Sweet Agony (Angels Halo MC Next Gen Book 2) Read online

  “Tavia, you already belong to someone—me. And maybe you haven’t realized it yet, but you already have a family. Raven and Felicity and Lexa. Mom and Pops and Sofia. You belong to all of us. We all love you. Completely. Unconditionally. Forever.” After stroking a hand down her spine, I slid it around to her lower abdomen and touched the place where I imagined our child might have grown inside her. “I’m so sorry we lost our baby. But please don’t think it was your only chance at having what you’ve always wanted. Because you already had it, long before I put that precious gift here.”

  One of her hands covered mine, pressing it closer. “I would have loved that baby with everything I am, Theo.”

  “Me too, krasotka. I loved our baby as soon as the doctor told me you were pregnant. And then with his next breath, he informed me you’d had a miscarriage. I felt like the world had shifted under my feet. It was as if I’d lost something vital without even realizing I needed it.” I kissed her lips. It was just a soft brush of my lips over hers, not meant to be full of passion or to go anywhere, but because I couldn’t not kiss her, not touch her, not show her how much she meant to me. “One day… One day, we will have another child. Maybe many. And we will show each of them how much we love them. But we will never forget this one. I promise you.”

  “More babies?” she murmured in wonder. “Y-you want to have more children with me?”

  “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If you bless me with more children, I would be overjoyed.” I saw the indecision in her dark eyes and quickly amended, “But if you don’t want to have children, that’s okay too. All I want is you, Tavia. Everything else is just a bonus.”

  “Wh-what if I can’t have more babies?” she asked in a voice loaded with pain and uncertainty.

  “My sister and I were both adopted by amazing people. I wouldn’t mind if we needed to go that route. Or if that is something you want to do just for the hell of it, I’m okay with it.” I kissed her again, slower, pouring every ounce of my love for her into each caress of my lips against hers. “All I want is your happiness.”

  “All I want is you,” she whispered, and then she was the one kissing me.

  Tavia straddled my lap, her fingers stabbing into my hair, demanding I kiss her harder, deeper. I could feel her heat through our layers of clothes, the fine tremors in her body telling me how much she wanted me.

  Hungrily, I tore at the material separating our bodies, needing to feel all of her against me. Needing more than anything to be inside her.

  “Theo,” she cried out when I thrust up into her hot tightness.

  Finally being in the one place I never wanted to leave, I lost all control. I tightened my fingers on her perfect, amazing ass and held her in place as I thrust up into her until she was screaming for more. I felt her inner walls contracting around my cock, sending me closer to the edge of my own release.

  “I love you, krasotka,” I growled into her neck. “I love you so fucking much, baby.”

  “I-I love you too,” she panted. “So much.”

  At those first three words, I lost the war on trying to hold back, and my cock started spurting my release deep into her body. Her body still shaking from her orgasm, Tavia fell against me, her slight weight pressing me back against the headboard as she gasped for breath, her fingernails scratching up and down my back unconsciously.

  “Love you,” she slurred sleepily, her breathing evening out and deepening.

  I kissed her shoulder. “I love you, krasotka.”

  Chapter 24

  Tavia

  Slowly, consciousness came back to me. The room was dim, the only light filtering in coming through the small crack left from where the drapes weren’t completely closed. The warmth I felt was bordering on sweltering, and I lifted my head to find Theo plastered to my side, one of his legs wrapped over both of mine. One of his arms was over my back, while the other was under me, his chest and shoulder acting as my pillow.

  When I shifted, he stirred. “Sleep, krasotka,” he grumbled, still half asleep. “Let’s stay in bed all day.”

  I felt my lips twitch in the beginnings of a smile, and I returned my head to his chest. “Okay,” I agreed drowsily.

  I felt him smile as he kissed the top of my head. “That’s my girl.”

  Closing my eyes, I drifted back to sleep, content in the feel of his arms around me. It didn’t matter that I was sweating from all his body heat or that I was basically tied to the bed with his limbs wrapped around me.

  For the first time in maybe ever, I was happy. Truly, completely happy.

  The next time I opened my eyes, it was to the sound of a tap on the bedroom door. Theo was no longer wrapped around me, and when I looked around the room, there was no sign he was there. Frowning because I thought he was going to stay in bed with me all day, I sat up just as the door opened and Mrs. Volkov walked into the room carrying a tray.

  She beamed at me and didn’t even blink when I hastily grabbed the covers and tucked them under my arms to hide my naked body from her. “I was going to let you sleep, but Theo called down to the kitchen earlier for a tray for the two of you, and then he got an urgent call to take care of something he didn’t have time to explain to me. So, I thought I would bring up your lunch.”

  Wiping a hand over my face, I tried to focus on what she was saying. “Urgent?”

  “I think it was more to do with your business holdings. He seemed out of humor when he ran out of here a little while ago.” She placed the tray over my lap and straightened. “You look so much better today. I see your night out with Sofia did you some good. Although, I’m sure Sofia wouldn’t agree with you. She went to school this morning with a major hangover.”

