Page 27 of Ace's Legacy
"Was the sex that good?" I tease, my fingers still trailing over his skin.
He shakes his head, smiling. "The sex was incredible. But this is different. When I'm with you, I feel... different. Like maybe I don't have to follow in my father's footsteps after all."
"Tell me about him," I encourage softly. "About your family."
He's quiet for a moment, then sighs. "My old man was a mean drunk who beat my mom and sold meth to kids. He died in prison when I was fourteen. Stabbed in a fight over cigarettes." His voice hardens. "My brother followed right in his footsteps. He's in and out of jail so often they should install a revolving door."
I tighten my arm around his chest. "I had no idea."
"Not exactly first-date conversation," he says with a bitter laugh. "But that's where I come from. That's the blood in my veins."
"And yet you're fighting to follow a different path," I point out. "Maybe this baby and I... maybe we can be your redemption. A new legacy for you to create."
"A new legacy… I hope so," he whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "I want to be the person you both need me to be. Once this war is over, we can have a normal life. Go on regular dates, all that shit."
"Are you sure?" I ask, raising my head to look at him. "You don't need to decide now. This is all happening so fast."
He smiles, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I've lived a fast life, Sarah. It's where I thrive. And yeah, I'm sure. It's time to grow the fuck up. I've got a family to take care of now."
The word "family" makes my heart swell. I kiss him, pouring all my conflicting emotions into it—fear, hope, desire, even love.
A sharp knock on the front door interrupts us.
"That'll be Viper," Ryan says, reluctantly pulling away. "Stay in bed. I'll handle it."
He pulls on his jeans and heads out, leaving me wrapped in sheets still warm from our bodies. But I'm too anxious to stay put. What if it's not Viper? What if it's the Vultures MC? I slip on a robe and follow quietly, hiding behind the wall separating the hallway from the living room.
"When I said take your time to talk, I didn't mean fuck her brains out," Viper's gruff voice carries clearly to my hiding spot. "It's been forty minutes, and Ghost already messaged asking if everything's okay. Time to go."
"Sorry," Ryan responds, not sounding sorry at all. "We needed this moment before going back to the clubhouse. This is my family now too, Viper."
Viper huffs. "I'm glad you're happy, brother. Love can be a weakness or a strength. You've made it a strength."
"One day it'll be you doing the same," Ryan says.
"Maybe," Viper replies skeptically. "Not focused on that right now. Go tell your girl it's time to go."
I hear Ryan's footsteps heading back and rush to the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed just as he appears in the doorway.
"Were you listening?" he asks, a knowing look in his eyes.
I nod, not bothering to lie. "I was scared."
He crosses the room in three strides, taking my face in his hands and pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You never have to be scared again. I'll fight to my last breath for you and our child. That's a promise."
Looking up into his determined green eyes, I believe him. Whatever comes next—Vultures MC, danger, an uncertain future—we'll face it together. For the first time since seeing that positive pregnancy test, I feel like everything might actually be okay.
"Let's pack your things," he says, helping me up. "Time to head back to safety."
As I gather clothes and necessities, and I move around Ryan as he helps, I realize something has fundamentally changed between us. What started as a one-night stand has transformed into something neither of us expected or sought, but something that feels strangely right, despite all the wrong surrounding it.
I'm carrying a biker's baby and falling for him in the process. Nothing about this situation makes logical sense. But as he packs my prenatal vitamins, asking which books I want to bring, which comfort items I'll need, I can't bring myself to regret any of it.
Not even the danger. Not even the fear. Because they brought me to him—to us—to this unexpected family forming against all odds.
Chapter 9 - Ace
One month.
