Page 41 of Menace

Going through customs in Johannesburg and Dublin had been nerve wracking. I was sure they were going to see mine and Ryder’s paperwork was faked. Asa got me through my mini panic attack before we landed in Dublin but he didn’t come to the States with us, he had to stay in Ireland for business.

When I again started panicking during the flight Bren and Rory got me calmed down before we landed in Miami.

I shouldn’t have worried. It was a total breeze.

Why did I worry?

I’m not even sure because I had sailed through the visa application process in South Africa with our faked passports. If there was ever a time for authorities to realise they were fake that would have been the moment. But we got through it without any problems.

Today we were about to embark on the last leg of our journey, the flight to Savannah once again on Dominick’s private plane. Asa had arranged it because neither one of us wanted Ryder on a commercial flight at such a young age and for such a long flight. He was only two months old and even if we had been in first class it would have totally freaked me out. His age was also why our trip had been broken into stages.

But there was something that scared me more than the authorities did.

It was running into Lucky. What if by some strange coincidence he was at the airport and saw me? Saw us?

Would he even recognise me? I looked nothing like the woman he had slept with.

Turning away from the window I sank down on the bed and forced thoughts of him from my mind. He took up enough of it when I slept.

Peeking into the crib set up next to the bed I smiled, Ry was still fast asleep, his mouth pursed and his dark lashes like fans on his cheeks. He was such a good baby and had taken to flying like a superstar. He had only cried when he was hungry or needed a nappy change.

I knew I had to stop worrying about everything but it was difficult.

In my head I knew no one would recognise me. I looked nothing like the person I used to be.

If I was honest with myself, and lately I’ve tried to be brutally honest, I loved my new look. It felt right, as if the real me had been hidden so deep she never had a chance to appear. I used to do slutty biker babe and then cleaned it up to the girl next door look, but I had never felt at home in either persona. Especially not the clean cut girl next door because it was too close to the one my father had forced on me.

I loved my new dark Goth look with touches of colour.

It was me. I finally knew what I liked and who I wanted to be.

I was Harper Delaney, new baby mama, tattoo artist, and all round badass.

Bending down I slipped my feet into my white docs with red roses and a viper curling around them. It went perfectly with my black leggings and slouchy white top that disguised my still not entirely flat stomach.

“You ready, Harp?” Brendan asked quietly as he walked through the connecting door between our rooms and stopped to peek in at Ry. He needn’t have been so quiet because my boy slept through noise which was a blessing.

“Just putting my boots on, almost done. Our bags are packed and ready if you want to take them.” I answered as I leaned down to tie the laces on my boot.

Big hands moved my hands away and tied my laces. I grinned down at him and shook my head.

“You do know you’ve been spoiling me, right? You’re going to be my shoelace tying man for as long as I can get away with it.” I teased.

Bren didn’t say a word, just shook his head as he stood and held out a hand to help me off the bed. As if I couldn’t get myself off the bed. Between him and Asa I didn’t know who was the worst when it came to their over protectiveness.

While I was pregnant they had coddled me and continued doing so even after I had Ry. I let them because arguing with them wasn’t worth it.

“I’ve got a car waiting to take us to the airport.” Rory said as he strolled in looking at his phone. “Let’s move it people.”

I didn’t say a word just let the two badasses take our bags and gently lifted Ry from the crib and strapped him into the baby carrier. Once he was settled I followed them out.

The reason I had minimal luggage was Asa, he had arranged for the majority of our luggage to be shipped and sent directly to the house we were going to be staying at. Bren would be staying with me while Rory would return to SA once we were settled in.

The flight was uneventful and Ry slept through it like a travelling super star.

Arriving in Savannah we were met by a guy dressed in black from top to toe. We followed him to a blacked out SUV and he grinned when he saw my boots. I got why when he introduced himself.

“I like your boots. I’m Viper.” He said with a wink as he shook my hand. I liked him instantly.

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