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Rolling over, I find the other side of the bed empty and cold. I pause and listen for East, but the house is quiet. I slip out of bed and go into the bathroom and get my day started. I had my finals last week. East doesn’t want me to take the next semester off. He says he will rent us an apartment if needed close to campus, but I will make the commute work. It’s not that long of a drive. An hour, maybe an hour and a half if there’s traffic. I don’t want to drop out, but I already know once the baby comes, I won’t want to return. I want to be home with my child. I thought I would perceive the situation differently but that was my view before East and I were married, and I knew I was pregnant. And it was before I went to pay a visit to Jules and Roane with East. We had dinner with them a few nights ago.
Their son is around a month old. I didn’t want to intrude but East said it was Jules’ idea when she found out we were expecting. She’s Pam’s younger sister and married to Roane, the guy who did my ink. He’s a club member of Royal Bastards MC too. Being at their place and holding baby Jasper, it gave me baby fever. The way East looked at me melted my insides. It’s almost Christmas and I’ve no idea what to get him. He says he has everything he ever wanted. For me, he’s paying Jules to remodel my old bedroom into a nursery. She loves to decorate, and I have no idea what I’m doing.
While we were at her and Roane’s new house, she showed off all the work she put into the place. They bought a fixer upper. Fresh paint in the kitchen, updated light fixtures and faucets in the bathrooms. New hardwood flooring. I love her style and everything she did with the place. The apartment over the tattoo shop is now her office for her interior design business she is launching once Jasper is at least five months old. Which I totally get. The kid is adorable. He has fine black hair, dark blue eyes, and the chubbiest cheeks in the world.
I’m supposed to meet her there today for lunch so we can go over some ideas for what I am thinking for a theme for the nursery. It’s starting to really set in that I’m married and having a baby. It’s crazy how my life has changed this past year since East. I never dreamed we’d be here and that he’d love me like he does.
I go through my morning routine and get dressed. My pants are a bit tight in the belly. I’m guessing I am three months or close to it. I have my first doctor’s appointment next week. Married life is pretty dang sweet outside of my husband being extremely busy cleaning up all the messes Nickel left behind and his crazy ex constantly popping up at the clubhouse. If both of us weren’t pregnant I’d be beating her ass. I know violence isn’t the answer. I do, but she won’t stop. Her calls and pop up visits are to the point that East is ready to take out a restraining order. He’s trying not to resort to that until after the baby is born and he has gotten a DNA test. I just want it over with.
Downstairs I find a note from my husband that he had to ride out early. I drink my juice and take my vitamins he insisted I start. I get out the door after resetting the alarm East had Xenon install. Sweet mother that man is tall, dark, and sexy. Pam said he’s a voyeur who is into watching anything and everything. I’ll take her word for it.
By the time I’m halfway to meet up with Jules I’m starving and send her a text that I’m hitting a drive-thru. I grab us both some greasy burgers and french fried yumminess. I have half my fries ate by the time I park. I lock my vehicle and head upstairs with my bag of takeout.
I knock on the door and wait.
“Come on in,” Jules’ calls from the other side.
Letting myself in, I put the bag of food on the kitchen counter. Jules has the baby on the couch with a blanket spread under him changing his diaper. “Can you throw this in the trash for me?”
“Sure. Guess I should get used to diapers.” I wave a hand over my nose as I pop the smelly thing in the garbage.
“Yeah, you get over the grossness fast, but of course it’s always different when it’s your kid. Did you see the doctor yet?”
“Next week.”
“You’ll love Dr. Noble. She’s the best.”
“East behaved just like you said Roane did with wanting to know the doctor would be female. All jealous about someone seeing me naked from the waist down.”
Her eyes roll. “These men. I tell you. So damn possessive. You’ll probably be the same way won’t you,” she coos at her son, snapping his sleeper back in place and lifting him up. “Wanna hold him so I can run to the bathroom?”
“Of course. Hey, little man.” I position one arm under his butt and cradle his head against my shoulder, inhaling his sweet baby smell.
“Thanks. I’ve got a few ideas for us to go over in a few.”
“Take your time.” I sink down on the couch and lay Jasper back on my thighs. “You’re so stinking cute.” I tickle at his tummy and he gives me the cutest grin. In about six months I’ll have one of my own. My heart swells at the thought. I know people think I’m young and that East and I will never last, but I know we’re forever.
Jules returns from the bathroom. “Let me put him in his swing and we can eat and talk about the nursery.”
I hand Jasper off and go wash my hands.
When I come out of the bathroom Jules has our food plated and some color swatches displayed on coffee table to look at. “Are you wanting a gender neutral theme?”
“I took some photos of the room. I think I want to keep the sunflowers for now. Maybe we could touch up the paint?” I pull my phone out and open up my photos before handing it off to her.
“Yeah. I like that. I can work with that. What are you think for your crib, are you wanting white, dark, lighter wood?”
“I have no idea.”
“I have this design program I can prepare some mockups for you and email them to you, or we can meet up for lunch again.”
