Page 79 of Hardy

He turned to his woman and saw theuncertainty in her eyes.“Happy.I’m so fucking ecstatic you don’teven realize.I’m panicking.I’m going need to buy a shotgun, andsome boy traps.We need to boy proof our home.I’m not having somefucking bastards taking advantage of my two little girls,” Hardysaid.

Rose chuckled.“You’re going to be anightmare of a father.”

“I’m being serious.Nodirty fucker is getting near my girls.”

“Why don’t we worry about the menwho are going to take advantage of our girls until after they’reborn?”

“I can’t handlethis.”

“We can handle thistogether.”Rose held her hand out.“Come here.”He moved to herside, and she pointed at the screen.“There are our two littlegirls, Hardy.”

“We did thistogether.”

“We did.”She squeezed his hand alittle tighter, and he gripped hers in the same hard grip.“Ourbabies, and we’re going to do this together.”

“I’ve got to go and orderdouble of everything.”

“It’s a good job we moved you outof the small room,” Rose said.

“I can’t believe we’regoing to have twins.”

“We’re going to havetwins.”

No matter how many times Hardy said he wasgoing to have twins, he couldn’t get his head around it.Rose keptgrowing, getting larger than any of the other women, and it wasn’tlong before she was huge, and struggling to make her way upstairs.Hardy set everything up downstairs for her, and they spent a greatdeal of time in the kitchen.

As the weekspassed, Hardykept what he was doing a secret from Rose.He didn’t want her toworry about their life.Hardy had gotten a job at a bank, and aftera long conversation with Lash, he was still part of The Skulls, buthe worked Monday to Friday from nine to five.He hated the work,but he knew it was the kind of life Rose wanted fromhim.

One Friday evening he wasworking on the front desk, cashing in some checks, when Rose wassuddenlystanding in front of him.They froze, and he saw Baker wasstanding by the door, not knowing what to do.Rose was heavilypregnant, and it was snowing outside.

“What’s going on?”Roseasked.“I’m really confused right now.”

Gripping the back of his neck, helooked toward Baker.“Can we talk about this when I gethome?”

“You’re working in a bank,Hardy.”

“I know.”

“You’re allowed backthere?”

“I’m allowed to behere.”

Rose looked really confused.“I’mmissing something.I’m sure I’m missing something rightnow.”

The locals in the bank went silent,clearly listening to their conversation.

“For the longest time, I’ve donewhat I wanted, and not cared about what you thought.I loved you.That was never in question, but I did it all by myself.”He movedtoward the end of the long line of cashiers, and opened the door.Hardy wore a business suit like he had worn for the last couple ofmonths.“We’re going to have twins.Two young girls, and it wastime for me to give you what you wanted.This is the respectableposition you wanted from your man.You’ve given me a chance, Rose,and now I’m showing you that I’m going to be everything youneed.”

She closed the distance between them,cupping his cheek.“You’re making me cry right now.”

“Don’t cry.”

“I love you, Hardy.Iforgave you for everything that had happened between us, and whathadn’t happened between us, but you don’t need to work in a bank.Iget it, you love me, you’re more than willing to change.You don’tneed to have a bank job for me to see that.”

“Rose, I’m hap—”

She silenced him with a kiss.“You’remiserable here.The fact you’ve been working here for months justshows that you’ve changed, Hardy.I love you, and because I love,and trust, you I’m not going to let you spend the rest of your daysmiserable.”Rose looked past his shoulder.“Whoever is in charge,Hardy quit.”

Taking his hand, Hardy followed hiswoman outside.

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