Page 44 of Southpaw Slots
He nods as if he just lost a big match. “I love you, Ari.”
“I love you, too.”
Swinging around the table, I gather Livia’s upper body in a hug. She rubs her palm over my forearm lovingly, whispering, “Go, before he changes his mind.”
A little laugh escapes me. “Love you, too, Livy.”
Just as I reach the entrance to the inside, my brother stops me. “Ari! You two should come to family dinner next week.”
Pausing, I tap on the wood frame and reply, “Okay!” He’s inviting me to family dinner like I’m a married woman, an actual grown up. Pride warms my chest, thinking about getting the money I came foranda bonus of my brother’s respect. Hopefully, this means he’s open to respecting my husband.
Now if I can just figure out how to get Wyatt here with us without causing a major scene...
After giving Fritz a hug goodbye, I get back on my bike and head across town. East Side is looking better than ever thanks to my boyfriend’s crew running things here and Max and Livia’s leadership. Better than South Side in a lot of places. Taking a shortcut back to the mansion, I ramble through North Side’s lower end. I take in the sunny day as I ride along the river, letting it hit my face. Before I can gunit, I get caught by a red light just below the turnoff to the end of Strauss’s properties. Being this close always puts me on edge. My pulse rate heightens as I scan the area carefully, trying not to draw attention to myself.
I could be in real danger sitting here, though being on a motorcycle, I can speed away easily. Strauss blew up the casino and I wonder if he’ll come for us at the mansion. Or even go after my brother. Despite the risks, I hate traveling with a guard, and I don’t want to keep one with me at all times. Not now that I’m free from Maxi’s reign.
Glancing in my mirrors, I spot Wyatt coming from a turnoff near Strauss’s property. He must see me because he stops his bike before slowly crawling through the traffic to meet at the crosswalk. What was he doing near Strauss’s place? My stomach twists at seeing him coming from that direction.
He gives me an easy grin as he pulls up beside me, then mouths the word, “Home?” and I nod. It’s too loud to hear over the engine noises.
In fifteen, we park in the garage back at the mansion and I slide my helmet off, then toss my hair back with a wave of my head.
“Hey,” he says, hurriedly running to kiss my lips, but I turn my cheek to avoid it.
“Hi.” Thrusting my helmet onto my hip, I ask, “What were you doing up there?”
With a crooked eyebrow, he squints as he meets my gaze. “Up where?”
“Up where I saw you. Near Strauss? Why were you there?” Why is he avoiding the question?
Sliding a hand down my arm, he tugs me toward the house, and I follow, with a little hesitation. Was he cheating with one of the women there? My heart aches as I try to slow us down, but he seems determined to get inside.
“I make a drop up there. Pay off some of Strauss’s men. You know that. Plus, I also save some earnings for the poor of North Side. They’re often forgotten.” Pulling on the front door, he motions for me to enter first, but he continues rambling like he can’t stop talking. “I’m telling you, things are bad there for the homeless. They have nowhere to go and no resources. Strauss just wants to pretend they don’t exist, buthe’sthe very one who’s causing the issue. Somethinghasto be done about him.”
I’ve heard Wyatt speak at his evening meetings on East Side. He’s become a patron saint of the destitute there, encouraging others to take action and to help their neighbors as well. But the way he speaks now is unlike him. Hurried, almost, maybe…practiced. And I get so bored with his daily anti-Strauss speeches that the tone and intonation of his words seem more passionate than ever. But I do know he makes his payments there for my brother. So maybe that’s all it was.
Right?
“Like what?” I ask, seeing where the next part ofhis speech takes us. At his direction, we aim toward the kitchen.
“The easiest way to overthrow him without costing a lot of lives is to follow the laws here first. To have the senate vote him out. Even if it’s for the future of, um, you know. Our children.” He pauses in front of the fridge and grabs a bottle of water for me, then one for himself. The cool drink refreshes me for only a moment. He’s talking like there’s some plan he has that I’m not part of.
My heart stutters at the mention of his dream tossed out there so casually, but there’s a hidden meaning. Like he’s been thinking about this for a long time. “Ourchildren?”
“Yes. Yours and mine. And Ace’s if, um, we can combine.” As I stand at the island, he presses his firm chest into my back, surrounding me with his widespread arms, then nuzzles my neck, sniffing me there for a moment. The gesture is soothing, comforting. Especially when he lowers his voice and says, “I’m not sure Ace will agree to let me have children with you or even make a formal commitment to you. I know we can’t be legally married, but Ari, Iwantto.”
The heat not only strikes my back where his body is, but also steams my eyes with tears. Is it possible I could havetwofairytales? Have a family with both men? Turning my head, our lips almost touch as I whisper, “You want tomarryme?”
Pressing into my shoulder, he rests his chin and says firmly, “Yes. Yes, I do, vixen. I love you.”
I swing around and grasp him behind his neck, my smile making my tears spill onto my cheeks. “I love you, too.”
His fingers raise to brush some of my hair behind my ear as he scans my face with his light green eyes. “But vix. I don’t want to take away from your role as Mrs. Donovan. I won’t do that. If we could be afamily… If we can convince Ace to vote in the senate, make peace with Cal and have a three to one vote, we could get Strauss out. And…” he pauses, looking down with something like embarrassment, “convince him to let us have children, too, then we’d be set as a unit. Your and Ace’s kids and, um, mine and yours.”
“You really want to have babies with me?” He’s never mentioned something like this before. Maybe now that we’resettled, all three of us in this amazing home…maybe that’s why he feels so comfortable discussing it. And it’s all I’ve wanted to hear.
A little chuckle leaves his nose before he presses his warm lips to mine, gathering me into a tight embrace. When he pulls back, I’m completely flustered with his intoxicating steely sweat scent and declarations of forever. “Yes, vixen. Of course, I do. I mean, when you’re ready and only with Ace’s permission. Also, I’d have to reverse my vasectomy, but yes.”