figured he might need some help and managed to clear my afternoons and take Friday off completely without sounding like a weirdo.
“I’ll be home early tomorrow if you want to come over?”
“Are you sure? She looks, cute, but I’m warning you, she’s gotta be at least fifteen percent evil.”
I burst out laughing. “I doubt that.”
“See you tomorrow.”
The next day I’m home by three and try to give my place a quick baby-proofing. About an hour later I’m sitting out on the front steps when Marcel shows up with Alexa in her stroller. He’s loaded down with baby stuff and I cover my mouth to hide my laughter.
“Going on a trip?” I tease.
“I swear. This kid has more stuff.” He grins as I stand, staying on the second step from the bottom so we’re at about eye-level.
“How did you two get along today?”
“Good actually. She was a little fussy when she woke up, but since then she’s been all smiles.”
“Any of your brothers stay behind?”
He snorts. “None of the useful ones. Bricks has kids, but he and his family live down in Empire. Dex is pretty good with her, but he’s busy running Crystal Ball.”
“Too bad you’re not single. Babies are chick magnets.”
He growls and wraps his arms around my waist, lifting me off the step. “Don’t want to attract any chicks except you.” He spins us in a circle before setting me down on the sidewalk.
Alexa sings out, “Ya, ya, ya” and waves her hands in the air.
“Can I say hello?”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Crouching down, I peer in the stroller and can’t help smiling. “Did you dress her?” The pink romper she’s wearing has deer frolicking all over it and ruffles around the legs. But it’s the matching stretchy-headband that makes me laugh the hardest.
“This kid has more clothes,” he says.
“I can’t lie. I fully expected you to dress her in camouflage.”
He shrugs.
“Ya ya, ba ba, bee bee,” Alexa belts out.
In the voice I use with my young clients, I babble back the same sounds. Alexa flails her arms and produces more happy little noises.
“You speak baby?” Teller asks.
“Little bit.”
He glances from the stroller to the gear. “Do you want me to take her out of the stroller for you?” I offer.
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.”
“Come on, Alexa,” I coo. “Let your uncle carry all your luggage inside.”
She settles against me, lightly touching my cheek with her little fingers and babbling.
“She’s such a happy baby,” I say once we’re inside.
“She wasn’t yesterday.” He sets her stuff down, but takes one of the bags and starts setting up a baby prison. “I’m just glad Heidi didn’t see her freak out. She was having a hard enough time leaving.”
Yup, I’m done. A puddle of mush over the concern he shows for his sister and his niece.
While he’s setting her stuff up, I drop onto the couch and pick up a magazine, flipping through it with Alexa. She helps by slapping the pages and squeals when I point different things out to her.
I’m so wrapped up playing with her, I don’t notice Marcel looming over me right away. “I can take her now,” he says softly.
The rest of the afternoon is pretty easy and when Marcel asks if I want to come home with them, the answer is yes.