Page 108 of Filthy Love

“Don’t bother with yucky boys, Harper,” she told her niece kneeling on the thick carpeted floor with the flaying, gorgeous cherub. “They’re all bad news and they’ll give you such a headache.” Harper squealed, pulling Gia’s hair. She laughed kissing the baby’s cheek, lifting her into her lap just in time to see Zara return from the inspection of her sprawling, rented bungalow.

Lawless really had come up with the goods for her. She’d expected a poky little house, maybe a studio apartment, not a three bed, two bath gorgeous detached bungalow in a great part of town with enough space she wouldn’t be bothered by noisy neighbors. The kitchen was open plan, twice the size of the living area and Gia felt at home instantly. Even the yard led out from elegant French doors. The main bedroom was her favorite spot, with a nook in the large bay window for reading and plenty of floor space with a walk-in closet.

“It’s amazing, I love the sunken bath tub and the yard is perfect for cookouts in the summer, plus it could easily have a pool if that’s what you wanted if you buy one day. I vote yay! We can have girl’s night out there with wine and music.” Zara said retaking her seat on the couch.

“And no bikers allowed,” Gia grinned.

The house was a disaster zone, piles of empty boxes, furniture in the wrong rooms, windows with no blinds or curtains and she was still eating takeout because the pantry was empty. But her one success was her office finished and ready for her first online session in the morning.

Cuddling her niece dressed in pale pink pants and a sweater that read ‘Biker Princess’ on the front in glitter writing, Gia grinned, pretended to eat her fingers sending the baby into a fit of the most adorable giggles, making Gia’s ovaries clutch.

She wanted this. Her own family.

“I’m keeping her, Zara.” She announced. “It’s only fair you know you’ll be going home alone, you can drop her stroller and diapers off tomorrow.”

Zara laughed. “You say that, but Rider’s already planning overnight babysitting for you.”

“I’ll do it.” Easy to agree. Harper was the happiest baby. Gia was in love. “Though, how is my brother going to let her go for a full night? He has attachment issues.”

Zara giggled. “You’re not wrong, it’s a wonder I can push him out the door for work every day. He is unashamedly in love with his doodle-bug. And her with him.” Gia knew this having watched her brother with his daughter yesterday. Better than that, he was happier than a horse in stud. The sun rose and set on his Zara. She’d felt a pinch of envy watching them together.

A heavy roar of a bike alerted them. “I bet that’s him now, can’t stay away from his girls for long,” Gia joked bouncing Harper on her lap.

But it wasn’t Rider striding through the door Zara opened.

It was the man who made her heart clutch in a grip so tight she felt it in her toes.

Before she beamed a grin at him she steeled her eyes and glared holding Harper as a shield in case she had the idea of vaulting over the foot rest and wrapping her legs around his gorgeous face.

“Something you need?” She asked coolly.

Gia heard Zara gasp and cover her giggle with a stealthy cough.

Hawk didn’t look anywhere but at Gia.

Not at Zara.

Not the baby Gia was cuddling. And he didn’t pay the large living room a second glance. His hands pushed into his leather jacket pockets, standing as tall as he was, he looked both out of place and right at home in the arched doorway streaking his gaze over her like he had a right to.

Gia felt the look.

It circled her belly and slithered heatedly directly up towards her heart.

A claiming look and she was in no doubt what he was here for.

For her.

Spit dried on her tongue. She distracted her rapping heart by burying her face in the baby’s sweet scent. “I might have been wrong with what I told you, darling.” She told Harper because butterflies were manic in her mid-section from just a stare from Hawk. “But let’s keep an open discussion, okay?” Harper blew raspberries and yanked Gia’s earring. She took it as anokay, theía.

She wasn’t letting him off so easy. “If you’re looking for my brother, as you can see he isn’t here.”

“I just left him at the club.”

Gia clicked her tongue. Chin in the air.

Why wasn’t he looking guilty as fuck? Why wasn’t his nose already groveling on the floor?

After a minute of ignoring, and Hawk blatantly eye-fucking her with Zara right there it was her sister in law who spoke. “Did he tell you we’re having people over for an impromptu kind of planned cookout this weekend?”

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