Repo
Repo saton the edge of the tub watching the pregnancy test that sat on the countertop like it had offended him in some way. Cat didn’t seem much happier about any of this and in just a little over an hour, he had to have her to the courthouse for the judge to decide their fate. His future with Cat and their possible kid rested in the hands of a person who didn’t know her. The judge didn’t know Cat’s struggles or what her family had put her through. He wouldn’t know how she fought like hell to keep a roof over her head and food in her belly. The judge wouldn’t understand the choices she made just to survive but Repo did and he was so fucking proud of her even though he had no right to be.
“Marry me,” he whispered. He looked up to find Cat staring down at the test still and he knew she probably hadn’t heard his question. “Cat,” he said, clearing his throat.
“I heard you, Repo,” she said. “I’m just not sure how to answer you. When we started all of this.” She paused and pointed between the two of them. “You said that we wouldn’t make each other any promises or plan for a future together. We were both too damaged for that and who knows, maybe I still am. But, this is all happening so quickly—I just don’t know how to answer you. I won’t be your obligation or your burden,” she insisted.
“Never,” he said. Repo stood from his perch on the side of the tub and wrapped an arm around her. “Never that, Cat. I’ve been honest with you through all of this. When we started together, I believe that it was just going to be a ‘here and now’ kind of thing but you quickly became so much more than that to me. I can’t explain any of this—our crazy connection or how I feel that I can’t live without you even after only spending eight weeks with you. I want you, Cat—all of you. I want to plan a future and a life together no matter what that test tells us. Say you’ll marry me, Cat.” He sounded like he was begging her to tell him, yes but he didn’t give a fuck. He’d get down on his damn knees and beg if that’s what it would take for her to agree to be his wife. He never wanted anything more than he wanted her—that part was true.
Cat wiped at the tears that were now streaming down her beautiful face. He stopped one from falling from her soft cheek with his thumb and dipped his head to gently kiss her mouth. “Say yes,” he whispered against her trembling lips.
The slight nod of her head gave him so much damn hope but he needed the words from her. “Is that a yes, Honey?” he questioned.
“Yes,” she stuttered. “I’ll marry you, Repo.” He picked her up and spun around his master bathroom, causing her to squeal. “Put me down,” she protested. The alarm on his phone went off, indicating that the test should be finished and he stopped spinning around, letting Cat slowly slide down his body.
“Not too late to rescind your proposal,” she said. Her frown said it all but there was no way in hell he’d want to take any of it back.
“I wouldn’t take back one single minute with you Cat,” he admitted. “I’ve loved every second of being with you—even when you were fighting to get away from me and being a complete pain in my ass—I still loved it. I love you, Cat. That pregnancy test won’t change how I feel.”
“I guess it’s time to face the music,” she said, picking up the test. She studied it for a few minutes and then handed it to him. “You read the directions—pregnant or not?” Repo looked down at the white stick with two pink lines and smiled.
“Pregnant,” he said. “We’re going to have a baby.” The old Repo would have laughed his ass off at the fact that he’d gotten her pregnant but then again old Repo didn’t ever see himself settling down or having a family—ever. Meeting Cat changed all that for him—she changed him and made him want so much more out of life.
“Shit,” she cursed. “What the hell are we going to do, Repo?” she asked.
He kissed her forehead and pulled her against his body. It felt like he was holding his whole world in his arms. “First, we’re going down to the courthouse and fighting like hell to keep you out of prison. Then, how about we go to the clerk and get hitched. I know there isn’t a waiting period in Alabama. We can just walk in—that is, if you want to.”
“I want to,” she said. “But what if—” Repo sealed his mouth over hers before she could get the rest of her question out. He knew what she was going to say. Cat was worried that she was going to have to serve time. What she didn’t understand was that if she did, he’d be right there waiting for her every step of the way. He packed up his apartment just to show her that he believed in her—he backed her. If he had to unpack his shit and stay right there in Huntsville, waiting for her to get out, he would.
