Champ & Lauren

  By L. Grubb

  Text copyright © 2015

  L. Grubb

  All rights reserved

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organisations, places and events are the products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any other means without permission from the Author.

  Cover copyright © 2015

  The cover of this book is primarily the author’s, any illegal distribution will have legal action taken against them in a court of law.

  Cover model: Bailey Lee & Tara Logan Buckley

  Photographer: Eric Battershell

  Model Agency: Uncovered Models

  Cover Designer: Clarissa Wild

  Crusaders MC series:

  An Honest Mistake

  The Last Betrayal

  Champ & Lauren

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  8Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Author Bio:

  Acknowledgments

  Firstly, I want to thank my amazing cover designer, Clarissa Wild - www.boomingcovers.blogspot.com - for designing my AMAZING cover. I love it. And because perfection is her middle name, she’s made it that way. Amazing talent and an amazing friend.

  I want to thank my amazing friend, Sheila Kell. She’s been absolutely fantastic and has helped me so much with getting this book to get it as close to perfect as possible. She’s a valued friend and much like family to me. Without her this book would probably be a complete mess. Thank you! (FANTASTIC AUTHOR too!)

  Kelly Hamley, you’ve supported me since I first started writing and without the encouragement you sent my way, I would never of even got passed the first book! (AMAZING AUTHOR too!)

  My STREET TEAM, Bonnie Mancuso, Rosie Snowden, Mary M. Sembera, Lisa Morgan, Emma Parrott, and everyone else, thank you so so much for all your support, even before reading my work you showed untimely support and I will be forever grateful.

  Amy-Beth, you’ve been awesome since I started writing and your faith in me is awesome. Thank you so much! (AMAZING AUTHOR too!)

  Keren Hughes, by far my #1 fan! You’ve been nothing short of fantastic to me, making me swag, designing my bookmarks and telling me how much you love my book. Both of them seeing as you read this one as I wrote! I love ya to pieces,

  remember you’re like a sister to me. Xx

  Chloe Vincent and Amie-Leigh Spear, you’ve supported me like hell and I love hearing how much you loved my book. You know how shit I did in school yet still believed I could do it! <3

  My mum, Jacs Dugdale, for supporting me in my adventure into writing, who is reading this book now to give me criticism that only she can.

  My auntie Liane, you’ve inspired me so much! When you wrote your first book, I knew I wanted to follow in your footsteps, and here I am! Thank you for always believing in me.

  Lastly, My little princess. Sofia. I love you so much baby girl, you inspire me everyday to be a better person, to not slip off the deep end. I love you unconditionally and I love watching you grow into your own little person. You battle your severe eczema with so much pride, that I envy you for your not letting other kids pick on you because of you face, and how brave you through you asthma episodes. I love you so much, princess. <3 Here’s to our future! *raises can of coke*

  Chapter 1

  Lauren

  Walking along the sidewalk and pulling my thick coat tight around me to fight off the biting wind, my thoughts run to what the hell to get Champ for Christmas. I have two weeks to find the perfect gift. What the fuck do you get a biker who has all he needs? I’ve been to the mall, I’ve been to eight different shops, yet nothing jumped out at me. I’m at a loss and getting more and more frustrated.

  LA rarely gets cold, but when it does, it’s fucking freezing. Removing a glove from my left hand, I reach into my purse for my phone. Alexis will be able to help, she fucking has to before I lose my damn mind.

  My numb thumb swipes across the iPhone’s screen, unlocking it quickly. Hitting speed dial one, I bring it to my ear and pray to the Gods that she answers.

  “What’s up, chick?” she answers the phone all chirpy and shit after four rings.

  “I need help. Like, now!” I screech down the phone at her. I move to the side of the sidewalk to let people by, people throwing me dirty looks. I ignore them and get ready to beg Alexis more.

  “With what?” she asks dubiously. “If it’s anything to do with…”

  “I need to find a present for Champ, but I’m fucking clueless. Help me here!” I interrupt her. I pull my hair with my free hand, frustration radiating off me. “Please, Alexis? I know you’re six months pregnant, but help a girl out here.”

  Her laughs resonates down my cell, making me frown. “What’s so fucking funny?”

  “You! You always know what to get people and shopping is your middle name.” She continues her chuckling before calming enough to ask, “Where are you?”

  “The Grove shopping mall,” I sigh before blowing out a breath.

  “Give me ten minutes. I’ll meet you at the entrance,” She hangs up which makes me scowl at my cell. I hate it when she fucking does that!

  I make my way back to the mall, and stand like a lemon, freezing my ass off. I shove my glove back on and rub my hands together in hopes of warming them up. Ten minutes is going to feel like a damn lifetime,

  ***

  “Lauren!” I hear my name called and look to my right, spotting a waddling Alexis heading my way.

