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“You talk to her,” Gramps said, glancing at Dragon briefly. “She tells you no flat out, we’ll revisit. She agrees to marry you, you’ll lock that shit down.”
“Understood,” I replied through my teeth.
“She ain’t gonna say no,” Mack said, watching me closely. “You’re her port in a seriously fucked up storm, man. She’s been livin’ in the middle of nowhere, no electricity, no water, no contact with the outside world—all because she got pregnant. The people who were supposed toprotecther did that. Even ifshe doesn’t believe that her pops was all set to blow her ass up, I’m guessin’ you askin’ will be a relief.”
I sat there at the table, staring at my hands, while the rest of the men dispersed, going to make calls and strategize on next steps. I’d made one decision, onemistake, and my entire life was going to change. I didn’t know how to be a goddamn husband or a father. I’d never even had a steady girlfriend let alone taken care of a baby.
I could feel the beginning of a migraine starting at the base of my skull and willed it to go away. There was no possible way that I could afford to be out of commission for the next twelve hours, and migraines always knocked me flat on my ass.
I had to ask Esther to marry me and I had absolutely zero idea how to even broach the subject with her.
Nearly groaning as my head started to ache, I got to my feet and followed my mom and Esther back into my pop’s room. Jesus, I didn’t even have a room at the club. If something happened and we went on lockdown, Esther would be sleeping out on a sleeping bag in the main room of the clubhouse. I swallowed hard. If we were going to be married, she’d usually be sleeping in my bed. With me. Every night. Every single fucking night.
When I reached the open door to my parents’ room, all thoughts of sleeping arrangements disappeared in an instant. Esther was crying and it wasn’t just some stray tears, it was full-out-body-shaking sobs.
“I’m not sure who, yet, but I’m going to kill someone,” my mom snapped when she saw me.
“Get in line,” I muttered, starting forward. “What the fuck happened?”
“Hormones,” my gram said, shooting me a small smile over Esther’s head. “And an overwhelming day.”
She patted Esther’s back and eased her into my arms.
“I’m going to make her a doctor’s appointment,” my mom said as Esther sniffled against my chest. “Or maybe a midwife would be better.”
“A woman,” Esther ordered softly, her voice thick. “I want a woman doctor.”
“Consider it done,” my mom replied instantly. “No dicks.”
Esther made a choked noise but didn’t reply.
“We’ll give you two a few minutes,” Gram said, squeezing my shoulder as she stood.
Be good,my mom mouthed as she walked out the door, using her index and middle finger to point at her eyes and then at me.
I barely held back from rolling my eyes. What was I going to do? Make her cry? She was already doing that. Get her pregnant on my parents’ bed? That ship had motherfuckingsailed.
“I’m sorry,” Esther mumbled, straightening away from me. “Your mom’s just sonice.”
“My mom?” I joked incredulously. My mom was the kindest person I’d ever met, but if you asked anyone they would’ve said the opposite. She hid that part of herself very well.
“She’s awesome,” Esther argued in disbelief. Scowling at me. “She’sexcitedabout the baby and she doesn’t even know me.”
“I was kidding.” I watched her face as she tried to get her emotions under control. It was kind of startling to see her so upset because she’d been so calm all morning. She’d barely batted an eye once she’d put the old pistol down, just gone along with us—with me—like it was the most normal thing in the world.
“What are the men, you know, your club or whatever, what are they going to do?” she asked, lacing her fingers tightly in her lap. “Did they call my dad?”
“Honey, why do you think they’d call your dad?” The conversation was getting a little repetitious by that point. She couldn’t still believe that he hadn’t had anything to do with thestolen shipment, right? I mean, a person would have to be pretty fucking delusional to still believe that.
“To come get me,” she replied, her lips barely moving. She wasn’t looking at me anymore.
“Esther.” I shook my head. How the fuck was I supposed to explain that if I had breath in my body she’d never go near that fucking sociopath again?
“They can’t just keep me here, right?” she said, looking around. “That’s—that’s likekidnapping.”
“You’re not safe with your parents, sugar,” I replied as gently as I could. I wasn’t going to touch the mention of kidnapping. The club had done far worse than hold someone to keep them safe.
“You don’t know that. You don’t even know them. My parentsloveme, Otto.”
