Page 76 of Venom
“It was perfect,” I admit as I smile at Huddy, “just Cale and me. I needed it, we needed it. For months, years even, I needed to get that revenge, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to breathe until I did and the only time I could was when I sparred with Cale. Then I got my revenge, and I still couldn’t breathe unless he was around. Daddy was still dead, and the guilt suddenly began to itch deep inside me for what I did for that revenge,” I swallow hard and admit, “I wanted to die, especially after killing my best friend's mother, even if it was to save this little man. I wanted to die, and Cale saved me, inside and out. He showed me that, despite what happened, what I experienced, I was his and he was mine. Having four days away with him solidified he is the reason why I breathe, he is what I needed all along to grieve my father without the revenge, something I wish I realized years ago because then maybe, just maybe, I would have spoken to him about everything and asked for his help.”
“Dammit, when you say it like that, I can’t be mad at you for not speaking to us for months!” Skylar pouts, and I give her a small smile.
“I’ve missed you, too, Sky,” I say, and she sticks her tongue out before smiling at me while Lake giggles from her seat next to her, little Grace, my goddaughter, on her chest.
“Do you hate me?” Ivy asks, and I look at her sharply, wondering what the hell, but she gives me a wince and reminds me, “I said crap to Jax, continuously about Venom, about his abilities.”
“You’re his sister, Ivy, you are basically obligated to talk shit about your brother,” I remind her.
She scoffs, “Not the way I did. I knew deep down what you were planning, but I didn’t stop you, I didn’t tell him. Instead of blaming myself like I should have, I focused on the fact he hadn’t found you yet, only for it to bite me in the ass when Psycho let the words slip out of fear after Huddy was taken.”
“Didn’t stop me? Ivy, you were planning to marry,” I pause in my words and look at Tate leaning against my shoulder before I look towards my friend and snap, “You’d gone through a lot and not long after you had Hudson out of the hospital, give yourself a break!”
Ivy smirks before stating, “I’ll give myself a break when you give yourself a break,” and this time, I stick my tongue out to her, making her chuckle before she sighs and admits, “If you hadn’t ended Clara, I would have so stop feeling guilty over it. She stole your nephew, my son, hit him, and planned to burn him alive.”
I nod because I know she would have, which is why I did it so she didn’t have to shoulder the pain, and I sigh as I look back at the church door and swallow hard.
I’ve come to rely on Cale.
I don’t know if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is the truth, and the more he’s there for me, with my trauma, my therapy sessions, which I still loathe, and with well everything, the deeper I fall in love with him, something I didn’t think was possible.
“He’ll be out soon, especially with a certain woman due to show up,” Luna says as she takes a seat, her arms free of children, so I know the twins are most likely with Anna who always tries to steal them much to her son’s happiness and Brick’s because she’s slowly learning to forgive them and the kids are helping with that.
What Luna just said hits me and I hum with distaste causing Ivy to snort.
Angel.
It turns out Blade planned to call her to the clubhouse when we returned to get everything out in the open so that we can finally move forward. The woman has made a big stink around town, accusing Cale of not being there for her while pregnant, trying to tarnish the club’s name.
Thankfully, no one believes her, especially considering she’s been sleeping with married men.
“I can’t believe I married my best friend's brother,” I say instead of admitting to my anxiety with Cale being away from me and knowing she’s going to be here soon, and the girls laugh while Ivy sighs, “I know, right, how gross!”
I grin wide just as the door to church opens, and the men file out, the older generation first, each grabbing their phone from Trent, who I believe is being patched in next week, not that he knows, before Cale walks out with an aura that demands respect.
He grabs his phone just as our eyes lock, and he grins widely. His wedding ring is on his finger that he wears with pride as he runs his hand through his hair and saunters over to us while the rest of the brothers leave the room.
“Hey, big brother,” Ivy says nervously, making Lake cough over her snort, and Cale smiles at his sister like nothing happened, like she didn’t say nasty shit about him, and says, “Little doll,” making her melt, her eyes tearing before he stops before me.
Tate quickly stands and rushes over to Fury, who picks her up instantly, then kisses her head as he walks over to us. Cale bends a little before picking up Hudson and me up bridal style. I gasp, holding Hudson tighter with shock, and the little booger giggles as Cale takes my seat, then moves me so I’m sitting on his lap sideways.
“I swear since flying out of that window, the kid’s become a thrill seeker,” Ivy mutters and I smile as I place my head on my husband’s shoulder while Hudson lies on my chest. I look down to see that his eyes are closed, a smile on his face, and I melt into my husband while holding our nephew. Cale just keeps gently runs his fingers through my hair with one arm wrapped tightly around us, his lips caressing my forehead.
Damn, how I wish I’d just made a move on him years ago, maybe when I turned eighteen and was legal.
“Gosh, you two are going to make amazing parents,” Sky sighs with awe, and I swallow hard, not looking at her, not wanting to give away that kids are not happening in the near future. While Cale says, “Not anytime soon, so don’t get your hopes up for little nieces and nephews, Sky. I want at least a few years with my girl, her and me, before I have to share her. It’s bad enough I’ve got to share her with my own sister.”
I smile, pressing my nose into the crook of his neck while Ivy smacks him playfully and reminds him, “She was mine first, big brother,” and Cale hums in disagreement and admits, “Nah, she was always mine, I just didn’t see it,” making everyone at the table melt.
I gently kiss his neck, his words giving me goosebumps. In therapy while we were away I admitted to my fear of having children, of damaging them because of what I went through. I admitted that I’m just not ready to be a mama yet with my husband sitting right beside me. He didn’t snap at me like an alpha hole I know he can be, demanding we have kids ASAP, Cale admitted he wanted some time with just us first, stealing my heart completely with his acceptance.
“Trust me, that is probably for the best. I never knew I could be jealous of a baby,” Psycho admits as he steals his sleeping son from my arms, making me pout before he hands him to Jessica, his mama, while the brothers chuckle at his words.
I huff, “I take it it’s time?”
Cale hums and admits, “The bitch is walking through the gates as we speak, kitten. All kids and women have to leave.”
“Except me?” I confirm, and he chuckles, “Yeah, except you.”
