Chapter 24

Songs:

Peace, Weezer
It Was Always You, Maroon 5
Nothing Else Matters, Metallica
Mama I'm Coming Home, Ozzy Osbourne
Satellite, Rise Against

*Link to YouTube playlist in chapter 1.

**Fiddling was had. All mistakes are mine. And while we're on the subject ... I'd like to give an extra shout out to my amazing beta, jayhawkbb. She's working double time for me since I'm posting two stories right now. In the last week alone, she's read through nearly 10k words of mine. She's even taken an extra look at a chapter when I didn't feel too confident about my tweaks. I'll never be able to thank her enough. Sending all the socially distanced cyber hugs and kisses, girl. I heart you so much! Xoxo

Bella

The steam from the bath swirls around the room, and the scent of the lavender bath bomb soothes my frayed nerves. The half-empty bottle of red wine perched on the edge of the tub isn't hurting either.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

I smile and crack one eye open. "You're not looking too bad yourself."

Standing in the doorway with his inked arms crossed over his chest, Edward grins. "Think there's room in there for one more?"

I close my eye and sink farther down into the water. "Would it require that I move?"

"Guess that all depends on what you want to do once I get in there with you."

My smile falls, unable to continue being playful. "I'm not sure I'm in the mood for more than soaking." I look up at him. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, what's wrong?" He uncrosses his arms and steps into the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the tub.

"Didn't Buzz call or text you?"

"He did, but he didn't say much. Just that you got a visit from Charlie at work and that he wasn't there very long. And he said Black was in the grocery store when you were. Did something happen?"

I shake my head, not in the mood to dredge up the day's events. "Nothing I couldn't handle. They just pissed me off, so I'm not in the best mood."

He eyes the half-empty bottle and raises a brow. "So, you went with cheap wine and a bubble bath?"

"It's not a bubble bath. It's a bath bomb. Don't knock a girl's coping mechanisms."

"Never," he says with a crooked smile. He reaches out and cups my cheek. "But really, are you okay?"

I smile up at him. "I will be. Thanks."

He leans down to kiss me. "That's what I'm here for."

"I should probably get out of here, though." I lift my hands from the water and examine my over-saturated fingers. "I'm all wrinkly, and I need to start dinner."

"How about you relax, and I'll start dinner? The steaks won't take very long, and I saw all the shit you bought for a salad. I'm pretty sure I can handle that. Get dressed and meet me outside when you're ready."

"That sounds really nice."

Edward nods once and stands, offering me his hand. I take it, and he grabs a towel from the shelf, opening it for me to step into. Instead of leaving me to dry off, he wraps my towel-clad body in an all-encompassing hug and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm sorry today was bad." He tilts my chin up, and I meet his eyes. "And I'm sorry if covering for me added to your stress."

"It didn't. That was probably the easiest part of all of it."

He smiles. "I'm glad to hear that." He releases me and reaches for my abandoned wine glass, taking a sip before handing it to me. The grimace on his face makes me giggle. "I don't know how anyone can drink that shit."

"Hey, I told you not to—"

"Not to mock your coping mechanisms. Yes, I know. Still ... that's some nasty shit."

He ducks away from my attempt to swat him and disappears through the door.

When I've finished off another glass of wine and called Sam, I feel ten times better and ready to face the rest of the evening. I find Edward outside, pulling the steaks off the grill.

"You're just in time," he says as he walks back into the house. "There's a couple of potatoes, and I made the salad."

"It looks great."

He kisses me and hands me a plate. "Get what you want, and we can eat outside. It's cooled off quite a bit."

"I'd love to."

After a refill of my wine glass, I grab my full plate and follow Edward outside. The small bistro table is just big enough for the two of us, and I have a fleeting thought about needing a bigger one so Sam and Seth can join us. Imagining the four of us sitting around a table as a patchwork family makes me smile. I may be nervous about them finding out about Edward and me, but I ... I want it.

I settle into my chair and dig into my food. "Mmm." The steak is perfectly cooked, and I can't remember the last time I tasted something so good.

"It's good then?"

"So good," I say around my bite, not at all worried I'm not being the least bit ladylike.

"I marinated these bad boys all day." He's so proud of himself, and it makes me smile. The domestic side of him is one I'm not used to seeing.

As we exchange little bits and pieces about our day, I skip over the less than pleasant parts. Talking this way is easy and comfortable, like we've been doing it for years. But when our plates are clear and our glasses are empty, the tone of our conversation changes.

He reaches across the table and takes my hand. "The Sheriff's Department finally showed up today."

