Falling For The Biker: The Vice President's Girl Chapter 47

Wren

I stiffen.

Ezra crouches low and spreads his arms as both kids race into them.

He smothers them with kisses, their happy giggles ringing out while Elizabeth stares with a content smile.

Ezra's a dad.

What the actual hell?

My throat tightens, and I press farther into the car as if it'll protect me from the foolishness I feel.

With an overly dramatic grunt, Ezra rises with both kids in his arms, and he spins around to me.

"Wren, this is Noah, my nephew." He jerks his chin to the boy. "And this is Hannah, my daughter."

Hannah. His daughter.

I don't know what blows my mind more. The fact that I was upset about the 'Hannah' he's always talking to. Or the fact that Hannah is a child, and his daughter.

The thick lump in my throat rolls down slowly. And I force a smile. "Hi guys."

Noah's wave is as excited as his smile, while Hannah's is a little on the shy side. She tucks her head in his neck.

When Ezra looks at me, my stare is blank. Unimpressed. He can see the confusion, and hurt in my face.

To think that I had subtly asked about Hannah.

"Who's the birthday boy?" I gush instead, ignoring Ezra while trying to force down the utter chaos in my mind.

I refuse to be a party pooper.

"Me!" Noah's hand shoots up.

"I got you something."

His eyes go big. "A gift?"

"Uh huh." I grin. "Do you love cars?"

His head bobs rapidly, and I laugh at how ridiculous he looks. Even Elizabeth snickers beside me.

"How about me?" A quiet voice chimes in. Hannah stares at me, and god, she's adorable.

My smile softens. "Of course, sweetheart. I got you something too."

Although your stupid dad didn't tell me he had you.

Ezra drops them to the ground and they quickly get distracted, running back into the yard.

I whirl on him, seething. "Daddy? You have a daughter?"

His jaw tightens, eyes dim and swimming with guilt and apology.

"Wren—"

"No, Ezra," I snap. "You had the whole ride here to tell me about it but you chose not to! So you won't stand there and give me that look like you're sorry."

My chest heaves, fists clenched at my side.

Ezra steps forward but I recoil away from him, the glare and seriousness on my face plants him to the spot.

Elizabeth frowns. "I will go back to the kids, I hope you guys talk things—"

A scoff falls from my lips. "I have nothing to say to your brother. Give me a moment and I'll walk with you." Then, I glare at him. "Open the goddamn car."

The car beeps and I round it, taking out my hair clip as a gift to Hannah, and the toy car I got for Noah.

When I get to Elizabeth, he grabs my arm. I freeze, teeth clenched.

"Let me go, Ezra," I warn.

He does. "I'm sorry, Birdie."

"Take your stupid apology," I jab a finger in his chest, and his lips press together. "And shove it up your stupid ass."

Elizabeth snorts, and he gives her a cutting look.

We walk away from him, and toward the yard where the music seems to be louder and happy chatters can be heard.

"Damn," she whistles. "Never thought I'd see my brother scolded by anyone but me. You're tiny, but you pack a punch."

I frown. "Why do you sound impressed?"

"Because I am."

And that just makes her more beautiful in my eyes.

My lungs expand on a sigh. "Your brother can be really annoying sometimes, no offense."

"None taken," she says. "I know he's a little tight-lipped—"

"A little?" I huff.

She chuckles. "Okay, a lot tight-lipped. You may not believe it, but it's from a good place."

"He should've told me. Do you know how foolish I feel? If I knew there were two kids, I'd have gotten two gifts. Plus, why take me to meet your family when you've not told me about them?"

"Hm," she hums in agreement.

We settle at the cake stand and I place my gift on the pile by the side.

"I don't have any excuse for him." She pulls out cupcakes from the box and arranges them around the tall cake. "But I'll say you should talk with him. He's in a better spot to explain."

I roll my eyes so hard they nearly stick at the back of my head. "I can't be with someone who can't talk to me, who keeps things from me."

"Of course, I'm not saying you should tolerate that. All I'm saying is, I'm his big sister, I've known him since he was born, and I've watched him grow to become who he is today."

