Page 77 of The MC's Surprise
That’s right. None of my crew knew about my crush. They didn’t know how pathetic I’d been the past few years. Maybe that should have been a clue. If I’d been serious about Charlotte, Iwould have found a way to introduce her to them. Sierra wasn’t even here a few days before I brought her to the clubhouse. It's possible I knew even then that she was going to be forever. I wanted them to know her because I wanted to keep her.
Charlotte lifted her chin in a haughty expression I’d never seen on her before. “I’m his girlfriend. Or I will be once he pulls his head out of his ass. Let’s go, Justin!”
She snapped her finger, pointing to the ground next to her. I blinked at her, stunned by her audacity. What, did she think I was a dog that would just come when called? Who even was this woman? Because she sure as hell wasn’t the woman I knew and crushed over the past few years. Apparently now she was finally showing me her true colors.
“Not gonna happen, lady. Vegas is taken,” Circus called out from somewhere behind me. Charlotte’s tantrum had gathered a crowd and most of the crew stood at my back, supporting me. I glanced behind me, searching for Sierra, and the uneasy look on her face only pissed me off more. I never wanted her to think for even a second that I’d choose someone else over her. She was my old lady. That shit was for life.
Turning my back on Charlotte, I headed for Sierra, only to be stopped by Charlotte’s indignant screech.
“You aren’t seriously walking away from me! Why the hell would you choose that fat cow over me? She’s just using you!”
Fury burned through me like a forest fire and I swung around to glare at the woman I’d been in love with for years. Only, it wasn’t love. I knew better now. I felt real love every damn day when I woke up with Sierra in my arms. When I wrapped myself around her and my daughter and just enjoyed the moment. That was real love. I was an idiot thinking what I felt for Charlotte was anything real.
“Yeah, Charlotte. I’m absolutely choosing her. She’s my old lady. And she’s gorgeous. Why the hell are you here now? Now that I’ve finally moved on. What the fuck is your goal here?”
Her fists clenched at her sides as she fumed, but I could see it in her face that she didn’t have an answer. Or, she did and wasn’t willing to tell me. It didn’t really matter. Nothing she could say would change my mind.
“You made your choice a while ago. I’m making mine. Go home, Charlotte. I’m done talking to you about this.”
I walked away without another word, heading straight for Sierra. For my family. Because no one else mattered.
“Uh uh, lady. He made himself clear. Stay away from him,” I heard Rooster chide her, like he was blocking her from following me. I didn’t bother to look back. I pulled Sierra into my arms, wrapping myself around both my girls.
“You’ll regret this, Justin! I won’t give you another chance! You’ll be stuck with that cow forever!”
“Even if that was true, which it fucking isn’t, it’d be better than being stuck with a petulant bitch like you. Who the hell tries to steal a guy from his family? He just had a baby, for fucks’ sake,” Buzz growled.
“Who asked you? Mind your own business!”
“See, that’s the thing,” Rooster interjected. “He’s part of our crew. And you’re trying to get between him and his old lady. That makes it our business. Now do us all a favor and fuck off to whatever hole you crawled out of. Leave Vegas and his family alone.”
45
Sierra
Of all the things I thought would happen at the rally, this wasn't it. I had plans for the worst case scenarios, even the arrival of the police if they decided to cause trouble. I didn’t plan for Charlotte to show up and throw herself at Justin. And I never expected her to kiss him. I didn’t know what to do about it.
I heard him defend me, heard him say he chose me, but a part of me was still afraid. He’d wanted her for so long. I’d seen the way he looked at her. Could he really be over her already? Or was I just fooling myself?
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s find somewhere quiet to talk,” Justin urged, leading me away. I followed blindly, my mind spinning. How long would he be happy with just me? I looked down at our daughter, sleeping peacefully in my arms. Would he force himself to stay just for her?
I sat when he urged, leaning my back up against the tree we were under. It wasn’t overly hot, which was good since I didn’t want Melanie to get overheated, but the sun was shining brightly and we had to be careful about sunburn too. I let myselfbe distracted by fussing over her, making sure her hands were tucked into the blanket and her little hat covered her ears. It was when Justin kneeled in front of me that I knew I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I forced myself to look up at him, swallowing hard around the knot in my throat.
“Tell me what you’re thinking right now,” he murmured, his expression tight with worry.
I lifted a shoulder, unsure what to say. He’d been everything I could’ve ever asked for in a partner since day one. I was terrified to lose him.
“I promise you, I had no idea she was going to do that,” he rushed out. “And we sure as shit weren’t ever in any relationship.”
“But you wanted to be.”
My gaze dropped to the baby again. I didn’t want to see the truth in his eyes. It would hurt too much.
He sighed. “For a little while, yeah, I did. I’m not gonna lie about that. But I think a part of me always knew it’d never work out. She hated my bike. Hated the idea that I was in a crew. Any time I brought up something me and the crew had done, she’d change the subject. I couldn’t be with someone who didn’t accept them. My crew is my family.”
I nodded because I knew that. He’d told me that before we’d ever hooked up. I hadn’t met them that first time, I’d been too busy in my spare time trying to piece my next business together, but I always knew the crew was as much a part of Justin as his tattoos or his teasing smile.
“Sierra, sweetheart, please talk to me. I’ve got no clue what you’re thinking right now.”
