Page 54 of Cheshire

They laughed, and the sound was pure joy, a release of all the darkness we’d been buried under.

“Feels like waking up,” I murmured to myself, watching the scene unfold.

“Damn good morning, then.” Cheshire’s voice rumbled next to me, his arm snaking around my waist. “We earned every second of this, Eliza. You especially.”

I leaned into him, the beat of his heart soothing me. We were battered, maybe a little broken, but we were here, together.

“Need air,” I murmured to Cheshire, breathless from the crush of bodies.

“Follow me,” he said, gripping my hand.

We slipped through the front door and into the cool night. Quiet wrapped around us. The sound of the club celebrating could still be heard through the walls of the clubhouse, but out here, it was just us in the moonlight.

“Scared you today, didn’t I?” he asked, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw.

“Scared for you,” I corrected him. I reached out to run my fingers over his cut. The patches told stories, even if I didn’t know what they were.

“I’m never going to leave you,” he vowed, pulling me close. “I’ll be by your side always.”

“Promise?” My voice cracked on the word, hope and fear tangling together.

“Promise, Eliza.” He sealed it with a kiss that tasted like forever.

“Love you,” I breathed against his lips, the truth of it simple and raw.

“Love you more,” he answered, his grin the last thing I saw before closing my eyes and leaning into him.

After Cheshire kissed me breathless, we returned to the clubhouse. The music died down, and the chatter settled into a low hum. All eyes turned to Hatter as he stood. Jo was beside him, her hand on his arm, looking like she was holding onto the world.

“Got something to say.” Hatter’s voice rumbled through the room, commanding silence.

My heart kicked against my ribs. Something big. I could feel it in the way Cheshire tensed next to me, his fingers tightening around mine. Were they about to tell everyone about the baby? The way Jo’s face glowed said it was something that involved them both.

“Jo’s pregnant.”

A cheer exploded from the club members, raw and joyous.

“Congrats, brother!” someone yelled over the din.

“Family’s growing,” another voice followed.

I watched as they swarmed Hatter and Jo, a sea of leather and ink. They were more than a club. They were kin, bound by something stronger than blood. And Jo, with her wide smile and eyes shining, was the queen of it all.

“Damn good news,” Cheshire murmured, squeezing my hand.

“Amazing,” I agreed, my voice nearly lost in the celebration.

Hatter’s scarred face was split by a grin. It was the first time I’d seen him that happy since I’d come to the clubhouse.

“New life,” Cheshire said, his gaze not leaving the pair at the center of the room. “Means we’re doin’ something right. That the club has a future.”

I leaned up to whisper to him. “Did you forget something earlier on purpose? Are you wanting a family too?”

He tensed and stared at me. “Shit. Sorry, Eliza. Maybe some part of me did it on purpose, but I’d promised to give you the choice and I fucked it up again.”

I shook my head. “No. Like I told you before, if we have a baby, then it was meant to happen. I’m not scared anymore. I have you, and everyone else here.”

Cheshire held my hand, his grip tight, as if he was afraid to let go. I didn’t mind.

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