Forever Angel (Angel's Halo MC 8)

While Raven ran the bath, I got both boys undressed down to their diapers, tickling their tummies as I spoke softly to them both. “You two are going to be just like your daddies, aren’t you?” I cooed, kissing each one of them. “You’re going to break both your mommies’ hearts.”

Reid thought it was funny, and I attacked his belly, blowing raspberries on it. “See? Already killing me, little man.”

Laughing at the boys’ mingled giggles, Raven picked up her son, carrying him into the bathroom. I lifted Reid, following them. Pulling off his diaper, I placed my son in the water beside Max, offering him one of the rubber bath toys floating around.

“I can handle this if you want to head over to the hospital, Jos,” Raven offered.

Using a soft washcloth, I washed Reid’s face and body. “Thanks, but I’ve missed doing this the last few nights. We have a routine, and I’d like to do that before I go over to the hospital and deal with Tanner’s bad mood.”

“So, you are going, then?”

I shrugged. “As much as he pisses me off and breaks my heart, I can’t stay away when he acts like he needs me.” It hurt my pride to admit it, but it seemed where Tanner Reid was concerned, that pride didn’t really exist. I could pretend all I wanted, but fuck, I was just glad he was alive. I would give him whatever the hell he wanted in the end.

Chapter 9

Tanner

I shifted blindly in the dark room, then jerked completely awake when I felt a soft, chilled hand. Heart pounding, I found the button on the bed rail that would turn on the overhead light. Blinking against the dim, yet harsh to my sensitive eyes light, I looked for the source of the hand.

Seeing the mop of blond curls on my blanket, I reached out, shifting Jos’s hair back from her face. She had dark circles under her eyes, but she wasn’t as pale as she’d been when I last saw her in the Eureka hospital.

A soft snore left her, and her mouth opened ever so slightly, letting out a sigh in her sleep. I brushed my thumb down her cheek, over her chin, then her full bottom lip. A tiny smile lifted at her lips, and she pressed a kiss to my thumb.

Fuck, she was beautiful.

The way I felt about her was like an obsession, one I’d tried to deny for many years. She’d been way too fucking young the first time I’d started feeling this for her. I was ten years older than her, a grown-ass man craving a girl.

I fought it—hard.

The thought of touching Jos back then made me break out in a cold sweat. Sixteen was too goddamn young for me to even contemplate looking at, let alone touching. So I stayed far, far away. I only fucked older women, scared what I was feeling for her was a sickness that would take root and become something more dangerous.

But when she turned eighteen and surprised her dad with a visit, I couldn’t fight what I felt for her any longer. I gave in, promising myself it was just going to be one time.

That first time with her had rocked me to my core, and I knew I was only fooling myself. I wanted that girl for a hell of a lot longer than one night. Forever wouldn’t have been long enough.

But she deserved more than I could give her. Jos was sweet and innocent. I wouldn’t be the one responsible for killing that in her.

It nearly destroyed me, but I made her leave after that first morning.

She was stubborn, though, and spent the next week flirting and going out with any brother who would give her the time of day. In a blind rage, I’d dragged her back to my house and fucked her until she couldn’t remember anyone but me…

Two years ago

Matt took his shot before lifting his beer. After swallowing half of it in a few gulps, he slammed down the brown glass bottle on the end of the pool table, causing the preppy college boy on the other side of the table to flinch.

Grinning over at me, my little brother lined up his next shot, sinking the ball easily before moving on to the next one.

“This is how it’s done, bitch.”

Bored out of my mind, I leaned back against the wall, watching Matt have a

ll the fun. Without my taking a single shot, Matt finished the game and then grinned wickedly, counting the money he’d just won.

Show-off.

I yawned, debating calling it a night. This place was mostly dead anyway, and I had to be up early to help Uncle Chaz pour a foundation for some guy’s new detached garage. Not everyone on his crew was an MC brother. I worked whenever I wasn’t on a run, and lately, I’d been staying close to home. With Matt’s head still not on straight after Rory leaving him, I was needed around to keep my little bro out of trouble.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of blond curls and froze. Seconds later, I heard a giggle that went straight to my cock. Holding my breath, praying it wasn’t her, I turned slowly.