Page 112 of Cinder
I met her when she started working at the gas station in town. We’d flirt when I filled up my tank. The flirting eventually led to a date. Which led to more dates. Which led to lots of great sex. Which led to this.
I wasn’t looking for a girlfriend when we met, but it happened naturally with Alice because she is so sweet and kind. And I like spending time with her. But I haven’t fallen in love yet, which is awkward because I know she’s in love with me. It’s in her eyes and her smile, and in the way she kisses me and says my name.
I set her down on her feet and brush my thumbs across the tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks.
A baby.
“You know what this means, right?” I say, looking into her eyes.
“That when you become a full patch member, I will be your old lady?”
I smile. I hadn’t even thought of that. An old lady isn’t something on my radar, not in the near future anyway.
I’ve been too focused on performing as a prospect to think about anything like marriage. Becoming a fully patched Knight takes time and persistence.
My old man might be a fully patched member. Same with my grandfather and his father before him, and his before him. But I’ve still got to earn my patch. Go through my time as a prospect before I become a full member.
“One day,” I say. “But what I meant was, we need to celebrate.”
She grins. “Tacos?”
We’re both crazy for tacos.
I grin down at her. “The best damn celebratory tacos there are.”
She slides her hands under my cut and wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head against my chest.
She sighs with contentment as I hold her close.
I don’t love Alice.
But one day I will.
Two monthslater
Late afternoon sunlight glints on her long blonde hair as we stand at the edge of the park kissing in the warm spring air.Alice is still not showing, but according to the books she’s made me read about pregnancy, it won’t be long before her belly pops out.
A few yards away from us, the club celebrates a family day with a cookout in the park. Kids run around and play on the swings, while the Knights and their old ladies eat burgers and some of the best damn barbecue there is.
It’s been two months since Alice told me about the baby, but we haven’t told anyone about it yet. She wanted to wait until she was past the three-month stage, which is today.
Which means we’re about to drop a bomb on the cookout.
I’m hoping it’s going to go a lot better than what my gut tells me it is. It will be a shock, but it’s good news. And good news is exactly what the club needs right now. For the past few weeks, we’ve had several deals go bad and a rival club has been making its presence known. Not to mention, a syndicate out of Chicago trying to muscle in on Knights’ territory.
Things have been tense. But they’re under control.
I break off our kiss.
“Are you ready to tell them?” I ask Alice.
She gives me a nervous smile and nods. “Are you?”
I grin. “Baby, I was born ready.”
She chuckles and then bites her lip. “They’re going to call us crazy.”
“And they’d be right. But I like crazy.” I take her face in my hands. “You know I’ve got you, right? We’re in this together.”
