Page 67 of The Biker and the Baker
Relaxing back against the pillows, I say, “So do you want to tell me what’s up with your weird mood? You weren’t like this when I saw you a few hours ago. Is it because of the meeting you had? Didn’t go well?”
He finishes off the other half of his cookie before getting in bed beside me, back against the headboard. “You remember the compound?”
“The place where you took me across from the Metal House? Yeah, I do.”
“It’s mine.”
“What’s yours? The Metal House or the compound?”
He picks up the tea he claimed he didn’t want and takes a sip. “Both.”
“Really? You’re theownerof The Metal House?” This is news to me. “I remember you saying something to my dad about it at the birthday party, but I assumed you just managed it or something, like with the others.”
“Nah. I inherited it along with the compound,” he informs me. “It was my father’s, which he inherited from his gran.”
“The Metal House is likethenumber one auto repair place in Denver, Onyx.”
“No thanks to me, or my dad,” he says. “That’s all Kendra’s doing. That’s the reason I don’t interfere. She does a damn good job with that place. It could easily be hers.”
“Kinda like with you and Cookie’s businesses?”
“Yeah.” Another sip of tea. “Anyway, Unc—you met him—used to be part of the club back in the day. Joined the army and came back with a different perspective, wanted to make it clean, legit. The heathens weren’t for it, he was voted out. He left Denver to live a quiet life.
“Now he’s back and he’s convinced I can build a clean club this time around. But Cookie doesn’t believe MCs can stay clean. She thinks I should take a wrecking ball to the place and make some clean millions with it instead.”
I flip onto my side to face him, elbow propped on the pillow. “And what doyouthink?”
His middle finger circles idly around the rim of the mug, his lips twisted to the side in thought. “Miss the brotherhood, the lifestyle, yeah, I do. It’s something I wish I could have back.”
“Then do what your heart’s telling you to do.”
He slants his head to look down at me then. “Already did that,” he says. “I came here.”
Sweet Lord. Hisheartsent him tome? What does that even mean? “I can’t tell you what to do, Onyx.”
“Sure you can. You’ve been telling me what to do since I met you. Whether it’s to fuck off or to fuck you,” he says, brow arched. “Told you I didn’t want tea earlier and you made tea anyway. And look, I’m drinking it. That’s why I’m here. ‘Cause you’re smart, you’ve got great instincts, a mind of your own, and you’re realistic. There’s no bullshit with you.”
I shake my head, refusing to take the bait. “You want me to tell you what to do so you can resent me later on?”
“No, I want you to tell me what to do ‘cause I plan on spending the rest of my life with you. These decisions won’t just affect me, they’ll affect you, too. And our kids. My life will be your life.”
Oh…
Oh…
OH!
I sit up and hold his gaze. “You want to spend the rest of your life withme?”
He gives me a look, a mixture of irritation and impatience. “Thought I made that clear more than once, babe.”
AndIthought you were full of crap. “You mean, like,allof your life? As in, forever?”
“As opposed to some of my life?” he says through a laugh. “P, I’m thirty-six, you’re thirty. We ain’t in college. No time to be pussyfootin’ around. Met the woman I wanna be with and I’m not about to fumble and lose her. I know it’s only been a few months, but my sorry ass is well on my way to falling in love with you. It’s inevitable. We’re doing this. Me and you. Life,together.”
Whoa.
Stunned, I can only blink at him.