My stomach flips, unnecessarily I know, because he's sitting across from me, and I know he's safe, but it flips, nonetheless. "Was anyone taken in for questioning?"

He shakes his head. "No. They pulled Pop aside. They talked to me and a few of the other guys. They even questioned Mom, but no one was taken in. Everyone has a solid alibi."

"That's a good thing, right?"

He shrugs. "I guess. I've never been involved in anything this big before as part of the club, but Pop says everything is okay. We all have stories that can be checked out. And you talking to your dad this morning helped give me some credibility."

"Even though I'm a patch holder's widow?" I raise a brow. "In their eyes, I must have a reason to cover for you guys."

"To be honest, if they've done their homework, they know widows don't get any special treatment once the club member is gone. Yeah, we cover the funeral, but after that, the old ladies are pretty much on their own."

"But you—"

"You're Masen's widow, Bella. My brother asked me to watch out for you guys. That's different. That said, you're also the police chief's daughter. Everyone in town may know the two of you haven't been on speaking terms in over eight years, but I doubt anyone in the Sheriff's Department knows that. To them, being Charlie's daughter holds more weight, even if you're on friendly terms with the club."

"There wasn't any physical evidence tying you guys to the scene?"

He shakes his head. "Unless someone left DNA behind somewhere, and I can't imagine they'd find any. Everything we used that night was untraceable."

"Was?"

"It's all gone now. We got rid of all that shit before we left Tucson."

"And the explosives?"

He raises a brow. "How did you know about that?"

"An exploding warehouse is bound to make the news, Edward."

"Yeah, I guess it would."

"Can they trace anything back to Boomer?"

He shakes his head. "No. It was all stuff he already had, so there's no materials order for the cops to uncover. He said he used a pretty simple trigger mechanism that anyone would use, so there's nothing that tie him to the bomb."

"That's good."

"And it's not the only good news I have." His eyes light up in the dimming light, and a smile covers his face.

"What is it?"

"The detective who was questioning Pop let it slip that Caius was spotted in Vegas."

"He's not in Arizona?"

"If the information is right, no, he's not."

"How do we know if he—"

"We'll contact our support club up that way and ask them to check it out for us. If we get confirmation that he's up there, that means the—"

"The boys can come home!" I jump out of my seat and wrap my arms around him, squealing like a kid, but I can't help myself.

Edward laughs with me, his arms circling my waist. "Well, that certainly brightened your mood."

I pull away and hold his face in my hands, landing a sloppy kiss on his lips. "Our babies are coming home! Of course, I'm excited."

"Our babies, huh? I kind of like the sound of that." His grin is wide, and his eyes are sparkling. "Maybe someday we could—"

"Whoa there, big guy. Let's slow down a little." I try to step back, but he pulls me into his lap. I don't resist, even though my stomach is a flipping mess at the moment.

"You know we should probably talk about it, Bella."

"Talk about what?"

"About what we both want for the future." He says it with such simple conviction, I find it impossible to deny him.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"First of all, I think we need to have a conversation about birth control when we're not naked."

I smile. "Yeah, probably."

"Because as much as I like the idea of having another kid, I know that's something neither of us is ready for right now."

"No, we're not."

He nods. "Then we need to talk about what we're doing to not let that happen. I think I should know what you're on."

I swallow, a little uncomfortable discussing something so personal, but I realize how silly I'm being. "When I went in for a checkup after my miscarriage, I asked the doctor to put me back on the pill." I shrug a shoulder. "I've had irregular periods since Sam was born, and with everything else going haywire in my life, I didn't want to add one more thing that would catch me off guard."

"That makes sense."

"Since you're the one who brought it up, what do you see in our future?" I ask, a twinge of nervousness running through me.

"I see us ... together. I see our boys, and maybe another one someday," he says, placing his warm hand low on my belly.

"You'd really want to have more kids?"

He shrugs. "I would. Seth is the best part of my life, and I love Sam like he's mine. But I'd only want it if it's something you want."

I nod, not saying anything. I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't want more kids ... someday.

"And I know we haven't been back together very long, and it might feel like we're moving fast, but, Bella, I already know you. I don't need weeks or months to figure shit out." He squeezes me tightly to him. "Look, I'm not suggesting we run out and get married tomorrow. I just want you to realize I want you in my life—permanently—however that may be. Even if you never want to get married and you never want to have any more kids, if you're with me, none of the other shit matters."

I look up and meet his eyes. "You really mean that?"

