“I got it,” Trenton answers easily, his tone calm but amused as he jogs after Haley.
She’s sprinting across the grass like she’s got somewhere important to be, tiny legs pumping, a hammer clutched dangerously in her hand. My heart lurches into my throat seeing every possible horrific outcome.
A shadow stretches over me, pulling my attention away from the scene unfolding in front of me. I don’t need to turn to know who it is. Vik has a way of moving that doesn’t match his size at all. It still startles me every time he just appears without a sound.
“He’s good with her.” There’s an awe in his voice I haven’t heard before.
A smile tugs at my lips as I nod, watching Trenton gently intercept Haley before she can do any real damage. “You’d think they grew up together.”
I tilt my head back, glancing up at Vik. The sunlight catches along his thick blond lashes, turning his eyes lighter, softer than usual. His harshness, which I’m used to from when he’s around the club, disappears completely at home, especially around the kids.
“You coming out here to join me?” I ask.
“Actually…” He shifts slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ghost’s on his way over. He’s got some news.”
Right on cue, the crunch of tires rolling up the driveway cuts through the quiet laughter off in the trees. My brows lift as I glance toward the front of the house.
“Well, damn. Waited until the last minute on that one, huh? Should be some news…”
“He just called, smartass,” Vik shoots back. There’s no real bite to it, just the constant heat of lust he’s been throwing my way since we reconciled. “Now, are you coming in with me to hear it?”
I push myself up from the rocker with a quiet groan. The sun hits my eyes, and I lift a hand to shield them as I scan the yard again.
Haley stands with her feet planted wide, the hammer raised high above her head like she’s about to conquer something—or kill it.
Maybe she’s been hanging out with Aunt Harlow too much.
Before she can bring it down, Trenton steps in, wrapping his hand gently around hers. He doesn’t take it away or scold her for handling it incorrectly. He simply guides her and says something I can’t hear.
The hammer comes down, tapping the nail with a satisfying thunk. Haley gasps, then beams up at him like he just handed her the keys to a new world of possibilities.
“Hey, you two,” I call. “I’m going inside for a bit. You good?”
Haley doesn’t even look at me, already focused on trying again. Trenton glances up, gives me a quick nod, and waves me off like it’s nothing.
“Come on. They’re fine,” Vik murmurs, reaching for myhand and tugging me toward the house. “Let’s get this over with and see if we can sneak away while they’re distracted.”
Heat creeps up my neck at the implication, but I don’t fight him as he pulls me inside. This last week, since we fixed our shit, he hasn’t been able to keep his hands to himself.
Not that I’m complaining.
Every morning, I wake up to his mouth on me, his hands gripping my thighs to keep me in place. It’s like he’s making up for every moment we lost. My body aches, overused and claimed in a way that silences an insecurity I didn’t know I had.
Honestly, my poor pussy could probably use a vacation or a long soak in the bath, at the very least.
The doorbell rings through the house, snapping me back into the present. Bear lets out a half-hearted bark from his spot in the hallway, barely lifting his head.
“Some guard dog you are,” Vik mutters as he walks past.
I grab the pitcher from the fridge, topping off my tea. While Vik and Ghost grumbled their greeting on their way toward me.
“Hey, Ghost. Can I get you something to drink?” I ask, leaning against the counter.
He shakes his head. “No, this won’t take long.”
Vik arches a brow at that, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Alright, man. What’s up?”
Ghost drops a stack of papers onto the counter with a sharp smack that makes me flinch slightly.
