Devin shot me a look, one eyebrow arched, her lips twitching like she was trying not to smile. “This may be worse than I thought.”
I shrugged, then leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple. “He could do worse.”
“And she could do better.”
“No doubt.” I motioned my head towards the bar. “You want a drink?”
“Absolutely.” I grabbed us both a cold beer from the cooler and offered one to her. “The kids make it to your mom’s okay?”
“Yes, but I don’t think Austin was all that thrilled about staying there.”
“Was he still going on about Malcomb?”
“Oh, yeah, and he’s probably still going on about it right now with Mom. But I’m sticking to my guns on this. He isn’t going back over there until he brings up that history grade.”
“If it makes any difference, I think you’re doing the right thing.”
“It makes all the difference.”
Laura laughed at something Goose said, and our attention was drawn over to them. My brother was laying it on thick, and Laura was eating it up. It was doubtful it would go anywhere. She was out of his league, and they had nothing in common, but I couldn’t blame him for trying.
Hell, I’d do just about anything to be sitting where I am tonight.
I had my brothers, my club, and my girl.
And nothing could beat that.
Devin looked over at me with that smile. Damn, it got to me every fucking time. I leaned in without thinking and kissed her, long and hard. When we came up for air, I whispered, “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“You better ‘cause you’re stuck with me.”
“And you’re stuck with me.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
EPILOGUE
Creed
Four Years Later
“Ican’t believe you agreed to this.”
“She’s sixteen.” Devin was standing in the kitchen with Grace, our two-year-old daughter, propped on her hip, and she couldn’t have sounded more unbothered as she announced, “I was fifteen when I started dating.”
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“I think you’re being a little overprotective here.”
I loved the woman. I loved the kids and the life we’d created together, but at that moment, she had me teetering toward the edge.
I’d faced the cartel, hitmen, rival MCs, and dirty cops who’d nearly destroyed everything I loved. But nothing, and I mean nothing, had prepared me for watching Chrissy get ready for her very first date. It was literally killing me. And when she came down the hall in a dress that was too damn short and her hair and makeup done, I swear to God, my heart stopped.
Hell, I barely even recognized her. Before, her idea of getting dressed up was ditching her sweats for a pair of jeans. And I wasn’t the only one who was struggling with it. Austin was standing at the front door, glaring out the window, just waiting for the guy to pull up. “So, what’s his name again?”
“Ethan,” Chrissy answered for the thirteenth time. “And he’s just a friend. It’s not a big deal.”
