Page 29 of Lani

I open the back door and the girls climb inside. That’s how I think of them. I see them as young teenagers in my heart. I want to mother them and take care of them.

I just can’t get it out of my head that they were married so young and Lynn has a baby—a two-year-old at fucking sixteen years old.

It just makes me want to kill their husbands for daring to marry these babies. Vinny helps Lynn buckle in Michaela, because apparently car seats aren’t a thing on the cult reservation.

I sit in the middle with Etta, with the guys in the front. “This is all so exciting.” She smiles at me, buckling in.

Vinny reaches over and rubs his hand down the back of Trey’s hand before he reaches back and puts his hand on my leg casually.

Etta looks at his hand on my leg, before she looks away like she’s confused. Michaela is laughing behind me, and I smile at the sound of pure happiness.

I lift Vinny’s hand, kissing the back of it. He gives me a soft look. Trey looks at me in the mirror.

I am so screwed when it comes to the both of them. What we have may not be ethical to others, but I just can’t imagine it being any different.

Trey turns on some music to fill the silence, and before I know it we’re pulling up in front of the mall.

Trey opens the door for me. I lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him, taking him by surprise. He takes over the kiss immediately, the scruff on his face giving me all kinds of naughty thoughts of when I feel the scruff on other places.

Trey sets me on the ground. “I love that kind of surprise.” He kisses my forehead and takes my hand in his. Vinny walks over to us with Michaela in his arms and takes my other hand.

Michaela is playing with a set of toy keys and smiling. “Hey, sweet girl.” I smile back at her and she gets bashful, resting her head on Vinny’s shoulder and hiding.

Seeing Vinny holding her has me having all kinds of thoughts of what he would be like if he were holding our baby. The thought of both of them rocking our chunky little baby is enough to cause hundreds of exploding ovaries.

Eyes are on us. I can see women stopping and staring, along with men giving us disgusted looks.

But I don't care.

I haven’t for one second doubted doing this because it’s what society would think as wrong and different.

Nothing that makes me this happy can be wrong.

We walk inside and the girls are awestruck instantly at what they see, “You guys ready to shop to your hearts’ content?” I try to get them excited and their eyes light up.

Vinny walks over and rents a stroller for Michaela. “I’ll watch her while you go in the stores.” Lynn looks unsure and she takes her daughter’s hand. “Are you sure? She can be a handful and I don’t want you to get mad if she screams.” She looks fearful at the idea of that.

That makes me think that her husband is a bigger dick than I originally thought. Vinny turns his head away, his jaw clenched.

He collects himself. “She’s my niece. I will do whatever it takes to protect her and you. I wouldn’t dare touch her in a hurtful way,” he tells Lynn in a soft tone.

She nods. “I trust you, Vinny, it’s just an old habit. I’ve been terrified to leave my daughter alone with any kind of man. I was afraid someone would hurt her.” She looks at Etta, who is saddened. “They changed the age again. As soon as a girl starts her period, she is of marriageable age.”

Etta takes her hand and squeezes it comfortingly. “We were going to escape before that happened. I would have died protecting my baby,” Lynn bites out. I can see the fire in her eyes.

Trey steps forward. “You are never going to be scared again. You’re under the protection of the Devil Souls MC. We take this shit seriously. These fuckers are going to pay for their crimes.” Trey clenches his hands. “All of them.”

I think Trey just impregnated me with his words. And after I collect myself, the girls walk over and hug all three of us.

We make our way through the mall, and that’s when I remember people may recognize me and anxiety fills me.

Trey takes my hand, pulling me closer into his side. “I got you, baby.” He rubs the back of my hand. He’s being extra sweet today.

I feel better because I do know that he has me. I find a kids’ clothes store first. “Want to go look for things for Michaela in here?” I ask Lynn. “We need to hit a furniture store also,” I remind her.

For the next hour, Lynn completely lets go. She excitedly looks at everything, picking up the cutest clothes for the baby, and Etta and I help her.

Next we hit the clothes store. Vinny and Trey take turns taking everything to the SUV because there’s no way for us to carry it all.

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