Rian isn’t far off.
“I think she’ll do fine. She’s kind and cares about people. I think she’ll fit right in as long as everyone gives her a real chance.”
“Some of the guys might fall over themselves when they see her. You’ll have to make your claim clear.” He eyes me and then asks the most important question, “Are you making her your Old Lady?”
“You better fucking believe she’s my Old Lady,” I growl. “I already had her on the back of my bike.” My voice fills with astonishment, “I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“Didn’t know riding could be better, huh?”
“Exactly,” I exclaim and let out a huff. “I’m never letting that feeling go.”
Cowboy’s hand comes down on my shoulder and he gives a squeeze. “Welcome to the club, brother. It’s a damn good one. Call me if you ever need help burying a body.”
I snort out a laugh, but then stop when I can think of a lot of fucking reasons why I might need help burying a body because of my woman.
“Fucking hell,” I grunt.
I’m in a lot of fucking trouble. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
CHAPTER 11
QUINCY
When Rian looks up at Brielle, something squishy happens in my chest. I’ve always wanted kids, but I started giving up on that dream a few years ago. It felt safer to put the dream away than admit to myself I wasn’t going to meet a man to have a family with.
Not just any man either.
That was never an option. As much as I wanted to have someone to walk through life with me, I was never going to allow desperation to blind me to the men around me and who they really are. It was more likely that I’d meet a random man and fall in love with him, someone with no ties to the entertainment world.
My gaze slides over to Hawkins who is standing with Cowboy. He keeps glancing my way as if he’s trying to make sure that I’m still here and that I’m okay. The warmth from his care spreads through my body after starting in my chest.
“I’m going to go draw a picture,” Rian announces.
She dive-bombs me with a hug, and I allow myself to feel all of it. I realize I’ve just met this little girl, but there’s something magical about her. The way she opens herself up to the people around her, giving them all her light with abandon, has me falling in love with her.
“I hope this isn’t the only time I see you, Quincy.” She pulls back and looks up at me with a blindingly bright smile on her face, “Friends keep in touch.”
“You are absolutely right,” I agree with her. My voice drops to a whisper as I tell her, “I don’t have many friends, I can’t afford to lose any.”
“You don’t have many friends?” The shock and incredulousness in her voice makes me smile. Having a ten-year-old offended on my behalf is a new experience, but the fierce look on her face makes me love this turn of events. “That’s not going to work for me, Quincy. Now you have us. We’re a big family and there is plenty of room for you.”
“I’m so glad I met you today, Rian,” I tell her.
She gives me one more hug and then she’s off. I find myself watching the place where she just was, dazzled by everything that is Rian.
Brielle chuckles softly and when I look at her, the understanding on her face has me blowing out a breath. “She’s amazing,” I tell her honestly.
Her face lights up with a huge smile and she nods slowly. “She is. I’m lucky she’s opened her heart to me. Sometimes I can’t believe that she’s not mine.”
I meet Brielle’s eyes, my voice like steel, “She is yours.” When she blinks at me, I keep going. “It’s obvious that she loves you with everything she is and you feel the same way about her. I think that’s what matters more than biology.”
Her entire being softens. “You’re right.” She glances toward where Rian disappeared and then glances at Cowboy. “I was shocked when I found out he had a daughter. It brought home how much life continued to move on, which is the whole reason why our paths diverged in the first place—life was always going to take us in different directions.”
“You knew him a long time ago?”
“We were high school sweethearts,” she tells me, something wistful crossing her face. “But I needed to chase the stage lights, and he needed to figure out who he was and where he belonged.”
As I nod over toward our men, I point out, “It seems like he found his place.”
