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“Thanks, buddy,” I choked out, more overcome with emotions than I could ever remember being in my entire life. “That feels much better now.”
He beamed then climbed into my lap. “Milk, Momma,” he said, holding out his hands toward his sippy cup.
Jos handed over the sippy and the snack cups then leaned back against the headboard beside me before placing the plate she’d brought with her between us. “Aggie made breakfast. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
She picked up one of the three sandwiches, biting into it like she hadn’t eaten in days.
With my good arm holding Reid loosely against me, I wasn’t even going to try using my casted one to pick up the sandwich. My stomach came a poor second to holding my son for the first time. I leaned back, enjoying this first meeting, praying like mad I didn’t ever fuck it up. I loved this kid like crazy already. He was mine to raise into a man, to protect with my life.
I won’t let him down.
Fuck, I’d missed almost two years of this because of my own stupidity. I never should have let Jos go, should have just been my usual selfish self and kept her as close as possible and damn the consequences. Then I wouldn’t have missed out on watching her stomach grow with our baby, or holding him when he was first pushed into the world, or loving him and his mother with every breath that left my body.
“Bite?” Reid offered me another grape, but before I could move to take it and make him giggle, Jos was offering him a bite of her sandwich. He bit into it hungrily, protesting with a squeal when she went to pull away. The snack cup was tossed into my lap as he crawled over to his mother for more.
She tore off a piece of the sandwich and offered it to him.
“The look on your face is sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time,” she murmured softly. “He’s a Reid, Tanner. He’s going to follow the food every time.”
“He’s mine, Jos. He’s going to follow you. Every time,” I told her, leaning in for a quick kiss. “I can’t blame him. You’re just so damn beautiful, it’s hard to resist.”
Pink filled her cheeks, and she pushed the plate into my now-free hand. “Eat. Then you need to walk around a little so your muscles don’t get too stiff. Doc said the more walking you do, the better. But I still want you to take things easy. No heavy lifting, and when Reid naps, I would like for you to as well.”
“Napping with my son sounds like fun,” I said with a shrug. “But only if you’re napping with us too.”
That got me a roll of her eyes. “I have work to do. Actually, I’m glad I brought so much with me last night. Now I won’t have to go to the office.”
I paused, my sandwich inches away from my mouth, my stomach clenching in dread. “You aren’t going anywhere without me from now on, we clear?” I couldn’t risk her life. I fucking wouldn’t risk it. She was too important to me. I loved this woman, and I wasn’t going to let anyone try to take her away from me.
Her teeth bit into her bottom lip for a second before she sighed. “I can’t stay locked up in the clubhouse, Tanner. I have work to do. Men who are relying on me to run Barker Construction so they will have a job, health care, a paycheck to pay their bills and feed their families.”
“And you can work. I’m just going to be with you.” I finally took a bite of my breakfast, mentally groaning at the taste of perfectly salted eggs and crispy bacon. Food had never tasted so good, but maybe that was because I’d taken it for granted all my life. Three weeks without a single crumb to eat made a man appreciate the food placed in front of him.
“I don’t want to argue with you about this,” she muttered grumpily. Standing, she dusted a few crumbs off her shirt then the bed where Reid was just finishing up the last bite of his portion of the sandwich.
As soon as it was stuffed into his mouth, he eyeballed my sandwich, and I gladly tore off a piece like his mother had done and offered it to him. He moved so he was leaning against me before accepting the offered food.
“I’m going to get us some coffee,” Jos announced. “You two carry on cuddling.”
“Can I have another sandwich?” I asked with a pout.
“Pretty sure Aggie would make you a hundred sandwiches.”
“One more is plenty.” I took another bite, chewing slowly.
“Coffee and another breakfast sandwich coming up,” she said with a smile. “You two be good.”
Reid didn’t even pay attention when she left the room. He was too interested in looking at my four-fingered hand. I glanced down at where my pinkie should have been, remembering the excruciating pain when Fontana had sliced it off with a cigar cutter. It hadn’t been quick. The whole thing took minutes while I’d tried to hold in my screams of agony, not wanting to give the evil bastard the satisfaction of hearing how much pain I was truly in.
When it was over, he’d lit a cigar and used it to stanch the bleeding, searing the wound closed.
It was mostly healed now, as were my fingernail beds, but the memories would stay with me for the rest of my life.
“How about some TV, little dude?” I offered, grabbing the remote off the nightstand to distract us both from my missing finger.
I turned it on to some Disney cartoon thing about two puppies. Reid shifted, getting more comfortable, and laid his head on my side.
By the time Jos returned, I was just as engrossed in the damn show as my son was and even had a favorite of the two puppies.
