Page 78 of Trick

I let her down, watching as she rushes off to play with the other kids, and I trail her movements for a moment before I prowl across the room to my old lady.

I’m so focused on her that I don’t notice Rage until I collide with him. “Fuck,” I mutter at the same time as he lets out a “Shit.”

Steadying him, I try to gauge his mood, which seems off. “You good?” I ask him.

He glances over his shoulder at Skye and his kid before he gives me his attention. “How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Stop yourself from burning the world down to keep them safe.”

Rage and I aren’t exactly friends, so him asking me this feels like an olive branch. “Who says you stop yourself?”

He smirks. “Right. Heidi’s doing better?”

“She is. I was scared for a while,” I admit. Her pregnancy wasn’t easy, and the birth was a fucking nightmare. She’s still not really recovered from it, but every day, she gets stronger. But Rage didn’t ask about Heidi because he’s concerned. He can see she’s fine. “You okay?”

“Skye’s pregnant again,” he admits. Fuck. They’re young, but Rage has been a good dad to their baby. Doesn’t mean shit isn’t hard for them. “No one knows, so don’t say anything, but how do you deal with two at once? One is a fuckin’ full-time gig.”

I don’t know why he’s asking me and not Hawk, who has almost a football team now Wren is five months pregnant with twins, but I’m fucking happy he’s talking to me like we’re pals. It beats him wanting to smash my teeth out.

“Well, I can’t remember the last time I slept a full night, but my daughters are everything to me, Rage. It’s worth the shit.”

He rakes a hand over his jaw. “Fuck. Leo doesn’t sleep now. A newborn’s gonna be hard on top of that.”

“Yeah, but you’re young. You don’t need as much sleep as I do.” I pat his shoulder. “Besides, you got family here. Everyone’ll help. Congratulations, brother.”

Wanting to be with my old lady, I walk off before he can say anything else.

Heidi glances up at me as I approach, exhaustion lining her face. I’ve tried to take a lot of the burden from her in the three months since our daughter was born while also being mindful of what Heidi needs, but there’s stuff I can’t do.

“Hey,” I say, dipping down so I can press a kiss to her mouth.

Heidi reciprocates, and I know her body is alight in the same way as mine. “You can’t kiss me like that,” she complains as I run my fingers over Keira’s head.

“And why not?”

She glares at me. “You know why not. The doctor said we have to wait another few weeks, and I’m going to combust if I don’t have you inside me soon.”

She lowers her voice as she says the last few words, and I don’t miss the way her cheeks pink up. I fucking love how embarrassed she gets talking about sex. It really is adorable. “Only a few more weeks,” I tell her, “and then I’ll feed you my cock as much as you want it.”

I don’t want to do anything that might put back her recovery, but she pouts anyway. “You’re not playing fair.”

I snort at her petulant tone. “I’m not trying to play fair. I’m trying to look after my wife.”

The smile that kicks up her lips is momentarily disarming. She is so fucking beautiful, and it is taking all my resolve not to bend her over the table, shove up her dress, and take her right now. “Wife?”

Fuck. My palms are sweaty and my kutte feels heavy as I get down on one knee in front of her. Her lips part in surprise, though I don’t know why. She gave me my daughter. Of course, I want her to be my wife.

“Marry me?”

I’m aware the room has gone silent, watching us, but all my focus is on Heidi. “You want to get married?”

That’s not the response I was expecting or hoping for. I know she’s not going to say no, but I didn’t expect a discussion during my proposal.

“Babe, I want to make you mine in every way possible.”

Her eyes roll, but I can see she’s happy. “So romantic.”

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