Page 32 of Brother to Brother

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Dragon said with a wicked smile, before he turned to me, “You want you should do this, they’re bein’ your declared property an’ all?”

“Absolutely,” I said.

“Awww!” Reaver stuck his bottom lip out and pouted.

“You’re welcome to join me,” I told him and he gave a feral grin.

“Yay!”

The men from the Fiddy Street Crew gave Reaver a weird look, the shotcaller saying, “Man, you’re one weird cat.”

Reaver bobbed his head happily in the dude’s direction, “Uh huh!”

“Right then, meeting adjourned…” Dragon muttered and we started up the bikes, leaving out the way we came. About half way to the clubhouse, Reaver and I broke off and went our own way.

Chapter 17

Melody

The bedroom door opened and I looked up sharply from where Noah lay sleeping. It was late, and for once the apartments were silent, but of course I couldn’t sleep. Archer stood in the doorway and I sat up, he came into the room and shut the door behind him, his gaze roaming over me and Noah, his lips thinning down into a straight line.

“Marry me,” he said and I blinked.

“I’m sorry, but did you just ask me to –”

“I’ll say it again,marry me, Mel. I’ve been thinking about it. I can do so much more for you, and for Noah. I can put you both on my insurance at the shop, I can adopt Noah and be a father to him, I can give you both the protection you need and with the tax breaks and shit, I can get us into a house faster, and start saving for the boy’s education… all of it.” He scanned my face and I sat, shocked into silence. Everything he said was true but…

“Why? Why would you do this? I mean, what’s in it for you?”

“A family. A real one,” he said. “You agree to bear me at least one child, you be a mother to them, that’s all I want, Mel.”

“How do I know you won’t treat Noah like something… less, once you have a child of your own?” I asked, voice quavering.

“You have my word, and have I ever gone back on my word in all the time you’ve known me?”

I closed my eyes and breathed slow and even. This was big. This was a lot and so very quickly. I opened them and stared at Archer which was when I noticed a few errant stains on his tee. Stains that hadn’t been there when he’d come home the first time. Stains that looked suspiciously like blood. I looked Archer in the eye and swallowed hard.

He sank to the end of the bed, never breaking eye contact and said, “Just think about it, you don’t have to answer me now –”

“Yes,” I said, voice hollow. It was impulsive, but it was far from irrational. In fact, it made perfect sense. It was just daunting, but I would do anything, and I meananythingfor my child and this? This was no exception.

He adjusted himself, laying down on the other side of Noah, I laid down too, facing him, my child between us.

“Yes?” he asked and I eased onto my side so I could face him across the pillows.

“Yes.”

He closed his eyes and nodded faintly, opening them again and voice rough with an undefined emotion he murmured, “Sleep. I’m here to stand watch, you’re safe, Noah’s safe and no one is going to hurt either of you; not anymore.

I closed my eyes and nodded faintly, and when I opened them again, Archer was gone and Noah was nose to nose with me.

“Moooooommy! Wake up!” he said and I smiled in spite of myself.

“Good morning,” I said softly and he grinned.

“I’m hungee,” he whispered and I sat up.

“Cereal?” I asked.

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