Climbing Out (15 page)

Shit, where in the hell did that thought come from?
I was a bloke, for God’s sake—a guy doesn’t think about kids before the chick does.

Christ!
I was a fuckin’ goner for this woman.

Two Months Later

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Griz

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I
was sitting in Talon's office with him, Blue and Stoke just shooting the shit, but I could not stop fuckin' smiling, because I kept thinkin' about the way Dee had woke me up that morning.

Before I even had my eyes open, my dick was in her mouth, her hand was between her legs and she masturbated as she blew me, and what a fuckin' perfect sight to wake up to.

The thought of staying in bed all day with her crossed my mind many times, just like it had in the last two months we’d spent together. We now moved in a certain, day-by-day routine. The days she worked, Swan was at Wildcat's; the days she didn't, she offered to have Swan with her. Not only did Swan love it, but so did Deanna. I felt like such a cock over how I reacted to Deanna taking her to see someone. I’ll regret my reaction and the pain I saw in her eyes every fuckin’ day. I was still grateful she forgave me and we’d moved passed it. I’d do my best to make sure I’d never do that to her again.

It was beautiful seeing her with Swan, with
our
baby girl.

One night, I was nearly brought to my knees when Swan came up to me as I was sitting on the couch watching a football game on TV. She hopped up on my knee, looked up to my face and started singing the alphabet song. As she continued, my eyes and mouth grew wider and wider.

Once she'd finished, I heard clapping from the kitchen doorway and found Deanna with a proud smile upon her face. She bounded over to Swan, picked her up in her arms and spun her around, telling her how perfect she was.

My chest ached, and for the first fuckin' time in my life, I had tears welling in my eyes.

Fuck, I was a man for God’s sake. I was not supposed to feel shit, and if I did, I wasn’t supposed to show it.

From that day on, Swan bloomed into a beautiful, chatty young girl, and I had no other person to thank but Deanna. My woman.

And believe me, I thanked her every night. I could not get enough of her sweet, tight pussy, and she knew it and loved it.

“Griz?” Talon's bark brought me back to the room.

“What?” I answered with a slight jump.

They all laughed.

“Your mind seems to be elsewhere; should we take this meetin' up another day?” Talon asked.

“Nah, it's cool.”

“You sure about that, brother?” Blue queried and looked down at my crotch.

What. The. Fuck?

I glanced down to see I had a boner. A fuckin’ boner in a fuckin' meeting.

Shit.

“Ha! The fucker's blushin',” Stoke teased.

“Screw you,” I growled.

“Well, if that's what you were thinkin' about to get hard—”

“Do not finish whatever you're about to say, dickhead,” I warned.

They all chuckled.

“All right, settle. Let's get back on track,” Talon said, just as the office door opened and Pick stuck his head in.

“You needed to see me, boss?” he asked Talon.

“Get your arse in here,” Talon ordered.

I noticed Pick paled. I couldn't blame the guy. Ever since he got outta the hospital after being shot, he'd been weary of not only Talon, but all the other brothers.

He had every right to be. No one looked at, treated or spoke to him the same, all because he was stupid enough to betray the brotherhood.

Damn well lucky Talon was married to Wildcat, and Pick was the one to save her brother and his lover’s lives that night, or else he would’ve been a dead man also. Just like Wildcat’s ex.

But no, instead, he was still in the brotherhood and still fuckin' living...only on a tighter rope.

“Pick, any news on that wanker Ryan?”

He stepped into the room, but came no further. He swallowed and said, “No. Killer and I watched him pack up two months ago and drive outta town, down toward Geelong Way. I've kept an eye on him myself, but he hasn't done shit. Just sitting low in a fuckin' huge-ass house on the beach.”

“Anyone come and see him?” I asked.

Pick turned to me and nodded. “Yeah, one time. Maxwell. It was about a month ago. He was all bandaged up still from our visit. He went in, stayed an hour and then left again. Other than that, nothing.”

“Maybe we should have closer eyes on him,” Blue suggested.

“Whadya mean?” Stoke asked.

“Have Warden, Vi's worker, get in and set some cameras up.”

“Not a bad idea. Get on that,” Talon said to Blue, who nodded in return.

“Still can't believe that monster of a man can sneak into any place undetected.”

“I didn't either until I saw it myself,” Talon said. His brows furrowed, obviously remembering that day—the day he nearly lost his woman.

“What about Maxwell?” I asked.

“Would he really be stupid enough to do anything?” Pick asked.

I looked from Talon, to Blue, to Stoke. “Yes,” we all said in unison.

“All right, inside-eyes on him as well. I know we got others on him day and night, but I’d feel a lot fuckin’ better if we had eyes on him at all times. What would be even better is if either of them would make a goddamn move already. I hate this waiting shit,” Talon said, and everyone nodded.

“We still got his phone tapped?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Stoke replied, “but that’s also givin’ us shit all.”

“Okay, let’s get to doin’ the crap we need to,” Talon barked. Everyone but the two of us disappeared from the room. Blue was the last to leave, closing the door behind him.

“How's business?” I asked.

“Pickin' up every fuckin' day, so it's good, but you didn't stay around to ask that. What's up, brother?” he asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.

“You're right, but it ain't nothing. I gotta go fix that Harley that was brought in yesterday. Catch'ya later.”

I went to stand until Talon growled, “Sit the fuck down.”

With a grumble, I complied. “What?” I asked.

“If you don't tell me what's on your goddamn mind, I'll spread the word about your boner to everyone.”

