Page 89 of Piston

Why wouldn’t she be alright, or does he mean because of Aurora?

Natalie sighs. “I will be, Bud.” She looks at me and sees my confusion, then says, “Hey, Coop, why don’t you go ask Monica to make you a milkshake?”

His eyes brighten, and he scrambles to stand, making us laugh. Once he’s gone, I sigh and gently demand, “Explain, Diamond.”

She groans, keeping her eyes on her brother, and explains, “Billy was at Henry’s when I went to pick up Coop.” My eyes widen. She shrugs. “Her husband found a picture of me that I didn’t even know she had, and he questioned her. She apparently told him she gave me to Henry but left out the part where she left me outside on the flipping doorstep. The husband was with her, and Henry looked ready to kill her….”

I growl, “What happened?”

She scoffs. “Her husband was completely unaware of the tension and asked me to spend some time with them at their home, that he wanted to get to know his stepdaughter like Billy has gotten to know his kids, who apparently are not hers. I snapped. I told him what my birth mother did, what my step-monster did, and how my father treated me, and that the only reason I speak to Henry is because of Cooper.” She shrugs. “I took Cooper’s hand and headed to the truck which, by the way, I love driving….”

I give her a small smile, but she shakes her head, grips my cut, and demands, “Don’t! I’m not sad about it, Eli. I have my family. I have you, Acid, Perrie, Cass, Cooper, the whole clubhouse.” She leans forward and presses a kiss to my lips, and whispers, “We other things to be worried about; Aurora, Perrie and Acid, Cassidy and Steal, Aiden…the baby…. Those other people do not count; they do not even deserve a breath.”

I nod and kiss her as Cooper sits down with his chocolate shake before we hear a loud bang and cursing. Nat and I break apart as Perrie comes out from the back, her hair a mess, and heads our way.

Cooper freezes, but Perrie smiles at him and says, “Pancakes?”

I tilt my head while Cooper nods slowly, and Nat asks, “Uh Perrie, you good?”

Perrie gives her a big grin and says, “Peachy. I think Acid forgot who trained me….”

I furrow my brows before Acid hobbles out from behind the counter, holding his junk. Natalie covers her mouth, trying not to let her laughter.

His shirt is a mess, his lip is bleeding, and he’s hobbling—I laugh my ass off!

Slowly, he takes a seat next to Cooper, wincing as he side-eyes Perrie, who ignores him and raises a brow at us.

I clear my throat. “My usual, please, Perrie. Two large breakfasts, and pancakes with fruit….”

She nods, smiles, turns, and walks away, and Nat and I look at Acid with raised brows.

He grins, despite the state of him, and he admits, “We made out before she realized what she was doing, and kicked the shit outta me.” Natalie’s body shakes with her laughter, and Acid says, “She’s still mine….”

Laughter bubbles up while Acid sits there proud that Perrie beat him up, all while Cooper is drinking his milkshake like nothing happened.

Fuck, it’s going to be a long couple of months….

Natalie leans into my side, and I smile, pressing my lips to her forehead.

Aurora is missing, Aiden is still at large, and Perrie is ready to kill my brother, who has a crazy bitch on his ass. There’s so much going on, but with this girl by my side, I know everything will be okay.

Epilogue

Natalie – Six Months Later

I swallow my wince as a sharp pain shoots through my lower stomach. I check my watch as I rub my large stomach.

Ten minutes.

Okay, so that’s not so bad….

“How long does it take to have church,” Axe mumbles from near the bar, getting my attention, and I narrow my eyes at him.

After Aurora went missing, he was calm—too calm—but he’s now more impatient, as if he has somewhere else to be.

Eli has been watching him, but the problem is that Axe knows how the club works security; he’s not stupid, and he evades Eli more often than not.

“What is your problem lately, Axe? Do you not want to be part of the club, because you know church is mandatory,” Bulldozer snaps at him, and Axe swallows, sits on the stool, and ignores everyone as they start murmuring.

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