Chapter 28

28

Aurora

"Hannah," I gasp with a cry, seeing my savior again.

Tears fall from her brown eyes, and I rush toward her, her meeting me halfway. We throw our arms around each other.

"You're really here?" I cry, and she squeezes me tighter.

"I'm here, Aurora, I'm here," she whispers back, and I bend my head into her neck and sob.

For so long, I had thought he'd found her, that he'd killed her for helping me, but when he admitted he hadn't last week, my hope blossomed.

She's okay, she's here….

Pulling away, she cups my cheeks, wiping away my tears.

"You're okay?" I rasp, and she nods, before taking me into her arms again. I hold her tight.

I don't know how long we hold each other before Trent speaks up, making me look his way.

"Don't I get a hug?" His eyes twinkle, and I giggle, rushing his way. He takes me into his arms, holding me tight, and whispers, "Fuck, it's good to see you, sweetheart."

I hear Theo growl, and I pull back from Trent, all three of us looking at Theo. I raise a brow, and he clears his throat, rocking on his feet.

Theo shrugs. "I can't help it. I don't like you in the arms of another man; you're mine."

Hannah grins and looks at me, stating, "I like this one for you."

I laugh and nod, admitting, "I do, too, even if he lied about being part of an MC."

Hannah raises a brow at Theo, who shrugs again, admitting, "Not sorry for it, either."

I roll my eyes, placing my head on Trent's chest, my hand gripping Hannah's. I ask my husband, "How did you find them?"

He smiles gently as he walks my way, replying, "Tech is a genius, and managed to find them living only forty minutes from here."

Theo takes me from Trent's arms, making the man chuckle, but I go willingly, wrapping my arms around his waist, pressing my nose against his chest, breathing him in.

I whisper, "Thank you…." He hums, kissing my head, and I look back at Hannah and ask, "How long are you in town for?"

She grins, leaning against Trent, who answers, "A couple of days; we want to spend some time with you and Autumn."

I nod, some more tears falling, and Hannah walks over to me, taking me from my husband's arms and into her own. My husband growls, making Trent chuckle, and Hannah rasps, "We're not far from here, which means we can see each other whenever you want, and I get to watch this man treat you like the queen you are."

"That's for fucking sure," I hear Theo mutter, making me smile as I nod and hold her close. I squeeze my eyes shut.

She's here, she's okay….

An hour later, Trent has taken Hannah to the club where they're staying—Snake apparently didn't hesitate to put them up for me.

We spent the hour catching up. She cried when I explained how Axe was now dead and that she was free to go back to New York if that was what she wanted.

It isn't, which I was happy about. Knowing she's not that far from here put me at ease, especially because she became family to me, and she saved me and my little girl.

Sighing, I lean against the headboard in mine and Theo's room, waiting for him to come up from locking up.

I know we need to talk and get everything out in the open, but I'm scared.

I don't want to lose him.

I've been so closed off, which unfortunately is a reaction I'm used to doing, which means I didn't think about how he's doing, how he's coping. His wife was taken, beaten by the man who raped her for a year.

He lost his daughter, too.

He nearly lost all three of us, and yet here I am being selfish. God, he even found Hannah for me.

He'd give me the world if I asked for it. I know this, and yet I pushed him away. I pushed Autumn away, my three-year-old, all because I couldn't cope.

Guilt eats at me as I rub my hand over my growing belly, the ache at knowing there's only one baby inside me now burning me, and my tears well up again.

I couldn't save her.

I hear footsteps near the door and quickly wipe away the fallen tears as Theo walks in, removing his cut.

His eyes come my way as he hangs the leather next to mine I had just worn that day .

Theo said he found it on the ground near the truck; I haven't worn it since.

He tilts his head, his eyes assessing me as he removes his black shirt, and yeah, my mouth waters.

My husband is a very attractive man, right down to the V where his jeans start low on his hips.

Damn….

He clears his throat, and I look at his face to see him smirking. I chuckle. "I can't help it. You're a work of art."

He hums, unbuttoning his jeans, making my eyes move down at his movement, his pubic hair coming into view, and I bite my bottom lip.

My husband dislikes wearing underwear, and I can't complain.

Chuckling, he removes his jeans, his hard member popping out.

My mouth goes dry, between my legs throb….

It's been a few weeks, and yes, my side hurts, but I really, really want him. I always want him, and that's something that will never change.

"Stop looking at me that way, Firecracker. You're still hurt," he rasps, breaking me out of my trance, and I groan, making him chuckle.

Shaking his head, he walks over to the bed and climbs in, the mattress dipping under his weight. I expect him to pull me down as he leans over me, but I gasp when his hands grip my hips, and he lifts me, placing me on his lap, straddling him.

He doesn't instantly put me down. Instead, he lines himself at my bare entrance and very slowly lowers me on his hard member, making me moan at the feel of him, tingles shooting over my entire body.

