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She nods, but then her face pales. “Fiddlesticks... With everything going on, I haven’t been able to cook for the guys like I said I would!”
Grabbing her arms before she can dart off in a panic, I can’t help but chuckle. “Baby, the guys all understand. Trust me when I say they’d rather you take care of yourself and get back on your feet. It’s not like we’re never gonna come back here. We’ll make sure that when we do, it’s for at least a few days so that we can spend time with everyone and you can cook more then. Okay?”
She relaxes in my arms, leaning her head against my chest and sighs. “Okay, but I still want to help with supper and at least breakfast. I’m not sure when we’re heading out tomorrow.”
Her fingers trace around the edges of my new tattoo, and I hold her in my arms for a few moments, before kissing the top of her head.
“Let’s hop in the shower, Sunshine.”
She smiles before sashaying her cute little ass toward the bathroom. However, it’s the mischievous glint in her eyes that has me pausing. Unease twirls in my gut and I wonder exactly how much Levi and Sasha have shared with her about living on club grounds for the past few months.
And if they told them about their versions of punishments.
Swallowing thickly, I follow her into the bathroom.
Walking up to the backdoor of the clubhouse, Mae pauses a few feet from the door. I squeeze her hand, but don’t nudge her to keep moving.
My chest tightens that I wasn’t here to help her through this earlier this morning. I hate that Smoke was the one that pointed out I was being an idiot and fucking everything up, but at least she had him there for her when she needed him. Colt, too.
She takes a deep breath, opens the door and hurries down the hallway, not stopping. Fresh paint lingers in the air and it takes me a bit to realize they’d painted over the scuff mark that was on the wall. Another thing I should have picked up on if I had only been paying attention.
It’s only once she’s past the bathrooms that she slows, exhaling heavily.
I pull her into me, kissing her temple. “You did good, baby. Let’s get you fed.”
With a hand at her back, I guide her into the kitchen and wince at the look on Mama Astrid’s face. She studies Mae for a bit before her harsh glare cuts my way again.
Shit.
Here I’d been worried about what Mae might make me do to grovel when I should have been worried about facing Mama Astrid. For the first punishment, I mean.
Walking up to me, she lands several whaps with her wooden spoon on my arms and the back of my head. Fuck that hurt, but there’s no fucking way I’d ever verbalize that.
“You best treat her right or the next time, it’ll hurt much worse than that,” she hisses as she shoves a bowl of oatmeal into my hands. Sunshine giggles and smirks at me when I glare at her, but it has no heat behind it. I know I fucked up.
You knew when Mama Astrid was pissed at you because you didn’t get to eat what everyone else did. Oatmeal was her go to, but if you really pissed her off, you’d be eating bare bones for a few days. From what I’d heard, it was a few hard-boiled eggs, a sandwich that usually had just cheese on it and possibly bone broth.
“Serves them right,” Sunshine says softly.
Looking over at her, she’s smirking at something. Following her line of sight, I can’t help but smirk as well.
Looks like Candi and Star are getting Mama Astrid’s bare bones menu. And it seems that Sunshine already knew about Mama Astrid’s punishment system.
Pushing that thought out of my mind, my gaze narrows on the bitches. They’ll be getting a piece of my mind later.
“Baby, which flavored water do you want?”
She looks over the buffet of fruit salad, cold cut sandwich and sub fixings, apple crisp, cinnamon rolls and corn on the cob. My stomach rumbles, but I don’t act on it. If I did, I’d be in even bigger trouble with Mama Astrid.
“Um, lemon please.”
Nodding, I walk over to the fridge and grab her one, waiting while she fills her plate.
My chest warms at seeing her plate nearly full. She’s been able to eat more and more each day, which is good. When we get our hands on that fat fuck of a stepfather, he’ll regret everything that he’s done to my sunshine.
“Hey, you okay?”
Sunshine’s voice brings me out of my thoughts and I smile. “Yeah. I’m happy at seeing how full your plate is.”
