CHAPTER 16

NAVY

The next few days were busy as hell getting all the paperwork done to ensure that Gia could take over in Tristan’s stead.

I’d thought we’d have some push back and had arranged to take our family lawyer with us, but it seemed that Julian was disliked by most. The relief on Tristan’s lawyers face when we walked through the door should have been our first clue. Once the lawyer notified the board and set up a meeting, it was mostly smooth sailing from there. I’m sure the weight of who my family was helped things along and for the first time ever, I used who I was to influence people.

Gia being the figurehead would only be for a handful months. Tristan would be set to take over next year after he’d finished his degree. I’d never been prouder of my woman as I had been the day she’d stood up front of the boardroom and explained what was going to happen moving forward. Tristan and Gia had spent most of the day before the board meeting reviewing the financials and making plans and contingencies going forward. Bas had gotten involved and the three of them had locked themselves away in the study until Hope had called them for supper. Most of it had been over my head, but they all seemed happy with their plans. I was, in effect, just arm candy along for the ride on this one. I had absolutely no interest in being stuck in an office day in and day out. No, thank you. But if that was what made Gia happy then I’d support her however she needed it. I’d not been surprised to find out she’d been a business manager at a rather large transport company until Julian had kidnapped her. While she was shy and quiet, she came into herself when they were discussing strategies and ideas on where the company was going to go from here on out.

I’d complete faith that between Tristan and her, they’d take over running the company and make it a success.

I couldn’t wait for her to meet Bren, Bella, and Avy. Between the four of them, I think the Crow businesses were going to grow in leaps and bounds over the next few years.

While my days were spent ensuring Gia and Tristan had my support, my nights were spent ensuring that Gia knew how much she was loved and wanted. Not that it was a hardship being between her thighs, it was probably one of the best places I’d ever had the pleasure of being.

Once this was all over and settled, I was going to take her away for a holiday, somewhere in the sun, where we could relax and just enjoy being together.

Until then we had the Crow MC arriving soon and while Gia had been sequestered in the study doing all the boring business stuff, Derek, the kids, and I’d been getting the paintball field ready, and it was looking fucking awesome if I had to so myself.

We’d left the broken-down old tractor and trailer that had been in situ where they were. We’d brought in hay bales but then realised we needed more.

Derek had put the word out to our neighbours and before long, we had another tractor and an old car.

When I’d phoned home to find out when they’d all be arriving, Sam had said he would come down early and build us a few barricades and a fortress. I’d put Vi and George to work digging trenches with the mini digger, and they’d been ecstatic, although Hope hadn’t been thrilled when she’d found out they’d been using machinery. I’d supervised the entire time we just didn’t tell her that. She was hilarious when she went on a rant. They’d gone one step further and had filled a few of the trenches with a little water. Derek and I had grinned, but I’d made note of where they were so that I didn’t end up wet.

Sam had arrived yesterday along with Cairo, Bond, and Blaze. Sam had arrived in his work vehicle as he’d brought his tools with him, but the other three had been on their bikes.

It had been good to see them. I loved being with my biological family, but I’d missed the brotherhood. Derek had waved them over to the open barn that we’d cleared out for them. It was open on all sides but had a roof and would keep the weather off the bikes should it rain.

Everyone had come out to greet them and once they’d settled in, we’d got to helping Sam build the structures he’d drawn up. As always, he’d blown me away with his ideas and designs. If Bas ever needed extra money, he could always start offering paintball days, the course was that good.

While we’d laughed and joke like we always did, Derek being welcomed and joining in being much the same age as them, I’d noticed that Sam didn’t seem his usual self. Waiting until he’d cut out the panels, we’d loaded the first structure into the trailer that was hitched to the tractor. Derek and the others would go ahead and build it where it was to be placed. Sam would follow on later and check everything to make sure it was safe. I knew it would be Derek and Cairo doing the building as they were good at building shit.

I waited until the tractor and trailer that Derek was driving with Vi, George, and the brothers in the back had driven away before asking him what was wrong.

“What’s going on, Sam?”

Sam looked up from the plan he’d been studying with a frown, “I don’t know what you mean, Navy.”

“Little brother, you may be able to fool most but not me. Something’s going on and if I was to guess, it’s Bella.”

