Hardy Read online

  Hardy still made sure the prospects hung around, which was why she had Fighter with her in town.

  “You don’t have to follow me around,” she said.

  “It’s not about you, Rose. I like hanging around with you.”

  She chuckled. “You’re a bad liar.”

  “I’m not. I’m a very good liar. You just don’t like to hear about it.”

  Nudging his arm, she made her way toward Millie’s toy shop. “I’m going in there,” she said.

  “Baker’s not made any progress with her.”

  “I know. It’s kind of sad, really.”

  “No, it’s not sad. I wonder if he even wants to be with her.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “If you want a woman enough, you tell her. You do everything in your power to show her that she’s wanted.”

  Rose couldn’t help but think about Hardy. He’d proven to her that he wanted her. She had also admitted to him that she was also in the wrong when it came to their relationship. When he cheated she shouldn’t have changed, and made him afraid to talk about it. What happened all of those years hadn’t been repeated. She was a fool. Hardy was her life, and she loved him more than ever before. Rose recalled the conversation with Hardy.

  “Baby, you don’t have to do this. It’s not on you.”

  “It is though, Hardy. Yeah, you cheated on me all those years ago, but not once did you ask me to change. I changed for you, and I shouldn’t have. I was wrong, and I should have talked to you.” Rose licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. “Our problems are not all your fault, and even now, I shouldn’t have left you. Our separation opened my eyes not only to our mistakes together, but also to mine.”

  “I didn’t want you to change, baby. I never wanted you to change.”

  Pulling out of the memory, Rose smiled.

  Don’t hate yourself. What is past is past.

  “I don’t know. Maybe he’s afraid of being everything Millie needs.”

  “I’ve met Millie. I’ve talked to her. I don’t think she considers a guy like Baker would ever consider dating a woman like her.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She runs a toy shop. She has a mousy kind of appearance, and she’s on the chubby side. Not many men would be attracted to her.”

  “Millie’s a beautiful woman.”

  “I know, but she doesn’t believe that.”

  Shaking her head, Rose entered the toy shop to find Millie standing behind the counter. She wore a pair of thick rimmed glasses, and her hair was bound on top of her head.

  “Hey, Millie,” Rose said.

  Fighter moved behind her, and Rose stayed out of the way.

  “Rose, how are you? How is little bump?”

  “I’m fine. The morning sickness is easing off, and bump is giving me a bit of break.” Rose placed her hand across her stomach. Hardy had been with her for every single sickness in the morning, rubbing her back as he held her hair at bay.

  “What can I get for you?” Millie asked.

  “I’m getting ahead of myself, but Christmas is in a couple of months, and I want to be prepared.”

  “Ordering for the little ones?”

  “Yes. My due date is for the New Year, but I’ll be so big I don’t want to be coming out and wandering the streets.”

  “It makes sense.”

  She spent the morning ordering the Christmas gifts for all of the kids. After she finished, she turned her attention to Millie. “Have you spoken to Baker recently?”

  “Yes. He wants to go and see a movie together.”

  Leave it alone.

  Rose couldn’t do it. She needed to know if Millie had any idea.

  “You’re spending a lot of time with him.”

  “I know. He’s a nice guy, and he likes my company.”

  She heard Fighter snort in the background.

  “You do know Baker likes you.”

  “Sure, we’re friends.”

  Fighter gave another chuckle. He was flicking through children’s books, and Rose was losing her temper with him.

  “No, I mean that Baker likes you. He likes you like a man does a woman,” Rose said. Her cheeks started to heat as Millie looked at her.

  Understanding dawned, and Rose saw the embarrassment begin.

  “I didn’t know.”

  “Do you like him?”

  “I like him, but he’s a widower.”

  “Widowed men can move on, too.”

  “I get that. It’s just, he’s sad all the time. He’s not moving on from his wife. I don’t want to be that rebound thing a lot of guys do.” Millie rubbed at her temples. “I’ve got to tell him not to come around again.”

