Page 70 of Beautifully Reckless

“What do you mean?” She pulls back glaring at me before flicking her gaze to Abbey. “Looks to me like you’ve come home with your pregnant old lady. Is that not the case?”

“Alana May! Give them a moment to breathe. They’ve just arrived.”

Ahhh. There she is.

My ma.

“Hey Ma,” I call, glancing over Lani’s head as I release her face.

“Get your butt up here and give your mother a hug.” She waves me over, her dark greying hair a little messy like she’s been busy cleaning or doing something she shouldn’t be doing.

Giving Alana’s shoulders one last squeeze, I shoot Millie a warning look before climbing the steps, two at a time, to reach my ma.

She’s shorter than Abbey, so I have to practically fold myself in half to hug her, pulling her close as her arms squeeze around me. Even with all the muscle I’m packing, my ma’s hugs feel a thousand times stronger than I’ll ever be.

“Cameron Eugene, I’ve missed your face.”

“Ugh, Ma. Don’t call me that,” I protest, pulling back as she tuts.

“That’s your name. Of course I’ll call you that. Don’t think I’m about to call you that god awful name your biker buddies use.”

“Just Cameron then. Can you lay off the middle name?” I whine like a little fucking bitch, and my ma slaps my arm.

“You don’t call. You don’t visit. What’s a mother supposed to do?”

I chuckle at her dramatics, her hands waving around, her frown serious, but her eyes are nothing but loving.

“Sorry, Ma. You know how things can get in the club, and then with the lock down.”

She scoffs. “Those lockdowns are nothing but hogwash if you ask me. A way for our government to control us. I swear it’s a test to see how far they can go.”

I chuckle because the conspiracy theorist inside my ma’s head is always entertaining.

I mean, she could be right. Who fucking knows. Crazier things have happened.

“I’m with you, Mrs Musgrove.” JD snickers, and my ma fucking beams at him.

“It’s so nice to see you again, Jimmy. How’s that little brother of yours? Still causing havoc?”

“You have no idea. I swear that kid is going to be the death of me.”

Ma giggles before she shifts her gaze to Abbey.

I watch her studying the woman I’ve claimed, her assessing eyes turning to me briefly before she holds out a hand towards Abbey.

“Come here, sweetie. Let me get a look at you.”

Fuck, I feel fucking nervous. It’s like high school all over again, only now I’m a grown arse man, and the woman I’m introducing to my ma actually matters.

I shoot JD a quick look, and then one to my Angel, but she’s already moving, walking up the stairs, her smile soft, yet confident despite the way she’s white knuckling the strap of her backpack.

“Well, aren’t you just a delicate little thing?” Ma says as Abbey reaches her, their hands meeting between them.

“Uh, hi, I’m Abbey.”

“Abbey. What a beautiful name.” Ma squeezes her hand gently before her gaze drops briefly to the swell of Abbey’s bump.

One thing about my ma is that she’s not rude. She doesn’t like to make anyone feel uncomfortable unless they deserve it and since she doesn’t know Abbey, unlike my sisters, my ma is already willing to give her a chance.

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