The Rampage MC #2: Beard and Emily

Chapter 9 (Beard): I Came Running For You

The world's most uncomfortable meal passed in silence after my announcement about marrying Emily. She'd opened her mouth to protest, but her mother shushed her and demanded we all just eat without too much further conversation. I got the idea pretty damn quick that although fucking Fabio seemed to be in charge, his wife was no slouch.

As she was to prove.

Emily wanted to throw things, I could tell. Every time she glanced my way, her eyes were fiery and angry. I'd expected that, but, as with all surprise announcements, once it was out there, it wouldn't take her long to warm up to the idea.

Genny'd drilled it into me the night I stayed to dinner at their home to be careful with what I said to Emily. She had me practice with her over and over about things I shouldn't say. Things I should say. Things I shouldn't assume. Things I should assume. (Assume she's tired. But don't say she looks tired. Assume she's uncomfortable. But don't assume or say she's uncomfortable because of the weight gain. Don't even mention the weight gain. Assume she's hormonal. But don't say anything about her hormones.) It was a lot, but I was determined to get things right.

It went on for hours while Chain just sat back and fucking grinned at me. It went on while he took their baby and bathed him. It went on while he put their baby to bed after reading to him. It went on until Genny said that was enough for our first session. First session implied I needed more work.

When we finished the meal, which I made sure to thank Anne for, she carefully placed her utensils across her plate at an angle, took a deep breath and looked at her husband and daughter.

"I have the floor," she said, and they both stiffened at that. Her statement clearly meant something to them, something more than what it normally meant.

"Now, Beard," Anne said, turning to me. "My girl told me that you didn't want to be involved in the babies' lives. She said you told her that, at your age, you had no interest in being a father."

My eyes went to Emily, who looked like she'd rather be at the clubhouse than here right now. Which was saying something.

"I was surprised when she told me," I said. "And I admit I didn't react well."

"I would think, at your age, you'd have learned to handle the surprises life often has in store for us with grace. Or, if that's too much, then as an adult."

"You would think," I agreed. "But unfortunately, I didn't and I've regretted my bad response ever since."

"And why wait so long to tell her this?"

"Mom --"

Anne turned to Emily. "I know you heard me about having the floor."

When Anne turned back to me, she gave me a tight-lipped smile and said, "I believe you were about to explain why you waited so long to get in touch with Emily after she delivered her news about the pregnancy."

Shit. "I didn't know where she was, and I couldn't find her because I didn't know anything about her other than her first name."

"Charming. And how would you feel if your daughter someday has a baby with a man who knows nothing about her other than her first name?"

My jaw clenched. "I wouldn't like it."

"So you can understand my husband's antipathy toward you. You can understand why I have serious reservations about you announcing you're going to marry my daughter before the babies arrive. Emily Louise has mentioned nothing about a marriage proposal from you, so I'm going to assume that this was just another bad response to my husband needIing you about illegitimate babies."

If I clenched my jaw any harder, my molars would be ground to dust. "It was," I admitted.

She nodded. "Half the battle is recognizing when you need to work on things. You, Beard, need to work on things."

If I thought she was done, I was wrong.

"I know nothing of MC life other than what I've seen on reality TV shows. But at your age, being the president of an MC, I suspect you're used to things going whichever way you want, and if they don't, you work it until they do. You make decisions, you snap and people jump. Admirable qualities to some extent. In the case of dealing with my daughter, not so admirable. I also have no idea what kind of women you're used to dealing with, but I would guess that Emily Louise is probably not your usual type."

I shook my head.

"Here's the thing about my girl. She's brilliant. Successful. She makes such a good living that most men can't come close to her salary. That intimidates them. Emily is strong, independent and does just fine on her own and always has. Do you know what that means? It means she doesn't need you. Not in the slightest. If you get invited into her life, that means she wants you there, not that she needs you there. And if she wants you there, you damn well better work hard to make sure she wants to keep you there."

I watched her, waiting for the rest that I knew was coming.

"Normally, Emily would deliver this message to you, but I don't want my daughter upset in her condition, so it's coming from me today. Don't let that lessen the impact. You need to figure things out between the two of you, and you need to figure out how you're going to approach my daughter and what role you really want to play in the lives of your babies."

Anne turned to Emily. "You may have the floor. Your father and I are going for a walk. Let's go, Fabio."

Fabio got up with his wife and walked out the door.

Emily looked at me. "I'm all they have so they're extremely protective. Exactly how I'll be with these two." Her delicate hand rubbed her belly. "The wedding announcement? Don't pull that again, Beard. If there's a decision to be made about the babies, we'll discuss it. It won't be you dictating how things are going to happen with our children. It will be decisions we arrive at together."

"That's fine," I said. "But what about us?"

"There is no us. I told you that. We have the babies, we figure out a way forward with them that's in their best interest, and that's as far as we go."

"Unacceptable. I want to negotiate us."

"Beard, there was nothing to us. And I'm not interested in you trying to make like there's more between us just because of the babies."

"Emily, we were both fooling ourselves and you know it. There was a lot more to us than either one of us was willing to admit."

"You only want to say you felt more for me now because of the babies."

"Not true," I argued. "All those months without you, Emily? I didn't like my life without you. For the first time in my life, I missed a woman, and not just any woman, but you. I missed you. Every time you showed up in the bar, I dropped everything and came running. Not just for the sex, either. For you, Emily. I came running for you."