Page 119 of The Heart We Guard
She thinks I’m joking. “I’m serious, Greer. I just told King I’m going to step down as president.”
Greer jumps up from my lap, stumbles a little, and then stands in front of me. “You already did it?”
I nod. “I’m gonna go nomad. And if you want, I’m going to help you build your dream. I’m going to be there for the baby. I’ll provide security when you take the mobile clinic into places that might not always be safest. Not because I want to controlyou, but because I want you to crush this, and live knowing how utterly safe you are because I’d die for you.”
Greer puts her hand to her chest. “Oh my God. Are you sure? You could go back to school, study architecture or something.”
I reach for her wrist and pull her back down, resting my hand on her stomach. “Most people don’t get a do-over like this. You coming into my life has been a blessing, Greer. A chance at something I never expected. And I’m all in. You don’t want my help with the mobile clinic, I understand, and I’ll find something else to do. But I want to build a quieter life. One where I don’t get shot.”
Greer blows out a breath. “I didn’t expect you to do it quite so quickly, but I want to do it with you,” she says. “All of it.”
I kiss her gently. “Then, that’s what we’ll do. And I had a thought about names, which does not include Wade.”
She chuckles at that. “You did?”
“I know you might have your own ideas, but how about Eli if it’s a boy, and Ellie or Elizabeth or something like that if it’s a girl? Figure your brother should be a part of this, in some way.”
Tears immediately spill over my girl’s lashes as she throws her arms around me. “Yes. I’d love that. I think he’d love that too.”
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. Naming Pooks should be a happy thing.”
She leans back and I use my thumbs to brush beneath her eyes. “Happy tears,” she says. “The best kind. Do you want some coffee? It’s a fresh pot. Then, we can brainstorm names for girls, although I love Ellie already.”
“Would love some.” I help her to her feet just as my phone beeps, and I catch sight that the message is from Vex. I open the attached image. It’s Gauge.
“You recognize this guy?” I ask Greer when she returns with my coffee.
She shakes her head, but her mouth is open and she looks distraught, as the coffee spills. I grab the cup and put it down on the table.
“You know him, Doc?”
“No,” she says. She pulls her necklace from beneath her tank. “But look at the necklace he’s wearing. Eli and I wore matching necklaces. It was our thing. Mine was white. His was black. Just like that.”
“Fuck,” I curse, wondering if this man is killing members of his own club.
“Who is it?” she asks.
“It’s Gauge, spelled with au. And he’s the enforcer of the club your brother was a part of.”
35
GREER
“Take it.” Butcher stands, face firm, his credit card gripped between two fingers.
“No.”
“Greer, babe. Please. If you’re going to lunch with Ember, take my credit card and pay. Let me treat my fucking girls and Pooks.”
“Fine.” I snatch it from between his fingers. “But only because you threw Pooks in there.”
He grips my chin with a huge grin on his face. “And now that you have my credit card, I want you to go back to the store you got that underwear from and buy more like it.”
“Okay, definitely no. That feels very mistressy.”
Butcher laughs at that, then reaches into the laundry basket and pulls out the pretty lingerie I wore two days ago, to read the labels.
“What are you doing?”
