Bear: Devil's Rose MC #7

Chapter 30: Kate Thatcher

I hear Xavier and Faye chatting with Dorian about their days before heading out in the backyard to see French and Fry. I fucking love the names they chose. Of all dogs to have, Dorian got them two Pyrenean Mastiffs. These are giant fucking dogs, and they are only five months. I can't imagine what they are going to grow to be, but they are named French and Fry. 

That's the best fucking thing I've ever seen in my life. And so friendly. I love dogs so much. I understand why they were Dorian's therapy. I observe the kids bounding out of the back door and go running for the puppies who are so gentle with each other. Dorian comes and stands at the doorway.

"I feel left out, D."

Xavier and Faye turn to me, running full speed ahead when they see me. I'm glad I made a good impression on them. They impacted me a lot too. They've made me a better person. I guess I don't hate kids that much.

"Are you back? Back for good?" Faye asks, looking between me and her father.

Dorian doesn't hesitate to answer.

"Yes, she is. If that's good with you and Xavier."

"Yes! Yes!" they scream in unison, running around the backyard in excitement.

Dorian and I smile at one another from across the yard. A warmth fills my chest as we gaze into each other's eyes, his green eyes staring into the depths of my soul, seeing right through every facade and every scar and every mistake I've made. 

He sees me for more than I am on the outside. He knows all that I am, all that I feel, and all that I can be. I never imagined that my life would turn out this way, but I love every bit of it. Maybe it wasn't my dream before, but I didn't know the way my life could be. I didn't know I would meet the love of my life in a man who has two children and works for a motorcycle club. 

How was I supposed to know? 

As a young girl, like most young girls, I dreamed of finding my prince. I wanted to be whisked away and taken from the pain that I felt. I wanted to be saved. I wanted to be more than what I was deemed to be. And while I did all those things myself, coming home to someone who wants to shelter you and wants to love you, who says I need a goddamn prince?

We spent most of the evening together, all six of us (because I have to include the dogs) before Dorian gets a call from Poison. At first, I think something is going down and he needs to get prepared to head out into the field, but when the smile graces his face, I know that it's not that. 

He reaches out to me and takes my hand as we head into Xavier's room to put him to bed. Dorian gets off the phone call but says he'll talk to me after we put the kids to bed, and I nod my head, knowing that he wants it to be a private conversation. 

Xavier stalls, saying he needs water and to go pee and that he's not tired even though anyone would know he is, but eventually, he agrees to pretend that he's asleep for a game the Dorian events on the spot. 

Xavier falls asleep in five minutes. Faye isn't the same. She wants one short bedtime story, a hug from each of us, and to be left alone so she can sleep and cuddle with her stuffed animals. That's my kind of girl.

Dorian pulls me into his bedroom, pressing a searing kiss to my lips.

"What's going on, D?"

"Do you want to go out tonight?"

"What? Where?"

"The bar. There's an MC get together going on, and they invited you, honey."

"Oh? So I'm officially in the group."