Page 113 of My Darling Mayhem

WREN

We returned home exactlyone week and two days after traveling to North Carolina. The boys had quite a bit of homework to catch up on, but during our time away, Archer and I had come to a conclusion regarding our lives.

We wanted to start it. Together.

With what happened to Brian, things felt too strange to return to work. Word of his car accident came out, which caused a rumble of questions amongst our entire team. A funeral was prepared for him, and while Archer was supportive of me attending, I truly had no desire to go. From what I’d known of Brian, he wasn’t someone I wanted to remember. He’d gotten himself into a horrible situation with Saul and had betrayed my safety and trust by using my location against me. He also threatened to take Kane from us.

As far as I was concerned, he’d received his due and perhaps that made me harsh, but I could never get the way Kane’s face looked being held captive by Saul while Brian just stood there watching, out of my mind. Once the funeral had passed, I had put in my two weeks’ notice. Denise had been a wonderful boss,but my heart wasn’t in the job. I’d been hiding for five years in that job and in that city. I was ready to focus on something else.

I hadn’t had time to discover what I wanted to do for myself. I’d never considered any hobbies or jobs that I could pursue that felt like me, that would bring me joy. I moved out of my house and packed all of my and Cruz’s things into Archer’s home.

We lived with him while he finalized the last step of becoming Kane’s guardian.

Archer and I had been looking for a new place to live now that he wasn’t required to stay in Atlas. We were taking our time, finding a place that had property, where we could homeschool the boys, while having the freedom to go see my family and allow them to visit us. I was heading out of the gas station with my coffee and bagel when I saw Lydia pull up.

I hadn’t returned any of her texts or talked to her since that night she’d been at my house after my sprained ankle.

Her blonde hair was dyed blue, matching her long sweater dress. Her steps slowed as she drew closer, holding her clutch in one hand and keys in another.

“Wren?”

Her eyes trailed over my leather cut, getting larger the more she took in. Throughout the months, I’d gone to visit Mayhem Riot with Archer. I’d gotten to know his men, and in turn, their women. I had new patches on the front of my cut that Thistle had given me. I had one from a woman named Ruth I’d met that was more like an honorary member but was by far my favorite of all the women I’d met.

My leather cut had become like a second skin, but Lydia’s expression only truly manifested into shock when she realized my stomach was slightly bigger than the last time, she saw me. It was nearly Christmas, and my shirt had a mini motorcycle with the words, ‘Baby Mayhem Is On The Way,’ printed across the front.

Lydia’s mouth dropped open. “I was wondering what happened to you.”

She hadn’t tried texting more than the one time, but it was fine. We weren’t really friends. I knew she had looked through my phone for Archer’s number when she was over that night, which was probably the only reason she even helped me.

The sliding door from the gas station opened up behind me, and suddenly Archer was putting his arm across my shoulders, pulling me into his side.

“I knocked her up. Excuse us, Lindsay, we’re gonna be late for a party. Can’t keep Wren’s mom waiting.”

Archer kissed the side of my head as I took a bite of my bagel, smiling as Lydia gaped at us. “You know her name isn’t Lindsay.”

Archer opened the door for me, holding my hand as I slid inside the car. His smile was bright as he looked down at me. “You know I don’t give a flying fuck, beautiful.”

He shut the door, and another smile stretched along my face. I’d been doing that a lot lately.

“Your mother is going to love my gift,” Archer said happily as we pulled out of the lot. My mom was home with the boys, decorating for our last Christmas in Atlas. We were scheduled to move into a farmhouse, closer to the city, in January.

Mom came here to see us, but Juan, Taylor and his kids would be coming as well.

I was nervous, but excited.

“What did you get her?”

Archer smiled over at me, a smug expression on his face.

“Pearl earrings.”

THIRTY

ARCHER

I wasnervous as the gifts began dwindling down.

Juan kept laughing as he watched his mother touch the pearl earrings I’d gifted her. She’d wince every few minutes or so, then loudly declare how much she loved the earrings. I noticed Juan’s wife hiding her face in her husband’s shoulder, her body shaking with laughter each time Anna would make one of her loud declarations.

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