  “About damn time, woman! Do you realise how cold it is out here?” I say to her, pulling her in for a hug. Her bump moves against my stomach and I get kicked which makes us howl with laughter. Every freakin’ time.

  “Please tell me you have an idea in that pretty little head of yours? I’m seriously losing my mind,” I tell her, pulling away from our hug.

  “He smokes right?” she asks as we head into the mall.

  “Sometimes, though I know he doesn’t want me to know that.” I have to chuckle because he thinks he so inconspicuous about it. But he wreaks of smoke when he comes back from the clubhouse. No amount of aftershave is going to get rid of the stench that covers him.

  “So…how about an engraved zippo lighter thing? Maybe with a picture of a Harley on it?” Absolute fucking genius. This is why I love her. She always has such awesome ideas. When my mind goes blank, hers sparks up things that you only see in movies, no-one wants to know the shit we pulled back in high school.

  “Genius. Where can we get one of them? Is there even a store in here that does that sort of thing?” I ask her, linking my arm through hers as we stroll through the mall, my short heels clicking against the marble flooring.

  “Sure is. I got one for Cobra too.” She winks at me as a small smile plays on her mouth.

  I laugh as we reach a store that showcases lighters of all kinds and displays different smoking artefacts. Do you know what I find hilarious? It’s that marijuana is illegal yet so many places houses stuff to fuel people into smoking the shit.

  “Do you have any lighters with a Harley Davidson motorcycle at all?” Alexis asks sweetly to the man standing behind the counter.

  “We sure do, sweetheart. Just there.” He points to the glass cabinet just to the side on the counter. They have so many different ones with bikes on that I’m finding it hard to choose.

  “That one!” I shout and point quickly to a silver one with a spiral pattern and a black bike shining proudly. “Do you do engraving here?”

  “Yes, I can do it for you right now if that’s the one you want?” he asks, smiling at me as he moves over to remove the lighter of my choosing. “What would you like it to say?”

  Hmm, I didn’t think that far ahead. “I’ll love you til my dying breath.” It just spouts from my mouth, but now that I’ve said it over in my head a few times, I find that it sounds perfect to how I feel.

  “No problem. This will take about ten minutes. You can always come back and collect it on your way out?” he affirms, stepping back up to the checkout.

  “Sounds good to me.” I pay and tell the man to keep the change. I hate change, it makes my purse heavy and it pisses me off.

  We walk out the store, a smile planted on my face. “I should get him something else…” I think out loud.

  “Hmm…” Alexis moans, lost in thought. I wait patiently while she tries and thinks of anything.

  “Anything jumping out at you in that head of yours?” I chuckle, poking her in the head.

  “Biker boots. His are falling apart. Have you not noticed?” She turns her head to face me, one brow raised.

  “Oh shit, yeah! I keep meaning to go on at him about getting a new pair.” We head off in the direction of the shoe store on the second level.

  “How long you got left til peanut is born?” I’m useless with dates and I know she’s told me a million times her due date, but for the life of me, I can’t remember.

  “March 6th, babe. Another four months to go.” A wistful smile flits across her face, excitement shining in her

eyes.

  “Damn, you still have ages. I still can’t believe you didn’t want to find out the sex! I’m dying to know if I’m going to have a niece of nephew!” I squeal at her. She shakes her head and laughs quietly.

  Alexis and Cobra decided against finding out because they wanted the birth to be extra special. They wanted the element of surprise on their side. I’ve been attending birthing classes with her because Cobra is too ‘man’ to attend. I wanted to slap him for giving out all the macho bullshit…he should be the one with her at those classes to prepare him for how to deal with Alexis at the birth. Thank the damn Lord I’ll be there at the birth as well.

  Walking into the shoe store, we look around in search of the men’s section. Spotting biker boots, I head over leaving Alexis to waddle behind me. I didn’t realise there were so many different kinds of biker boots. What if I get the wrong ones? I’ll have to keep the receipt.

  “Those ones! He will love them.” Alexis points to a pair of black leather boots on the second from top shelf. They have faded flames up the side along with a metal buckle with a bike on. Perfect!

  I grab them and head to the counter where a bored looking girl is sat, staring at her phone. “Excuse me? Do you have these in a ten?”

  The girl looks up without a smile and takes them from me. “Let me go check for you, madam.” With that she walks out back through a door behind the checkout.

  Standing there, tapping my nails on the counter, my mind takes me back to last night; Champ worshipping me, grasping my hips like a caveman before eating me like I was his last meal.

  “Here you go. Would you like to buy these?” The girl returns and I shake my head from my lustrous thoughts.

