Wrapped in Chains - Nicola Jane Page 0,51
kick my ass then kick me out. The club is my life,” I mutter.
“Wow. You’re choosing the club over Leia and your child. Maybe she is better off without you.”
Her words cut deep. It’s nothing I haven’t said to myself already. I don’t want to lose the club and I don’t want Leia to lose the club. She’d be choosing me and I’d be choosing her and that leaves a whole lifetime of just us. It should be enough, I know that, but deep down, I’m worried it won’t be. She needs Riggs and Frankie. Then there’s Anna and Eva. Raven doesn’t get it. Why would she?
“The first step in all of this is for you to tell Riggs. It might not be as bad as you think. He might take it really well.”
“I said I'll sort it, Raven. Stay out of it.” I stomp off towards the exit. I need air.
Leia comes outside soon after. She glances around and then comes closer. “People are guessing,” she whispers. “What if Riggs guesses?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This,” she hisses, pointing to her rounded stomach. I’m so desperate to touch it that I physically have to ball my fists to stop myself. “Vinn guessed you were the father. Others might guess too, and then what?”
“He couldn’t have just guessed, Leia. Someone must have told him. Who knows?”
She shakes her head. “No one.”
“Don’t lie. I’ve known you too long for that bullshit. Who?”
“Just Gia, but she—”
“Gia!” I repeat. “No wonder Vinn knows. Jesus, Leia, can’t you keep anything fuckin’ quiet?”
She recoils at my words and her expression hardens. “You know, if people find out, it makes no difference to me. It’s you I’m protecting, you ass.” She storms back inside. If Vinn knows, he could use that against me.
I head back inside and reach behind the bar for a large bottle of bourbon. Lockdown pisses me the hell off and I need to get wasted.
I’m vaguely aware that I’ve neglected Raven tonight. She doesn’t seem to care. Every time I look over from my seat at the bar, she’s talking with a different guy. Who can blame her? She’s everything I should want in a woman, and yet here I am, thinking about Leia and how the fuck do I put everything right between us.
“Chains, carry Leia to bed. She can’t sleep hunched up like that on the couch,” says Frankie.
Cree stands. “I’ll do it,” he says quickly, but Eva pulls him to sit back down.
“Just wake her,” I mutter, taking another drink.
“You ever woke up a pregnant woman? Leia is a beast when you wake her, add in those hormones and you’d have to be stupid.” Frankie stares at me expectantly. I glance at Cree, who is hissing words into Eva’s ear.
“Fine,” I huff.
I carefully scoop her into my arms. She doesn’t even stir as I lift her. Is that normal in pregnancy? I hate that I don’t know the answer to that. I take her to her room and lie her gently on the bed. I pull the sheet over her legs and stop as my eyes fall onto her stomach. Gently laying the sheet at her waist, I place my hands on her stomach and feel it. The baby shifts and everything inside of me warms. It’s an indescribable feeling that takes my breath away.
“What are you doing?” whispers Leia and I pull back quickly, hating that she caught me.
“It moved,” I say, and she smiles.
“She does that.”
“She?” I gasp.
“Oh, I don’t know. I think it’s a she, but Mum doesn’t want me to find out, so it’s a guess.” I nod. The thoughts racing through my head are too much. I’m consumed. By her. By the baby. By the fact it could be a girl. “I need to pee,” she adds, getting up. I watch her move towards the bathroom. She’s so perfect, it hurts me to look at her. When she returns, I’m still standing in the same spot. She eyes me warily. “You didn’t need to wait around.”
“I love you,” I blurt.
Leia scowls slightly and then lets out a small, disbelieving laugh. “Ugh.”
“I do. I don’t know what to do.”
“You can start by leaving,” she says bluntly. “We’ve been here before and look how that ended.”
“Leia, I’m serious this time.” I’m almost begging, but I feel so desperate for her to believe me, to accept that I love her, that I’m willing to do anything, including telling Riggs and the rest of my brothers.
“Get out, Chains.” I