This is more than I dared hope for when I sought him out. A father who doesn't just acknowledge his child but actively wants to be involved in his life.
"That would be good for Max," I say softly. "Having you in his life."
"What about us?" Dean asks, his gaze intent. "Where do we fit in this picture?"
We barely know each other, yet we share the most profound connection possible. We're not a couple, not a family in the traditional sense, yet we're bound together by Max in ways that can never be undone.
"I don't know," I admit. "I never expected to find you again, let alone..."
I gesture vaguely, encompassing everything. His house, his unexpected kindness, the strange bubble we've created in just twenty-four hours.
"Neither did I," he says. "But here we are."
"Here we are," I repeat.
Chapter 7 - Torch
"Here we are," Sidney repeats, her voice soft in the quiet living room.
I look at her, and something feels different in my chest. She's beautiful in a way I was too drunk to fully appreciate three years ago. The extra curves motherhood has given her suit her. Her auburn hair falls in loose waves around her face, and when she tilts her head back and sighs, her throat exposed, I feel a jolt of desire so powerful it catches me off guard.
Fuck. I want her. Not just physically, though that's definitely part of it. I want more of this: sitting together at night, talking, sharing meals, raising our son. I want a family. The family I never had growing up.
But how the hell do I tell her that? We barely know each other. I left her once, even if I didn't know what I was leaving behind. What right do I have to ask her to stay now?
She rubs her eyelids, clearly exhausted, and drags her tongue across her lips. The innocent gesture sends blood rushing to my cock, hardening it painfully against my jeans. I shift on the couch, trying to adjust without being obvious, and silently curse my body's betrayal. This isn't the fucking time.
"I've been thinking," she says, oblivious to my predicament, "about Blackwater Falls."
"What about it?" I manage, my voice rougher than intended.
"I wouldn't mind staying here. In town, I mean." She glances up, gauging my reaction. "After all, I have nowhere else to go."
"Are you sure? It's not exactly the best small town in the world."
She chuckles, the sound making me want to hear it again. "From what I've seen, it seems perfectly fine. I'm not high maintenance,Dean. As long as Max and I have a place to sleep, food, a job for me, and eventually a school for him… We'll survive."
"You'll have everything you want," I tell her, the words coming from somewhere deep and sincere. "Because you're not alone anymore. You have me now, and the whole Savage Riders. You're family, both of you. Any member would die to protect our son."
Her eyes shine suddenly, like she's holding back tears.
"Are you okay?" I ask, concerned.
"I'm just... emotional," she admits. "This is so much more than I expected. I feel like this weight I've been carrying, it's finally lifting. I can breathe without worrying about every single day." She leans closer, placing her hands atop mine, "Thank you. Over these two years, I thought a lot about how you might react to the news of having a kid, but I never thought it would go this well."
"I understand why you'd think that," I say, looking down at our hands. "When we met, I was a fucking mess. But I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't follow my parents' footsteps. I'd be better. I'd support my son in any way possible, and I'll support whatever he wants to be, even if I disagree. Because to me, a good parent adapts to their son, not the other way around."
"You're going to be a fantastic father," she says softly. "Max has no idea how lucky he is."
"I'm the lucky one," I tell her, unable to stop myself. "Because I not only have an incredible son, but a beautiful woman sitting before me."
She seems to choke, immediately taking her hand off mine. "What do you mean by that?"
I meet her gaze steadily. "You heard right. You're beautiful, Sidney. And I'm not going to pretend you're not."
She shakes her head, disbelieving. "You must be drunk. I look like an absolute mess. Dirty clothes, untreated hair, and I'm clearly a lot chubbier than when we met."
"You think I give a fuck about any of that?" I ask.
