I don’t need to be told twice, and I don’t stick around to continue this conversation.
Most brothers are with their old ladies, only Luca and his chapter are in the bar grabbing a beer and kicking back. Walking behind the bar, I grab the bottle of whiskey and a glass.
“I weren’t expecting to see you for a while, thought you’d be with Holly,” Luca says as I join him at my table.
“So did I,” I mutter pouring myself a large measure.
I throw it down my neck and immediately pour another.
“Don’t tell me something has kicked off since we’ve got back.”
“I’ve got a new son.”
Arching his brow, he asks, “Come again?”
“While I was gone, Holly adopted Shane’s kid.”
“Why?” He snorts.
My brother’s lack of empathy turns my thoughts. “Because he has no one, Luc, she said it was either that or putting him into foster care.”
“And you’re not an asshole, and she’s a good mom, why are you so surprised she’d do this?”
I'm not. Fuck. Why did I kick off with her? I go to stand when Warren stops by the table, staring down at me.
“It’s been a long life, say what you’ve gotta say so I can get home,” I grunt.
“I wanted to talk to you before your old lady or your kid told you.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I wonder what the fuck else could have happened?
“Spit it out, Warren, my brother’s tired,” Luca orders.
“While you were gone, Rayna got past us and walked to town.” I flex my hands into fists as I listen. “I went with Holly, and we found her safe and well near her Grandma’s house.”
Pushing up from my chair, I tell Luca, “Get the full story outta him and then deal with him, please. I ain’t got it in me.”
Taking the whiskey with me, I step out of the bar and tuck it under my arm so I can light a cigarette. Under the night’s sky, I inhale on my smoke and exhale long and hard. Processing the shit we’ve been through, the last thing I need is it kicking off in my home. I make my way to the house and find Holly sat on the couch. She jumps up when I close the door behind me.
“You weren’t gone long.”
“I didn’t need long to realise I was wrong.”
Taking her hand, we sit on the couch. I sit back to relieve some of the pain in my side. I swig from the whiskey bottle and sigh with relief. Holly sits on her knees beside me and I cup my hand around her cheek.
“You’re an amazing mom, and you have a pure heart. If this is what you want, then it’ll happen. We'll raise him as our own, it wouldn’t work any other way with our two here, but we’ll make sure to tell him about Shane when he’s old enough.”
“You mean that?”
“I do. Go get me the paperwork.”
Once it is signed and the ink is dry, I sit back and Holly curls up to me. “The next time though, talk to me before you make us responsible for another child.” “It’s not likely, babe, is it. You wouldn’t have seen him raised by strangers when he’s a part of this club.”
I kiss the top of her head and hold her closer. “Probably wouldn’t have, you’re right, but still. Three kids and two under one. Shit's gonna be fun for a while, ain’t it.”
“It already has been,” she murmurs.
“Now you can tell me about Rayna walking to town on her own.”
