Saint looked around and gave me big eyes, grabbing Talia’s hand and pulling her along with them as they chatted.
I watched my girl go, and I knew pride shone from my eyes.
In one fell swoop, Saint had made everyone fall in love with her, and not with the rock star they saw on a late-night chat show or performing at an awards ceremony, but with the real person.
“We’ve got Church in an hour,” Hendrix informed me.
“Has something happened?” I asked.
“No, but the profile’s in, and we need to talk about it. Colt’s also uncovered a few things we need to discuss.” His gaze slid toward Boomer, Jonny, andSam, who’d been greeted by a few of the guys and were chatting with them, along with Gambit, Trick, and Ghost.
My curiosity was piqued by the way his stare went straight to the boys. “Need to show Saint our room, get the band and Talia settled in, and then I’m all yours.”
“Anna and Tristan have been briefed,” he informed me. “They’ll look after Saint and Talia; make sure they’re good while we’re in our meet. Also spoke to Cass and Rockabye, who’ll keep watch, too. Not that I think they’ll even get a look-in. Seems to me your woman’s already making an impression.”
I looked up the steps to see Saint leaning down to listen to Kady gab excitedly in her ear with a huge smile on her face. Saint gave the young girl a tight hug before pulling back and laughing with her about something.
“Fuck me. They’ll be kidnapping her and taking her back to Wyoming at this rate,” Hendrix said, a warning tone in his voice. “They’re all starstruck. Had to send Diablo on a weird-assed errand; he was getting so wound up about meeting Saint that he was losing his mind.”
My lips tipped. “Still can’t believe he’s a fanboy.”
“You should’ve seen his face when he found out you and Saint were together. Thought he was gonna start bawling.” Hendrix’s stare fell on my face, and he nodded slowly as he took in my happy expression. “Good to see you happy, brother.”
I shrugged. “Good to be happy, brother.” I clasped his shoulder, looking down at JT, who slept soundly in his arms. “If someone told me a year ago that you and I would both be wifed up, you with a baby too, I would’ve gone out and brought the first straitjacket I could find for them.”
Drix’s face flushed, and he murmured, “Don’t tell these morons, but I think I might have found a way to get Anna to marry me.”
My teeth flashed. “What the fuck are you up to now?”
He leaned down to touch his mouth to TJ's little forehead and declared, “Our convo about taking Addie in led us into a deep and meaningful powwow about adoption. I looked into it, and it turns out you’ve gotta better chance of being accepted by the agencies if you’re married.” His face split into a wide grin. “I reckon I’ve cracked the code.”
My chuckle was deep. “You’re a sneaky fucker.”
He turned to look at the women, who were about to disappear inside the hotel. “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Want her ring on my finger, want my last name replacing hers, and I want a shit load of babies running around the place. Locking my woman down legally is my top priority. I'm not saying every day’s moonlight and roses, Ice; hell, some days it's more like weeds and thornbushes. But there’s nobody else on this planet I’d wanna do this with, even when times get tough. Especially when times get tough.”
“I know what you mean,” I concurred.
“I know you know what I mean, seeing as you confessed how hard you’ve fallen on the phone not two days ago. Why d’ya think I’m talking to you like a lovestruck fool and not the others? Could you fuckin’ imagine the shit I’d get ripped outta me if I shared all this dewy-eyed, simpering slush with those ass clowns?” He sniffed up through his nose like a fighter about to get in the ring with an opponent double his body weight. “I gotta rep to protect.”
“And I gotta band to sort out and a woman who, after a five-hour flight, no doubt wants to freshen up,” I relayed, heading toward the steps.
Hendrix and JT fell into place beside me. “Got Gopher to move your shit into my room. You’re ready to rock and roll,” he said as we ascended the steps to the hotel.
“Thanks, brother, but I’m not sure I’ll need it. Going to New York soon, and then, who the fuck knows?”
“You’re not leaving the club, Iceman. Already had some ideas I wanna run past ya that’ll keep ya busy.”
I twisted my neck to look at him, my curiosity piqued once again. “Shoot.”
“I will after you get your shit done, and I hand my boy off. He’s due a feed, and Iris wants to do it. Promised her she could, seein’ as she misses out on a lot with him.” His voice dropped low. “Plus, between you and me, I think she needs a break from Wilder.”
“Mother Theresa would need a break from that little shit,” I muttered as we hit reception. “He puts me off having kids.”
Hendrix grinned. “I think he’s funny.”
“I think he’s a fucking scream, bro, but I’m not sure I could live with his antics day in and day out.”
Hendrix looked down at his boy, and a soft look fell across his face. “Ours won’t be like that.” His eyes lifted, and he added one hope-filled word, “Right?”