“No what if’s,” he growled. “Now get dressed—we have a future to get to.” Repo let her go and picked up the positive pregnancy test she had dropped onto the sink counter. For the first time in a very long time, he felt like he had a future. Before he had just been living day by day to get by but now—he had something to live for. Or, in this case—two someones.
* * *
His lawyer metthem in the courtroom and made a show of looking down at his watch. Yeah, he knew they were a little late but he and Cat needed to work through the fact that they were going to be parents.
“Sorry we’re late,” Cat breathed. She looked up at Repo and smiled. They had agreed to get through the hearing first and then they’d share their news. Besides, he wanted the first people to know about his kid to be his club—his brothers. Savage had texted him earlier that morning to tell him that he had some news about Repo joining their sister club in Tennessee. He promised Savage that he and Cat would stop over just as soon as they were done at court. Then, he could hopefully share all their happy news.
“You’re up next,” the lawyer promised. “You ready?” Cat nodded. Repo knew that he wanted her to plead not guilty and that he hoped Cat would share some of her story with the court—try to appeal to the judge’s soft side if he even had one. But, Repo worried that spilling her guts and her ugly past for a courtroom full of people would be too much for her.
“Catrina Linz,” the bailiff called from the front of the courtroom. Repo kissed her cheek and smiled down at her but honestly, he felt just as nervous about all this as she looked.
“You got this, Baby,” he promised. Cat nodded and followed her lawyer to the front of the room, standing behind the big desk. The bailiff introduced the court case to the judge and when the judge asked how Cat wanted to plead, he felt like he was holding his damn breath.
“Not guilty, Your Honor. With an explanation,” she quickly added. She had a different judge this time. This judge was an older guy, probably in his mid to late fifties and he looked like he’d be stern as hell. Repo would be afraid of the guy if he was in Cat’s shoes. The judge looked over his readers at Cat and nodded.
“Let’s hear it then,” he ordered. The lawyer had gone over the rules of the courtroom, one of them being not to speak unless asked to. She was doing such a good job and Repo was so damn proud of his woman. He could hear her voice shake and knew she was nervous but Cat quickly recounted her ugly past and abusive asshole step-father and every sorted detail she had to spell out for the courtroom made Repo feel sick. He wished he could go to her and comfort her but that wouldn’t be allowed. Instead, all he could do was stand by and silently watch as the woman he loved told her hellish story.
When she finished, the courtroom was so completely silent Repo could hear the judge’s sigh. “That’s quite a story you have there, Miss Linz. I understand what drove you to become a prostitute but it’s still a crime and you admitted that you did it—right?” Cat hung her head and gave a little nod. Repo worried that they had gotten a judge who didn’t give a fuck about extenuating circumstances and Cat was going to pay the price. Shit.
“You mentioned that you’ve been working to turn your life around,” the judge said. “Want to tell me how?”
“Sure,” Cat stuttered. The lawyer had told her to be careful bringing up the fact that she had gotten involved with Repo. The judge might see Cat attaching herself to a man as a way to keep her old lifestyle and break free from having to work the streets. He even used the term, “Kept woman” and Repo wanted to tear him apart.
“I’ve met someone,” Cat admitted. Repo’s groan filled the courtroom. She was doing just what the lawyer told her not to. Cat looked over her shoulder to where he sat and smiled at him. “He’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever known. He’s taught me to believe in myself and know that I can do better—be better. I’m going to start working for a security company and although I’ll be learning the ropes at first, I hope to make it my career. I won’t go back to the streets or my old life. I can’t,” she whispered, cupping her unnoticeable baby bump. “I’m going to be a mother and a wife—that is if I don’t have to serve time, I’m getting married right after this.” She shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal but Repo knew it was important to Cat. Hell, it was important to them both.
“I want to be the kind of mother mine never was. I’ll be there for this baby and my future husband. I want the family I never got but always dreamed of when I was a little girl.” The judge dropped the papers he was holding onto his desk and sat back in his chair. He studied Cat over his reading glasses again and Repo knew that she was being weighed and measured. He just hoped like hell the judge could see what he saw in Cat—the caring, kind, loving person she was hiding deep down under her bad girl persona.
“Is this fiancé here today?” the judge asked, looking around the courtroom.