Sighing, Sam puts the paper down on the saw table he’d set up, picking up the cup of coffee he’d set down earlier and taking a sip. I grinned at the grimace he sends it when he realises it’s ice cold.

Waiting him out while he got his thoughts together, I’d wait all day if it made him talk. Reaper and Abby were parents that didn’t poke their noses into their kids’ lives unless asked. I, on the other hand, butted my nose in wherever I felt like it was needed.

“I always thought it was men that were supposed to be commitment shy,” he said softly, turning towards me.

“This is about Bella?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I get she’s older than me but its only two years. She uses those two years like they’re twenty. I understood when I was sixteen, hell, even eighteen. Fuck no, that’s wrong, I didn’t understand, but I did as she asked and went out with others doing what teenagers do, but all I’d wanted was to be doing those things with her.

“I don’t think I’m immature. I’ve been earning my own money since I was fourteen. I took over running the company from my mentor at eighteen when he retired. If I’d been Alec, I may have understood but I’m not. If she straight out told me that she wasn’t interested in a relationship with me, I’d back off and move on as hard as it would be. But she always just gives me enough encouragement to keep me hanging and I’m getting tired of it. I want to get married, have a family and get on with our lives. Is that so wrong?”

I was silent as I thought about what he’d just said, and I had a feeling I knew what was holding Bella back, but she was going about it the wrong way and if she wasn’t careful, she’d be pushing away a good man.

“Here’s my take on it after watching you both over the years. Bella, like you, has been running her own company since she was a teenager. Admittedly, she had help. But she’s been putting in long hours since her and Beau started their company.

“I don’t think she’s worried about the age-gap; she’s just using that as an excuse. I think she’s worried that once you guys get together and start having children that she won’t be able to spend as much time on her first baby, and Sam, this is what you have to understand. To Bella, their company is her first baby. She’s loved and nurtured it since she was a teenager.

“You need to speak to her, but I have a feeling that she’s concerned that she may not be able to give you the attention that she feels you deserve. She’s watched her mum and the other Old Ladies and their men all her life and seen how much they give, and she’s worried about falling short. That’s just my take on everything and I may be completely wrong, but honestly, this is a conversation you need to have with her. To understand where her head’s at.”

Sam is quiet for a minute before he explodes and launches a piece of wood that he’d been about to cut across the barn where it hits the wall with a bang. He turns away from me, head bowed as he tries to get control of his temper. He may not be Reaper’s son biologically, but fuck me if he doesn’t remind me of his dad just then. From the stance to the way he gets control of his temper.

Slowly he turns back to me, running a hand through his hair, “Sorry, Navy,” he apologises.

“No need to apologise, Sam, sometimes you just have to let the anger out.”

His eyes are dark with turmoil, “What about me suggests that I’d expect her to cater to me? As far as I’m concerned, we’d be a team. And if we had children, we’d make decisions on our children and their care together. Hell, we have our own nursery, for fuck’s sakes. And honestly, do you think Mum and Maggie would not be all over a grandchild? Mum is semi-retired now that Brice has taken over and is mostly running the projects. She just goes in to do the admin side now. I’d never expect Bella to give up her work and it sucks that she thinks that of me.”

My soul ached for my young brother, but while I could give him my advice, in the long run, it would be up to the two of them to sort it out for themselves.

“You need to sit down and have a conversation with her, Sam. Set it out once and for all. And if she still doesn't want to bend, then I guess you’re going to have to let go and either end up with someone else or be alone. Only the two of you can decide where your lives will go.”

Hearing the tractor coming back and knowing he wouldn’t want them to know about what we’d discussed, I clasp his shoulder and give him a little shake, “Come on, show me what I can do to help get the rest of your builds done.”

That’s how we’d spent the rest of the day. Tristan and Bas had joined us after lunch. It was Tristan that surprised me the most when he got stuck in, seeming to know what he was doing. Sam had drawn him out and in the course of the day, I’d found out surprising things about my brother-in-law. The fact that he like restoring cars was a shock, and I wasn’t surprised when Sam invited him to come over to the garage anytime if he felt the need to get his fingers dirty. Derek, it seemed, had given up being subtle, and I’d been amused at the hot looks that passed between them. If all went well, I guess Gia and I would be tied to each other by more than just our marriage.

