“Alright, brother?” I ask, smiling.
“Today’s the day,” he replies.
I take a sip of my water. “I can’t wait. But I have one last ask of you.”
He arches a brow suspiciously. “Go on.”
“I want you to take ownership of the strip club.” It’s the last thing on my list to prove to Hell I’m serious.
He clasps my shoulder. “Of course, but only if you’re sure. I mean, it belongs to the club.”
“No, it belongs to you now. I’ll get a solicitor to make it all official. I don’t want anything to do with it. I have to make changes, otherwise, I’m going to end up just like my dad.”
He nods in acknowledgement. “I hear you.”
“Hell would never ask me to give up the club, but I don’t need the women, the alcohol, or the money. I just need them—my family and my brothers. I’ve made some seriously shit choices, but that changes from now. We need to do better.”
He smirks.
“What?” I ask.
“I just never fucking thought I’d see the day our Pres went soft.”
I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Shut up, you fucker. And if you tell anyone?—”
He puts his hands up in defence, laughing. “Your secret is safe with me.”
I bring the bottle to my lips. “Fucker,” I mutter into it before taking a sip.
We pull into the compound, and I look in the mirror at them as I park the car. Hell is looking down at our daughter, grinning from ear to ear.
“You ready?” I ask. She looks up, and our eyes meet in the reflection.
She lets out a breath. “Would it be stupid to say I’m nervous?”
I shake my head, twisting in my seat to look at her. “Nope, because I am too. We’ve had the support of all the nurses, and now, we’ve gotta do this shit on our own.”
She arches a brow at me and laughs.
“What?” I ask
“Language . . . little ears.”
I smile as I get out of the driver’s side and make my way around to open the door for her.
I offer her my hand and smile when she takes it, helping her to her feet.
It’s been a couple of weeks since her operation, but she’s still sore, and I don’t want her overdoing it.
I head round to the other side and unclip the car seat before pulling it free. I lean in and kiss her on the head. “You ready, princess? Welcome home,” I whisper.
We walk through the bar, and everyone stops, coming over to gush over her.
Red embraces Hell tightly. They haven’t seen each other whilst she’s been at the hospital. Hell wanted some time to herself, saying she wanted to figure shit out without people interfering, and to be honest, watching her blossom has been a beautiful sight.
Gone is the angry, tired woman who went in, and suddenly, she seems free from stress, relaxed, and like the mother I always knew she would be.
I grab her attention and whisper, “I’ll take her upstairs.” I place a chaste kiss on her cheek. She smiles, nodding. “I’ll be up soon.”