"I really do. You're it for me, Bella. You've always been it for me. It's probably why I never settled down."

I wrap my arms around his neck and bring my smiling mouth to his. "So, I get to be your ball and chain?"

"If you want to be," he whispers against my lips.

"I think I do."

Another week passes before the club gets the call from the Nevada support club giving the all clear. Caius has been spotted in Vegas, and Edward's friends up that way are keeping an eye on him. It gives us the green light for Sam and Seth to come home. It also means I can go back home.

As much as I've wanted to return to my own space, when I walk into the stuffy, dusty trailer, the independence doesn't hold the same appeal it did just weeks ago. And the recently replaced carpet in the living room reminds me what happened the last time I stepped through the door of my home. The new flooring is similar in color to the old, but when I close my eyes, I can still see the blood stains and the crumpled body of the man I shot.

"You sure you want to stay here?" Edward says, placing my bag on the sofa and snapping me from my memory.

I turn and face him, putting my hands in my back pockets. "It's my home," I say shrugging my shoulders.

He pulls me to him. "You know my home is yours if you want it. All you have to do is say the word." His kiss is careful but leaves me breathless all the same.

I pull away and shake my head. "You've got to stop being so damn persuasive," I complain. "We both know we need to ease the boys into"—I wave a hand between us—"this."

"We can't hide it from them for too long. And I really don't think they'll have a hard time accepting it either. They're kids, and kids adapt pretty quickly. Besides," he says, pulling me back into his arms, "I've had you in my bed for the last two weeks. There's no fucking way I'm going to survive sleeping alone now that I've had you almost every night. How can you deny me?"

"I'm pretty sure you'll survive," I say with a smirk.

"Maybe I'll sneak over for a quickie after Sam goes to bed," he says with waggling eyebrows.

I laugh, shoving him away. "Only you." I walk into the kitchen and open the fridge, expecting to find a smelly mess to clear out, but instead, I find fresh milk, fruits and veggies, and a ton of fresh groceries. "Who did this?"

"Oh, I asked Buzz to pick up a few things for you guys." He wraps me in a hug from behind, nuzzling my neck. "No more noodles and eggs for dinner," he whispers into my skin.

"You knew about that?" I turn in his arms.

"Yeah. Sammy kind of spilled the beans a while back. You should have told me you guys were struggling."

I shrug, embarrassed. "It's a habit, I guess. Years of Mase not wanting to burden anyone with our problems and depending on ourselves is kind of ingrained in me."

"No more, okay? If you two need anything, tell me. You're mine now, and I take care of my own."

"Yours?"

He smiles and leans in for a kiss. "Mine."

Making plans for the boys to come home takes a painfully long time. They have two more days planned at the beach before they load up, and another two days planned for traveling home. in the meantime, Edward convinces me to go shopping for a newer car now that the clutch seems to be out on the Honda.

"It's past time to dump it, Bella," he'd said. "I know the expression is to drive something until the wheels fall off, but if you keep driving that piece of shit, I'm worried the wheels actually will fall off."

So, that means I'm spending my day riding all over town on the back of Edward's bike, looking at privately owned cars.

"I still don't understand why I can't just hit a used car lot like a normal person," I grumble as we walk up the driveway of yet another house.

"Because used car salesmen get paid on commission. They'll say anything to sell a car, and they're gonna charge you for inspections I can do myself." He knocks on the door and looks my way. "It's better this way. Trust me."

Taking Edward's advice works in my favor when we find an older gentleman selling the small SUV he and his wife bought when they became grandparents.

"The youngest just started high school, so they have better things to do than going out with Gran and Gramps for ice cream," he says with a sad smile. He looks between Edward and me. "How old are your kids?"

Edward pops his head out from under the hood and smiles. "Nine and six." He closes the hood and wipes his hands on the shop rag he brought along. "Everything looks like it's been well maintained."

"Oh, it has. I have all the service records if you want to see them."

"I would," my personal mechanic says. "Can she take it for a test drive while we discuss details?"

While I don't like the thought of being excluded from any kind of negotiation, I know Edward will do his best to get it for a fair price. And I'm pleasantly surprised when he shoots me a text to get final approval on the price they've settled on.

One of the perks of having an SUV is that I can haul more crap, which means I spend the following morning unloading the stuff from the storage facility. Edward comes with me, and I'm glad for it. Not only is he doing most of the heavy lifting, but he also helps me decide what I should keep and what I should toss or sell.

Most of Masen's tools are duplicates of what Edward already has, but he offers to store the larger roll around in his garage to keep for Sam. It's hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars' worth of tools, so I'm grateful he's willing to hold on to them for us.

