Sure enough, we don't make it three steps before the welcoming committee descends. Angel reaches us first, her petite frame practically vibrating with excitement as she throws her arms around Aria.
"You came!" Angel pulls back, beaming.
Sophie drapes her arm over Aria’s shoulders. "We’ve been waiting for you to arrive.”
Luna takes Aria’s arm. "Come meet Rose. She's been dying to see who finally snagged Hawk."
I roll my eyes, but can't fight the grin spreading across my face. Seeing Aria being welcomed into my world like she belongs here settles something in me. Calms the turbulent restlessness inside.
The women drag her to a corner where Rose sits cradling her little one in her arms. Rose smiles up at Aria with genuine warmth in her eyes. I can’t hear what she says, but she adjusts the blanket around the tiny face peeking out.
I’m about to head over, but Ghost's hand lands heavily on my shoulder. "Let the women do their thing," my president says, steering me to the bar where the officers are gathered. “Trust me, Cipher's got eyes on them. And probably three or four cameras pointed their way.”
He's right. Cipher, the club's intelligence officer, monitors everything and misses nothing.
Blade passes me a beer. "So," he says with a smirk, "took you all of what, thirty seconds after you laid eyes on that girl to claim her as yours?"
"Fuck off," I mutter, taking a long pull from the bottle.
Saint laughs, the sound rich and genuine. "Brother, we've all been there. One look at my Luna and I was ready to kill any man who breathed in her direction."
“Ditto with Sophie,” Blade agrees.
The familiar banter washes over me, but my attention keeps drifting back to Aria. Rose has handed her the baby, and the way her face softens as she gazes down at little Lucas, gently rocking him, has me suddenly going all caveman. I’ve never before considered having kids of my own. I always regarded babies as loud and smelly with sewage coming out of every orifice—miniature puking, pooping, pissing machines. But right now,the sight of my woman with an infant in her arms makes me want to put a baby in her in the worst way.
"When you giving her your cut?" Ghost asks, following my line of sight.
I tear my eyes away from Aria. "Soon, prez. Soon as it can be made.”
Ghost flashes a knowing grin. "I'll get right on it.”
I don’t need to explain to any of them the protective rage that's been building inside me since finding her battered and bruised. They've all been there—finding women who needed saving and claiming them without hesitation. It's like it’s in our DNA as Shadow Reapers or something.
"When you know, you know,” Cipher comments, his eyes still tracking his woman and child.
I grin like a fucking sappy-assed fool when little Lucas wraps his tiny hand around my woman’s finger, and she smiles down at him like he's just performed a miracle.
Yeah, I need to get her belly round with my child.
"You thinking what I think you're thinking?" Ghost asks, nudging my ribs.
"Maybe," I admit, surprising myself.
"Shit," Blade laughs.
"Not right away," I growl, though the image refuses to leave my mind. "But yeah, eventually."
Saint raises his beer. "To continuing the Reaper legacy."
We clink bottles as Abuela, Luna's grandmother, approaches the women. The elderly woman takes the baby from Aria with practiced ease, saying something that makes all the women laugh. Abuela will babysit Lucas while we're on the run.
Angel claps her hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Masks time,” she announces, dragging out a large plastic tub. "Everyone has to wear one for the run.”
The women gather around the container, pulling out an assortment of Halloween masks. I make my way back to Aria's side, slipping an arm around her waist.
"Having fun?" I ask, pressing a kiss to her temple.
"They're all so nice. I've never had friends before." Her eyes shine up at me, glazed with a sheen of tears.
