Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“Punishment? Like a belt or something?” Sally asked, going pale.
“Fuck no. There will be chores. I’ll punish you by making your life miserable.”
“Yeah, how?”
“Let’s see. I can take your phone away.”
“I don’t have a phone,” Sally said.
Lacey smiled and moved to a box. He and Lacey had been out shopping, trying to get everything they’d need for a teenage daughter. “What about this one?”
“You bought me a cell phone?”
“Yep. It’s registered, and it’s limited, so don’t even think of running up the phone bill,” Lacey said.
“Thank you.”
“So, we can take your phone, your laptop, your tablet, and then there are the horrible chores.” After each of the items he listed, Lacey pulled them out of the gift box. Tears were glistening in Sally’s eyes with each second that passed. “Raking the yard, weeding, cooking, washing the dishes, laundry, cleaning the shit from the toilets. Do I need to make myself clear?”
“No, we’re clear. We’re crystal clear,” Sally said.
Whizz moved to Lacey, gripping his woman around the neck. He tilted her head back, and kissed her. “Show her.”
“We bought you a welcome package. The kind of stuff all young women should have.” Lacey handed over the remainder of the box. Sally placed her phone down, and looked inside. “Also, the old ladies are going shopping with us tomorrow.”
“Shopping?”
“Yeah, you’re not staying in clothes like that. You’re getting something new.”
“Thank you.”
Whizz let Lacey show Sally to her room, and he heard her squeal at the sight of her own room. Leaning against the kitchen counter, he smiled. This was what he wanted to do, and to give to another woman.
Ten minutes later Lacey came back down.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“What do you think?”
“I adore her. She needs us, Whizz.”
“I agree.”
He opened his arms, and like always, Lacey walked right into his arms without hesitating.
Chapter Twelve
The weeks went on, and Hardy went from the spare bedroom to the main bedroom. Rose didn’t like sleeping alone, and so she begged for him to stay with her. She kept expecting him to fuck up, and change. He didn’t. Hardy was a constant presence in her life. He still went and did the work for The Skulls. Angel told her it was supervising the builders for the new gym. Fort Wills was excited about the gym, and the potential for work. Baker was also looking at possibly opening up a bakery, but he was struggling with the demons of his past.
Rose felt for him because he’d not gotten further with Millie. The summer weeks had turned to fall, and she’d soon be entering her second trimester. She had a lovely little bump that Rose believed only made her look fat rather than pregnant.
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.”