Free Gonzo (Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club Book 7) by Candace Blevins Page A

had any luck.
    I stood behind her and said, “I’m going to hug you, and you’re going to let me. I hug my brothers in the MC, and I hug some of their wives. One of them recently even kissed me on the cheek. Those hugs and cheek-kisses are between friends and aren’t sexual. Do you trust me to keep our touching on the friend level?”
    She nodded, and I turned her around and pulled her into my embrace. She was stiff, at first, but I stayed perfectly still and told her, “Try putting your arms around my neck.”
    I was surprised when she did, and even more surprised when a few seconds later she relaxed in my arms and I scented grief — the kind people feel when they’re so lonely they ache . Humans need touch, but I’d seen her hugging and touching the kids, so it wasn’t like she was skin-starved.
    But I was embracing her . Protecting her. She was always the one in charge, the one comforting and assuring others.
    Connie didn’t know it, but she was a little broken, too. She’s a successful, strong woman… but still a little girl on the inside.
    I let her go and didn’t risk kissing her forehead, though I wanted to. “Thank you. I hope you’ll let me do that when we see each other, and when we say goodbye, and anytime one of us just needs a hug.”
    She nodded, but I could tell she wasn’t sure about it. I smiled when I realized I was looking forward to winning her over on how wonderful hugs can be.
    I broached my next touchy subject as we pulled out of the park. “I usually work at night, so my schedule would work great to pick the twins up from preschool every once in a while, so they don’t have to go to daycare. I could either bring them to my house until time to take them home, or we could go to your house until you arrive home. I assume the mother-in-law unit has a separate entrance, and you could give me access to it without allowing me in your personal space.”
    “Can we wait a few weeks before we jump to you picking them up from school? We’d have to notify daycare the day before that they won’t have to pick them up, and…”
    Her voice trailed off and I filled in the blanks. “You don’t trust me enough, yet.”
    She looked down at her hands, grasped in her lap, and I took two breaths before I responded. “I’m glad you’re so protective of them. We’ll give it some time and hope you learn to trust me.”
    I knew in my gut it was too soon to talk about having my name put on their birth certificates, so I didn’t bring it up.

Chapter 8
    G onzo

    I dropped the check off with Sam’s assistant Monday morning, and received a phone call from her during lunch to let me know she was officially my attorney. I set an appointment three weeks out to come into her office, and I told her I hoped to talk to the aunt before then about the DNA test.
    I had Duke set a meeting with Randall for Tuesday afternoon, because the sooner I told him what was going on, the better. We’re supposed to be more careful about who we may have impregnated, and I should’ve followed up more with Sandy’s friends after she disappeared. After the condom broke, it was my responsibility to make sure she wasn’t pregnant. If the twins had reached puberty and changed for the first time around an aunt who didn’t have a clue, it could’ve been disastrous. Kids have to be trained while growing up so they can control their wolf when it comes, and then they have to be watched carefully throughout puberty to be sure they have iron control. I’d been bitten because a young teen had lost control, and he was on his third full moon.
    If Randall found out before I told him, it’d be worse, so I needed to face him and then face whatever punishment he doled out. I’m not one of his wolves, but I’m living in his territory with his permission and it’s important we keep open communication between the Pack and the MC.
    He never invites me inside — I’m always walked around the house to the screened-in back porch. I didn’t