Page 129 of Manny

“I think he’s gonna be fine, if that mouth is anything to go by,” Tag says loudly.

“So glad you’re okay, bud,” Jett pipes up. “Gave us a scare.”

“Nothing’s gonna keep me down, well, unless anyone else fires a bullet at me,” I quip.

“That is so not funny.” Stella shakes her head.

“Okay, time to rest, everyone out,” Cash orders.

Stella kisses me on the cheek and everyone files out.

“You two,” Cash barks. “Two more minutes.”

“But we’re gonna stay…” Lace starts.

“Shep’s organized somethin’ with a private room, not what you know around here, so no arguin’, the man needs to recover. He doesn’t need the two of you mopin’ around here like two lost puppies.”

Lace sniffs and I can’t help the smile that stretches across my face. “Nice goin’, Prez. When I’m done recoverin’, surely I should get another patch, kinda like they do in Boy Scouts when you complete tasks.”

He shakes his head. “Your only task here is to keep on breathin’, son.” He gives me a chin lift. “Nothin’ and nobody is gonna rip this club apart.”

“Ride or die,” I say as he smirks.

Cash leaves, and the minute he does, Bandit leans down to press a kiss to my lips.

“Fuck, scared the shit out of us,” he says.

“Miss me that bad?” I smirk.

“You’ve no clue how it felt seein’ them cart you off into that ambulance.” He shakes his head. “Scared the shit out of all of us. Never, ever wanna see somethin’ like that again.”

“Can’t have our girl injured,” I say, looking at our beautiful Lace, who lifts her head from my shoulder.

“I love you, Manny,” she whispers.

“Love you, too.” My eyes flick to Bandit. “Not sure about you, though.”

He cocks his head. “I’ll bet I can change your mind about that.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

I grin. He may not be ready to say it, but I am. “I love so many things about the two of you. Maw-Maw reminded me about how much I have to live for.”

“And you do.” Bandit’s eyes are earnest. “We have so much more to do.”

“What about Eli? What will we tell him?” I breathe.

Bandit shrugs. “Well, it’s early days yet because none of us have even been on a date, but when the time comes, we explain that Daddy’s in love, and you can’t choose who you love.” He stares at me. I think that’s as close as I’m gonna get, and I’m okay with it. “You can’t put a limit on it or a lid, and I’m okay with that. Love is love and we’ve nothing to be ashamed of.”

I cough. “I thought we were just gang banging.”

Lace laughs. “Manny, oh God, we can’t take you anywhere.”

“I think he’s well on the way to recovery,” Bandit laughs.

With the two of them by my side? Nothing could be any truer.

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