Forgiving Gia (Rocker Series Book 2) (28 page)

Tiny little baby, my baby.

I wanted to let you know, even though you weren’t planned…you’re loved. Very much. I don’t know what kind of mother I’ll be. But I can promise I will be the best mother to you that I can be. You will not meet your grandmother…my mother. She’s a wickedly horrible person. You will meet your daddy’s parents. They’re wonderful people who know the meaning of family. I know they will be so happy to meet you, too. You’ll also be instantly part of a famous rock-band. So, you’ll have a few talented uncles who will teach you the ropes of being bad-ass. But knowing your daddy…I’m sure he’ll want to show you that himself. He’s the most amazing man in the world. I’m so lucky to have met him. We’re so lucky to have him in our lives. We’re going to see the doctor in the morning. I want to make sure you have the very best care. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or girl. I just want you to be healthy. And if you turn out to be a broody lil alpha boy, I will hug you, smiling happily. If you turn out to be a bratty, fresh lil girl, I will be there to show you the ropes. Boy do I know about being bratty. I just wanted to have this quick chat before any more drama gets in the way. Just know…above all, you’re loved and so is your daddy.

I sat there, rubbing my stomach like a genie lamp. I didn’t know if this tiny baby was capable of wishes, but it couldn’t hurt.

The sound of a crashing bottle followed by the acrid smell of Jack Daniels was my only warning he was there. His shadowy presence in the doorway grew as he neared. Oh, fuck. Did he hear? He was drinking again. My stomach twisted more from the thought than the smell that infused the air. Was he trashed and incoherent? What was I dealing with? Right about then, a blacked-out Abel was appealing. Not ideal, but at least I wouldn’t have to deal with his fury. Could I blame him, though? Nope.

“So, it’s true?” His shadow moved closer. I couldn’t look him in the eye. Coward.

I nodded solemnly. “Yes,” I squeaked out shakily.

“How long have you known?” His voice was devoid of any discernable emotion.

I wasn’t going to continue the lie. I’d just come out and say it. “I suspected for a little while.” I let out a sob. I was scared to death, yet so fucking relieved to admit it out loud. I focused on the brown bag that now held the broken bottle on the ground. It hurt like hell to know he picked up a drink again. Truthfully, I wasn’t surprised. I was disappointed. I had no fucking right. No right. Yet I sit here and judge…while I expect him not to. Hypocrite to the max.

His shadow disappeared and reappeared through the other adjoining terrace doors. “I didn’t use today,” he said, putting his arm around me, pulling me back to his chest. “I wanted to. I really fucking wanted to, Gia.” He kissed my head. “You know what else?” His whispered breath tickled my ear.

“What else?” I repeated and waited, holding my breath.

“This is the best news I could’ve gotten today. When Chance told me earlier, I was really fucking mad. But when I came here to talk to you and heard the sweetest words ever spoken, my heart no longer felt broken. It was in pieces earlier. I thought…another lie. Another time she didn’t trust to come to me.” He hugged me from behind smelling my hair.

“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. I truly was. It was fucking lame, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t true.

“I don’t want to hear that word in your vocabulary anymore, Beauty. Find a new one. It’s getting old. I’m tired of hearing it. I’ve given it some thought. In order for this to work for us…for the baby and for our family, we just can’t fuck our way through it. We can’t afford to figure it out later. We both need to be plugged in to this one hundred percent. Didn’t you tell me you wanted a family of your own?” he asked.

Of course, I did. I’ve said that many of times my whole God-damned life.

“I do. I want this more than you know.” I turned to him. I needed to face my fears for once.

“Then show me,” he asked. I turned to kiss him. Naturally, I thought he meant sex.

“Not what I meant, Beauty.” He turned me around on his lap so I was facing him. He cupped my chin in his hand. “Show me by your actions. Trust me to be the man you wished for, the father you want for
our
baby, and the husband you’ve always wanted.” He reached into his leather jacket, producing a little blue box. “I wanted to do this very differently, but I can’t think of a better moment than right now with just you and me…and our baby.” His voice cracked, breaking my heart in the best possible way. His hand shook as he opened the box. “Will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world, now and forever?” His eyes were dark. His voice was thick.

There was never a doubt. No hesitation. “Yes, I would love to be your wife.” I launched into his arms, nearly knocking us both off the chaise.

“Hey, aren’t you forgetting this?” He held a beautifully flawless pink diamond ring. I had no idea of the carat weight, but it was enormous. I held my hand up, looking at it this way and that. Wow. It sparkled brightly. “This will never leave your finger—ever.” He kissed the ring. I agreed. This would never leave my finger. He reached into his other pocket, pulling out a larger box. He gave it to me to open. With tears in my eyes, I opened the box carefully.

“Ah, oh my God, baby. What have you done?” An equally beautiful matching collar sat on a white satin-bedded lining. My God! I had never seen anything like it. This was too much. Who does this? This had to cost…well I had no fucking clue, but it was way too much to spend on me.

He removed the collar, opening the clasp and held it to my neck. “Forever mine?”

“Yours forever,” I answered without question, sealing it with a kiss.

