Page 80 of Bleed Me

“I better head on over. Saph made us dinner. If I’m late, I’ll now have three females on my ass.”

Prez was still laughing as I headed out of his office. He was probably still laughing at me as I pulled into Saph’s garage, parking next to Justice’s bike. As soon as I exited the separate garage, the front screen door squeaked open and chubby legs wobbled toward me. A huge smile was on Gracie’s tiny face. I rushed forward to beat her to the stairs. “There’s my baby girl!” Swooping Grace up in my arms was like getting to touch the clouds. She was so soft and precious it literally caused me pain. I simply couldn’t get enough of her hugs.

Standing by the door, Justice sighed, “She knows the sound of your bike. I swear it.”

Walking past Justice, who held the screen door open for me, I kissed her. “Babe, I’m starving.”

From across the living room, Saph was already tending to the dining table. “Then have a seat. I’ll fix your plate.”

I stuck Grace in her highchair. She squealed after I sat, then dragged hers closer to me. “My baby hungry?” Grace slammed her hands on the empty spot of her tray. All smiles, her tongue half-hanging out, ready for food. “Me too.” Saph set a full plate of spaghetti in front of me. “You are a goddess. This smells so good.” I quickly put a couple of spoonfuls in front of Grace. “Dig in, Gracie.” Justice came in with salad bowls, and a beer for me. “Damn, what are you two up to with this special treatment?”

Guilty as sin, they both started talking at the same time, denying they were up to anything.

Ah, shit. “You guys are scaring me. What is it?” I shoved in a huge bite. I was so fucking hungry. When neither spoke, I waved my fork around for them to get to confessin’.

Justice sat in a chair across from me, then took a big swig of her beer. She exhaled, then blew my mind. “We want another baby.”

All kinds of shit went wrong with my windpipe when I sucked spaghetti into my lungs. I was hacking as Saph beat on my back. “Oh my God! Are you okay?”

Justice rolled her Church Eyes. “Stop being such a drama queen. We just need your sperm.”

Cough. Choke. Have a conversation with Jesus. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I hollered at Justice, then swatted Saph away. “Tryin’ to save me while tryin’ to kill me is a moot point, don’t ya think? Make a decision before you do either.”

Laughing, she sat down at the head of her table. “I want two kids. And I want Grace’s sibling to have the same daddy. Then I’m tying my tubes.”

“Holy shit! How long have you been thinking about this, Saph?” I glared across the table. “Babe? You serious?” Just then, Grace smacked her tray, demanding more food. Her face was all tomatoed up, melting my heart. Of course, I gave her more. “Here, baby. Help Daddy eat his last supper. Your mamas are trying to kill me.”

Splat! Her hand slammed into the fresh pile and was immediately heading toward her open mouth.

“Look at me, Giver,” demanded my Old Lady. “This ain’t me. I don’t do mushy.” Clutching the crystal hanging around her neck, Justice beamed at Grace. “But… give me one more of those.”

I couldn’t believe my ears or eyes. “You’re fucking serious.”

Her own eyes welled. “I never thought I would have anything like this. James, I can’t have babies.”

The pain on her beautiful face was too much to witness, so I looked away.

“No. Look at me.”

My jaw locked, but I did as she asked.

“But you gave it to me, Giver! I’m a part of a child’s life now.” She gestured between Saph—who was already crying—and me. “You two let me be a part of, well, a dream I didn’t dare dream.”

“Fuck, babe.”

“I know. Melancholy as hell, but I’m speaking the truth.” She winced. “Wouldn’t you like to have another kid?”

“I,” after exhaling, continued, “have been so preoccupied with this one—” Grace sucked a noodle into her mouth, looking so fucking cute. “I haven’t had the chance to even think that far ahead, but yeah, I guess I would love another.”

Justice sounded tortured. “I can’t give you a second kid, babe. What are you going to do? Find someone we don’t know to have our child? You think an adoption agency or stranger would hand over a helpless newborn to a couple of illegal bikers?”

Damn. She had quite the argument. “No, I guess not.”

Saph raised her hand, very timidly.

“No,” growled Justice.

“What?”