Page 89 of Wife Number One

I’d been too busy thinking about him getting on his knees for me to remember the sex club plans were right there in plain sight.

He went nose to nose with me. We were almost identical heights and similar builds, but his eyes flashed with anger. “You’re turning this place into a—”

I coughed and glanced down at the kid, staring up at us with big eyes, taking in every word.

Hawk took half a step back, reminded we weren’t alone, and tried again. “You’re turning this place into a…strawberry club?”

Laughter bubbled up my throat that couldn’t be contained. “I’ll be sure to invite you. We’ll have solo strawberries, group strawberries.” I eyed him suggestively. “Male-on-male strawberries is going to be a specialty, I believe. That’s right up your strawberry alley, isn’t it?”

But apparently Hawk had lost his sense of humor. His eyes darkened. “You know War and his family own Psychos in Saint View. That club is their livelihood.”

I shrugged. “I’ve heard. I’m sure Psychos won’t mind a bit of friendly competition though, right?”

He shook his head, no trace of any earlier amusement left. “You’re playing with fire, Chaos. Starting up a rival club. Calling it Sinners. For a man who says he’s not in the game anymore, sounds a whole lot like you want back in.”

I didn’t say anything.

Because his warning was fair.

I’d spent five years trying to get out. In the space of a week, I’d thrown myself firmly right back in.

And yet I didn’t want to stop. For the first time in a long time, my blood rushed around my body. My heart beat for some other purpose than just keeping me alive.

I wanted this. I wasn’t giving it up just because Hawk and War were scared of a bit of friendly competition.

“Invite will be in the mail,” I promised the other man, refusing to back down.

He shook his head with something that edged on regret. “Your funeral.” He looked down at the kid. “Come on, Hayley Jade.”

I froze at the little girl’s name. Hawk took a step away, but I grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around.

“Her name is Hayley Jade?”

Hawk opened his mouth to reply, then quickly shut it.

He didn’t answer, just picked the kid up and walked to the door, like he’d realized he’d said too much.

Hayley Jade watched me over his shoulder, her big brown eyes so like her mother’s I didn’t need Hawk to confirm who she belonged to.

She was Kara’s daughter.

The one I’d delivered on the floor of a shitty run-down house in Saint View.

The one she’d named after me, even though she wasn’t mine.

Bullshit, she isn’t fucking mine. She’s been mine since the day I delivered her.

And so has her mother.

The thoughts hit me so hard it was like a physical blow to my gut, a punch I hadn’t seen coming.

But I should have.

Kara was the reason I hadn’t touched a woman in five years.

I rushed to the door. “Is Kara back?”

Hawk kept on walking toward a white van parked farther down the street.

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