Placing my cell on my pillow, I slide out of my clothing, leaving me in my boxer briefs and slip into bed next to Sadie.
Jovie’s eyes flutter open, her gorgeous electric-blue orbs shining back at me.
“They went out like a light. It’s been an eventful night for them,” she whispers quietly.
“It’s been eventful for all of us,” I whisper back with the same tone.
Her arm reaches out over the top of the kids’ heads for me, and I link my fingers with hers. “I’m sorry I asked you to leave earlier, I needed to speak with Torque.”
“I figured. I don’t mind. Spending time with the kids is always awesome.”
It’s not what I pictured, but honestly, this is what life is going to be like with us. The kids are always going to be in the way. So, if I’m going to do it, there’s no time like the present. “How would you feel about always spending time with the kids?”
She lifts her head with narrowed eyes. “What? Like their babysitter?”
“No… like their… Mom…” her eyes widen, but I continue, “… this isn’t a proposal, I want to claim you, Jovie. Take you as my Old Lady. If today has shown me anything, it’s that life is so fucking short. I know that more than anyone, and I don’t want to waste a second of it without you by my side.”
Her eyes begin to water. “What about the kids?”
“They love you… I… love you.”
Jovie exhales, her tears falling freely now. She wipes them away. “I love them… and you, too.”
Hearing her say that fills me with so much fucking happiness, I really wish the kids weren’t in between us. “I want to kiss you so bad right now.”
She lets out a little laugh, then catches herself trying to keep quiet. She turns to pick up her cell, then starts typing in it. I wait for the message to come through.
Sunshine: I want to do more than kiss you right now!
My eyes flick up to her, an animalistic hunger rampaging through me. I type into my cell with a giant grin on my face.
Me: Tomorrow morning, we’re getting Lou to watch the kids. I don’t give a fuck where we’re going, we are finding somewhere private. And sunshine… I’m gonna show you how much I fucking love you!
She receives the message, then exhales like she’s having trouble keeping her raging hormones to herself.
Sunshine: This Old Lady is going to show you how much she appreciates being a part of this family… I love you, Liam.
My chest swells with pride as I look up at her.
She couldn’t have written anything better.
Me: I love you, Jovie.
I put my cell down, and I shuffle, getting comfortable on the bed. My fingers are still locked with Jovie’s. “By the way, your Old Lady name is… Sunshine.”
She giggles. “I love it. I wouldn’t want anything else.”
“Good night, Sunshine.”
“Night, Kevlar.”
I couldn’t imagine this going any better.
I have my beautiful kids.
I have my gorgeous Old Lady.
Life can’t get any fucking better than this.
So, what’s this niggling in my stomach that I can’t seem to shift?
JOVIE
The Next Morning
Yesterday was one of the scariest but also the best day of my entire life. Not only for the reason you would imagine—Kevlar claiming me—but also because my brother, River, wasn’t as much of a manipulative asshole as I thought he was. Turns out, I do have a member of my family who isn’t a criminal.
Well, he was, but he’s actually one of the good guys.
This morning as I sit with Kevlar and the kids eating breakfast, the clubhouse is packed to the brim. All our clubhouse family members are still here from lockdown, but we also have the Chicago and NOLA brothers here too. There’s hardly any space to move around. I haven’t had a second even to find Savanah and tell her about Kevlar claiming me.
I need to do that.
I need to spend more time with her.
The last few weeks, I’ve neglected her to make time for the kids. That’s bad form on my behalf. She’s having a ball, making a place for herself, but I just don’t know how she’s going to take the news that Kevlar has snatched me up for good.
River strides over, pulling out a seat next to me, and sits. “Hey.”
I relax a little, seeing he’s still here. I want to talk to him more. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him properly. With him off with the Slavers and me trying to keep my distance, it’s not like we kept in touch.
“Hey… I want to thank you for everything you did for me. I know I didn’t reach out to you all those years—”
“Stop, you couldn’t. Dad would have tried to force you into the syndicate. You did the right thing. I’m glad I was able to help when I could.”
I reach out, grabbing River’s hand in mine. “I don’t think you understand how much I appreciate it, Riv. This club, my family here, they mean everything.”
He glances over at Sadie and Lucas, who don’t give a flying fuck about this conversation.
“I understand it perfectly, sis. It’s why I have something to ask you, but I won’t do it if you don’t approve.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “Okay… now you have me intrigued.”
He exhales like he’s nervous. “I’m the head of the Slavers now, and Zero’s given me some options… either join forces with the club and keep running the syndicate or disband the Slavers and see how I like Defiance, as either a hangaround or maybe something more if I like it here.”
“You mean prospect in?” I clarify.
“Maybe… yeah. I mean I like how Zero runs things. I’ve been deep in conversations with him for weeks now. I know the club well enough… and… you’re here.”
My chest squeezes as I tighten my grip on his hands. “You’d be going from third in charge to the bottom of the barrel. Prospects don’t have any authority, River, and the Slavers? I mean, I never liked them or what they stood for, but can you just disband a syndicate like that?”
“I’m in charge now. I can do whatever the fuck I want. I have to talk to Zero about it some more, but whatever you want me to do… I’ll do.”
The kids are happily eating their cereal. This is not a conversation for them to hear, so I stand, taking River with me as we walk a few steps away from them. “Hear me out on this. I was talking to Cherry, and I know the club is making products in a place of business they shouldn’t be…”
“You trying to keep this shit on the down-low?”
“I just don’t know what I can tell you, but just listen. What if this product that they can only make in small quantities because of fear of being caught could be outsourced to the Slavers? What if… the club and Slavers run side-by-side. The club uses the Slavers to produce and push their product, so if the product is ever found by the heat, then the Slavers go down, not the club?”
River frowns. “But then I’ll go down?”