I laughed. “Fuck man, that’s a good thing, surely.”
“Yeah, easy for you to say. When this is over you ain’t the one whose gonna have a fucking kid.”
“I thought you were happy about the baby.”
“I am,” he argued but he didn’t look like he meant it. “I mean, it’s a fucking baby.”
“Yeah, and?” I laughed again.
“It’s gonna need taking care of, there is gonna be crying and shitting and…” he started breathing heavily. “How the fucking hell am I supposed to look after a god damn baby, man?”
A heavy hand came down and slapped his back. We both looked up to see a grinning Ink, who’d obviously been listening in on the conversation. “Don’t let Lana hear you say that,” he said, reaching between us to grab a beer. “She’ll tear your balls off. Plus it’s a little late for second thoughts, you should have wrapped it up if you didn’t want one,” he laughed loudly.
We all joined in as Felix got even whiter. Someone turned the music up and people started to get drunker and laugh louder. Later on, I was sitting with a couple of guys near the pool table when I felt a soft hand on my neck. It ran up through my hair and I grinned, glad she’d sought me out.
Then I got a whiff of perfume that smelled nothing like Waverley, it was heavy and too strong and made my nostrils flare in distaste. I tilted my head up just as she ran her fingers across my shoulder, heading for my chest.
I grabbed her wrist, squeezing enough to make her wince, her eyes widening in shock. “Don’t touch me,” I said to her.
She was the new girl, who clearly didn’t know anything about how things worked around here. You didn’t go around touching brothers, unless they called on you first. She was young, and, back in the day I’d have gone for her because she was hot but right now, I felt nothing but disdain for her.
Goldie stood up beside me and grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “Don’t approach brothers like that. Besides, he’s got an Old Lady,” he told her.
“I thought that didn’t matter,” she said with a frown. Not the brightest bulb in the box either.
“Do yourself a favor honey and take the hint,” Goldie smirked at her. “He’s off limits, but I’m more than happy to give you what you want,” he grinned, but it slipped a little when the girl turned her attention back to me, biting her bottom lip.
“Hustle’s dickmatized another one,” Casper laughed.
“You want me to shoot you up the ass?” I asked casually.
“Sounds like fun,” he grinned maniacally at me.
I didn’t even pay attention when the girl was dragged away. I didn’t care one way or the other if Goldie was going to fuck her, as long as she paid attention and realized who she needed to stay away from. I glanced around the bar, wondering if Wave had seen any of that but she wasn’t where she had been before. I looked all around but there was no sign of her.
“Relax, she’s with the other Old Ladies in the den,” Casper told me with a grin. “But it’s safe to say your balls are firmly in her purse so she doesn’t need to worry.”
“Iwillshoot you.”
The others howled around us. I let myself smile but only because I didn’t care what Casper was saying about me and Wave. It was true.I wouldn’t say my balls were in her fucking purse, no way in hell that would ever happen, but no one else would or ever could interest me again. I wasn’t afraid to admit that.
War joined us a little later and although he was smiling and joking and drinking a few beers, none of it touched his eyes. He studiously avoided making eye contact with me. I’d already decided to let it go for now, bringing up Connor, but it wasn’t healthy for him to pack it all away. I was still annoyed I hadn’t actually seen Connor. If King didn’t get his plan set in the next couple of days, I’d take Wave back down there.
It was a little after midnight when I went looking for her again. Isla told me she’d gone up to bed an hour ago. I frowned at Wave not telling me she was going but thanked her and headed up the stairs.
Our rooms had locks on, but we tended not to use them unless it was from the inside when we didn’t want anyone barging in. Everyone here could be trusted, but I didn’t like the thought of Waverley being up in my room alone with all these drunk assholes wandering around. The sooner I sorted out the house, the better, even if she only lived down there in the short term, if she didn’t like the idea of living with me.
When I opened the door and the light from the hallway spilled into the room, the silhouette of her body was unmistakable under the covers on my bed. The delicate peach scent of her shampoo filled my space and was a welcome relief from the smell downstairs. I slipped inside and closed the door softly, so I didn’t wake her. I took off my boots after locking the door and tucked my socks inside, then padded over to the bed.
It was easier to see her the closer I got. The light blanket was bunched around her middle and it looked as if she was wearing one of my sleeveless tops, the arm holes big enough that they gaped down her side, showing off a nice hint of the roundness of her breast.
Fucking hell, she was going to be the death of me. She looked so perfect there, one hand curled beneath her cheek, lips slightly parted. Her hair was half across her face, so I reached down and smoothed it back.
I noticed a white bandage, taped to her skin behind her ear. I leaned in closer, being careful to make sure I wouldn’t wake her. She’s hurt? Who the fuck hurt her and why didn’t she come tell me?
Waverley shifted in the bed, inhaled deeply and her eyes fluttered. My hand had stilled at the side of her neck. She opened her eyes fully and looked up at me, her hand automatically went to the bandage on her neck.
“Ink did it,” she said softly.
