Page 156 of Ethan's Sky

“No, Pres. We’ve been patrolling like you asked. Sending prosects out two by two. Nobody’s seen or heard anything.”

“I think maybe Spider was a nomad. He had just gotten out of jail not too long ago. He’s missed a lot with his club. Maybe he was working on his own plan without their knowledge. There are several other possibilities too, like maybe his Pres shot down his plan for revenge and cut him loose.” Hawk rattles off each point but still we have no concrete evidence of the actual truth.

“Fuck. Why can’t this shit ever be cut and dry?” Gabe slams his hand on the table. “Ethan, I want Sky to remain on the same plan. She needs a brother with her at all times. If it ain’t you, designate someone. Got me?”

“Yeah Pres, I got you.”

“Now, what about the girl Skyler rescued? What’s the plan with her?”

I jump in before anyone can say “Let’s take a vote on sending her away.” I don’t want to send her away, and I don’t believe Skyler does either.

“I’d like to adopt Lilah!” I shout. “She would have a good, loving home and tow very dedicated parents. I’ll need some records forged to keep people from sniffing at my door, but I’m sure we’ve got a few people who know how to do that.” I look pointedly at Ghost and Hawk.

“Skyler’s okay with this decision?” Gabe’s narrow eyes are drilling into me.

“She will be. After our conversation last night, I have no concerns about doing this. I know it’s what she’ll want.”

Forty-five minutes later and some long, drawn-out conversations about shit we really don’t have answers to in church, I’m finally free to find my woman and tell her the good news.

I find her sprawled out on a couch with Violet who is sprawled out on the other.

“Skyler. Come here, baby. I need to talk to you.”

She hops up off the couch, watching me curiously, taking her time to cross the room.

“Now, Woman!” I feign frustration, but inside I’m like a kid at Christmas, only instead of receiving gifts, I’m giving them.

She stops right in front of me, crossing her arms over her chest pushing those luscious tits out at me. “What?” She’s uncertain. Nervous.

Caressing her cheek with my hand, I ask, “What’s the matter, baby? What’s got you so nervous?”

“Everything. Nothing.” Skyler’s biting her lip which tells me she’s hiding something.

“Hey. We promised no secrets.”

“I don’t have any secrets. I was thinking about something and I’m not sure how to talk to you about it.”

“You can tell me anything, you know this.”

“Why don’t you tell me your news first, then I’ll tell you mine.” This makes me smile. I already know she’s going to love what I’m about to tell her, and maybe it’ll be enough to set her at ease, where she can tell me what’s eating her.

“I spoke to Pres and the guys, and they’ve agreed to help us adopt Lilah. I know it’s a little backward, getting the kid before the wedding, but we’re already six years behind. I figured calling an audible wouldn’t hurt, and it would give us a head start on the family we’ve always wanted to have. Ghost and Hawk will work out the records and shit. But we can keep her here with us and give her a loving home, and a great family.” I swing my arm around pointing out the large, all be it, functionally dysfunctional family strewn about the clubhouse.

Skyler doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t move a muscle and I’m beginning to worry I may have jumped the gun on this.

Placing my hands on her shoulders, I give her a little shake. “Baby, say something. What was it you wanted to tell me?”

Her eyes light up and the corners of her mouth tip.

“I wanted to ask you if you thought Lilah should stay here with us, where she could go to school and have a normal life a sweet girl like her deserves. A home where e she would be loved and cared for. She’d never go hungry or beg anyone for anything ever again because we would provide her with everything she could ever need, including a crazy ass family of bikers and their semi-sane women and children.”

Laughter bursts out of me. I pull her close and kiss her forehead, still chuckling. “So, I guess that’s a yes, huh?”

“That’s a hell yes.”

“Mmm, think I could get the same answer if I was to ask you to marry me?”

Skyler smiles up at me, it’s a genuine, heart melting smile.

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