Page 24 of The Paths We Cross
Her face is flushed, her black hair is mussed, and she looks confused. “What are you doing?” She asks breathily.
I smirk at her. “Kissing you.”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s not what I mean, Rowan. What are you doing?” She asks again as she swipes her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. “Don’t you realize that I just had a baby? Another man’s baby. A man who I loved and who betrayed me. You don’t even really know me.”
The anxiety is clearly written all over her face. She thinks I don’t want this. That I don’t know what I’m getting myself into. Like I didn’t know the moment that she came to stay with me or the moment I watched her give birth.
I step forward and gently reach out, resting my hand on her cheek. My large palm engulfs the side of her face. “I know exactly who you are, Everly. I’ve known who you are since the moment we officially met at the grocery store and when I witnessed you bringing life into this world. You are strong and kind, smart and beautiful, and you’ve only become more of those things in the week since we brought Hazel home. You are so incredibly beautiful,” I say as my thumb sweeps away the tears that are falling from her eyes. “I don’t know why a woman like you would give me the time of day, but if you give me the chance, I won’t let you down, Ev. I would never destroy you like Travis did,” I murmur as I rub the bare spot on her ring finger where her engagement ring used to be. “You just have to give me the chance to prove it to you.”
She visibly swallows, her whiskey-colored eyes meeting mine. “I’m scared.”
“I know you are. I am, too. But you can trust me, Everly.”
“I already do,” she whispers. “More than you know.”
I give her a small smile and pull her into my arms, tucking her head under my chin. We stand like that for a moment, just the two of us. I revel in the feeling of her curves against me. I swear that her heat seeps into my bones, warming something deep inside me.
I’ll be honest. I have no fucking clue why Jennifer decided to show up to the clubhouse today, but she totally ruined my surprise. When I pushed her away from me, I immediately went in search of Everly, so I’ll have to ask my brother why she was here and why she threw herself at me. I haven’t seen or heard from her in years, so her visit is a total shock.
I guess the one good thing that came from it is that Everly and I had it out and she’s going to give me a shot. One thatI’m not going to fuck up. I’ve only known this woman for a few months, but I know that she’s the one for me. Not only is she an incredible woman, but she fits seamlessly into my life. She likes my friends and gets along with my family. Travis really fucked himself. He’s missing out on an incredible woman, and he’ll never know his child, but I will, and I won’t fuck up with either of them.
After a few minutes I pull back and look down at her. “Why don’t we go downstairs and check on Hazel? We can get something to eat and then come up here and hang out tonight.”
She nods her head in agreement. “That sounds good. Just let me touch up a little bit before we go downstairs.”
She heads into the bathroom to clean up and then we walk downstairs. We find Hazel in Sophie’s arms, my brother sitting beside them on the couch. They both smile down at her in awe. I can’t wait to see them become parents again in a few months.
They look up when we walk over to the couch and Sophie gestures for me to take Hazel. I open my arms for her. She’s sound asleep, her dark lashes fanning her cheeks. I adjust her in my arm and then pull Everly to my side with my free hand, clearing my throat as we face the rest of the room.
My brother takes my hint. “Listen up!” He calls out, effectively silencing the room. “Ro has something to say!”
Everyone turns to face us. Not all my brothers are here, but word will get around soon enough. Hell, most of them know what’s coming anyways.
“I just want you all to know that Everly Kincaid is my old lady,” I say, my voice ringing out through the room. It’s silent for a moment and then cheers erupt. My brother and Sophie give us each a hug and then my club brothers join in. Everly knows what an old lady is, but she looks shocked in the moment. Which isfine. She doesn’t need to understand why I’m claiming her, just that I am.
As my old lady, she’s got my protection, more than she already does. She’s off limits, which means no other member can try to claim her, but for me, it just means she’s mine.
19
EVERLY
One Week Later
I’m not going to lie.
Rowan claiming me as his old lady in front of everyone last week totally freaked me out. I may have had a little panic attack when we went back to our suite, but Rowan calmed me down.
He explained what being an old lady meant.I’m his and he is mine.He said that for some of the guys, it’s a bigger deal than being a member’s wife. Which shocked the hell out of me. Motorcycle club members do things differently, though.
Of course, Nicole was so happy for me. I couldn’t wait to call her and tell her the news so she could talk me off a ledge. Which she’s so good at. We actually realized that there is a Sovereign Sons charter in her town, which Rowan thought was amusing.
This last week has been really special. Rowan has helped with Hazel every single day. I didn’t think that a man would be so okay with taking care of another man’s child, but he really cares about her. I can see it in the way he watches her.It’s like she’s his.It shouldn’t make me as happy as it does, but then I remember that Travis threw away his chance to be here.
We’re currently on our way to my house. Rowan said we needed to stop by but didn’t really give me a reason as to why. I haven’t been back since I packed my bags to come to the clubhouse, so it’s probably a good thing we’re going. I could use some more clothes since the seasons are changing, and I don’t have a tiny human inside me any longer.
Hazel is sound asleep in her car seat as we pull into my garage. Rowan turns the vehicle off and closes the garage door before hopping out and coming around to my side of the vehicle to open my door and then get Hazel’s car seat out. I swear he never lets me open a door for myself if he’s around.
As we walk inside, I take in the familiar space with a different lens. The last time I was here, everything still felt so fresh. Travis had just betrayed me. He had just died. He had just left us to deal with his mess.