  I blinked at her, surprised she was so calm about her daughter having a hangover. “Um, yeah,” I finally mumbled and picked up the spoon to take a bite of the Greek yogurt with fresh berries.

  Her light laugh pulled my gaze back to her. “I remember sneaking out of my father’s house with my sister so often, I can’t exactly get mad at Sofia for doing the same. I can’t tell you how many times I came home completely trashed, and Scarlett would have to put me to bed and make sure my glucose levels were within range before going to sleep herself. Sofia isn’t nearly as wild as I was, so I have to be thankful for that much at least.”

  She turned to leave after giving me another kind smile. “When you’re done, just leave the tray. Someone will fetch it.”

  I dropped the spoon back in the dish. “Mrs. Volkov?”

  She turned at the door. “I really wish you would call me Victoria,” she told me for what was probably the tenth time. “Or…maybe even Mom?”

  My heart twisted at that hesitant suggestion, as if she were afraid I would turn her down. “R-really?” I whispered, my heart blooming with the love and respect I had for this woman.

  She walked back to me, her eyes sad and a little hopeful. “I would sincerely love for you to call me Mom. And if Theo ever gets his head out of his ass, you will be my daughter one day. So, let’s just cut out the middle ground of waiting for that day, and you start calling me ‘Mom’ now. Yeah?”

  “I…” I cleared my throat, trying to get rid of the lump that was suddenly choking me. “Okay.”

  She sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes skimming over my face and making me blush. “What did you want to ask me?”

  “It wasn’t so much something I wanted to ask you, but tell you… Thank you. For everything you’ve done for me the last few weeks. It means a lot to me.”

  Grasping my hand, she gave it a gentle squeeze. “Anything for you, sweetheart.” Her knowing brown eyes met mine. “I know things haven’t been easy for you lately. Losing a child is not something I’ve ever had to face personally, but I do know what it’s like to have my heart feel like it has been shattered into a billion pieces. So, if you need anything, even if it’s just a shoulder to cry on or someone to vent to, I’m here for you. Always.”

  “Th-thank you,” I whispered.
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br />   After she left, I slowly finished the meal she’d brought. The yogurt was accompanied by a sandwich and a light salad, along with fruit juice and a cup of coffee. I ate it all, surprising myself at how hungry I was, then placed the tray at the foot of the bed before going into the bathroom to shower.

  Since Theo was gone, I took my time, enjoying the feel of the spray on my muscles. When I walked back into the bedroom a long while later, it was to find Theo standing by the window, his arms crossed over his chest as he glared out at the late afternoon sky.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, already starting to worry about whatever had put that fierce look on his face.

  Turning his head, Theo skimmed his gaze over me from head to toe and back again, appreciation in his dark eyes. Seeing me seemed to relax him a little, and he unfolded his arms, spreading them wide and silently beckoning me.

  Without hesitation, I walked into his outstretched arms and wrapped my own around his waist. “What’s wrong?” I repeated.

  “Just work stuff, baby,” he murmured, kissing a trail down my neck, causing me to shiver deliciously. “You have more businesses than I anticipated, and the changeover isn’t going as smoothly as I would like. But I’ve sorted it out.” His teeth nipped at my shoulder. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke. I wanted to stay in bed and make love to you all day.”

  I didn’t even care about all the businesses and money he and his dad said I had inherited. If he wanted to deal with them, I wasn’t going to stop them, but in all honesty, I wanted nothing to do with them.

  “I’m not opposed to you doing that all night,” I said with a coy little smile as I looked up at him through my lashes.

  His groan sounded like it was being torn from him. “Fuck, I want nothing more than that. But I have a request.”

  “Anything.”

  “Let’s go to my apartment. It’s in the city and closer to your university. I would like to make that our home until we find a house—if you want a house. The apartment is two floors. I combined the one I stayed in before Mom and Pops married and Pops’s personal apartment into my own space.” He stroked both his hands down my back, distracting me. “There would be plenty of space for babies.”

  Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the way he said “babies,” and I melted against him. “Sounds perfect,” I assured him. “But why the sudden move?”

  He sighed. “Because I want to make love to you day and night without having to worry if my mom is going to walk in at any moment. Or if Sofia will barge in without knocking. I want to fuck you in the living room, and bent over the kitchen table, or up against the wall outside the elevator. But there are way too many people running around this house for me to do any of those things.”

  I pressed my thighs together, trying to relieve the throb deep between my legs as my mind filled with all kinds of decadent images of us fulfilling all of those fantasies. “Okay. Then let’s get me moved in.”

  His entire body seemed to relax. “Yeah?”

  I nodded, grinning up at him. “If we hurry, you might get the chance to fuck me in all those places before the end of the night.”

  Epilogue

  Tavia

  Three Years Later

  Nervously, I sat in the back of the limo, waiting for the jet to taxi over to this side of the private airport.

  I hadn’t seen Raven since the previous Thanksgiving when Theo had surprised me with a trip to Northern California to visit the people whom I had lovingly come to think of as my extended family. In the past three years, we’d gone to visit at least two or three times a year, but this was the first time Raven was coming to me.