  “No, shit, don’t do that. Baker likes you. I’m wrong. Forget I ever said anything.”

  Rose signed the check, and quickly changed the subject. She couldn’t get out of the shop fast enough. Fighter followed, and he was still laughing at her.

  “Shut up.”

  “Do you see what I mean about her being clueless?”

  “I can’t believe I just almost screwed things up for Baker. He’s going to be so mad at me.”

  “Nah, he needs to get his head out of his ass, and make a decision where it comes to her, as otherwise he’s going to lose her anyway.”

  Rose couldn’t argue with him. The rest of the day went by without event to her. She made her way to the clubhouse to hang out, and because Hardy said he’d meet her there. They were going for their second scan. The first one hadn’t been all that great. Her baby had told the doctor that he or she had a head, and was growing right. That was about it. She hoped this time she’d know her baby’s sex.

  When she entered she saw Sally was sitting at one of the tables working through her work book. Steven was at the same table, reading a book.

  “What’s going on over there?” Rose asked Fighter.

  “Steven is good at history it would seem. Sally’s useless at it, and so Whizz has him tutoring her.”

  “Wow,” Rose said.

  Sally had quickly found her place in the club. The shadows in her eyes still tore at Rose’s heart, but there wasn’t anything they could do.

  “Time,” Steven said.

  Sally put her pen down and handed the sheet to Steven. She was doing a test, not actually studying.

  Rose made her way to the back of the kitchen, and she paused. Lash had Angel on the kitchen counter, with her legs open. She didn’t know what to do. Clearing her throat, she averted her gaze. “Can I make myself a sandwich?” Rose asked.

  “Sure. I’ve got to head out to the building site. Will you be okay to get Anthony from school?” Lash asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I’m happy about this,” Lash said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m more than sure. We’re good, baby. I promise.”

  Rose frowned as she passed Lash, heading straight to the fridge.

  “Is something the matter?” Rose asked.

  “Nothing is the matter, but, crap, I’m just going to tell you. I’m pregnant again,” Angel said. “We’ve been trying, even though Lash doesn’t want another child just yet. I do. I want a brother or sister for Anthony. I see the way Tabitha and Miles are, and I want my son to have something like that. He’s always so quiet, and the only time I’ve seen him connect to someone is Daisy.”

  “Do you have a problem with Daisy?” Rose asked.

  “No, I don’t have a problem with her, but I can’t exactly kidnap her, can I? I’d be thrown into prison for it.”

  Rose shrugged. “I’m sure he can make connections.”

  “It’s not just about that. I love kids. I want loads of them.”

  “Well, at least you’re pregnant now. Congratulations.” Rose wrapped her arms around the younger woman, and hugged her close.

  “Thank you. How is everything with you?”

  “We’re doing okay. We’ve got another scan today. I’m waiting for Hardy.”

  “He
should be back by five.”

  “I didn’t know you were so specific with your time keeping,” Rose said. “Hardy’s rarely home by five.”

  Angel’s cheeks heated, and Rose frowned.

  Before she could say anything the bell rang for the oven, letting them know whatever Angel was baking was finished.

  Making herself up a sandwich, Rose thought about Hardy, and his time keeping. Figuring whatever was going on was club business, she ignored it. She and Hardy were happy. They weren’t going to change, no matter what hit them.

  ****

  “Two fucking what?” Hardy asked.

  He stared at the screen only seeing black, white, and grey. Sure, Hardy could make out some head and shit, but what?

  “You’re expecting twins. It happens for some couples. One baby hides before her twin during the first scan. We can only see the one. Congratulations. You’re going to the parents of twin girls,” the doctor said.

  Hardy couldn’t believe what the fuck he was hearing. Twin girls. Two babies. Twins, like Eva and Tiny. No, not like Eva and Tiny. They had a boy and a girl. He had two daughters. Not one but two. Two girls.

  Shit.

