The Wild Wolf Pup (Zoe's Rescue Zoo #9)(11)

“I thought I’d find you here,” my Sunshine’s voice whispers from behind me, forcing me to glance over my shoulder and look at the woman who has healed me in more ways than one. She bends down and takes the cigarette from my mouth, snapping it in half. “What happened to quitting?”

“How long have you been standing there?”

She didn’t answer, brushing her hands over the denim that hugged her thighs before taking a seat on the grass next to me. She kissed her fingertips and brought them to Jack’s tombstone before making the sign of the cross.

at least one of us has God in their corner.

Maybe our kid has a shot after all.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She asks softly as she stares at my son’s headstone.

“Reina,” I start, sighing heavily.

“Don’t do that, Jack,” she insists, turning her eyes to mine. “You and I are in this together and if having this baby—”

“Having this baby means everything to me,” I interrupt. “Don’t you doubt that for one second, Sunshine. You want to talk fears, then let’s talk…tell me why you keep dancing around marrying me,” I argue. “I put that ring on your finger a while ago and you keep giving me the run around.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she mutters.

“Oh no? If you don’t want to marry me than tell me. Right here. Right now.”

“If I didn’t want to marry you, I wouldn’t have said yes when you asked me. How could you even ask me that?”

Her eyes peer into mine as they fill with tears.

“Of course I want to marry you.”

“Then what’s stopping you?” I ask, reaching out to tuck her golden hair behind her ear. “You’re carrying my baby in your belly, Sunshine. You should carry my name too.”

“I’m afraid of having everything because when you have everything you have everything to lose,” she confesses.

“Already have everything,” I rasp, dropping my hands to her belly that has already swelled slightly with the proof of all we had. “Marry me, Sunshine. We can go to city hall tomorrow and sign our names to our hearts, but for the love of all things holy, marry me.”

She drops her hands over mine and looks up at me.

“Is this another Property of Parrish thing?” She teases, giving me a glimpse of her smile.

I divert my eyes to our hands then back to hers.

“It’s clear who you belong to, Sunshine. I put a baby in you and branded you mine forever. I want to marry you because I’m ready to live by my vows. I’ll give you all I am and promise to for the rest of my life,” I tell her, lifting one hand to cup her chin drawing her closer. Dipping my head, I cover her mouth with mine and kiss her with whatever gentleness I can muster.

“Marry me,” I say against her mouth.

“Yes,” she whispers, leaning forward for more of my mouth. “But nothing big. I want it to be about family,” she demands, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Small, got it,” I agree, hiding my smile as I pull her onto my lap and kiss her some more.

“Lacey will be my maid of honor and of course you’ll have Blackie as your best man, won’t you?” She questions in-between my attack on her lips.

“Yeah, yeah,” I mumble, threading my fingers through her hair, angling her head so I can kiss her neck.

“Maybe we can have the priest come to the compound.”

Right, maybe he’ll bless the table we congregate at too. Father whoever could not only marry us but cleanse the Satan’s Knights of their corrupt souls.

Oh, Reina.

Crazy never could fix crazy.

But fuck if that matters.

We might be two completely different breeds of crazy but we are suited for one another. She silences my maker with her soft voice and I tear down her insecurities, making those scars that mark her body, Property of Parrish—just like every other inch of her.

“We’ll have to invite the Biancis and the Pastores, but other than that we’ll keep it to just your brothers,” she rambles as my teeth graze her neck. “Oh, and we’ll have to make sure we have some of that non-alcoholic beer for Blackie.”

“Whatever you want, Sunshine. I’ll have Wolf and Pipe blow up balloons, bring in a goddamn support group for Blackie, whatever it takes as long as it puts a smile on your face,” I growl against her skin.

A sexy, low rumble of laughter works its way up her throat and escapes her lips, spreading joy throughout the open space meant for tears and prayers.

Sunshine.

“Do you think Riggs could be our videographer?”

I lift my head, arch an eyebrow, questioning her as she continues to ramble on. She was turning my club into a circus.

Wrapping her arms around my neck she winks at me as a smile spreads across her face.

“We’re getting married,” she whispers.

“Yeah, we are,” I rasp, sliding my hands down her hips as I glance over her shoulder at my boy’s headstone. “You hear that, Jack, your old man is getting hitched.”

Reina’s arms pull me into her embrace.

“You were right when you said he’ll be with you always but you left one part out…you forgot to tell him he’ll always have a place in our family. This baby has a guardian angel protecting him or her, and that angel is his brother,” she murmurs, clearing her throat before she pulls back and takes my face in her hands, forcing my eyes to lock with hers. “You feeling some kind of way, you tell me, Jack. Me.”