Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I lift her out of the sidecar, and the moment I put her down on the asphalt, she races over to Shelby, who's turned towards us. “Mommy! We went super-fast!”
“I know, honey. Was it fun?” Shel catches Mia and lifts her up so she can see better. She points out at the city that spreads out far below us. Beyond that, so faint you can hardly spot the blue-gray line, is the ocean. “Look how high up we are. That's the city we live in. Park Glen is out there, and our house.”
“Woow.” Mia reaches out like she can touch it. “Where’s Izzy and Dante’s house?”
I take her hand and rotate it until she’s pointing towards the club. We can’t make out the details from here, but I’ve done this same thing myself and know where to look. Shelby’s arm goes around my waist and for a moment, we’re all looking together and it feels… fucking perfect.
Havoc takes a blanket out of his saddlebag and Phoenix grabs the cooler out of the back of the sidecar. We head over to an old walnut tree where there’s shade. It’s just starting to flower, dripping with long grape-like blooms. The plateau is part parking lot, but mostly park, with solid fences around the steep parts.
As soon as the blanket’s down and the cooler’s open, Mia drops to her knees and starts poking around in the food. “Easy, hun.” Shel tugs her back a little. “Wait for everyone. What did you pack?” She looks at me first.
I shrug. “I make a good chili, but that’s about it.”
She turns to Havoc.
“Don’t look at me. I’m not even allowed near the microwave.”
“Phoenix, really?” Shelby laughs. “I wouldn’t have guessed that.”
“Had to fucking learn, didn’t I?” he mumbles, pulling plastic containers out of the cooler.
Mia laughs when he swears and Shelby puts her hands over her daughter’s ears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s nothing. Just some subs. There’s grilled chicken in here, meatballs in this one, and I made a few PB and J sandwiches, just in case.”
“No caviar?” He glares at me and throws a bottle of soda at my head. I duck and grab it. “Man, the service around here’s a little rough.”
Mia snuggles up next to her mom and giggles.
A half hour or so later, Havoc and Phoenix are playing tag with Mia, while I'm sitting with my back up against the tree and just looking out over the view. Shelby sits next to me. “This is nice.”
“Yeah? It’s not exactly Hawaii, but we figured you could both use a break.”
She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her beautiful brown eyes. “I don’t need Hawaii. I’m just so tired of running. I thought I was done, but here we are. Look at her. She doesn’t know how messed up her life has been yet, but one day she will, and I hope she doesn’t hate me for it.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
Shel turns my way in surprise. “No?”
“I haven’t known you that long but even I can tell that that little girl has never known a day in her life where she wasn’t loved. Come here.” Not giving her the chance to resist, I pull Shelby into my lap and wrap my arms around her. “You’ll fuck up. We all do, but she’ll grow up knowing that you’re her fucking ride or die.”
Shel blinks, then quickly looks over at Havoc and Phoenix. They've got Mia running between them, and she's laughing the kind of belly laugh that's impossible not to smile at. “You think?”
“I fucking know it.”
“You shouldn’t swear so much.” Her smile looks a little less wistful now, and she settles into my lap, leaning against my chest where I catch the sweet scent of her shampoo.
“Fuck doesn’t count.”
“Does too.” She laughs and runs her fingers over my hand. “I slept with Havoc.”
“Yeah, I kinda noticed.” Having her touch me while she’s in my fucking lap is making it real hard not to get real fucking hard.
“I told him about… us. Are you mad? He said you wouldn’t be.”
I groan and shift my position. “Nah, I’m not mad, but baby, I’m doing my best to keep this a family friendly picnic and if you keep talking about this I’m going to need some warning before you stand up, or it’s going to get real inappropriate real fast. Are you trying to say you want to be with him? Just him?”
Phoenix looks our way, and smirks.
“Do you—Oh God. This is so dumb.”
“Just say it. I’m the last fucking person who would judge you for not saying something right. How about we promise to always be straight with each other? Even when it feels stupid.”
She nods, keeping her gaze focused anywhere but me. “Deal. I think I’ve been a little in love with Havoc for a long time. Not like I’ve been pining for him all these years or anything, but like it’s this bond that’s just been waiting for me to notice it’s there.”