Page 9 of Life In General
We both sit up and adjust so our backs are against the headboard. I still keep her close, holding the hand of her uninjured arm in mine. “I can’t tell you everything, because some things, most things, aren’t allowed to be known by anyone without the patch.”
“What patch?”
I point to my cut hanging on the back of the door. The top rocker reads REBEL VIPERS, the large middle patch is the club’s insignia, and the bottom rocker says NOMAD. “See the three patches on the back there? Those are my lifeline. It’s the most important thing I own. It shows everyone who sees it what club I’m in, who I am, and what I stand for.”
“I recognize the skull and green snake from the hat you were wearing the night we met.”
I nod toward where I set it on the dresser before I laid down. “I never go anywhere without it.”
“I like you in a hat,” she says with a small smile.
Ducking down to steal a quick kiss, I whisper against her lips, “Good.”
“Are you ever in danger?”
“Sometimes.” I can’t lie to her. If I want her to be in my life, she needs to know the risks involved. “I do occasionally do illegal things, but it’s never to people who don’t deserve it or anything that will intentionally hurt an innocent person. And it’s not a daily occurrence. It’s more of a thing when a situation arises.”
“That’s a lot,” she says, trying to hide a yawn in my shoulder.
“It is, but we can talk more later.” I scoot her down under the covers. “You need to get some more rest. I’ll go and let you sleep.”
“No. Please stay.”
So, instead of getting out of bed, I lay back down with her. Nowhere else I’d rather be.
CHAPTER SIX
BRITTANY
The weekend passes in a blur of being spoiled rotten and I’m feeling much better. Sunday night comes and I want to go home, much to General’s grouchy objections.
“Why can’t you just stay here? This bed is bigger than yours. I’m a big man, in more than one way,” his grumpiness is accompanied by that smirk that never seems too far away, “so I need more space to lay with you.”
“The realtor is coming tomorrow to do a final walk-through before the showings coming up,” I remind him, “so I need to go home.”
“Fine,” he jumps out of bed and starts shoving all his clothes into his duffel bag, “but I’m coming with you.”
Staying laid out flat like a starfish, I ask, “Why?”
“Cherry, I don’t think you’re getting it.” Then, just as fast as he got up, General is laying back down beside me, his face inches from mine. “I want to be with you, be a family.”
“But how will that work with you being a Nomad? You can’t live here full-time and be on the road at the same time.”
“If you swear to never repeat this to anyone else, ever, I’ll let you in on a secret.”
“Pinkie swear.” I raise my right hand, pinkie up.
He hooks his much larger finger with mine, then kisses me before sitting up. I follow.
“While I liked being gone a lot at first, especially just after getting out of the Army, lately I’ve been wanting to settle down and get off the road. Before now, I never had a reason to settle in one spot. I’ve been so used to being everywhere all the time, finding a reason to call the club Prez and ask to come home and live there permanently isn’t as easy as you’d think.”
“Are you sure?” I can’t help but ask. I’ve had months to prepare myself for what’s ahead, but he’s only had days.
“This,” General starts rubbing my bump, “you and the baby, is my sign. I want to move you both with me to Tellison. I want us to be a family. I want you to be my Old Lady.”
“What?” The trance his hand was creating over my ever-growing belly is instantly broken. “But I’m not old. I’m only twenty-eight.”
That makes him laugh out loud, a full belly rolling laugh. It’s infectious.