Page 25 of Coal
“Oh, Coal, I don’t need all that to know that I mean something to you. You’ve more than proved that with how you’ve changed your house to accommodate me and Shea. From the gorgeous bedroom you had your mam and Opal sort to the fact that you baby-proofed your entire house. And the way you are with her more than shows me what a good man you are.
“Even with all the drama that comes with me, you have never once made me feel like I’m a burden. And then all the security measures you’re putting in place to make sure we’re safe. I’m not sure you know how much having a safeplace to land means to me.”
Coal slipped his hands under my arms and pulled me up his body, leaning up to press his lips to mine in a quick, hard kiss, “I do, baby, and that’s why we’re doing this my way, so that you never have to worry about my commitment to you. I promise it won’t be much longer.”
I’d studied his face in the dim light of our bedroom before agreeing, “Okay.” Leaning forward, I kissed him before scooting back down his body before things got heated again and laying my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arm around his trim waist. Touching my lips to his chest one more time, I continued, “Okay, I trust you. We’ll wait.”
I’m brought out of my memories of our conversation when I hear him calling my name from the front door. Turning away from the dishwasher, I’ve been packing with mine and Shea’s breakfast dishes. I wait because after that first night, he always made sure I knew when he wanted my attention so that he didn’t startle me again. Leaning back against the cupboards, I wait. Shea’s happy enough playing on the floor. Making a racket by banging plastic cups and a wooden spoon on the floor. I still want to pinch myself that this is my life. I can’t quite believe it.
Coal appears in the kitchen doorway looking sexy as anything and dressed for riding with his cut over his leathers. When his eyes meet mine and I see that he’s unworried, I relax. I was worried something might have happened, given the way he’d called out. He smiles a wide smile at me before his attention is taken by Shea, who is bouncing on her little butt and shuffling as fast as she can towards him. My heart melts when he swoops down and picks her up, flying her above his head.
“Be careful, she’s just had breakfast,” I warn.
At my words Coal, straightaway lowers her and brings her close to his chest, kissing her cheek and nuzzling her neck with his beard, making her giggle infectious baby giggles. “Don’t need you throwing up on me, baby girl, I have plans for your mam today.”
Straightening at his comment from where I’d been leaning against the kitchen cupboard, he walks over to me and brushes a kiss against my cheek, encircling me with his free arm and tugging me closer to him. Resting a hand on his chest, I look up at him, asking, “Where are we going?”
“I thought you’d like to go for a ride, and I’ve got an appointment with the Crow MC, and I’d liketo introduce you to some of them.”
Excitement beats through me at the thought of getting away for a few hours. “What about Shea?”
“We’re going to drop her at my mom’s. Opal is going to look after her for us for the day, and we’ll pick her up this evening.”
I hesitate, lowering my eyes and biting my lip. Not that I didn’t trust Maggie and Opal, because I did, but I’d never been away from Shea except for a few hours since the day she’d been born.
Coal must have read something on my face. He lifts his hand to my cheek, cupping it and tilting my head to see me better. “We can take her with us if you don’t want to leave her. It’s not a problem,” he assures me.
“No,” I respond, shaking my head. “I’m being stupid. Shea will love spending time with your mam and sister.”
“Hey,” Coal nudges my chin, lowering his mouth to mine. He lays a soft kiss on my lips. “You aren’t being stupid. I get it. I don’t particularly want to leave her either. We can take her with us.”
Encircling him with my arms, I hug him, laying my head on his shoulder. This man, I’d neverknown another like him. Shaking my head again, I answer, “No, we’ll leave her with your mam. You’ll enjoy spending time withMamó,won’t you, baby girl?” I poke at Shea, who is happy as anything, having found a loose thread on his shirt and is concentrating on trying to unravel it.
With her attention now on me, she smiles beautifully. “Ma,” she agrees, nodding, making me chuckle. She’d become a lot more vocal in the last few days, as well as more mobile. It makes me both happy and sad that she’s growing so fast.
Coal chuckles along with me, “What did you call my mom?”
My arms drop and I stand back to answer, “I called herMamó,which is Grandma, but Shea will more than likely use whatever your mam’s other grandchildren call her when they come along.”
“Mamó,”Coal tries it out, then nods,“I like it. What about my dad?”
“He’d beDaideó.But like I say, she’ll more than likely call him something else or whatever they want her to, really.”
Coal smirks at me, “Nope, I like those, and Ithink they will too.” He turns to Shea and asks, “What do you say, baby girl? You ready to get this show on the road?”
We laugh when Shea again nods and bounces a little in Coal’s arms, babbling, “Ma.”
Stepping back, I tell him, “Let me get her bag and a change of clothes, and we’ll be ready.”
“I’ll grab her stuff; you go get changed. I’ve put something on the bed for you.”
Looking down at what I’m wearing, I realise that leggings and a shirt definitely aren’t safe for a ride on his sled. I’m wondering what he’s put on the bed and when he did it. More than likely while I was daydreaming of riding him until we both begged for mercy.
I walk into our bedroom and come to a standstill when I see brand-new leathers on the bed. They are a dark black with red seams. I know that the red is reflective from when I was following the guys back from Ireland. I love that I’ll match them. I scramble into my new clothes, hoping they’ll fit, and they do. Like a glove. I’d been avoiding looking at myself in the floor-to-ceiling mirrors that were on the front of the built-in wardrobes, but now that I’m dressed, I turn and hold my breath when I see myself.
I’m still the same woman with the same body, but somehow, I seem to carry myself differently. It’s the look on my face that has me stepping closer to the mirror and taking stock. It’s then that it hits me what’s different. The stress that had seemed to line my face back home is gone. Even with the shitstorm swirling around us, I’m relaxed and happy. Happy! Wow! It hits me then that what I’ve been feeling is happiness. And it shows. I’m not sure who had decided we’d suffered enough, but I give thanks for whoever had put Coal and the Queens Wraiths in my path.
“Are they okay, Thea?” Coal calls out. I can hear him walking towards our room, and I turn when I hear his guttural moan, “Holy fuck, baby. You’re so hot.”