Tristan and I’d settled into a comfortable rhythm now that I knew he was exactly what his grandmother and sister had said he was when they assured me he was nothing like his brother.

That evening, we’d built a huge bonfire with the left-over wood scraps and had an impromptu barbeque. It had been a good night, and something settled in me having my brothers close. I hadn’t realised how much I relied on them until this minute. I never had to explain anything. They instinctively knew what I was talking about or what was needed, sometimes just with a look.

Sam was more like himself that evening. Bond had given me a chin lift, then tilted his head towards Sam with a thumbs up. I’d had a feeling they’d purposefully left me alone with him this afternoon when the first thing they’d done was check on him when they’d got back.

Yeah, I loved my brothers.

It had been late when we went to bed, but I wasn’t surprised that I was awake at the crack of dawn. Years of getting up early was ingrained in me so much so that I didn’t bother with setting an alarm anymore. Turning my head slightly to look at the bedside clock, I saw it was still early, not even six in the morning. The tribe wouldn’t be arriving until around lunchtime today. There was plenty of time to worship my sweets this morning.

With that thought, I turned to the warm bundle I held in my arms. As was her usual, she’d not moved since last night, and she was in what seemed to be her favourite sleeping position with her head on my shoulder, arm wrapped around my body and leg thrown over me.

Pressing a kiss to her head, I gently turned her onto her back and leant up on my elbow. Running my finger gently down her face and across her ear, my lips followed the trail I made, then down her chest and across her breasts in a featherlight touch. Gia woke just as I sucked her nipple into my mouth. She tensed, then softened and sighed my name, her fingers threading through my hair, holding me to her, “Navy.”

“Sweets,” I rumbled against her nipple, and she shuddered in response. I loved that about her. Gia didn’t hold back how much she loved what I did to her. It was a heady feeling knowing how much she loved my mouth and hands on her.

Moving to her other breast, I gave it the same attention, then laying a trail of kisses back up her neck, across her cheeks until I got to her mouth, pressing a soft kiss to each corner of her sweet mouth and plump lips that I couldn’t wait to one day feel wrapped around my cock. Framing her face with my hands, I lifted my mouth from hers and got lost in her warm, sleepy gaze. Bending my head, I again pressed my lips to hers. They opened in welcome, and I deepened our kiss. When she was soft and pliant, I again trailed my lips down her body, enjoying every dip and curve until I came to her pussy. Gently parting her thighs, I hummed in happiness at the glistening curls and puffy lips, wet and waiting for me. Dropping to my belly between her raised quivering thighs, I got comfortable. I planned on being here for a while.

“Mmh,” I murmured, swirling a finger across her clit until it glistened with her arousal. Looking up her body, I held her eyes as I sucked my finger into my mouth. “Delicious, sweets,” I rasped with a hungry hum. Slowly pushing a finger into her warm, welcoming heat, I knew it wouldn’t be long before Gia came, and I could already feel the small flutters of her walls; adding another finger I gently pumped them in and out of her. Her hips rocked in time to each pump. Not able to wait another minute, I flattened my tongue and rasped it across her distended clit. Gia let out a gasp and ground her pussy against my face. Not letting up, I continued to pump in and out of her until she was just about to come, tilting my hand I found that spot inside her that I knew sent her wild and rubbed my fingers across it until she was a sobbing, pleading writhing mess. Not waiting for her to come down, I removed my fingers and flipped her over. We’d not tried this position yet and I couldn’t wait to be deep inside her. Lifting her to her knees, my hands gripping her hips hard enough to leave bruises, I thrust my hard weeping cock into her welcoming heat.

Gia shouted my name in a sobbing wail as her walls convulsed around me. Wrapping my arm around her chest, I pulled her upper body up until her arse rested on my knees, her head against my shoulder. With an arm like a steel band holding her tight against me, I trailed my other hand down her body towards her clit and ran a finger over it. Sending Gia over the edge again as her body bucked and writhed against mine as she sobbed out my name as she came again. It was the hottest thing I’d ever seen; I wasn’t far behind her not being able to hold back as the tightness of her pussy sucked at me as she pulsed around me, I came so hard I was seeing stars. My last thought as I planted myself deep inside her was that we’d just made our first baby and I hoped that she was okay with that.