  With the summer vacation having just started, Nova and Garret were coming for their usual weeks-long visit, but Raven and her husband were also joining Flick and Jet this time to attend our wedding. Something I was still having a hard time believing was actually happening.

  Over the previous Christmas, Theo had taken me to St. Petersburg, and it had been one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen. The snow on the ground, the lights, all the amazing architecture. And to see it at night… It was dream I didn’t know I had come true.

  And there, with the colorful lights glittering off the snow, Theo had proposed to me.

  I got butterflies in my stomach just remembering the tears in his eyes as he’d asked me to be his wife. How I’d whispered “yes” a hundred times, my own tears streaming down my face until he kissed me quiet. It was a moment in time I was never going to forget.

  As soon as we’d gotten home, his mom and aunts had been ready to start the wedding preparations, and I’d gotten lost in the fun of dress shopping, cake tasting, venue hunting with the woman I now called Mom as easily as I called Theo mine. But she would be sitting on Theo’s side on our wedding day, and I felt like I had no one to sit on mine.

  Until Raven accepted the wedding invitation I sent her. She and Flick had promised me there was nothing that could stop them from showing up and being my family. And that was all I needed. The two of them were more than enough, and I couldn’t help loving them even more for doing something so special for me.

  Finally, the Vitucci private jet stopped about fifty yards away, and the door opened. Someone stepped out, and I watched as Nova skipped down the stairs. The back door of the limo in front of the one I was sitting in opened, and Ryan got out. Seeing him, Nova took off at full speed and launched herself at the teenager like a rocket, laughing so happily that the sound made me smile.

  Theo chuckled and shook his head as he watched the same scene I was. “That never gets old.”

  “Yeah,” I murmured. “I love seeing them reunite.”

  Turning his gaze on me, he lifted his hand to stroke his thumb down my cheek. “Ready for this?”

  I nodded. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I speak to her on the phone at least once a week. It’s not like we don’t know what’s going on in each other’s lives at any given time.”

  “Because she’s important to you, that’s why. And you’re excited to see her.” Entwining his fingers with mine, he gave a little tug and opened the door. “Come on. Let’s go greet them.”

  When we stepped out, there were four goons in suits standing by the first limo. But once Ryan had Nova inside, the goons climbed into the limo, and it drove off. Without Nova’s parents or her brother, who were all now coming down the stairs.

  “Not even a ‘See you later, Daddy’ or an ‘I love you, Daddy,’” Jet grumbled as he glared after the limo. “You would think I don’t even exist.”

  “When Ryan’s around, no one exists to Nova,” Flick told him with a grin. “You already knew that, babe.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” he said with a grunt.

  Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Flick hugged me. “It’s so good to see you, sweetheart,” she murmured.

  “I’m so glad you could all make it,” I told her, hugging her back, then accepting one from Jet, who kissed my cheek.

  “I want hugs too,” a voice I wasn’t expecting called down.

  Looking up, I saw both Monroe and Mila bouncing down the stairs, followed by their brother and parents. Mila’s hair was still dyed darker than her twin’s, but her makeup wasn’t nearly as emo punk rocker as it had once been. In the past few years, I’d noticed the slow change in her style, and I had to say I liked it.

  My heart clenched as, one by one, I watched all of the Hannigan men and their wives and children exit behind the Mastersons. Hawk, Colt, and Raider had all become surrogate uncles to me just as Raven said they would, and in the past three years, I’d come to love them all.

  Tears choked me as Raven finally appeared at the door and waved down at me. “Hey, kiddo!” she yelled. “Save me some love, would ya?”

  I was already being hugged to within an inch of my life by the thickly muscled, burly blond men I called uncles. But as soon as she was in front of me, I was hugging her for all I was worth. “I thought it was only going to be you and Flick,” I half sobbed.

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nbsp; “Couldn’t let your side of the church be empty, now could I?” she murmured. Pulling back, she shook her head at me. “Why you crying, girl? You’re not supposed to start the waterworks until tomorrow when you walk down the aisle.”

  “I’m just so happy to see you,” I told her, trying to stop the flow of tears.

  “Lexa wanted to come,” she said with a twist of her lips. “But the doctor wouldn’t let her fly since she’s so close to her due date. Which means, unfortunately, I have to head back tomorrow night after the wedding in case she goes into labor early.”

  “I understand,” I promised her. “I’m just thankful you could come at all.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”

  As we were talking, several black SUVs pulled up behind us, and I realized Theo must have known that more than just Flick and Raven were coming. When I glanced at him and he winked, I threw my arms around him, kissing him until I was out of breath. “Thank you,” I whispered, fighting back the lump in my throat.

  “Anything to make you happy, krasotka.”

  Next from Terri Anne Browning

  Savoring Mila

  Angels Halo MC Next Gen & Rockers’ Legacy Series (Crossover)

  Book 3

  Loving Violet

  Rockers’ Legacy Series

  Book 4

  Surviving His Scars

  Angels Halo MC Series

  Book 4

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12