Page 31 of Nothing is Free

Once we’ve kitted out her SUV in all things baby, we drive in silence. Turning around I watch Dylan through the various clip-on mirrors on his car seat, grateful he’s still sleeping peacefully. Maybe we can get through lunch and have an entire adult conversation this time.

“So, how’s your head?” Mercy asks, finally breaking the silence.

I turn my attention to her, and she quickly glances over at me. After I was discharged from the hospital, I regressed, I refused to return to the penthouse and Faith handed me the keys to the house Mercy built for her last year.

“I honestly never lived there, I practically live with Malcolm, Beckett, and Quincy,” she let slip during one of her hospital visits. So, I took the keys and I asked no further questions. When Faith is ready to tell her story, I will be all ears with a bucket of popcorn at the ready.

I tilt my head to the side and study my bestie before I reply, “How’s yours?” I raise a brow in question, and she purses her lips indignantly. “Touché, bitch, touché,”

I throw my head back in silent laughter. She huffs and rolls her eyes before she laughs silently right along with me. I know she still struggles; she might appear as if she has it all together, billionaire Omega CEO that she is, but her scars run deep, just like mine. #twinning

“All joking aside. I’m better. Well, taking it day by day. If it wasn’t for Dylan, I will admit I would have been no good to anyone. He keeps me focused and I move through life with a nice routine of poopy diapers, baby puke, and sleepless nights,” I say triumphantly, proud of myself for being positive.

“So, you’re saying I need a baby?” She glances over, biting her bottom lip in that way she does when she has a secret.

She turns her head, focusing on the road and I narrow my eyes. “Mercy Smooth, are you?—”

“Got ya!” She wiggles her eyebrows, checking the rearview mirror to make sure she hasn’t disturbed Dylan. Just when I’m about to reply, Mercy signals and turns off onto afreshly paved road surround by the forest on either side. I turn and look around the area because it’s similar to the road that leads to her pack house.

“Where are we?” I ask warily. “I thought we were going to lunch and meeting Faith.”

Mercy slowly drives down the road for a minute before the does the lip biting thing again then says, “We are going to lunch and meeting Faith, I need to stop somewhere first.”

Mercy drives past a wrought iron fence and onto a horseshoe-shaped drive and parks the car. I stare at her in confusion, then the massive red brick mansion, because that is far from what I would consider a house.

“What is this?” I ask as my emotions get the better of me and a tear falls down my face. The place is beautiful. Three stories tall, all red brick and black arched windows line the front, with six large white Corinthian columns holding up the second floor.

“Oh, this is one of Nate’s new designs. Took him months. Very picky clientele, and a lot of sleepless nights to get it done in time. But if you really want to know what this is, how about you go and ask them?” She gestures to the front door as Avion, Dez, Vic and Omari all walk out and down the steps.

“Go ahead.” She pushes me out of the car. “I’ve got Dylan.” Mercy winks then gestures for me to wipe away my tears. Yep, I’m still crying.

Avion holds out his arms to me and I go eagerly. He wraps me in his arms, his delicious scent envelops me, and I am instantly at ease. “Hello, Mon Chéri, I’ve missed you and our son.” He tilts my chin up with his finger and kisses me tenderly.

“I thought you were in Paris. How?” I look at my mates and they all look sheepish. “You weren’t in Paris?” I turn my attention back to Avion who raises his hands in surrender. “I’ve been preparing your new home for you, Mon Chéri. We’ve been working on this little surprise for almost a year now. What do you think?” He turns and waves his hands in the air, gesturing toward the gigantic mansion in the middle of acres of green and trees.

I look around at their hopeful faces and let myself cry. For so long I just wanted this. A family, people who love me and who I love in return. These men literally fell from the sky on a night when I felt the loneliest I’ve ever felt. The universe decided to bring me my light and I am grateful every day for its bright rays.

“I love it. When can we move in?” I ask, wiping away my tears.

“How about today?” Avion suggests.

“Yes!” I reply, jumping up and down, eager to see the inside.

As if on cue a sign unravels from the second-floor balcony, and I realize it’s Mercy’s mates holding it up for me to see.

Seeing the sign brings fresh tears to my eyes as my mates all gather me up in their arms, showering me with their kisses and love.

“Welcome home, Mon Chéri, Baby Girl, Cariña, Petal.”

EPILOGUE

FAITH

3 months later

“You’re worthless, you know. Barren. Broken. Not worth the years spent spilling my cum into your worthless body. You’re better to us dead?—”

“Faith.” The sound of my name falling from my mother’s lips has me blinking back the memory of Chasson’s last words to me. The moment they had left me to die that day in the hotel room. That day, though one of the worst days of my life, was also the day my world changed forever. The day three men had rescued me, nursed me back to health, and brought me back to life when I had given up. I’d been beaten, broken, barely breathing, when strong arms had wrapped around me and pulled me out of that cold bathtub. The tub I had thought would be the last thing I’d ever see—left like trash by the Alphas who were supposed to have loved me.

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