“Yes, Matt,” Peyton whispers, her voice shaking and wavering as everyone’s eyes are on her.
Brick enters the common room and hands me the box containing Peyton’s rag.I hold it and ask her to open it.With shaking fingers, I watch as my ol’ lady removes the ribbon and removes the lid.After moving the tissue paper aside, Peyton gently lifts the leather rag and examines every inch of it.With a smile on her face, she leans forward and presses her lips against mine after pulling me down to her level.Yeah, she’s short as fuck compared to me.Holding her in my arms, the noise of the common room around us fades to nothing until little hands rest against my face.Breaking apart from the kiss, I find Caydence leaning forward to press her little lips against my cheek before ducking her head and burying her face in Peyton’s neck.So damn adorable!
“I’m gonna take my girl home because it’s been a long day.I don’t want any interruptions until tomorrow at the earliest,” I inform everyone, wrapping my family in my arms before turning to move us back out of the clubhouse and away from all the attention.
Helping Peyton and her kids back in the SUV, I lean in to press another kiss against my ol’ lady’s lips.I can’t stop myself from touching her even though I promised we’d take things at her pace.This is going to be a test for my patience and resolve to be the man Peyton needs.Right now, that means taking her to my house and making sure she eats, gets plenty of rest, and her children are taken care of.I ride my bike back home and point to where I want my ol’ lady to park.This will be her permanent spot when she’s at my house.Peyton’s life is about to change for the better and I hope she realizes how much I truly love her.And have loved her for a very long time.
Chapter Two
Peyton
THE LAST WEEK has beenkind of surreal.I still have no clue what it means to be an ol’ lady, but I’m sure Matt will tell me what everything means eventually.For now, we really haven’t had the time to see one another.He’s been busy at the bar and with other club business while I’ve been working more hours and spending time with my sister and Barb.Both of them told me the second I found out I was pregnant to talk to Matt and tell him, but I never got the chance until that day a week ago.My best friend and sister are over the moon with excitement that I’m with Matt even if they don’t understand what it all means either.They’ve been my sounding board for as long as I can remember and have known about my crush since it started in high school.Even then they were telling me to go for it with him and I never did.Now, they’re encouraging me to spend more time with him.
At work, we’ve had two people quit in the last week and I’ve been the only one to pick up the slack.Despite the morning sickness never going away and me spending more time in the bathroom getting sick than actually working, no one else has stepped up in the office.I’m honestly ready to quit myself, but I need the money to pay my bills and make sure the kids have everything they need.Dr.Matthews is keeping a close eye on me and her concern only makes me worry.It’s one reason I haven’t said anything to Matt yet because he’ll worry and I have no clue how he’ll react to me being so sick at this point.Though, maybe I should tell him.Especially since I have a doctor’s appointment coming up.
The kids have been spending more time with my sister and Barb since I’ve been working so much.By the time I get home each night, they’re already in bed for the night.When I get up in the morning, I have enough time to shower before waking the kids up and getting them ready for the day.We have a quick breakfast together and then we’re heading out.I drop them off at either my sister’s house or with Barb before heading to the office.Not seeing my kids is one of the worst things I’ve been dealing with this week.I hate not being the one there for them.Honestly, I’m ready to talk to my boss about working from home since I have an office and everything I’ll need to do the job so I can be with my kids in the comfort of my own home.The office is becoming more toxic and not where I want to be for any reason.
Today, I’ve finally managed to get off work early and even though I want to go home and crash on the couch until I have to cook dinner, that’s not what I’m about to do.My kids deserve to do something fun with me and I plan on taking them somewhere before getting dinner with them.We don’t eat out often because I don’t have the extra money, but tonight it’s something I want to do.I know Matt will be working until the bar closes.We text back and forth and he calls when he can.I swear it’s like I’m seeing someone in a long-distance relationship instead of a man who lives in the same town as me.For now, this will have to do because I can’t change how things have been going.Even if I want to.
Walking out to my car, I get the feeling I’m being watched.Clutching my purse tighter under my arm, I look around the area while walking faster to my car.I’ve already got my keys in my hand because it’s something my dad taught me when I was growing up.My dad taught Jennifer and I all sorts of things to do to protect ourselves as women so he doesn’t have to worry as much about us when he can’t be there to protect us.He used to call them ‘life lessons’ and would spend one or two days every week teaching us something new until we got it right.Especially shooting a gun.Jennifer and I know how to clean, load, and unload a gun as well as hit a target.Regular trips to the shooting range were part of our family trips growing up.
Just as I reach my car, I hear footsteps behind me so I pull out my phone and press the call button for Matt.I know he’s at work right now, but I want to be on the phone in case something happens.Another thing I was taught was to never look over my shoulder if I feel like I’m being chased or followed.I’m to get to my destination or into the nearest building with other people before worrying about who’s after me.
“Tutor, what’s goin’ on?”Matt asks, answering his phone as I hear the noise of the bar in the background.
“I think I’m being followed, Matt.Got the feeling I was being watched when I left work and now I’m hearing footsteps behind me.I don’t know for sure if it’s a co-worker or not because my daddy always told me not to look back and to get where I’m going or where people are already,” I tell him, rushing my words as I move even quicker to my car already hitting the button to unlock the doors.
“Okay, Baby.How close to your car are you?”he asks me, worry filling his voice as I listen to him move.
“I’m almost there.Just unlocked the doors so I don’t have to mess with that and waste more time,” I answer him, as my breathing starts to come out in pants with the fear coursing through me.
“Get to your car and make sure you lock your doors the second you're inside.Brick’s here.He’s callin’ Seth to come to you.Don’t leave until you see him.He’s one of the Prospects for the club.You’ll know it’s him from his cut and the bike he’s on.He’ll follow you to get the kids and then go home,” Matt orders, his voice colder than normal and I know it’s out of fear and not anything he’s feeling toward me.
“I’m not going right home, Matt.I’m gonna take the kids out to do something before getting dinner.I’ve barely seen them all week and I need to do something with them.The morning before we leave the house is the only time I’ve had with them.Please don’t take this away from us,” I beg him, finally getting to my car and opening the door before practically diving inside.
“Peyton, if you’re bein’ followed, you can’t be out in the open with the kids.I know you wanna do somethin’ with them, but this is about your safety and that’s more important right now.If I were there with you, I wouldn’t stop you from goin’ out.Since it’s just Seth, there’s not enough people to watch over the three of you.Seth will protect you with his life and I trust him, but he’s not me.Or Brick.Can we compromise?Go out to dinner close to home and then watch a movie with the kids there or somethin’,” Matt says as I realize how fast my heart’s beating and the shallowness of my breathing.I’m in the middle of a panic attack when it’s been forever since I’ve had one.