  Fuck.

  He couldn’t get his head around it.

  “Could you give us some privacy?” Rose asked.

  “Sure.” The doctor left the image on the screen, and Hardy stood the moment the door closed. He began to pant as the reality of their situation finally hit him, slapping him in the face, over and over again.

  “We’re going to be fucking parents,” Hardy said. “Not to one baby, but to two.”

  “Are you not happy?” Rose asked.

  He turned to his woman and saw the uncertainty in her eyes. “Happy. I’m so fucking ecstatic you don’t even realize. I’m panicking. I’m going need to buy a shotgun, and some boy traps. We need to boy proof our home. I’m not having some fucking bastards taking advantage of my two little girls,” Hardy said.

  Rose chuckled. “You’re going to be a nightmare of a father.”

  “I’m being serious. No dirty fucker is getting near my girls.”

  “Why don’t we worry about the men who are going to take advantage of our girls until after they’re born?”

  “I can’t handle this.”

  “We can handle this together.” Rose held her hand out. “Come here.” He moved to her side, and she pointed at the screen. “There are our two little girls, Hardy.”

  “We did this together.”

  “We did.” She squeezed his hand a little tighter, and he gripped hers in the same hard grip. “Our babies, and we’re going to do this together.”

  “I’ve got to go and order double of everything.”

  “It’s a good job we moved you out of the small room,” Rose said.

  “I can’t believe we’re going to have twins.”

  “We’re going to have twins.”

  No matter how many times Hardy said he was going to have twins, he couldn’t get his head around it. Rose kept growing, getting larger than any of the other women, and it wasn’t long before she was huge, and struggling to make her way upstairs. Hardy set everything up downstairs for her, and they spent a great deal of time in the kitchen.

  As the weeks passed, Hardy kept what he was doing a secret from Rose. He didn’t want her to worry about their life. Hardy had gotten a job at a bank, and after a long conversation with Lash, he was still part of The Skulls, but he worked Monday to Friday from nine to five. He hated the work, but he knew it was the kind of life Rose wanted from him.

  One Friday evening he was working on the front desk, cashing in some checks, when Rose was suddenly standing in front of him. They froze, and he saw Baker was standing by the door, not knowing what to do. Rose was heavily pregnant, and it was snowing outside.

  “What’s going on?” Rose asked. “I’m really confused right now.”

  Gripping the back of his neck, he looked toward Baker. “Can we talk about this when I get home?”

  “You’re working in a bank, Hardy.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re allowed back there?”

  “I’m allowed to be here.”

  Rose looked really confused. “I’m missing something. I’m sure I’m missing something right now.”

  The locals in the bank went silent, clearly listening to their conversation.

  “For the longest time, I’ve done what I wanted, and not cared about what you thought. I loved you. That was never in question, but I did it all by myself.” He moved toward the end of the long line of cashiers, and opened the door. Hardy wore a business suit like he had worn for the last couple of months. “We’re going to have twins. Two young girls, and it was time for me to give you what you wanted. This is the respectable position you wanted from your man. You’ve given me a chance, Rose, and now I’m showing you that I’m going to be everything you need.”

  She closed the distance between them, cupping his cheek. “You’re making me cry right now.”

  “Don’t cry.”

  “I love you, Hardy. I forgave you for everything that had happened between us, and what hadn’t happened between us, but you don’t need to work in a bank. I get it, you love me, you’re more than willing to change. You don’t need to have a bank job for me to see that.”

  “Rose, I’m hap—”

  She silenced him with a kiss. “You’re miserable here. The fact you’ve been working here for months just shows that you’ve changed, Hardy. I love you, and because I love, and trust, you I’m not going to let you spend the rest of your days miserable.” Rose looked past his shoulder. “Whoever is in charge, Hardy quit.”

  Taking his hand, Hardy followed his woman outside.

  “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “Believe it.”