“Fuck you. Besides, not like Blue hasn't already told everyone already.”

Talon chuckled. “True that.”

I shifted my weight in the hard seat, contemplating if I was really gonna tell Talon.

“Brother, just spill it.”

“Fuck, I feel like a little girl talkin' about this shit.”

Talon's eyes widened. “You askin’ Hell Mouth to marry you?”

“How? What? Fuck. Yes.”

Talon's wild, wide smile was catching.

“Shit, Griz. I knew it right from the start. The way she watched you, and the way your eyes followed her every fuckin' move, I
knew
this day would come. And I couldn't be more damned happy for you.”

“Fuck.” I grinned and looked down at my boots. “Thanks, brother.”

“When’s he gettin’ out?” he asked, obviously changing the subject so I could stop feeling like a pussy.

I growled, “In a month.”

“We'll up the security then. We'll get the bitch before he even breathes her air.”

I looked up at him and knew my eyes were hard. “Yeah, we will.”

Talon chuckled, and I looked at him with a questionable gaze. This wasn’t a laughing matter.

“Damn smart move, though,” he said.

“What?”

“Moving in with her before her shit actually started. It gave you both time to get to know one another.”

I laughed. “It was more than smart; it was fuckin’ brilliant.”

Deanna

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I
t was Sunday morning; Grady had gone to the compound for a meeting, and I’d organized to meet up with Zara and the monsters at a play centre with Swan.

Walking in, I spotted Zara...I mean, who wouldn’t? She looked like she was about to burst out the little devils any second; she was that large. Not that I’d tell her—she’d either start crying like a fool, or she’d kick my arse.

I looked to the person next to her and smiled; I should have known she’d bring her posse—Julian, Mattie, Nancy and Josie.

“Well, have a look at this proud mamma bear,” Julian grinned. I made sure none of the kids were watching and gave him the middle finger.

“Ooooh, and she’s temperamental like a bear too. Must run in the family—seems her man is the big tough Grizzly.”

“Cut it out, Julian,” Nancy scolded. I smiled as he rolled his eyes. As I placed Swan on her feet, Nancy bent to her level and said, “Hello, sweet Swan, Maya and Cody are out there playing somewhere. You wanna come find them with me?”

Swan looked up at me. I smiled and nodded. “Hang on, squirt. You have to take your shoes off.” I sat her on the chair and undid her runners. As soon as they left her feet, she jumped up and ran on with Nancy following.

“Hey, Mattie and Josie.” I waved as I sat next to Zara at the long table. “And how’s the whale today?” I asked her.

“I swear, if there were no kids around, I would,” she picked up her bottle of water, “stick this up your arse and sit you back down.”

We all burst out laughing.

“Isn’t it funny how they’ve changed roles? Deanna’s now the non-swearing, calm, nice one, and Zara’s turned into hell on wheels,” Mattie stated.

“It’s amazing what children can do for you,” Nancy said as she sat back down next to me. “Josie, you should block your ears around Zara now. She’s been so vile lately.”

I watched Josie giggle into her hand. “I think it’s funny,” she said.

“Deanna,” Nancy started; I looked around Zara, “I just wanted to say, sweetheart, that I’m very proud of you.”
Oh, shit. Shit, no. I cannot take this
. “I’ve known you for some time now, even before Zara went through that terrible business. When I met you over Skype, I knew you’d be a true, trustworthy friend for my baby girl, but I also knew from your foul-mouthed attitude you had your own stuff to deal with. I know you still are, but the way you’ve grown these last months is amazing. I am very proud, and I’m positive you have a great thing going with that hunk of a man of yours and beautiful girl over there.” I turned my wet eyes to see Swan sitting in a ball pit with Maya and Cody, laughing and smiling.

“Thank you,” I uttered. Zara placed her hand over mine on my thigh and gave it a squeeze.

“Mum, enough of the sweet words. My emotions can’t take it,” Zara said.

“Oh, shhh.”

“Now, if I wasn’t taken, I’d be all over that,” Julian piped in, lifting his eyebrow in the direction of the entrance. We looked toward the door to see Pick walking in. I turned back to the other side of the table in time to see Josie blush and look down to her lap.

Hmm, what was going on there? I had thought she was still infatuated with Billy.

Zara stood up and asked, “Is everything all right, Pick?”

“Yeah, Wildcat, sorry if I scared you. Talon just wanted me to hang for a bit. I...ah, didn’t want to do it outside, in case someone got the wrong impression seeing a biker sit out the front of a play centre full of kids.”

She smiled at him. “That’s fine. Take a seat.”

“On my lap,” Julian said. Mattie hit him in the shoulder as Pick rolled his eyes and chuckled. He chose to sit at the end of the table next to Josie, on a chair, of course, but backwards. “What?” Julian asked Mattie. “I was just offering.” He grinned, and then said under his breath, “Like you weren’t thinking it.”

I think ever since the day Pick had saved them, they both had a soft spot for him, and it was that soft spot that kept him alive.

Holy shit.

As Nancy started complaining about the prices of food, I noticed the small, but intense look that Pick was giving...
Mattie?
What was that about?

Oh, no. Fuck. Please do not tell me Mattie was cheating on Julian. Please. I loved them both; they had to stay together.

I felt sick all of a sudden.

Mattie looked over to me and I glared. His eyes widened and shook his head, and he moved to pull out the chair next to me.

“Deanna,” Zara snapped, and I turned to face her “I need food. Feed me, please.”

I forced a smile and said, “You’re effing lucky you’re preggo.”