We both ignore the pile of baby stuff in the corner, choosing to focus on the boxes instead. Boxes of clothes are dropped off right away at Goodwill. One box marked "paperwork" gets opened, just to see if it's anything I should keep or if it's destined for a shredder.

"What's all that?" Edward asks over my shoulder.

"Looks like old paystubs." I shrug a shoulder. "I'm not sure why Mase held on to all this shit. I don't know why he'd need to keep anything after our taxes were filed every year." I reach for the lid, but Edward stops me.

"Hold up. Let me see that," he says, snatching one of Masen's stubs from the box. As his eyes scan the paper, his brow furrows and his jaw tightens.

"Is something wrong?" I ask. Now I'm the one looking over his shoulder.

"I'm not sure," he murmurs. He looks at me. "Mind if I hang on to this?"

"Why do you need it?" I ask, my tone clearly defensive. I reach for the paper in his hand, but he holds it out of my reach.

"Do you trust me?" he asks.

"You know I do."

"Then trust me with this, okay? I just need to look into something."

The expression on his face is enough to get me to relent, and when the entire file box ends up in his garage that night, I don't question it. And neither of us says anything when the pile of baby stuff ends up at his house either.

"What time did Angela say they left?" I ask, looking out the window. The anticipation is killing me. I feel like a little kid, but I can't help it.

My son is coming home today.

Edward walks up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. "They'll be here any minute." He kisses my neck. "She sent me a text about ten minutes ago and said they were just getting into town."

I open my mouth to ask to see the message, but the Cheney's car pulls into Edward's driveway.

I rush out the front door, and before I reach him, Sam is fumbling his way out of the car.

"Mommy!" he yells, running toward me with his arms wide open.

"Sammy! I'm so glad you're home." I scoop him up and hold him to me. With closed eyes, I breathe him in and realize he feels heavier than I remember. "Did you have a good time?"

"I had so much fun!" He wiggles out of my arms, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the car. "Come see the cool stuff I got!"

We spend the next ten minutes in the driveway as Sam and Seth show us their souvenirs, all while talking over each other and finishing each other's sentences.

Ben helps Edward move Sam's things into my car, leaving Angela and me to watch the boys chase each other around the yard.

"Thanks for taking him with you," I say, turning to her. "I appreciate it more than you know."

"He was a joy to have with us, Bella. Really. He had a great time, and he was really good for us."

"Did he have to use his nebulizer?"

She shakes her head. "No. He used his inhaler once or twice, but we never had to use the machine."

"That's good to know." I watch the two boys run circles around the guys who are now standing next to my car, locked in conversation.

"So, you and Edward, huh?"

My head snaps around. "Sorry, what?"

"You two are back together?"

"What did Edward tell you?"

The corner of her mouth lifts. "Not much. Just that you stayed here while we were gone."

"It wasn't like that," I say in a panic. My body tenses, and I'm worried about what she'd think about me being with Edward so soon after Masen's death. "We—"

She places her hand on my arm. "It's okay, Bella. I understand. And honestly, I'd have been surprised if it didn't happen sooner or later. And why not be happy sooner?" she asks rhetorically, shrugging her shoulders.

My shoulders relax, the defensiveness leaving me. "Thanks."

"You guys have always belonged together."

It's strange, hearing those words come from her mouth. But I appreciate them all the same. "You think so?"

She turns to fully face me. "I do. And I'd say I'm sorry for my part in you two not getting back together sooner, but that would mean no Seth. And I can't say that."

I look over at my son as he plays with his cousin. "Believe me, Angela, I feel the same way."

The first night home with Sam is spent eating takeout and curling together on the sofa to watch a movie. And as much as I want to sleep with him beside me, I know we need to get back to a normal routine, so once he falls asleep, I carry him to his room and tuck him into his own bed.

Edward and I spend the next few days sending each other naughty texts, but we don't see each other, spending our evenings with our kids instead. When he texts me while I'm at work to invite us over for a cookout this weekend, I smile as I type out my reply.

I wouldn't miss it. What can I bring? - B

Just your beautiful self and my nephew. Most of the club will be here, so I'm sure there will be more shit than we'll be able to eat. - E

I can't wait. It's been a long week without you. I miss seeing you. - B

I miss fucking you. - E

My cheeks heat as I read his last message. Before I can answer, another one comes through.

Think I can sneak over there after Sam goes to bed? Seth is going back to Angela's tonight. - E

I grin, thinking about how much I miss him as I type my reply.

