Page 26 of Slice

“I don’t think I’d like a ‘plosion near me,” Isaiah said.

“Me neither,” Micah replied.

Slice got the boys’ attention off their mother and explosions until they were back to their sweet giggling selves. Micah farted, and Isaiah thought it was funny, so he tried to fart too but accidentally had an accident.

Slice helped him get cleaned up and had the boys take showers, then put on pajamas. He missed Faith tonight, but he’dloved the time he spent with the boys. They were watching a cartoon while he fed LB.

He’d thought his life would never be what he planned when the explosion killed all of his team but Cruise and him. But he would have never met Faith if he wouldn’t have lost them and his hearing. What he’d thought was the ending of what he wanted actually led him down a path to happiness. He dropped a kiss on LB’s head. He needed to go to a jeweler if he wanted to propose to Faith. He wanted her permanently in his life before she figured out all his bad habits and idiosyncrasies.

LB finished his bottle, and Slice laid him on the burp cloth and patted his back. He also wanted to present a united front so they could adopt all three boys. Nothing and no one was going to endanger these kids ever again if Slice had anything to say about it.

Chapter Eight

Slice checked his outfit one more time, though he guessed Faith would be happy with whatever he wore. But this was their first date, and hopefully, it would be the last first date for either of them. He wanted everything perfect.

Slice had gone over for supper on Sunday and had a fantastic time with Faith and the boys. The week had been busy, and although he and Faith had talked every night, he’d only seen her in person at lunch this week when they’d stopped by the diner. Between helping cover at different businesses and needing to run to Wichita for some items the MC needed, his days had been packed.

Slice would have resented not seeing Faith if everyone else in the MC hadn’t been equally as busy. He’d spent two days over at Bluff Creek Crafts & Things because they’d had a couple issues. He, Speedy, and a couple others had loaded all the items in the shop onto a truck and then took two of the walls down to the studs to find the problems. Since they had to do that, Rascal hadtold Meg to figure out exactly how she wanted the building set up instead of the piecemeal way they’d thrown it together before.

He walked out of his room in the clubhouse, wondering how he and Faith would ever find time alone, not that he was planning on pushing her to be together physically yet. Faith deserved the whole experience. Hope had come by the building while he was working on it. She’d proceeded to tell him that if he hurt her sister, she’d make sure he wasn’t able to ever have a woman again. But then she’d given him a couple insights into how inexperienced Faith was. She wasn’t a virgin, but from Hope’s perspective, no one had ever put Faith first.

He snagged the keys from Dex as he walked by. With all the vehicles always around, Slice hadn’t invested in one of his own. Dex was loaning Slice his truck tonight. Slice guessed he’d need to buy a large SUV to have enough room for Faith, himself, and the kids with their car seats. He’d heard her and her sister talking about using different cars to get to the diner because neither one of theirs had enough room to take everyone.

He checked to make sure Dex’s vehicle was picked up enough for Faith, but he needn’t have worried. Dex was meticulous about his things. Slice pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the small hill toward town.

Although he wouldn’t want to stay in the clubhouse after he and Faith were together permanently, he wondered if she’d be willing to live on the compound. Slice adored the comradery of being able to walk into the clubhouse and always find someone to hang out with. Plus, the safety of being behind the walls made it easier for him to sleep. The fence around the compound and sleeping in the clubhouse had given him one of his first good nights of sleep since getting out of the Army.

He didn’t really notice his hearing loss in his left ear that often because he’d adapted, but he’d always slept on his right side. He either had to sleep on his back or his other side to be ableto hear anyone coming into his room. When he and Cruise had been staying in motels, they’d gotten their own rooms because they’d both had enough of hearing everyone’s farts, snores, and other sounds right next to them. But then Slice had to figure out how to possibly catch a little sleep so he could hear any danger coming toward him.

At Bluff Creek, he had relaxed a little more knowing the safeguards they had in place with loud alarms and security systems, but he’d still battled insomnia. Too many nights, he or Cruise would end up walking into the main room of the clubhouse to hang out and avoid the nightmares that were too close. He hoped as he got farther from the incident of losing his team and hearing that he’d be able to sleep better. He pulled up at Faith’s house. Locks’ bike and War and Remi’s bikes were already parked out front.

He shut the truck off and headed in to pick up Faith.

Faith giggled at War and Locks mock-fighting over who got to decide what game they were playing first. Remi had stepped in and suggested they do a couple board games before supper and then they’d save the video games for after baths. War had stuck his lip out, fake-pouting and Faith couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Seeing the President of the MC in his cut act like a little kid to make the boys comfortable was funny.

Remi had told Faith she’d keep everyone in line because if the men got too annoying, she’d play the pregnancy card, and Warwould fall in line. LB was sleeping, but Remi had listened as Faith went over the note she’d left with his normal schedule.

Slice’s friends were so nice to do this, and she could see the family aspect of the club that Slice had mentioned numerous times. A knock at the door had her turning, but Locks held up his hand.

“I’ve got this,” he said, smirking.

“Once he found out your parents were gone, he decided he was going to have a chat with Slice before he took you on your date,” Remi said, shaking her head and smiling at her dad.

“Locks, can I come in so I can pick up Faith?” Slice asked as Locks barred the door.

“You can if you can answer the question correctly. How are you going to treat her?” Locks asked.

“I’m going to treat her like the treasure she is,” Slice said.

“Good answer,” Locks said, patting Slice’s shoulder and moving so Slice could walk in.

Slice walked in and went directly to her. “Good evening, Faith.” He handed her a bouquet of roses. They weren’t the traditional red; he’d brought her a mixed bouquet of white and pale pink flowers. If she had to describe the color, she’d call it a blush pink. No one had ever brought her flowers before. She sniffed because he’d made her so happy, and she had no idea how tears were filling her eyes from something so nice he’d done.

“Faith, babe, what’s wrong?” Slice whispered, leaning close.

“No one has ever brought me flowers,” she said softly. Locks, War, and Remi were in the room, but this conversation was just for her and Slice.

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