“I’ll take her. Stretch your legs for a moment. I’m sure you’re sore.” I take the baby and kiss her forehead.
“You are tteh bests baby girl ever. Daddy is so very proud of you. No fussing or crying at all.” I look up to see a man trying to help Rosario with our bags.
“No need, thank you.” I stand carefully not to hit my head, and he blanches.
“Sorry,” he scurries off and I chuckle.
“He was trying to be nice.” Rosario says taking Willow so I can lower our bags from teh overhead compartment.
“Hey was talking to your breasts.” She laughs but looks down at herself a little self-consciously.
“You look fantastic.” I take a second to kiss her before leading us off the airplane.
The dry heat hits me immediately, and already I miss the cool mountain air I’ve grown used to. We make our way through the crowded airport that doubles as a fucking casino and down to baggage where Lucas and his boys are all waiting for us.
Five men, dressed in leather vests with patches announcing they’re all members of the MorningStar MC, Paradise mother chapter.
“Good to see you, boy!” I clasp my godson into a hug, and he pushes me away a second later.
“Yeah, yeah, missed you too. Hello, Rosario, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. May I?” He reaches for my daugther and I nod at Rosey when she acts like she won’t let him hold her.
“Watch her head…Oh, nevermind. You’ve had practice.” I chuckle at her shock that Lucas can hold our daughter like a pro.
“My son Dom just started school. I miss this stage. Maybe it’s time I knock up my old lady again.” His men laugh as Roasrio frowns at the openly shared private matter.
“Might want to ask the poor woman first. I couldn’t imagine going through labor at an older age.” I choke on air and try to hide my laughter.
Lucas does no such thing and straddles Willow.
“Oh, no. Sorry! It’s a biker term. My wife Gianna isn’t actually old, in terms of age. Shh, it’s okay, little sis. Nothing and no one is ever gonna hurt you here. I’ve got an SUV with a car seat outside ready to go. The guys and I will escort. Let’s grab your bags.” He transfers Willow back to her mother, and then we all move to leave.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you a Cliff Notes on Biker’s Book later,” I whisper in her ear as we get outside.
“Are they a gang?” I laugh, but it’s Lucas’s Reno’s vice president who answers her.
“A brotherhood. I’m Issac, but these delinquents call me Spark.” The tall redheaded Irish man grins at my wife, and if I didn’t know he was happily married to his own Latina firecracker, I’d shoot him dead on the spot.
As it is, I still snap my finger at him to blink and move.
“Have we met?” he tilts his head and then glances at the baby.
“Spent any time in a Cuban monastery?” The color drains from his face, and since Spark is normally a fair ghostly white, that’s saying a lot.
“He hasn’t, but I have. I’m Darius, Lucas’s nephew. My God, you’re her spitting image.” Confusion fills her eyes, and she looks to me for answers I don’t have.
“Can we maybe have this conversation off the street?” I take the baby and place her in the car seat while Rosario climbs in next to her.
“Armored?” I ask after I’ve closed the door.
“Of course. DJ, what the fuck was that all about?” Lucas glares at his sergeant-at-arms.
“I’ll show you when we get back to the house.” He mounts his bike and waits for us to get into the SUV.
Lucas drives us across town to the compound the club built for members about a decade ago. It’s a large iron gate with the club logo, a grom reaper skull with two morningstar maces crossed in front proudly hanging in the middle of it, a silent warning of what will happen to anyone who crosses onto this property with ill intentions.
“Is brotherhood slang for clut?” I bite my lip at Rosario’s question.
“It’s just a regular gated community. We even have a playground. Look, here comes Dom’s school bus now.” Lucas points at the big yellow bus and honks with a wave at it.
