Roman

7 - She's beautiful

Marley

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

“The most beautiful creature I have ever seen.” I look away from my newborn daughter and up at her father as he touches my face. “As beautiful as her mother.”

Roman kisses me softly, making me smile. I do love this man, and I know we have a lot to talk about. We can’t just pretend nothing happened. But I know that everything is going to be okay from now on.

Romany Lacey Walker was born an hour ago, weighing 5lb 1oz after five hours of labor. A tiny little girl in perfect health. I was so relieved when the doctor told me that my baby was just fine. I mean, my baby girl was born three weeks early, and I was hardly showing, but she’s beautiful, healthy, perfect.

Of course, I’ve given my daughter Roman’s name, first and last. Romany just seemed to suit her, and Roman was filled with pride when I told him. Plus, giving Romany her dad’s last name was the right thing to do. Though I don’t much like that we’ll have different surnames, but Roman’s is better than mine.

How strange is it that I didn’t even know Roman’s actual name until ten minutes ago?

Tallon Colt Walker. God, what a sex.y name! I asked if Roman was his real name, and he chuckled before telling me his Christian name was Tallon.

Roman is also a few years older than I am. But I couldn’t give a shi.t about that. Age means nothing because Roman loves me, and I feel happier than I ever have before.

If I’m honest, even though I do love Roman, and I am happy to be with him, the MC life is not what I wanted for a child of mine. It can be a scary place. But Romany is here now, and I will do everything in my power to protect her and guide her on the right path in life.

I don't know how this is going to work with Roman, though. Yes, as I said, I love him. I think I fell for him not long after I met him, but he’s an outlaw. A man who loves to intimidate, hurt, kill, and yes, I do mean that. He loves it. He told me so himself.

How could I subject this little girl to the horrors of what I’ve seen in the past?

Living with an outlaw biker is nothing but a horror story come to life.

Okay, the Snakes Henchmen are not like most MCs. Which is strange, but their President has them all on a tight leash. Not that they’re monks by any means, but when they have Old Ladies and children, they care for them.

Snakes Henchmen are a family – a big one, a strong one. But that doesn’t mean anything. There’s always someone bigger and stronger out there, willing and ready to hurt those you love. Plus, Shepard is Bulldog’s half-brother. I thought being around him would be hard for me after everything Bulldog put me through. But I realized I couldn’t paint Shepard with Bulldogs brush. They are not the same people. Besides, if I could be best friends with Bulldog’s daughter, I could be friends with his brother.

That aside, these guys even have ties to the Mafia! Yes, that’s what I said, Mafia.

Hammer, the club’s Sergeant-At-Arms, and Maria, wife to the club’s VP Jett, are the siblings of Draven Vidal, head of the Vidal Crime Family. Draven is married to Marnie, sister to Brooke, who is married to Hawk, brother of Wrench, cousins to Roman. Yeah, it’s crazy!

I know in my heart that Roman would never let anything happen to Romany and me, but that’s not to say something won’t. I know how these things go down. I’ve been on the receiving end of hell for years because of an MC. I won’t allow my daughter to become the girl who’s used and abused the way I was. Having Romany has somehow made me stronger. God, I feel so strong all of a sudden.

I don’t know how we’re going to work this thing out. I just wish I could let go of some of the hell I’ve been through because it doesn’t mean anything anymore. However, it isn’t as easy as doctors will make out.

I don’t think I could leave Roman again. Having him with me through Romany’s birth, him holding my hand, stroking my sweaty forehead, and encouraging me, only showed me just how perfect he is. Roman might not be everyone’s cup of tea; he’s possessive, dominant, and all that goes with it, but I know he has a big heart; I’ve seen it before.

Not that Roman would allow me to leave with Romany in tow; he’s smitten with our little girl. The beautiful look on his face when he held her for the first time, the tears in his eyes as he kissed Romany’s head and told her how much he loved her... I watched him fall in love with his daughter. I knew then and there that I would never take her from him. I just couldn’t hurt him like that.

Maybe I just need to have a little faith that things really will be okay. So many bad things have happened in my life that I find it hard to believe anything good could come my way.

My doctor told me that Romany and I needed to stay in the hospital for the night just as a precaution. She said it was perfectly normal as Romany was born a little early. As my daughter doesn’t need assistance in breathing, and she hasn’t shown any signs of struggling, she can go home tomorrow.

Roman was pissed that he had to leave us, but if truth be told, I’m enjoying spending this time alone with my daughter. Roman left two Prospects outside the door with the order that they’re to call him immediately should I need him. That made me smile.

I’m not supposed to have Romany in bed with me, she should be in her crib, but I can’t bear to put her down. I refused to allow her to be taken to the nursery; I want her with me. I just want to hold her close to me all the time and tell her how no one will ever hurt her because I will kill anyone who tries.

So, I’m lying on my left side, with my baby girl right beside me. I smile while stroking her soft cheek with my finger. “You were so worth it, Romany. You were worth all the hell I endured in the past. Meeting your daddy was the best thing that ever happened to me. It was because he gave me you.” Romany doesn’t make a noise nor move as I kiss her tiny little head with a smile on my face.

My door suddenly opens. I’m not expecting anyone, and I panic a little. I still get scared now and again, even though I know Bulldog is gone. I pull myself up into a sitting position while pulling Romany close to my chest. My heart is pounding, even when I see whom it is walking through my door. More so, in fact.

“It’s been a long time, Marley.”

“David,” I swallow hard.

David Nickson was once my fiancé, a very long time ago. A good-looking man with curly blonde hair, big brown eyes, and a smile that would light up the city. My fiancé before my father dragged me away from him and my life back home in order to hand me over to Bulldog. David and I never officially broke up, so I don’t know where we stand right now.

He hasn’t been waiting around for me to turn up, surely?

The last time I saw David, we spent the night together, talking about our up-and-coming wedding, how we’d both soon be doctors, the life we’d build for ourselves, and the children we might have one day. We made love until the sun came up, and it was perfect.

We lived together back then and had done for months. David was my everything, and I wanted everything our life promised. Our life wasn’t perfect by any means. David could be a complex man to live with. Everything had to be his way or no way. I did what he told me to do when he told me to do it, or I would face the consequences of his anger. He wasn’t the worst monster I have ever encountered, but I was so ignorant to the horrors of the world back then, and the things the real monsters who run it could do.

Looking back on things, I should have left David the first time he went out of his way to emotionally hurt me. But I didn’t. I should have run for the hills the first time he hit me. However, I loved him so much that I thought I could change him, so I went along with it all because I didn’t want to lose him. I was so blind to most of it, but when a young girl is in love, she sees nothing but the man she believes she can’t live without.

God, he was my life back then. There was nothing that could tear us apart.

Until my father summoned me home, I thought nothing of it; we had things to talk about, after all. His wedding speech was one of them. My father was also a monster who loved nothing more than hurting me, but I wanted him at my wedding regardless. He was my father, and I loved him. I thought he’d be proud to give me away, and I wanted to make sure he was comfortable with everything, so I went with him.

He didn’t want to talk about the wedding; he lured me with lies about working on his speech and even going on a shopping spree for the wedding, only to lead me to that hellhole and hand me over to the worst monster of all. I never saw David again... Until now.