Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” I said, grabbing one of the chairs from the seating area over to the desk for Slash. “It actually was nice. Kind of like closure.”
“I saw him coming down the street. Figured it was best to let it play out.”
“What do you think he’s going to do around here?” I asked as Slash started to pull the containers out of the bag, spreading them across the desk.
“Not be on the straight and narrow,” he said. “He’s a lifer like me, like the Murphys. Figure he will feel out shit around town for a bit, then choose his new route.”
“What’s this?” I asked, pointing to the one container that he hadn’t opened.
“Dessert,” he said, brushing it aside as he handed me utensils.
I was too curious to wait.
And just when I thought I couldn’t love this man more, I opened the little container to reveal two pieces of cheesecake.
“They always ate it when they had shit to talk about, right?” he asked.
“Right,” I agreed, thinking of those women sitting around their table in their kitchen, eating cheesecake in the middle of the night while they talked through some situation or another. “But what do we have to discuss?”
“Our living situation,” he said.
“Our… what? You want me to move out?” I asked. “Too much sex for you?”
“Not possible,” he said, rolling his eyes. “No, I was thinking about us needing a place of our own. You know… with the baby coming.”
“Are you out of your mind?” I asked, getting a furrowed brow from Slash.
“What?” he asked.
“You want us to move out of the clubhouse when we are about to spawn a creature who is going to require multiple diaper changes a day? When Uncle Detroit and Aunties Dell and Morgaine are around to help do some of those?”
“You’ve got a point there,” he said, nodding.
“I’m not opposed to having our own house to split our time between,” I said. “But I really think I’d prefer to stay at the clubhouse when the baby is young. I know so little about being a mom. And you know less about being a dad. I think it’s smart for us to have our family around to help us.”
“You’re right,” he agreed, nodding. “Wasn’t thinking straight.”
“Morgaine said you are nesting,” I clarified.
“Nesting?” he asked.
“Yeah, like her chickens do when they are sitting on a clutch of eggs. They try to make their little home comfortable for the coming chicks. It’s cute.”
It was, too.
Ever since I told him the news, he’d been on a tear about fixing up all the little projects around the clubhouse. Including finishing the third floor, even though he had no real plans for it yet.
“I don’t get it,” he said.
“You’re getting our nest ready for the baby,” I said, shrugging. “It’s really sweet. I love it.”
“Sorry, am I interrupting?” a woman’s voice asked, making us both look over to see a woman and her son standing there in the doorway.
It was the woman from the prison when I’d gone to visit Czar.
Clara and her son Gabriel.
I’d seen her around town a lot since she’d officially moved in almost a year ago, getting a job with Dr. Price who desperately needed the help.
“Not if you don’t mind us eating while chatting. What’s up, Clara?”
“I was hoping to sign Gabriel up for classes,” she said, giving me a warm smile that went tight before she went on. “And myself,” she said, and it was then that I noticed something in her eyes that I knew well. Because I’d seen it reflected in the mirror for several weeks after my attack.
She was afraid of something.
Or, more accurately, someone.
“Of course! For Gabriel, we have a partially filled children’s class ready for the grand opening. For you, we have several classes planned. But I am also available for private training classes,” I said, feeling Slash’s confused look on my profile, but ignoring it. I would tell him later.
“That would be great,” she said, looking slightly relieved. “How soon can I start those classes?” she asked, and there was no denying the hint of desperation in her voice.
“While we aren’t officially open to the public until the week after tomorrow, I can do private sessions as soon as paperwork is filled out. Tomorrow, even,” I offered.
“That would be perfect,” she said, taking the paperwork and filling it out across the room where Gabriel was striking karate poses in the mirrors, making me smile.
“Something going on there?” Slash asked, looking toward Clara.
“Seems like it,” I said, nodding.
It seemed like some new kind of trouble might be blowing into town soon.
But that was a problem to worry about another day.
That day, we were celebrating the studio being done, and the plans for our future.
Slash - 13 years
“What are you doing?” I asked, walking up behind Nyx who was standing in the window, looking at something outside.