Sometimes life closes doors, because it’s time to move forward. That’s a good thing, as we often forget we won’t move forward unless circumstances force us to. My mother came to mind. She hurt me…fucked me up. However, I’m going to remind myself that no pain comes without purpose. I vowed to move on, but never forget what that pain taught me. It taught me to trust my Sir above all else, and love with my whole heart every day.

That night, we spent it making love and talking. I mean, really talking. We made all sorts of exciting plans that cemented permanent smiles on our faces.

My broody alpha had left me kind words before sleep took me under. “Remember, Beauty, there are two kinds of pain: pain that hurts and pain that changes you. Stop resisting it...both help you grow. Grow with me…”

When Chance found me, I was a cap-screw away from downing a bottle of Jack Daniels. He pried the bagged bottle from my hands. “Please don’t. You made a promise.” He looked for a trash bin.

“I’m not asking. I’m telling you…hand that fucker over.” I had enough of his guru clarity. If I wanted to drink, I’d drink. Plain and fucking simple.

He handed it over forcefully. “Oh, just take the damn bottle. You’re such a baby…you know that? Now’s not the time to have a pity-party. Gia needs…” he said, walking away.

Gia? What would Gia need? I left Beauty in the hotel room. “Gia needs what?” I asked, but he continued walking across the street, paying me no regard. “Did you hear me, you plaid lovin’ fuck?” I yelled across the traffic and clung to that bottle tightly. Fuck knows if I really needed it now?

He turned around, abruptly stopping the flow of traffic. “FYI, I don’t like plaid, band-boy.” He rolled his eyes. I spied his socks quickly. Plaid! “Don’t even mention them. They don’t count. They’re considered undergarments which go under outer-garments.” He huffed. What?

“Gia? What about Gia? That’s all I care about,” I pressed him. We moved out of the street, taking a seat at a bistro-bar. “So? Now, you’ve got my attention, drama queen.” I unburdened myself by placing the JD bottle on the bar.

“There’s no easy way to say this. That being said, you need to know pronto. You’re going to be a father.” He winced, sitting as far back as possible in his seat.

I played the words over again, jumbling them around to decipher if the order fucked with the implied intent. Nope. I tried. It resulted in the same outcome—pregnant. Shit. I didn’t see that coming. Yet, it all made sense now. Her eating for two. She was erratic and emotional lately. Now, I felt guilty for the way I treated her the night before. Damn, I’m an asshole.

We sat quietly for a few minutes. Chance struck up a conversation with the bartender, explaining why I had my own brand of whiskey in hand. Several emotions played over my face as I palmed it.

“Oh, come on…it’s a baby. Babies are a blessing,” he said.

And just like that, it all came together. It wasn’t a picture-perfect situation. I planned on doing things differently. However, life being what it is…it sometimes surprises the fuck out of you. Every moment gives you a new beginning. A new opportunity for a new ending. A few hours ago, I thought I knew the ending of today. But you get a new chance every second you take a breath. Yeah, deep shit. I know. I wasn’t going to blow another second…another breath without her in my arms. She’s my second chance. My best chance…

After getting my head together, Chance filled me in on the rest. Beauty had big-time trust issues. That hurt—a lot. I had to believe that with proper guidance, we could grow this relationship into something really beautiful. This family meant everything to me. It was my family. My immediate family. And there wasn’t anything more immediate than her and the baby needing me. We had time to work on the rest...a lifetime. With certain urgency, her needing me made me feel wanted. In the end, isn’t that what we all craved? To feel needed and wanted?

I entered the suite. It was dark and quiet. Quiet enough to hear her sobs from the terrace. I walked over to listen. Who was she talking to?

We’re going to see the doctor in the morning. I want to make sure you have the very best care. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or girl. I just want you to be healthy. And if you turn out to be a broody lil alpha boy, I will hug you, smiling happily. If you turn out to be a bratty fresh lil girl. I will be there to show you the ropes. Boy do I know about being bratty. I just wanted to have this quick chat before any more drama gets in the way. Just know…above all, you’re loved and so is your daddy.

I never considered myself a pussy, but I just became the biggest pussy in the history of pussies. I wasn’t going to waste another moment of our lives. She was going to be my wife. The mother of my child. She needed to know that now.

I woke up to Beauty pulling on my cock with her naughty little lips. Yeah, I was hard. I always was in the morning. A big smile donned my face. Yeah, I was a sorry fucking sap…happily sorry, though. I grabbed her arm, pulling her to me.

“Come lay with me before I have to go. We have forever to fuck.” I kissed her neck as she giggled. Fuck. I loved her laugh. It did shit to my insides.

“You’re hard, though,” she sang out, excited. She was naturally horny, but the pregnancy has made her a beast.

“I have to pee.” I lied. Well, that was half-true. I did have to pee.

“Yeah, right!” Gia called me out on it. She knew I was full of shit.

“I called the doctor and made an appointment for this morning,” I told her. After she had fallen asleep, I called the doctor and made an appointment. She said she’d be happy to answer any questions in her office.

“Really?” She was shocked.

“Really,” I confirmed. “Go shower. Or you won’t have time for crepes,” I reminded her. That did it. She jetted off the bed to get ready. I went to my guitar case, getting my boy. Tonight was our only show date and I wanted to plan something special. Paper and pen in hand…I wrote the rest of Gia’s new song. Now, I’m thinking it’s going to be for the baby. Yeah, definitely. So I wrote my little one a love song…