“Here, have a shot,” Nikki offered, taking a seat next to me and placing a shot glass in front of me. She’s been drinking and smoking since we arrived at the Dog Pound, taking the fact that we were on lockdown, in stride.
I want to be her when I grow up.
“A couple of these bad boys and I promise you’ll be rapping like Biggie Smalls’, “It was all a dream,”” she winked at me, filling the shot glass.
“She’s not drinking,” Adrianna said, shoving back the glass her sister put in front of me. “She took a vow to stay sober with me,” my sister-in-law added.
“She’s a better sister than me,” Nikki replied, taking back the shot and downing the both of them.
“Yeah, she’s a keeper,” Adrianna said.
I mouthed a “thank you” to Adrianna, and she winked back at me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her the last two weeks. Since I found out I was pregnant she has been lending me her shoulder, and in true Adrianna form, she’s making me realize I only have one choice.
I want my baby.
She’s restored my faith in myself.
I am going to turn this around.
Because I can.
Because I want to.
Because I’m going to be a mother now and this heart of mine beats for two.
Now, if I could just find the guts to tell Riggs.
I’ve decided I will give him the benefit of the doubt even though he doesn’t deserve it. I will let him know I’m having this child with or without him and he can either step up or step down—either way, I’ve got this.
My mother sighed as she scrubbed down the wooden bar, throwing the rag down in disgust and turning to Grace.
“What do we do?” She asked, causing Grace to raise an eyebrow in response. “Do we just sit here and wait for them to come back? This is all you sister, my husband walked out and never returned but you, you’re the only one experienced in this kind of situation.” She explained.
“Victor wasn’t a biker, I have no idea what they do or what we’re supposed to do,” she replied.
“You used to cook a lot,” Adrianna reminded her.
“Yes, they should have a meal waiting for them,” Grace agreed.
“We’re going to cook for these scoundrels?” Maria huffed and Lacey fixed her with a look.
“Those scoundrels are my family,” she warned.
“What about the girl, and what’s his name…” Grace started.
“Blackie,” Lacey supplied.
“God only knows the last time they ate. We should cook for them,” Grace offered.
“Fine, but try to find something in that refrigerator that isn’t expired,” Maria countered.
“Make a list of what you need and we’ll send a prospect to the supermarket,” Lacey said, looking between the two matriarchs. They may have had two decades on her but it was clear Lacey was the lady of the clubhouse.
The mention of food had my stomach turning, and I excused myself hurrying my ass to the bathroom before I emptied the contents of my stomach on top of the bar my mother had spent two hours scrubbing down.
I don’t know how long I stayed in the bathroom, with my head in the toilet but by the time I was finished all I wanted to do was sleep. Another joy of pregnancy, when I wasn’t throwing up, I was sleeping. I’ll spare you the horrific truth of how a woman’s breasts react to pregnancy.
I threw my hair up in a ponytail and stared at my pale complexion in the mirror. I tried splashing water on my face to hide the fact I looked like I was dying. I’d have to ask Nikki to do something with me because I was a mess.
I made my way out of the bathroom and Adrianna immediately walked up beside me.
“Are you okay?” She whispered.
“I’m fine…but why do they call it morning sickness if it happens all damn day?” I asked through clenched teeth while meeting her worried gaze.
I took in my surroundings and noticed the sternos that lined the bar and the tablecloth draped over the pool table.
“Jesus, what are they doing?”
“Please,” Adrianna cringed. “Just go along with it.”
I looked around the clubhouse, noting the prospects that guarded the door with their rifles strapped to their backs and Wolf’s three boys who seemed unfazed by it all. I wondered if our situation was different, if me and Riggs were an actual couple, would this be our life. Reina was Jack’s girlfriend, old lady, whatever you call it and Jimmy had taken her. What would stop someone from taking me?
Then there was Lacey who had declared these men her family. It was clear she feared for their safety and not just her father’s but all of these men. I don’t know if I could live like that. I glanced over at Grace who carried a tray of antipasto to the pool table and couldn’t picture being that woman.
I turned to Adrianna.
“How did you do it for all those years?”
“How’d I do what?” She asked.