He sighs in contentment, holding me tight to him. I gently run my fingers along his jaw as he leans back against the headboard, holding me to him, my t-shirt-covered bump pressing against his abs.

Smiling, he runs his hands over my body before he moves them to the bottom of my top and slowly lifts it. I lean up a little, allowing him to take the material off and throw it away as I lean against him, my breasts touching his chest, my fingers going back to his jawline.

His eyes soften as he runs his fingers through my hair, gripping the back of it, and forcing my lips to his. I melt, closing my eyes, and I hum.

He smiles against my lips, pulling my head back a little, and he begs, "Talk to me, Firecracker…."

I wrinkle my nose. "I don't know what to say…."

And it's the truth, and honestly, right now, with my body connected with his, I can't think of anything except for wanting to move my hips.

His eyes soften, and he pecks me again. "How about we start with the lies between us."

I stiffen. "I, uh, thought we were just going to sweep them under the rug?"

He smirks. "And have you throw them back at me when I'll undoubtedly piss you off again?" I grin at his words, and he sighs, admitting, "I don't regret it, Rory, because I have you, I have our daughter, and we're building our family." Looking over me, he smiles. "When our daughter threw that milkshake at me, I honestly didn't think my life was going to change until our eyes connected." I smile, feeling my cheeks heat as my hands go to the back of his neck. He gently cups my jaw. "I never wanted a woman, an old lady. Heck, I didn't even want kids, but then you entered my life, bringing that perfect little girl with you."

My heart flutters with his confession. "Why was I so different?" I ask.

He grins. "You didn't fawn over me."

I grin back and admit, "I did inside."

He chuckles, then sighs, holding me close, his hand tightening over my jaw.

He says, "You quickly became my whole world…fuck, Rory, the first time we met, I just needed to ensure you didn't know who I really was." His eyes turn sad. "Despite my love for the club and watching my parents growing up, women always want the patch…yet you had no idea."

I smile at him. "And then I told you I hated MCs?"

He nods. "You did, and I panicked for a bit, until I came up with a plan…."

I smile, gently running circles with the tip of my finger on the back of his neck, and whisper, "You planned to make me fall in love with you. Put your ring on my finger, and babies…." I stop, my heart instantly hurting. Clearing my throat, I correct, "Baby, in my belly."

His eyes tear a little, and he pulls me forward a little more and whispers against my lips, "I didn't want to lose you, and honestly, Firecracker, I don't regret my actions. The only thing I do regret is not marrying you sooner." He gently presses his hand against my belly. "Babies, Rory. I put two in you, and fuck, it hurts knowing we're only going to have one, but I'm grateful you didn't lose him as well."

I nod, grip his neck, and say, "I feel like I failed them both…."

He nods. "I know, because I do, too, Rory." He wipes my tears away, then whispers, "She'll never be forgotten, Firecracker. As our kids grow, they'll know about her and how loved she is, and her brother will know he has a part of her with him."

I nod, holding him tight. Sniffling, I rasp, "I have a confession…."

He raises a brow. "And what's that, my beautiful wife?"

I smile and whisper, "Deep down, I didn't care that you lied, because you're my heart." His eyes soften, but he soon chuckles when I state, "I was just pissed at myself for not being madder at you like I should have been, and then my fear took over because I realized I fell for a brother."

He nods. "I know, Firecracker. Why do you think I tore the divorce papers up and dragged you here?"

I snort. "You knew I was going to leave."

He nods again. "Yeah, I knew my Firecracker would run. I just thought I had a few more days."

I smile, lean further into him, kiss his lips gently, and whisper, "I'm sorry for pushing you away this week, and for not helping you mourn; you lost her, too."

He hums, kissing me again, and replies, "You needed to do what you needed to do. Am I hurting? Yeah, I am," he grips the back of my hair, "but you had to go through it, Rory, you are the one who had two babies inside you, and yet you lost one. You needed time, which I won't ever hold against you. We'll mourn together throughout the years, but we'll also ensure that our son knows how loved he is." I kiss him again before he whispers against my lips, "Now, I believe we need to practice very gently because I plan to have at least another four kids after our son is born."

I choke out a laugh. "Six kids, really, Theo?"

He smiles gently and corrects, "Seven, Firecracker…."

My tears fall again, and I nod and repeat, "Seven…."

He leans forward, pressing his lips against mine, his hands going to my hips as he lifts me a little, then slides me back down, and I moan against his lips.

"If you show even a flicker of pain, I'll stop," he promises, and I smile.

I kiss him, pushing my tongue into his mouth, tangling it with his, my arms going around his neck, holding him close as we make love.

This man is everything to me.

Yes, he lied, yes, he ensured I got pregnant, but how can I be mad that a man who owns my heart wants me the way I want him, and did everything to ensure he never lost me?

I can't, but what I can promise, is that I'll never let him go….