11. That Baby Isnt Yours

Chapter 11

That Baby Isn't Yours

S abre

"Let it out before you have a heart attack." I stared at Grace's dad, and he stared right back at me. We were in a one-sided standoff because I didn't give a fuck what he thought. There wasn't anyone left at the table he could fight with, so I was the next best target.

He leaned forward in his chair, placing his elbows on the table. I was sure he thought he could squash me like a bug, but I had news for him. I'd fought my way to the top of the MC and defeated better men than him.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" he whistled through gritted teeth.

"I thought it was pretty clear." I gave a dry chuckle, quickly surveying each brother around the table. Cyph was playing on his phone, which wasn't unusual. Wreck was cutting himself another piece of roast, and Pretty folded his hands across his stomach and sat back in his chair, waiting for the fireworks that were sure to come.

"I am asking you." Gerry squinted his eyes and lowered his head so that he was watching me down the bridge of his nose.

"I am going to be here every weekend to see her. Guess what? I will be here for every appointment, and when she delivers my child, I am still going to be here for her."

"Your life isn't here." Gerry was a lawyer, and this was a shakedown. He was looking for any excuse for why our relationship wouldn't work, and I didn't blame him. However, I was going to shut down every argument he had.

"It's four hours." I shrugged, nonchalant.

"That's a long time to make a weekend trip."

"It's only temporary." I wasn't fooling the lawyer, but he hadn't come out swinging with the heavy hitting questions yet.

"How temporary?" Gerry was already leaning forward in his chair, but he raised his elbows off the table and crossed his arms over his chest.

"When Grace delivers, they're going to come live with me."

"I will not allow my grandchild to be raised in an MC clubhouse."

"Yeah, you know, with the orgies every night," Pretty chimed in. He was going to die. I was going to kill him. However, that comment caught Wreck's attention. He doubled over, choking.

"You're right. It won't," I answered her father. "I have a home on the property that my family will live in. It's close enough to the MC for their protection and separate enough to raise a family." I was glad I'd already made these plans early on.

"Raise a family? That baby isn't yours," Gerry huffed.

"I am getting real tired of people saying that. No wonder Grace doesn't believe me when I tell her it doesn't matter."

It was still early days, and I didn't have a problem that Grace was putting her and the baby's well-being first. She was entering a new stage in life and needed to make sure that it was right for them. However, there were clear signs where her skepticism came from. The only person who believed I'd stick around was her aunt. It was a telltale sign when all the nay-sayers used the same phrase.

"Say this works. What happens when she actually has your kid? It's different when it's your own."

I wasn't afraid to confront her father. I didn't give two shits what he thought about me or my plans. He had no say. However, it was easy to see that the man was in pain. I wasn't about to kick him when he was down. He deserved it, but I would not heap more shit on him .

"Grace is carrying my kid. It may not have my blood, but I have claimed both of them. They're mine, and that's just how it's going to be. In a few years, when she's pregnant again, that'll be my kid again. Except this time, we'll have two instead of one. If she gives me a football team, the only problem we'll have is the house only has four bedrooms."

There wasn't anything her father could say.

Eventually, Gerry left for the night. No one had heard from Grizz, and the other brothers had been bunking on Meredith's condo floor. No one wanted to be involved in that drama, so Grace's aunt offered for them to take her guest rooms for the night.

I walked Grace back to the pool house. She'd been quiet the rest of the night, and while I didn't like it, I understood. Too much had gone on for one day.

We were walking up the path when she tripped on a paver in the landscaping. I reached out and grabbed her under the arm to steady her. "Hey," I said to her, "you alright?"

"I don't know. I was fine, and then suddenly, I was really lightheaded. It was weird, but I think I am okay."

"Let's get you inside, and you can rest for tonight." I placed my hand on her back and opened the door.

When we entered the pool house, she went towards the boxes in the kitchen. I watched her for a minute to see if she was really going to unpack. I'd be gone tomorrow, and she'd have plenty of time for that. She'd just been unwell outside, and I wanted her sitting on the couch or I'd take her to bed.

She opened the lid of a box, picked something up from the top, and then set it down and put the lid back on. This went on for three more boxes, and that was when I clued in. She was trying to stay busy so that her mind wouldn't process today's events. Grace scrunched her nose at the last box, and I could see her heart wasn't in it. I wouldn't leave her alone with her emotions.

I walked into the kitchen and stood at the island in the middle. Pulling out my wallet, I grabbed a thousand dollars and laid it on the countertop .

She frowned at me. "I have money," she said, walking towards the other side of the island, away from the boxes.

I just looked at her, taking in the finer details. Her eyes were bright, but she had purple patches underneath. She was exhausted, but she gave me a small smile.

"I have money," she told me again, gathering the bills into a pile and holding them out towards me. "I am a marketing expert. Well, I was in a former life. I take a few clients a year because that's all I can manage. The money is in a business account that Matt doesn't have access to."

"Mama, come here."

She walked around the counter and stood in front of me, holding the money to my chest in one hand. I didn't reach for it, but I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me.

"I am giving you the money because it gives me peace of mind that in case I am not here, I've given you enough to provide for you. It has nothing to do with you or your capabilities. It's purely selfish on my part. If you don't use it, start our kid's college fund."

I don't know what it was, but something I said broke her.

She finally let out the emotions that she'd been holding in and laid her head on my chest.

I took the money from her and laid it back on the counter before I picked her up and walked to the bedroom. Setting her on the bed, I propped up the pillows and then rearranged us so that I could hold her. I'd had plans to rekindle the fire from this morning, but it seemed selfish to start in this moment. She needed reinforcement that I wasn't going anywhere, and something sexy didn't seem like the right move.

I let her sob against me as I held her. I didn't tell her things would get better or any of that other useless bullshit people said. When she was done, she laid quietly across my chest with my arms wrapped around her.

She shifted so that she could look at me. "Do you want to know what we're having?"

"You know?" I asked her. Grace hadn't mentioned it, and I hadn't given the baby's sex any thought.

She nodded her head yes and gave me a small smile.

"The only thing I want is a healthy mama and baby. However, I am going to warn you. If it's a girl, I am buying bigger guns, and you won't be able to stop me. Just sayin'."

"Why? So you can threaten boys when they come calling?" She rolled her eyes.

"Of course. No one's good enough for my princess, and if she looks like you, I'm fucked." I was serious. Grace was a knockout.

"Well, it's a good thing it's a boy then, isn't it?"