I glanced in the rearview mirror again and felt a smile tugging at my mouth as I watched them. It was funny how quickly I’d adapted to these types of conversations. When Kane and Axle had first become fathers, I hadn’t imagined moments like this becoming a regular part of our lives. Yet somehow, they had.
The Kings were lethal, dangerous men, but the kids saw us as nothing more than their personal protectors and playmates. And we were fine with that. Hell, we thrived on it.
It would shock the shit out of anyone who knew our reputation to find out that a couple of crocodile tears from a tiny little human in a tutu would have any one of us wearing a tiara at an imaginary tea party to make it stop.
Adjusting my hands on the wheel, I took a deep breath, shifting my thoughts to the purpose behind today’s trip. It had been a week since Kane had given me permission to handle Tripp, and I’d spent nearly every moment since then carefully planning and reconsidering my next move. Aubrey’s dossier provided the initial information I needed, showing that she was a college student and a nanny with a predictable routine. Without telling Jax why, I quietly asked him to pull surveillance feeds and phone data for the previous month, so I could pinpoint exactly where and when I could approach her without raising suspicion.
The information had come back quickly. Twice a week after school, she took the kids she cared for to a quiet beach park. Aubrey would have no reason to suspect my approach because she had no clue about her brother’s undercover assignment. She was entirely unaware of what Tripp had done or the betrayal hehad committed against the Kings, and that innocence made her an easy target for my revenge.
But over the past few days, the plan I’d initially been so certain of began to sour in my gut. I’d spent hours looking over Aubrey’s photo, trying to convince myself of the righteousness of my intention, but the more I stared at her face, the harder it became to justify it.
She wasn’t responsible for her brother’s actions. She’d never hurt me or the club. And despite how deeply Tripp’s betrayal had cut me, using an innocent woman felt profoundly wrong.
The issue wasn’t if I could complete the plan; the issue was what it said about me if I did.
The Redline Kings didn’t operate like that. Our code had always been crystal clear: we never targeted innocents or used uninvolved family members as collateral damage. Kane had built this club on loyalty, honor, and a clear moral line—even within the world we occupied—and I’d never crossed it before. The realization that I’d even considered doing so unsettled me deeply.
Then yesterday, I overheard Savannah and Ashlynn talking quietly in the clubhouse lounge. With Kane and Axle away on a run, both women were exhausted. Savannah was eight months pregnant, clearly needing rest, while Ashlynn was juggling a three-month-old infant. Both dealing with that, along with Kylan and Mylo, who were both just shy of two and into everything. Seeing their fatigue, I had immediately volunteered to take the boys for the afternoon, offering them a break and making their day a little easier.
It wasn’t unusual for me to do that. All of us stepped in to take care of the kids when needed, because that was what family did. And if we didn’t take care of the old ladies, their men would flay the rest of us alive.
Savannah and Ashlynn had gratefully handed the kids over without a second thought. But the timing wasn’t accidental. I’d made that decision partly because I’d known Aubrey would be at the park today. It felt like fate had handed me exactly what I needed.
Yet as I drove closer to the beach, each mile brought more doubt and an increasing sense of disgust with myself. This wasn’t who I was, and it definitely wasn’t who I wanted to become. Even thinking about manipulating Aubrey felt cowardly and fundamentally opposed to the man I had always tried to be.
By the time I pulled into the parking lot and brought the SUV to a stop, my mind was made up. The plan was over—I couldn’t do it. I would take the boys to the playground, watch them enjoy their afternoon, get them ice cream afterward, and then go home. Aubrey would never even know I’d been here. No manipulation or hidden agendas. Just an afternoon with two rambunctious toddlers, helping out their tired mothers and letting the rest of it go.
As I climbed out of the SUV, the boys were already arguing excitedly about who would go down the slide first. I chuckled, rounding the vehicle to open the door for them. When I opened it, the boys had worked themselves into another argument.
“Kylan pushed me.”
“I didn’t.”
“He did.”
“You stole my truck.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
I rubbed my forehead and muttered, “For fuck’s sake.”
Two sets of little eyes blinked up at me, and I sighed.Shit. “Sorry. Uncle Blitz forgot little ears are listening.”
Mylo grinned. “You said fuck.”
I closed my eyes briefly.Double shit.
“Yeah.” I sighed to myself. “That’s my fault.”
Kylan cocked his little head to the side, his expression thoughtful. “Can I say it?”
“No.”
His tone was indignant when he asked, “Why not?”
“Because your mom will murder me.”
