“Yeah, like biker slang,” Tessa said, “and cursing.”
Saylor leaned forward and grabbed Daisy’s shoulder, pulling her closer and turning her so they could make direct eye contact. “Can you do me a favor, Daze?”
“Maaaaaybeeeee.”
Saylor rolled her eyes. “Can you please go inside and find a soft blanket so baby girl can take a nap?”
“Do I have to?”
“No. But if you don’t, then don’t ask me to play your favorite game with you later.”
Daisy’s face twisted. “Fine,” she huffed, then tore across the yard and into the house like her ass was on fire. The slider slammed shut behind her, making both women jump and visibly check the door to make sure the glass hadn’t shattered.
“I swear someone’s going to strangle that child,” Saylor said with a head shake. “And not in a good way.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t already.”
“Believe me, I’ve been tempted too many times. It might upset Judge and Cassie if I did.”
Tessa released a short laugh. “You think?”
“Well, maybe not Judge, but definitely Cassie,” Saylor clarified on a laugh. “Judge might thank me. Especially since they have a new one on the way. They can start from scratch with the newborn.”
That actually made Tessa laugh since she knew Saylor wasn’t serious. She hadn’t laughed in a while and she soooo needed it. “Judge loves her and he’s good with her, too. He’s the Daisy whisperer.”
“True.” Saylor turned back to Tessa with a sigh. Her eyes flicked to Dyna, whose head now rested on Tessa’s shoulder with her thumb stuck in her mouth, before asking, “Tess, are you ready to be a mom? Well, fuck… you might not have a choice on that one, but how about this… Are you ready to be an ol’ lady? Because if you’re not and you tell anyone about this pregnancy, even Easy and especially Trip, before you’re ready to decide, that’s what will happen. It’s going to be fast-tracked. Once that ball starts rolling, it’s going to be hard to stop it.”
Tessa stared across the gazebo at Saylor while rubbing Dyna’s back. Doing so soothed her as much as it did Dyna. “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “My mother never really wanted us. Countless times I wish she never would’ve had us. I certainly don’t want to be that kind of mother. I know this isn’t the best start if I do have this kid.”
“But you’re not totally against it.”
“Against having it?” Tess asked.
“Against getting rid of it. If you do that soon, if you still can, no one would need to know.”
“I would know.”
“And that would bother you.”
“Saylor, I’m taking it one day at a time right now. If I don’t, I’ll lose my fucking mind. I want to tell Easy and let him help decide, but right now is not the time. That’s why I need your help. I’m so damn torn that I can’t sleep and it’s making me sick to my stomach. But that’s not the only thing robbing me of my sleep and making me sick. I don’t know what I should do about Trip giving Easy a blanket party. It’s all my damn fault and he shouldn’t have to pay for my mistake. Honestly, it’s eating me alive.”
“Did you fuck him against his will?”
What? “No.”
Saylor shrugged. “Then, he’s just as guilty. He didn’t approach Trip before you guys did the dirty deed. That’s the rule that was broken. Not because you two swapped body fluids.”
“I convinced him not to go to Trip. I’m the one who forced him to keep it a secret. I had no idea it would go on as long as it did or that things would actually get serious.”
“If you haven’t figured it out yet, getting pregnant is pretty fucking serious. But… it doesn’t matter whether you told him to keep quiet about it or not. He could have told you to fuck off and avoided the whole situation. He didn’t. So, you know what you do about the blanket party, Tess? Nothing. You don’t get involved in the business between the guys. Let it play out.”
“But I am involved. I’m the cause of it, Saylor. He was happy and carefree until I stepped into his life. I’m the cause of all of his headaches.”
“If he hadn’t wanted you in his life, he would’ve told you that. These guys don’t mince words. If they want you to fuck off, they tell you to fuck off. They’re not worried about hurting someone’s feelings. So, if you were such a fucking headache, he would’ve told you that.” Saylor sighed. “It’s best to stay out of it and let the guys work it out.”
“But working it out isn’t them sitting down and discussing it over a fucking beer, Saylor.”
“No shit, but it’s the Fury way,” Saylor said with another shrug. “Look, as we all know, the club’s rules are established for a reason. And that reason is to keep the Fury from breaking down like the Originals. It’s simple. Easy broke a rule, so he has to pay. Once Trip gets his pound of flesh as payment and uses him as an example, then things should smooth out.”