Page 69 of Outlaw

Some kind of cream was inside of the pink cake, and although Stevie was licking it up before it dripped, that was going to be messy.

“Here you are,” Fawn said, handing me a glass, then placing one in front of Stevie. “I will have Ms. Jimmie bring out one of the kid cups we keep for the boys when she comes out to check on us. I should have thought of it earlier.”

Fawn sat back down, and Garrett’s hand immediately went to her thigh, laying his large palm over it, appearing to grip it, but not painfully. It was more of a possessive way. Fawn sank into the plush cushions, close enough that she was touching him, yet her smile stayed on me. They seemed to move together as one.

Could I have had this with Hudson if only I had loved him? No, because Hudson wasn’t that type of male—the alpha that other men were intimidated by. He was more the polite, easygoing guy that everyone felt comfortable around.

Linc, on the other hand…

I shoved that thought away. He didn’t want me like that. He barely acknowledged me. I had given him what he’d wanted, and now, I was just the mother of his child.

Stevie licked her fingers, then wiped them on the napkin.

“Are you enjoying Madison? Garrett tells me you lived in Nashville. I imagine Madison isn’t as fast-paced as you’re used to,” Fawn said, then took a sip from her glass.

Was I enjoying Madison? That was a loaded question.

“From what I’ve seen of it, the town is nice, but I’ve not really gone anywhere,” I replied, leaving out that Linc didn’t let me have a car to leave when I wanted to.

“There they are.”

Garrett’s voice caught our attention, and we both shifted our gaze to see a couple walking toward us.

I knew immediately who the man was. He looked so much like Linc. The little boy I remembered was long gone. In his place was a tall man with broad shoulders; light-brown hair, pulled back into a man bun; and a short beard. His features were almost identical to Linc’s, except for his hazel eyes.

The auburn-haired beauty, with skin like porcelain, who he held tucked close to his side, was smiling at Stevie. Her green eyes were full of curiosity. She was young, or maybe it was her petite size and smooth, unblemished skin that made her appear so much younger than Levi.

When her eyes lifted from Stevie to mine, her smile deepened. She truly looked like a delicate, fragile doll. Levi, on the other hand, looked like he would make an excellent character on theSons of Anarchy. There was nothing refined about him. He had the dangerous, hard-edged demeanor coming off him in waves.

He nodded in Linc’s direction before his eyes briefly shifted to me, then landed on Stevie. I wondered what he thought about this. After all these years, having a sibling. Reading his facial expressions was impossible since they didn’t seem to change.

“Levi, Aspen,” Linc said, “I’d like you’d to meet Stevie.” The trace of pride when he said her name made my chest squeeze. “Stevie, this is Levi. He is your brother. Aspen is his wife.” Then, he flickered his gaze to me, as if remembering my existence. “And her mother, Branwen.” There was no pride in that introduction. His voice took on a bored tone, as if to say,Sorry she’s here.

My earlier moment of emotion vanished instantly, replaced by embarrassment. I kept the smile on my face, refusing to react to the way he’d basically dismissed me as an annoyance. My face felt warm, and I couldn’t control that.

“I’m assuming she looks like you did at that age,” Levi said to me. “Because I have a faint memory of a girl down at the stables with those blonde curls.”

“I’d say she’s a replica,” Garrett informed him.

“It’s nice to see you all grown up,” I told him, then shifted my gaze to Aspen. “And you look like you found happiness.”

He bent his head and kissed the top of hers. “I did,” he confirmed.

He was not like his father in all ways, it seemed. The adoration in his face as he looked down at her made my breath catch.

This is going to be fun, I thought pathetically.

I’d get to watch two men who were completely in love with their wives, reminding me of what I still hadn’t experienced at thirty-eight years old.

Maybe they didn’t have all the flaws I did. They were probably not selfish.

“I’ve nevah had a bwotha,” Stevie piped up.

Laughter came from all directions. Even Levi’s lips curled up as his eyes twinkled with amusement.

“You know, I’ve never had a sister,” he told her.

“Weally?!” The excitement in her voice caused another ripple of laughter. Then, she turned back to the cupcakes and looked at them longingly. “Those cupcakes awah yummy,” she told him.

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