Nasty Bastard (Grim Bastards MC Book 4) by Emily Minton, Shelley Springfield Page A

right. If he hadn’t broken up with me, I would’ve never even met Richard, and I wouldn’t have Parker. Just the thought brings tears to my eyes and has my stomach tied in knots. I wouldn’t know what to do without my son in my life. Hell, the truth of the matter is, Parker is my life. At least, he’s the best damn part of it.
    Closing my eyes, I think back over the years. Instead of focusing on my time with Layton, my mind goes to the day I found out I was pregnant. Suddenly, I remember holding a tiny Parker for the first time and a million of other firsts with my son. None of that, not one damn thing, would have been possible if I’d stayed here with Layton. Richard may have helped me make Parker, but Smoke gave me the chance to have him. After all these years of anger and pain, I have to forgive him.
    A knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts, reminding me once again to live in the present. “Come in.”
    It’s only a second before the door is opened and Trix pokes her head in. I nearly shout at my gratitude for her interrupting my trip down memory lane. Instead, I smile and say, “Come in and stay for a while.”
    “Guess you’re lonely, huh?” She laughs as she walks further into the room. “I thought I’d come keep you company for a little while.”
    “It gets boring here with nothing to do but sleep. I swear, I’m going to go crazy with nothing but my thoughts for company,” I say, pushing myself up in the bed.
    She nods her agreement before walking over and sitting in the chair by the bed. “Yeah, I’m sure it does. Tomorrow, maybe you can at least get out of the bed for a little while.”
    Just the thought of getting up for something other than the bathroom fills me with excitement. “Honestly, I feel a little better already. I’m sore as all get out, but it’s not as bad as it was when I woke up the first time.”
    It’s true; I’m already feeling quite a bit better. I’m not healed by any means, but I can wiggle without crying, so that has to be a good thing. I think walking around the room would do me a world of good, maybe make me heal faster. Granted, it may be the two pain pills Trix gave me earlier talking.
    “Addy is gonna bring Parker and Cam up after they eat. Watching Parker run around here for a bit will surely be the best medicine for you.” She laughs, and the thought of it makes me laugh as well. “I’ve never seen a kid with so much energy. He runs a mile a minute, until he passes out from pure exhaustion.”
    I smile at the thought of my son running around the clubhouse, just like I used to do. All the club kids had free reign around here during the day. We spent hours playing hide and go seek, tag, and anything else we could think of. All the brothers watched over the kids, even joined our games from time to time. They treated us like we were their own. Hell, the brothers showed me more affection than my father ever did.
    Trying to stay focused on Trix, I say, “He’s always been like that. That’s how I’ve been staying in shape the past few years. Who needs a gym when you have a rambunctious child to keep up with?”
    “I can imagine running after him would be quite a work out. He hasn’t been here a whole twenty-four hours yet, and I feel like I’ve ran a couple of marathons.” Trix lays her head back on the chair and closes her eyes.
    I hate to interrupt her quiet moment, but I have something that needs to be said while we’re alone. “Trix, I want to apologize again for the things my dad and brother did to you. I know there wasn’t anything I could’ve done to prevent it, but still, I feel bad. Not just for you and what happened to you, but for everyone that was involved.”
    “Hold on. I wanna stop you right there,” she says, holding her hand up. “You don’t have one fucking thing to apologize for.”
    “But, they—” I start, but she cuts me off with a shake of her head.
    “You didn’t have anything to do with it, not one fucking thing.