As much as I'd love to see you, Aunt Flo has decided to visit this week. - B

I watch as the little dots flicker and disappear as he types and deletes his response. Finally, a few minutes later, my phone vibrates.

Think I can get my redwings? - E

A laugh bubbles out of me, and I shake my head as I type. One, that's a no from me, and two, I need to get back to work. - B

Can't wait to see you this weekend. Love you.- E

Love you, too. - B

Saturday rolls around, and as we load up to go to Edward's, the nerves start to set in. I'm not sure about how I should act around Edward in everyone else's presence. We still haven't had any kind of talk with the kids, not to mention his club brothers. I'm not worried so much about the kids, but I'm not sure how his club brothers will react to the news. Some will welcome me with open arms. Others ... I'm not so sure.

"Is Seth gonna be there, Mommy?" Sam asks as he buckles his seatbelt.

"I think so."

"Good. I miss him." I look in the rearview mirror and watch as he stares out the window, and just the sight of him calms me.

When we pull up, bikes line the street, and I can hear the music and boisterous laughter coming from the backyard. Sam takes off like a shot, and I'm left to grab the case of beer I brought out of the back. Manners dictate I don't show up empty-handed, and beer is a safe bet with this crowd.

In the kitchen, Esme and Alice are arguing over a veggie tray, and Rose is sitting at the counter watching them, drink in hand. I catch her eye, and she hops off the barstool and rushes toward me.

"Hey, chica! How are you?" She hugs me and whispers in my ear. "I don't think their trip was very healthy for their relationship. They've been fighting about stupid shit since I showed up." She pulls away and looks down at my hands. "Oh, you brought more beer! Perfect." She grabs my free hand and pulls me toward the patio door. "There's a cooler out here we can drop them in."

I follow her outside where most of the club members are sitting around, talking. A few are hovering over the grill, and a few more are standing off to the side in what looks like a very serious discussion. I make eye contact with Edward as I unload the case of bottles into the ice-filled cooler, and he winks at me.

Plucking a beer out of the ice, I try to hide my smile, but Rose picks up on our exchange.

"So, you and E, huh?"

"What? No, we—"

"I saw that, missy." She wraps an arm around my shoulders as we walk toward a small grouping of patio chairs set up in the shade. "I'm happy for you."

"Really?" I ask as I sit.

She sits in the empty chair beside mine. "Absolutely. You've dealt with enough shit to last you a lifetime. It's about time you had some good."

"Thanks. But keep it to yourself for now. I'm not sure if Edward wants to—"

"I won't say a word. I totally understand. Especially with the Queen Bee hovering in the kitchen. I have a feeling she doesn't know yet."

"Oh, she knows."

Rosalie's eyes widen and she leans forward, lowering her voice even more. "How?"

"She came over while I was staying here. Caught me crawling out of his bed basically wearing his underwear."

Her guffaw matches the ones that usually come out of her husband, and a few heads turn our way. "That's priceless."

I smile as I bring my beer bottle to my lips. "You have no idea."

Her laughter calms, and she sighs, focusing her attention over my shoulder. "Well, if you want to keep your budding romance on the down-low for now, you might want to tell him."

"What?" I ask, seconds before Edward comes up behind me, kissing my neck.

"Hey, beautiful. I missed you." He zips around me and kisses Rose's cheek. "And how are you, sweetheart? Having a good time?"

"Oh, I'm just great," she replies, her eyes and smile bright as she watches us. "And I'm having a great time now. How are you, E?"

"Couldn't be better," he says with a grin, tilting back his beer.

"So, what prompted this occasion?" Rose asks. "It isn't anyone's birthday. It's not a holiday. What gives?"

"You'll see," he says with a wink.

"Oh, a secret. I like it!"

Ali storms toward us, grumbling as she plops into an empty chair. "I swear, if I have to spend another minute talking to her, I'm going to rip out her tongue!"

"Have we reached the contemptible familiarity stage?" Edward asks.

"You have no idea. I swear, she was difficult to deal with when we were in Tahoe, but since we've been home, she's been damn near impossible."

"What was her problem in Tahoe?" Rose asks.

"She bitched about being sent away the entire time. Every time I turned around, she was complaining about some of the other wives being allowed to stay and why she had to be gone. But I don't understand why she's still a raging bitch now that we're back home."

Edward's eyes flash to mine and back to his sister. "That's probably my fault."

Alice's brows knit together. "Why is it your fault?"

He reaches for my hand and squeezes it. "Things changed while you were away."