  “Yes, please. Do you gift wrap here at all?” Saves me fucking trying to do it at home.

  “Sure.” Once again she disappears out back with the box and I’m left standing there, again, like a complete and utter idiot. Alexis is checking out some killer heels opposite to where I’m stood.

  “Babe? They aren’t going to be any good while you’re six months pregnant.” I have to chuckle because I can see she really wants them, but instead, she sighs and places them back on the shelf where she got them from, a look of resignation on her face. I burst out laughing, the woman is a shoe whore.

  “That will be a hundred and sixty-five dollars please.” The girl behind the counter says. I hand her my credit card and sigh. That’s a lot of damn money for a pair of boots. He better fucking love them.

  “Thank you,” I say, grabbing the bag and my card before calling for Alexis who is still eyeing the darn shoes. Though I have to admit, they’re fucking hot!

  “Where to now?” Alexis asks. “Anything else you need to get?”

  “Nah, just got to pick up the lighter on the way out then I’m heading back to the house,” I reply, a yawn disorientating me and nearly having me knocked into a couple walking by. “Shit.”

  Alexis laughs, holding her prominent baby bump. “If I laugh any more I’m going to pee my panties.”

  “Do you want to head to the bathroom?” I ask her. She’s forever needing a piss. It’s hard to take her out and not head to the toilet every five minutes.

  “Nah, I’m good at the moment, as long as I don’t laugh.”

  After collecting the lighter, we exit the mall. “How did you get here?” I ask Alexis and I shudder at the biting wind.

  “Bus. I’m too big to get behind the wheel now. Anyone would think I was having twins with how big I am at just six months gone.” She pats her bump affectionately, smiling.

  “I’ll drop you off on the way home. Come on.” I walk off in the direction of my car with Alexis in tow, huffing and puffing dramatically.

  “Woman, slow the hell down!” she screeches at me.

  “Shit, sorry, honey.” I slow my pace until we’re once again side by side.

  “How’s it going with Champ?”

  “Yeah, great! Now we have our own place and I wake up to him every morning…I feel my life is almost complete.” I sigh dreamily, knowing I only have a good night’s sleep after being fucked thoroughly.

  “Lauren, I can practically hear your thoughts, and I don’t need the images of you two at it like rabbits.” She visibly shudders and I smack her playfully on the arm.

  “Hey, you can’t do that, I’m pregnant!” Despite her words she laughs in good humor.

  After everything that happened in England, Champ and I decided on buying a house, to start our lives with each other, together, in one place. I love having a normal life, despite the club shit that always gets in the way. But he’s home every night to keep my body sated. He’s there for breakfast every morning, and sometimes he’s there to sit and watch a movie with me in front of our sixty inch TV. Life couldn’t be any better.

  Reaching my mini cooper, I help Alexis in and adjust her chair back so her bump isn’t so squished before hopping into the driver’s seat, putting the key in and starting the car to get the heaters going. “Why does it have to be so fucking cold?”

  “Chill, Lauren. We only get cold weather for, like, one month of the whole year. Other places get it for months at a time,” she scolds me like a child and it makes me snicker with amusement. “What’s so funny now?

  “You talking to me like a child…getting ready for the teenage years already?” I pull out of my parking space and pull out of the car park. We only live ten minutes away and our houses are on the same street, which I love. I get to see Alexis almost every day.

  Pulling up outside her house, I put the car into park. Alexis doesn’t get out right away. I look at her with curiosity in my eyes. “Something the matter, babe?”

  She breathes out a heavy sigh before turning her head to face me. “Cobra has been really funny with me the last few days, and I’m at a loss of what to do.”

  “What do you mean he’s been funny with you?” I raise a brow at her, my lips turning down. “You seemed fine to me.”

  “He’s just been distant. Like, we have hardly held a conversation for more than a few minutes a day. To me, it feels like he’s avoiding me.” Alexis’ eyes look downward while her hands play with a fray of material on her coat. “It feels like he doesn’t want me or this baby.”

  “Don’t you dare! That man worships the ground you walk on, Alexis, and you fucking well know it. Maybe it’s something to do with Christmas. Just wait ‘til afterwards and see what he’s like then.” If I have to chastise her like a child, I will. She’s being ridiculous. I’m all for supporting her, but to doubt Cobra and his intentions or his feelings for her and the baby? Ludicrous. Everyone can see the love that shines from his eyes, his body movements and words, he fucking worships her like a princess. I’ll have a damn word with him as well just to set this shit straight.

  “I know, you’re probably right. My hormones are stupid at the moment, and I’m more emotional than ever,” she sighs. A small smile finally graces her heart shaped face and I pat her knee in comfort before she leaves the confines of the car. “Speak to you later, honey.”

 

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