  He pulled her up into his arms, but before he could kiss her with the kind of passion he was feeling in that moment, she bent over, grabbing her stomach.

  “Rose, what’s wrong?”

  Her pregnancy had been pretty smooth the past couple of months, and she wasn’t due to give birth for another five weeks.

  “The babies. My water just broke,”

  All Hardy remembered after that was everything happened in a blur. Baker drove them both to the hospital, and helped him carry Rose into the emergency. Everything else just seemed to drift away. Rose was taken away from him, and Hardy had no choice but to wait for the doctor to come back.

  Ten minutes later, his brothers arrived at the same time as the doctor. He ignored the club and focused on his woman.

  “How is she?”

  “She’s asking for you. We’re about to help with the birth. Your girls are coming regardless of what we do. Rose wants you there.”

  Hardy didn’t think about anything else. He followed the doctor, quickly washed his hands, and walked behind his wife. She was laid on a table with her legs in stirrups.

  “It hurts, Hardy,” she said.

  “I’ve got you, baby. We’re going to do everything the good doctor says, okay?”

  “Yes.” She gave a little whimper, and the sound tore at his soul.

  “I’ve got you.” Hardy took both of her hands in his, and suddenly the doctor told her to push. Holding his woman’s hands, he was with her as she pushed, trying to bring their girls into the world.

  “It hurts,” Rose said, crying.

  “You’re doing great, Rose. Come on, give us another couple pushes, and we’ll have one of your girls out.”

  For the next twenty minutes, Hardy talked to his woman, guiding her, loving her, and helping her the best way he could, as she gave birth to two little girls.

  He was overcome with such joy as each of his girls gave a squeal as they came into the world.

  “Is everything okay?” Rose asked, resting back against him. The nurses and doctors worked on each of their daughters.

  “They’re just making sure everything is okay with them,” Hardy said.

  “We did it. We have two li
ttle girls.”

  “We’ve got two babies.” He kissed her head, letting the tears fall from his eyes. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “I meant what I said at the bank, Hardy. You don’t need to be working at the bank to make me happy. I want you to quit. We’re happy, and I don’t want to change that.”

  Hardy chuckled. “Even if I wanted to work there, I couldn’t. You quit for me.” He kissed her head, and suddenly they were shown their two girls.

  They were wrapped in pink blankets, and Hardy fell in love all over again. Rose was his woman, and here before him, were his two children.

  One of the girls was passed to Rose while he held onto his other daughter. He sat beside his woman, and they both were looking at their girls.

  “We did this, Rose.”

  “We did.”

  “What should we call them?” Hardy asked.

  “Primrose and Bluebell,” Rose said.

  Hardy frowned, turning to his woman. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. They’re my favorite flowers, and I’m named after a flower. I’m going to continue the tradition.”

  “Okay, when they ask who named them, I’m blaming you.”

  “I always expected you to.”

  Two hours later, Rose was staying the night just to make sure there were no complications. “I’m going to get some of the guys,” Hardy said.

  “Okay, we’ll be waiting.” Rose smiled up at him.

  Leaning down, he kissed her hard. “Marry me.”

  “I’m already married to you.”

  “Marry me again, and this time we’re going to have the wedding you always wanted.”

  Rose chuckled. “Go and get the guys. I want them to see our babies.”

  Hardy smiled, and made his way out to the waiting room. “We have two beautiful baby girls,” he said.

  He took Eva and Tiny first, and after that he took Lash and Angel. Over and over he took each brother back to see his wife and children.

  By the time it was over, he sat on the chair beside his woman smiling at her. “Go to sleep, baby. I’ll watch over you both.”

  ****

  Six months later

  Rose stared across the yard of the clubhouse. They had just gotten back from church after she and Hardy renewed their vows. Babies were everywhere, and The Skulls were expanding like never before. Fighter and Ink had earned their patches, and now it was just up to Adam, Twisted, and Wicked. She’d not seen much of the other bikers, but so much had been going on in her life.