Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
I pull back from him, face scrunched. “Excuse you! No fucking way.”
His head tilts back in laughter. “Alright, alright.” We moved into the main house two weeks ago now. Not long after Skully’s death, he decided he never wanted to leave my side and could run the MC from home. I didn’t mind that he spent most of his time here, so long as it was me he was coming home to. And he did. Every single time.
“Hey.” Wicked brushes my hair behind my ear. “Are you happy, baby?” I place the tray of sandwiches onto the table beside us and reach behind his neck, leaning up on my tippy toes until our lips brush against each other.
“I will always be happy so long as I have you and Wolf.”
“So toxicity turned into I love yous?” he asks, the corner of his mouth turning up into a grin.
I bite into his bottom lip. “I’m probably going to continue to hate you until the day I die, Wicked, but that’s just you. And that’s me.” I place a gentle kiss on his lips. “And that’s also all you get.”
He laughs, scooping me up into his arms and throwing me over his shoulder.
“Wicked! It’s a kid’s party!”
“Fuck them. I need to be inside you right now.”
He jogs us up the stairs, his shoulder digging into my ribs. My cheeks sting from my smiling and I don’t think I could ever say that I thought we would end this way. How we are. We have a love that burns, and everything that burns eventually turns to ash, but somewhere between the I hate yous and the I love yous, I’ve found a love so powerful it will continue to burn after the flames die out.
Christmas
The clubhouse is glittered with traditional Christmas colors. Kids are on the playground, and bikes are parked at the front. I direct my new Rolls Royce under the car park, straightening the mirror to see Wolf’s wide eyes already on mine.
“Mama, is Papa here?” Wolf sees him every second of the day when Wicked isn’t doing club business, but it’ll never be enough for Wolf. Wicked is his hero, the dark knight who came in wearing a torn cape.
“Yes, baby.” I reach for the handle, pushing the door open as Mama unbuckles him from his seat.
Betty rounds the car after sliding out of the passenger seat. “You know, I’m totally proud of you and everything that you’ve accomplished.”
“Can you not?” I raise my brows at her. “You’re sounding like Mama.”
Betty hooks her arm with mine. “Well, you know, we are the wiser ones.” We make our way to the clubhouse, ignoring the groups of people at the front. Not intentionally. My mind isn’t here right now. It’s still with the job I just came from.
Before I’ve reached the steps, Wicked rounds the corner, his eyes finding me instantly. “You alright?” Ma takes Wolf over to the playground with Lion’s old lady and Jade’s mom.
“Yup!” I flash a wide smile at him, sliding beneath his arm.
“I’m going to find eggnog.” Snow is powdered everywhere outside, I honestly don’t know how the hell the kids are outside.
Wicked closes the door behind us and I shiver, removing my long trench coat. “Get me one!”
“Hey!” Wicked’s hands come to my arms, turning me toward him. His dark eyes search mine and as every second passes, the guilt builds deeper and deeper inside my gut. “What’s wrong so I can kill it?”
I place a gentle kiss on the palm of his hand. “Nothing. I promise. I just had something to do before I got here, and well…” I shuffle out of his grip and place my handbag on the counter. “Let’s just say it wasn’t fun.” The clubhouse looks completely different to what it usually does. Jade and the girls did it good. I probably should have been here to help them, as Wicked’s old lady, but I think they all understand my schedule.
“Wanna talk about it?” he asks, kissing the top of my head. The door closes behind us as Mama and Olivia walk back through.
Shaking my head, I rest on his shoulder as he pulls me down onto his lap. “Nope.” His arm wraps around mine protectively. Wicked and I went back and forth on how we would do Christmas. He wanted to spend time with the MC, but I just wanted something at home. We came to an agreement for Christmas Eve at the clubhouse and Christmas Day at home. Everything is already organized for tomorrow. We have Gio, Marcu, and my aunt and uncle coming, as well as Val and Ivy. I still haven’t met her yet. Mama said that she hasn’t wanted a lot to do with our family since finding out what Victor did when we were younger. I guess she’s decided to burn a bridge to come tomorrow. Or burn a bridge when she gets there. I watch as Royce and Jade cuddle in the corner, Royce nibbling on her neck.