Page 89 of Choosing My Happiness
I looked up at Jim and replied quietly, “I think I’ll have to. Jim is settled here, and I’ve never really been settled up there. Besides, my family is here.”
A flash of something crossed his face, sadness, resignation. I wasn’t sure because I was distracted.
My egg donor was fighting her way through the crowd of people around us. People seemed to be getting in her way, but she was determined to get to me. I dodged behind Jim as she got closer. Jim must have glanced over and realized the situation, so he grew bigger, if it were at all possible. He stood taller and just flexed. My mouth filled with desire.
“Molly,stop,” he ordered. “What are you doing here?”
“My baby is having a baby.” She smiled slyly up at Jim. I was a little surprised at how nice she was being. I thought she might rage and demand that I patch things up with Blaze now that we’d be ‘even.’ I guessed she’d done the calculations and worked outthat Jim was a step up in the club hierarchy. She was trying to schmooze.
Jim’s muscles tensed even further. “You’re not her mother,” he spat out. Her eyes widened in surprise. “A mother doesn’t accuse her daughter of killing her own baby.” Jim’s voice was full of venom.
“I-I never,” Molly spluttered.
I stepped out from behind my man. “You couldn’t keep your son alive,” I droned. “That’s what you told me after Dad’s funeral.”
“I didn’t mean it like that!”
“How did you mean it then?”
Everyone was watching Molly. The silence was so profound that you could almost hear people’s heartbeats. Her eyes dropped to the ground.
I crept around to stand in front of Jim. “Are you proud of me?” I asked.
Molly’s head jerked up. The question probably came out of nowhere for her, but it was a lifeline, something that mothers did.
“Of course!” she said with fake brightness.
“What for?”
She looked shocked at my follow-up question. Jim tightened his arms around my middle.
“What, in particular, are you proud of me for?” I asked.
Molly cast her eyes around for a lifeline from anyone.
Horse gave a low chuckle. It sounded evil. “You have no idea what your own daughter has done in the past four years, do you?” He shifted in his seat, glowering at Molly.
“You’re not my mother anymore, Molly. You’re just the woman who gave birth to me,” I told her clearly. “Leave me alone.”
Jim made a sound that was almost a purr. It traveled from his chest, into my back. I felt his breath against my ear.
“C’mon Baby, let’s find some space for ourselves.”
63
Chapter 63: Daisy
He slammed Bull’s office door behind us and locked it after putting me back on my feet.
“What are we doing, Jim?” I asked. He looked at me, and then gathered me in his arms, holding me firmly, covering me in his warmth. I felt like I’d come home. I was safe, warm, and protected.
“We’re celebrating. Baby James is going to be a big brother. And this time, I get to be with you on this journey the whole way. Doctor appointments, birth classes, the lot.” He pulled his arms away from my shoulders and crouched down in front of me, staring intently at my belly.
“Hey, baby,” he said, reaching for me and placing a hand on each hip, before pulling me towards him. His lips touched my belly tenderly, almost reverently. The movement pulled my shirt out of my pants, showing a bit of skin. He released his hand anddrifted his finger tips across the material, making the shirt pull out more. “I’m going to be the best damn dad you will ever need. I promise to make you proud of me, and I’ll be so proud of you,” he whispered. This man, he was saying everything I needed, everything I wanted. Jim was my baby’s daddy. It was becoming so real, despite feeling so magical and unreal at the same time. I hiccuped a sob back.
“Hey.” Jim stood up at the sound, and cradled my face. “What’s the matter?”
I hiccuped again. “This is just so…” I shrugged. “Surreal. You and me, doing this again, but properly.”