Ali's eyes grow wide and her eyes flit between her brother and me. She starts vibrating in her seat. When she opens her mouth, probably to squeal, Edward shuts it down.

"Calm your ass down, Ali. We're not hiding anything, but we're not broadcasting it either. Got it?"

Her head nods like a bobble head. "Got it." Her smile grows impossibly bigger. "I'm so happy for you guys."

"Thanks," Edward says leaning forward to kiss her cheek. Before he can sit back in his chair, he's called away. He stands and leans down to whisper in my ear. "You might want to watch this." He kisses the exposed skin of my neck and saunters off toward the circle of guys in the back of his yard.

Pop, Mac, Jazz, Tank, and now Edward stand in a circle, their arms crossed and looking entirely too serious, and I smile. This is all too familiar. When they call over Buzz, I snatch my phone from my pocket, opening the camera.

In the months that Buzz has been my almost constant shadow, I've gotten to like the prospect. And he's going to want to see this from a spectator's point of view once it's all over. I sit back in my chair and get ready for the show.

It starts calmly enough, the guys asking Buzz to join in the conversation, but the calm doesn't last long. In the blink of an eye, Edward body slams Buzz, tackling him to the ground. Mac and Jazz do their part to hold Buzz down, one holding his arms behind his back and the other piling on top of him.

Pop, meanwhile, teases Buzz by dangling his club patches in front of the prospect's nose.

"You want these? You're gonna have to fight for them," Pop taunts.

Mac scrambles off Buzz's back and pulls off the prospect's boots, tossing them into the shade at the back of the yard.

"Look at that," Pop says, grinning like a loon, "he's wearing his cut without his boots. Don't you have any respect, prospect? Kick his ass, boys!"

Jazz hops up and does the honors, kicking Buzz while he's down and laughing the whole time. As Buzz fights against Edward's hold, struggling to get to the coveted patches, they're all laughing.

"Come on, pussy. What's the matter? You can't get up? You hear that boys? Buzz can't get it up," Edward mocks.

"If you really want it, you'll fight for it, prospect," Pop says. "You must not really want it."

Pop takes a few steps back, which only makes Buzz fight harder. With a new resolve, Buzz bucks and thrashes, finally throwing Edward off balance and sending him to the ground. My man cackles as Jazz and Mac each take over trying to restrain Buzz, but he's too determined to get to Pop.

With one final push, Buzz reaches out and snatches the patches from Pop's grasp, holding them up triumphantly. Everyone watching cheers, while the club members gather around Buzz to congratulate him with handshakes and back slaps.

When the chaos finally dies down, Edward makes his way back to me. "Was it a good show?" he asks, his eyes bright and his arms and face scratched from the scuffle on the ground.

"It was. I didn't know he was up to be patched in already."

Edward nods as he reaches past me for a fresh, cold beer, holding hit against his face. "He's been prospecting for over a year, so he's put in the time." He grins down at me. "And he's done his part to keep my girl safe. It's time he wears the colors. He's earned it."

I smile up at him. "Your girl."

He wraps an arm around me, and for once, I don't care who sees us. "My girl. My old—"

"Don't," I say, putting my hand over his mouth, lowering my voice. "I like the sound of being your girl, okay?"

He smiles against my fingers, kissing them. "Whatever you say, baby. As long as I get to call you mine."

A/N: While every club may have their own "ceremony" for patching in members, this is how it's done in at least one RL club. ;) And believe me, seeing grown men wrestle for scraps of embroidered fabric is just as ridiculous and hilarious as it sounds. Lol.

There was also a reviewer a couple chapters back begging me not to have Edward call Bella his old lady. Well ... as much as it may sound demeaning and derogatory, it's a fact of life in an MC. I'm pretty sure I covered the fact that women aren't all that respected in many clubs, and they're viewed as property by many club members, hence the "property of" patches they're given to wear. Not to say they're all bad, but ... Edward will eventually be referring to Bella as his old lady.

***And don't forget the fundraiser I've mentioned the last couple of updates. I'll also be raffling off a One Shot to one of the attendees of my Zoom session on July 18 at 8pm EST. For your chance to chat with me and be entered in the One Shot raffle, see the Facebook group, Author's 411, for more details. A schedule listing the participating authors and times is posted in that group as well as my own.

Remember, you can come chat with me in my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics. I also share teasers and chapter pics there every week. And you can follow me on Twitter at CSunshine1220, and on my blog sited in chapter 1. Thanks so much for reading!

Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.

Lots of love
~Sunshine