Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
He shrugged. “I just called it like I saw it.”
My eyes narrowing, I snapped, “Just you wait.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, his brows drawing together.
“You basically just put it out into the universe that the woman who knocks you on your butt is going to wreak all kinds of havoc while she leads you on a merry chase.”
“Nah, I’m not going to have any problems with my woman when I find her.” Echo smirked. “She’s gonna be perfect.”
Connor glared at him. “You sayin’ mine isn’t?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not,” he denied. “I don’t have a damn death wish, Prez.”
I planted my fists on my hips. “He’s not the one you need to worry about. I am.”
“Absolutely,” he agreed…a little too quickly for my liking.
“You’re lucky I’m about ready to pop.” I pointed at my rounded belly. “Or else I’d be forced to kick your butt.”
He held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “I hear you loud and clear, little ninja.”
Although I hadn’t sparred with any of the guys—except for that one maneuver I’d done in bed with Connor before we knew I was pregnant—my dad had bragged enough about all of my karate awards—the world championship in sparring had particularly made the guys a little wary—that everyone was aware that I could handle myself. It had gotten to the point where hearing him share those stories was a little embarrassing, but I was glad for it in this instance.
Beaming a smile at Connor, I tapped a blank spot on my property patch. “I think we need to add that to my vest. Little ninja…it can be my old lady road name.”
“That is not a thing,” Echo muttered.
Ignoring him, I continued, “It could be a push present.”
Since the guys had no clue what I was talking about, I explained the concept to them. I didn’t actually think Connor would do it, but the first time I put my vest on after giving birth to Cadell, there was a “little ninja” patch added to it. And a week later, Connor one-upped my request—he had Onyx tattoo the nickname over his heart.
EPILOGUE
KING
“Holy shit,” Onyx breathed while watching Kyla, my eight-year-old daughter, execute a perfect roundhouse kick and land in a ready stance before throwing a jab cross and ending with a spinning jump kick. She shifted into a horse stance, then stood straight and bowed. She’d already impressed the fuck out of them with the rest of the kata.
“Bad. Ass…” Kevlar stuttered, his eyes wide.
“Just wait,” I smirked.
Stella bowed at the mat, then walked on carrying a bo staff. “Nice form, baby girl. You’re going to kill in forms at belt testing next week. Now let’s see your bo kata.”
Kyla bowed to her mother, then took her bow and went to stand in front of the mirror.
We’d added a space at the back of the house to create a dojo for Stella and the kids to learn and practice.
Kyla started spinning her bow, then it was flying all around her, going up in the air while she did three turns, then catching it before moving on to the next incredible move.
“What the fuck?” Echo gaped, earning himself a smack on the back of the head by my wife, who’d come to stand beside me.
“Language,” she snapped. Then she turned back to watch Kyla fly through the air and land lightly on her feet with the bo resting against her body, slightly below her armpit. Then she bowed again and walked to the edge of the mat.
Stella smiled proudly and put her hands on Kyla’s shoulders. “I can’t believe my baby girl is earning her black belt,” she said in a watery voice.
Kyla’s nose wrinkled, and she sighed. “Aw, Mom. Don’t get all mushy. You’ve still got Daphne and that one”—she pointed at Stella’s gently rounded stomach—“to teach.”
Stella sniffed. “Doesn’t matter. I’m still going to cry when you get your belt.”
“At least she cried at my ceremony too, squirt,” Cadell chimed in.
Kyla glared up at her big brother. “Don’t call me squirt! I’ll kick your ass!”
Stella gasped, and every badass biker in the room adopted an innocent expression. “Who taught my little girl to swear?” Then she looked around and sighed. “Never mind.”
After glaring at all of us—but mostly me—she looked at the kids and gestured to the mat. “Let’s see your combined routine for the competition next month.”
When they walked away, Porter—a new prospect—shook his head and glanced at me. “Did your old lady just say that your eight-year-old daughter is earning her black belt?” he sputtered.
“It’s only first degree.” I shrugged. “She’s been studying karate nonstop since she was just barely four.”
It was unusual for kids to earn a black belt so young, but Stella was a fucking amazing teacher, and Kyla loved it so much. It was pretty much all she did in her spare time.