"But things have happened, Wren," she says. "Life has changed him. But he's trying. The Ezra I know would never bring anyone here."

Then she sighs, crumpling up the box. "We're all he has and he'd never risk us being in danger...even if it means he has to see us twice in a month."

"Twice in a month?" My jaw drops.

Her smile wobbles. "We miss him around. But I know he's doing his best. He's more than a little brother to me. He's my friend, a dad to my son and his daughter...and in some twisted way, a dad to me— don't tell him I said that, though."

I laugh at that, the anger slowly ebbing away. Though, I'm still upset.

His gaze finds me from across the yard, but gets cut off when Hannah runs over to him. She says something, and he looks at me, then responds to her.

Hannah turns to me and back to Ezra.

I'm unable to tear my eyes from the adorable exchange. I didn't think Ezra could be sexier than he is, but watching him be a dad... All I can say is, dayummmm.

I huff. He's infuriating but still very sexy.

"100 bucks she's asking if she can talk to you," Elizabeth whispers, jerking me from my thoughts.

"Really?" My eyes widen. "That's really sweet."

"Mhm. She's the sweetest, but a little shy. If she heads over here with a book asking you to read for her, she likes you."

Read?

My pulse spikes, and suddenly I don't want her to head over here with a book.

Unfortunately, luck is not on my side because there she is, with a pink book in her hand, walking toward me with Ezra behind.

A parent walks up to Elizabeth, whispering in her ear.

"Give me a minute, Wren. I'll be back," she says. And before I can respond, she's being dragged off.

"Hi, Aunt Wren."

Oh, my heart.

I drop to my hunches. "Hi honey, what do you need?"

"Can you read this book for me?" She hugs the book to her chest, glancing at Ezra then back at me.

I give Ezra a wide-eyed look, panic clawing up my chest. I swallow, tugging the book gently from her.

"Wow," I say, and glance back at Ezra.

His lips twitch, and he crouches too.

"Hannah, aunt Wren has a little difficulty reading. It's a disability called dyslexia."

She frowns at me. "So you can't read?"

I blink, taken aback. Well, that's a little blunt.

Ezra snorts. "She can. It will just take a bit of time and some little errors. If you want her to read for you, you've got to be a little patient."

"Oh." The light returns to her eyes. "Okay, I can be patient. Maybe we'll read just one page?"

Unable to help it, I pull her to my chest, hugging her little body. "You're the sweetest thing, Hannah. We can read one page together, but first–" I break the hug, and slip out the hair clip, "your gift."

She gasps, eyes shining. "Is it really for me?"

"It is." I smile, clipping it in her hair. And she hugs me again.

"Thank you, Aunt Wren. I really really like it."

This little girl will turn me into melted butter. I want to take her home with me, and just...I don't know, give her more gifts.

I rise to my feet. "How old is she again?"

"She just turned six," Ezra replies.

"And Noah?"

"Eight today."

I nod slowly. "You did good. They're perfect."

His eyes soften, and his lips part to speak but I shake my head.

"Not now," I tell him. "When we get home."

The small lift of his lips ebbs the remaining anger away. My chest feels lighter, better.

Hannah and I find a seat, and we read together while Ezra leaves to help Elizabeth.

The reading process is dreadfully slow, but Hannah, the sweet little girl, is as patient as ever.

"I think you mean dragon, Aunt Wren," she giggles. "Not a dungeon. What even is that?"

I laugh. "You know what? Why don't you read to me instead?"

Little kids run around the yard. It's loud, messy with food, sweets, and cakes. Ezra and Elizabeth are somewhere in the chaos, but in everything...it feels right. Perfect.

Until Ezra and Elizabeth stride toward us. The hard look on his face, and the worry on Elizabeth's face has me rising to my feet with Hannah.

We meet them halfway.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, a frown on my face.

"No, birdie," Ezra replies, jaw clenched and eyes rimmed red. "I just got a call from Ray."

Elizabeth picks up Hannah.

"W-what..." my voice cracks. "What is it?"

"The clubhouse...it's been set on fire."