Page 90 of Deserter

“So, you’re telling me that someone waltzes in here and tries to take her from you—”

“I’d spill blood before they even made it over to her,” I growled.

Wolverine smirked. “What if it came down to a bullet. You willing to take a bullet for her?”

“Yeah,” I replied, without hesitation. “You got a point to all your hypotheticals, old man?”

“Kid, it ain’t love unless it rips your fuckin’ guts out. If you’d kill anyone who came against her or die trying, then it’s love. I get that you don’t have a good grasp of what that is with where you came from, but it’s in there.” He tapped his index and middle finger against my chest with a knowing smile.

I wanted to knock it off his face.

Celia’s dad came in the side door and made his way over to my girls. I hung back, trying to process Wolverine’s words. It didn’t make sense because the night she came into my bar, I’d taken a man’s life and was willing to face the wrath of the club over it.

“What if I told you that I did that for her the night she showed up atLeather & Lace? That wasn’t love… I didn’t even know her then.”

“First time I met Lucy; I knew she was special. You and I? We ain’t all that different. I’m just willing to admit the truth when it’s staring me in the face though. You been in love with Celia Cross since you first laid eyes on her. I saw the change, even if you couldn’t.”

There was nothing I wouldn’t do for her, but that was because I’d made a vow in front of God and everybody to protect her until my last breath.

The priest came out and began discussing the ceremony with Celia, putting an end to the uncomfortable conversation between me and Wolverine.

I shook hands with Richard before turning my attention to the priest. He began stumbling over his words as he took me in.

“Father,” I nodded.

“So, we’ll… we’ll just begin. Right, uh, right in here.” With that, he ushered everyone into the nave. I hadn’t married her mama in the church, but it had been my idea to have Kate christened like a Catholic.

Just like I was.

It might’ve been a different parish, but the stained-glass windows depicted the same biblical scenes I’d grown up with. Even the musty smell that lingered in the air took me back to the days of trailing into the wooden pew behind my mother for mass.

Mama would kneel, keeping her head bowed and eyes closed during the Eucharistic Prayer. If I was lucky, she wouldn’t catch me playing with the Matchbox cars I’d hidden in the pocket of the slacks she’d insisted I wear.

“I think you’ve frightened poor Father Payne,” Celia whispered up to me with a grin as we made our way down the aisle to the altar.

“I have that effect on people, wife,” I murmured as I looked down, and it was like I was seeing her for the first time.

The top three buttons of her long-sleeved mustard yellow dress were undone to accommodate tits that had only gotten bigger since pregnancy. Her hips were a little wider and she was softer than before, but in all the ways a man like me could want.

While I appreciated the curves of motherhood on her, that wasn’t what held my attention.

It was her eyes.

She looked like she was staring at eight-year-old me, some innocent fuck who was worthy of her love and affection.

I wanted to freeze the moment until every part was committed to memory. I wanted to live in it with her, where my only job was to get our daughter baptized. I didn’t want to be Grey… I just wanted to be Celia’s husband.

Oh, fuck.

Wolverine was right.

The realization stole the breath from my lungs and had me reaching for her hand, like a drowning man would a life preserver.

I fucking loved this woman.

Father Payne began anointing Kate with the holy oils, and she opened one eye with a whimper before falling back to sleep in Molly’s arms, her lips pushed out in a pout.

I loved my daughter.

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