Page 87 of Pope's Penance

“That mean you’re really staying, little mama?”

“Whoa, now.Don’t get ahead of yourself, you beast,” she teases before becoming serious again.“We’re staying.This is home, but Apollonos, things are still rocky with us.I know we’ve been having some really good days, but the past is still right there in my face.My heart is warning me to be cautious, and my head is telling me I’m a fucking idiot.”

I curl a hand around the back of her neck.“And I’ll be right here in front of you on my knees every day, loving you hard enough for both of us.I can apologize until I’m blue in the face, but words are just words, baby.You won’t believe me until I’ve proven it long enough.”

Sliding my hand around to anchor around the front of her throat, I pull her to meet my mouth.

Our kids snicker in the background and Birdie’s huff of laughter flutters into my mouth.

I pull away with one last brush against her swollen lips.“The only idiot in here is me, little mama.So shut your mouth with that bullshit.”

“So bossy,” she teases.

“Brat.”

She giggles,fucking giggles, and it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever fucking heard.Birdie’s finally beginning to live again and what a sight it is to witness.

I’m finishing up breakfast with my family when my phone pings with a text message.“It’s Cypher.He wants me to meet him in my office.He’s got something for me.”

“Go ahead.I got this,” she says, giving me a soft smile.

I brush a kiss to the top of her head as I pass, touching the twins’ shoulders in farewell.

I’m surprised we were able to eat uninterrupted for so long without one of those nosey fuckers coming to steal my family’s love from me.

Cypher is sitting behind my desk when I walk into the office.

“You’re going to want to call church.Like right now,” he says.

“That bad?”

“Yes.”

I run my fingers through my hair, pulling until there’s a bite of pain in my scalp.“Fuck.Okay.”

After sending out a message in the council member group chat, Cypher and I make our way back through the clubhouse to the chapel.I do a quick peek into the kitchen, wanting one last glimpse of my family.They’re surrounded by ol’ ladies, brothers, and even sweetbutts.Birdie leans back in her chair, chatting with Coco and Scorch while keeping an eye on the kids.Even with so many eyes on them, hers are never far away.

She must feel my heavy stare because her eyes find mine.

I stand there for a minute, soaking up her features.

Fuck.

She’s so goddamn beautiful.

“You okay?”I mouth.

Birdie nods, a small smile on her face before turning back to the conversation.

Council members wait around the table for me to take my place.I quickly bring the club meeting to order.

“Cypher, you have the floor.”

“I’ve been working with my contact on the dark web to unlock the shit I couldn’t get on my own about Frankie.Chimera went deep.Deeper than I’d ever have been able to pull off.We found the connection we’ve been waiting on.”He blows out a breath and does some shit on his laptop before turning back to us.“You’re right that there’s a connection to you, Pope.The church did their best to hide the trail, but they were no match for Chimera.There was a young woman in the congregation named Rose Dwyer whose name was connected with Eoghan Brannigan.Pope,” he says wearily, “she went to the police when she was seventeen to file rape charges against your father.”

My fists clench on top of the table as bile builds in my throat.“Nothing ever came of it?”

“No.She was basically ex-communicated from the church and branded with so much fucking vile shit, it sickens me.We found hospital records from nine months after she went to the police.She had a set of male twins.”

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