“Take care of my girls.”
I stood there in the quiet nursery, Isa cooing happily in my arms while those words hung in the air long after he left.
7
CROSS
The deep, rhythmic rumble of my bike echoed through my body as I shot down the road toward the clubhouse. The wind sliced across my skin, cold despite the clear weather. My knuckles flexed around the handlebars, gripping tight enough to turn my skin white. Frustration and anger coiled tightly within me as I replayed the conversation I’d had with Wizard, each detail grinding like sandpaper on raw nerves.
When my phone had buzzed in my pocket, the screen flashing Wizard’s name, I’d already known it wasn’t good news. He didn’t call unless it was urgent. And I’d quickly found out how right I was when he told me about the footage he’d found of my brother leaving the bar with Rea. Along with the gas station receipt I’d provided that proved I was out of town, I had all the evidence I needed that Gavin was the one who’d gotten her pregnant.
But it didn’t do me much good since the motherfucker had dropped off the grid. Wizard was piecing together his last known movements, trying to narrow down his location. But he’d hit an even bigger snag because my legal name was starting to popup in some conversations tied to shit the club wouldn’t fucking touch.
Gavin had spent our whole damn lives making messes, and somehow, I was always stuck cleaning them up.
Wizard had already updated King and Blaze. The prez had set a meeting for two hours later, giving me time to get my family situated.
I throttled down as the clubhouse came into view, the familiar building stark against the sky. Pulling into the compound, I killed the engine and sat motionless for a long moment, my gaze fixed on the front doors. My muscles were wound tight, my body thrumming with anger, frustration, and something more acute.
I fucking hated leaving Hannah and Isa back at the house, but this shit couldn’t wait. Gavin was a disaster magnet, always dragging me into the debris he left behind. I knew in my bones he’d gotten himself tangled in deep trouble, and the idea of him pulling me—and by extension my girls—into it filled me with a cold, controlled fury.
Whatever mess Gavin had made this time, I was going to handle it and be done with him. No fucking way was his bullshit going to touch my family.
I strode into King’s office, letting the door swing shut behind me with a firm thud that matched my mood. My gaze swept the familiar room, landing first on King, who sat behind his massive oak desk, his expression unreadable. Cerberus, his Cane Corso, lay sprawled beside the desk—an intimidating presence even at rest. He lifted his massive head, sizing me up with sharp, assessing eyes before offering a grudging tail wag. I’d passed muster.
Blaze, the club's VP, leaned back casually in one of the leather chairs in front of King’s desk, his boots propped up on one knee and his arms folded loosely across his broad chest.Ash, our secretary and resident legal mastermind, was flipping through a thick file on the conference table, somehow looking professional even in faded jeans, a black T-shirt, and his cut. Wizard slouched on the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him and a tablet balanced on his lap. The sight of him glaring through his black-rimmed reading glasses at the screen was a familiar one.
I dropped onto a chair at the conference table, stretching my legs out with a low sigh. “Any of you fuckers have good news, now would be the time to share it.”
Blaze’s lips twitched with dark amusement as he glanced up at me. “Well, brother, if you consider finding out you’ve suddenly become daddy material good news, you’re in luck.”
Ash leaned back slightly, one brow lifting as he studied me. “Fastest I’ve ever seen you get locked down without even knowing it was happening.”
I shot him a flat look, leaning back in my chair and dragging a hand over my jaw. “You two done, or you gonna keep talking like you’ve got a death wish?”
Blaze chuckled low, clearly enjoying himself. “Just saying, man. You walked in here yesterday without a kid, now you’ve got a baby, a woman showing up swinging, and a whole mess tied to your name. That’s a hell of a fucking day.”
Ash smirked, flipping a page in his file. “From what Rebel said, she didn’t exactly ease into the conversation.”
“Rebel talks too much,” I muttered.
Blaze huffed a laugh. “Nah. He said just enough.”
I leveled him with a look that promised retaliation later. “Keep pushing.”
He held up a hand, still grinning. “Relax, Cross. Just enjoying the show. Always fun to watch another brother being pussy-whipped by a woman.”
Wizard snorted, not even glancing up from his screen. “Welcome to the club,” he grunted, making both Blaze and Ash chuckle.
Not one of these guys had a single problem being on a leash if it was their old lady holding the other end. And now…I couldn’t blame them.
King rolled his eyes, an irritated growl rumbling from his chest as he leaned forward, placing his palms flat against the desk. “All right, knock it the fuck off. As entertaining as it is watching you idiots bust each other's balls, we’ve got shit to handle. Ash, fill Cross in on the legal angles.”
Ash adjusted in his seat, immediately shifting into lawyer mode as he glanced my way. “First off, legally speaking, the paperwork this woman provided checks out. Birth certificate lists Griffin Reid as the father. I’ve already started processing and filing everything. But first things first—I want you to get a DNA test. We need to confirm Isa is Gavin’s.”
My spine stiffened instantly, my voice cutting through the room. “Gavin might’ve been the sperm donor, but that baby girl is fucking mine.”
Ash held up a hand, calm and placating, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “I figured as much. Which is exactly why we want the test. You two being identical twins means the DNA results won’t be able to distinguish which of you is the biological father. That way, even if Gavin crawls out of whatever hellhole he’s in, he won’t be able to prove he’s Isa’s father instead of you. It’s about protecting your claim.”