“Yeah, we can do lunch again but maybe you, Roane, and the baby can come to our place for dinner one night. I’ll get East to cook his chicken dish that is to die for.”
“Great. Don’t tell Pam though. She’ll be jealous. She thinks you don’t like her.”
“I like Pam. Her and Link could come too.”
“All right, you square it with East and let me know. Pam makes these killer sea salt caramel brownies that are amazing.”
“What about my brownies?” Pam utters behind us and I nearly leap three feet off the couch.
“Jesus, Sis. You can’t be doing that.”
“You should lock the door if you don’t want anyone sneaking up on you. Just sayin’.”
“Hey, Pam.”
Her hand goes up. “So, what’s this? You two besties now behind my back? Cause I went over to see you and the baby and no one was home and I thought hmm, maybe she went to work with Roane, and he told me you were up here having a lunch with Wylla Mae. Am I not cool enough for you two? Am I too old or something?”
“Ignore her,” Jules tells me. “You need to take a chill pill. I’m helping Wylla Mae with her nursery. Before you rudely interrupted us Wylla Mae was inviting us and that includes you to dinner over at her and East’s but since you want to be a big cry baby maybe you shouldn’t come.”
“You want me to make my brownies?” Pam’s gaze cuts to me and I nod. The woman can be a bit scary and right now I’m in no mood to spar with her. “All right. But next time you two plan a lunch date I better be invited.” She rounds the couch and squeezes herself in-between us. “What’s the skinny on the nursey? I wanna see what you are planning.”
I hand my phone over to her. “We’re going to update the paint. New furniture. Crib, changing table, rocking chair. Basic stuff.”
“God you two are so boring. No wonder you’re friends. I want the juicy stuff. Come on its girl time no men. No offense, Jasper. What’s the latest on that cunt Lynn?”
“Rude,” Jules hisses.
“It’s fine. She’s completely crazy and won’t leave East alone. She calls and texts him every single day. Pops up wherever he is. I’m just ready for her to have the baby so we can arrange the DNA test and be done or move on. Whatever.”
“You make up with your mom yet?”
“How do you know about that?”
“Please. Alexa and I go to the same salon.”
“Nope. Haven’t talked to her and I don’t plan on it. What’s she saying?”
“Well I heard from Taylor who heard your mom say that she’s worried that you were gonna end up like her. Well I gotta say your mom’s always a damn mess but you seem to have your shit together so I wouldn’t pay that shit no mind. The real problem is getting rid of Lynn. So, what’s your plan?”
“There is no plan.”
“Jules, tell her she needs a plan. This shit is serious.”
“What would you do?”
“For starters you keeping your man wore out, you know giving it to him on the regular.”
“Well yeah. We have sex a lot.”
“Of course you do.” Pam pats my knee. “How skillful is he? Now don’t get mad or offended, I’m happy with Link, but I’m just saying East is hella sexy, and I’ve always wondered what he’d be like as a lover.” She smirks and nudges me with her knee. My face heats ten shades of red. “Share with the class. We’re all friends here. I’ll tell you about Link.”
I don’t want to hurt Pam’s feelings but the last thing I want to know about Link is how good he is in bed. The dude like his wife is scary. “East is phenomenal. He always makes sure I get mine before he gets his.”
“Is he your first?”
“Pam, stop interrogating the poor girl.”
“You’re right, little sister. I’m sorry, Wylla Mae, but you know you can still tell me if you want to.” The way she looks at me when she says it makes me laugh. She looks so serious.
Jasper starts wailing from his swing. “He’s probably hungry.”
“Let me feed him.” Pam jumps up.
“Go for it.”
“I should probably get going. I need to see to some grocery shopping, and I have no idea what to get East for Christmas still.”
“That’s easy,” Pam says. “Stuff he doesn’t buy for himself. Socks, underwear, new t-shirts, money to spend on his bike. A blow job. Anal.” She shrugs and Jules starts laughing.
“Well thank you for that. I’m going to go unless you guys want to hit the mall with me?”
“Take Jules with you and I’ll take the baby home with me.”
“You always want to take him.” Jules grins. “I just need to stop downstairs and tell Roane my plans.”
I say goodbye to crazy ass Pam. While Jules goes to the tattoo shop to talk to Roane, I start up my jeep to let it warm up and call East. “Hey, honey,” I greet him as soon as he answers. “I’m calling to see what you want for dinner tonight and to let you know I’m headed to the mall with Jules.”
“Whatever you want is okay with me. Buy some of those sexy panties with the strings on them.”
“Any other request?”
“Just have a good time. I’ll see you tonight.” East ends the call and I lay my cell phone in my lap debating on texting Andi to see if she wants to come over tomorrow and help me decorate for Christmas. The passenger side and rear driver’s side doors open at the same time and two masked men enter my vehicle.
My finger hovers over the call button to redial East. “Don’t be stupid.” The man in the passenger side grabs my cell phone before I can make a move. The man behind me presses something to the back of my head that I can merely guess is a gun. Pulse hammering in my ears I struggle to breathe.
“Drive to your mother’s house,” the second man instructs.
I am too scared to ask questions or to attempt to run.