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“Good. ’Cause when it comes to you, to us, nothing’s gonna stop me.”

Chapter 26

Scythe

Halloween was always a big deal for the club, and after the year before, we needed that night more than ever. It was our event to reclaim. Letting Crow take anything else from us, the club and our women, wasn’t happening.

“What do you usually dress up as?” Lilah asked one night when we were sprawled on the couch. I was watching an old fight, with her tucked into my side. She was on her phone. A quick look showed a group chat with far too many messages and emojis.

“I don’t dress up,” I told her, and I saw a flicker of disappointment cross her face.

“Charlie and Fee sound like they’re going all out. Maybe I’ll just get cat ears or something.” Chewing on her bottom lip, Lilah’s nerves were evident. Tilting her head up, I examined her face.

“Pick out costumes for us. Nothing inflatable. Nothing with ruffles. That work?” She pushed up, excitedly climbing on top of me so my back was to the couch.

“I can definitely work with that. I’m gonna need to examine your body, though. Make sure I have the sizes right.” She pressed teasing kisses to my neck as her hands slid under my shirt.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to make the process any harder.”

After a very close, thorough examination on the couch that led into the bedroom, the night ended the way I wanted all of them to: Lilah wrapped around me, our hearts beating in sync as sleep took us away. Even in our dreams, I didn’t want to be apart.

Coming home a few days later, I froze in the entryway as alarm rang through me. The living room looked like someone had broken in and ransacked it. Lilah, Charlie, Fee, and Birdie were huddled in a circle among tutus, fairy wings, and a variety of costumes in itchy and bright materials.

“You guys are gonna look so cute!” Lilah cooed at Birdie, who clapped her hands, reaching them out until Lilah took her from Fee.

“You’re gonna be the cutest little flintstone there ever was!” Lilah’s voice was soft as she spoke to the baby, who had wrapped a lock of her hair around her hand, transfixed by the electric blue color she had just touched up.

Seeing Lilah with Birdie caused a stir in me that I hadn’t experienced before. The way the baby relaxed in her arms, her chubby cheeks smiling as she babbled. Lilah’s kind eyes glowed, and she listened to Birdie as if it was the most fascinating conversation she had ever been a part of.

“Jesus! Someone put a bell on him!” Charlie yelped when she caught sight of me in the entryway. Holding my hands up in mock surrender, I entered the living room, navigating through the trail of costumes that looked suitable for a Cirque du Soleil show.

“Sorry. didn’t know I had to announce my presence in my own house,” I replied, messing up Charlie’s hair as I walked past. Charlie was like a little sister to all of us. Growing up, she never wanted to be left out. She climbed trees, ate mud, and punched noses right alongside all of the boys.

“YOUR house?” Fee asked, looking between Lilah and me.

“Technically, it’s a rental,” Lilah replied, her cheeks pink.

“Are you guys living together and you didn’t tell us?!” Charlie gasped, offended. Moving in with Lilah wasn’t a big deal. All I had was my clothing and my bike. I had already started migrating most of my shit over, so it was just a matter of clueing my girl in.

We folded into each other’s lives easily, a quiet comfort settling between us as we spent time together, or just in the same space doing our own thing. Everything felt easier when I could take a break and look at Lilah. Her face, her smile, a kiss was enough to render me weak. All that I thought I was—hard, cold, unloveable—disappeared around her.

“Yep,” I said, dropping down next to Lilah, pressing a kiss to her head. Wrapping my arm around her, Birdie reached out and latched onto my cut, keeping the both of us close to her.

“Your gonna be fucked if you guys wind up with a girl. Lilah’s eyes and Scythe’s intensity? She’s gonna eat the boys alive.” I jerked at that, the image of Lilah pregnant with my child rushing through me.

“Jesus, look at his face! He’s not even freaked out. All these big, bad bikers are just suckers deep down. Bunch of ol softies,” Charlie said, forcing me to abandon the vision I was building in my head. One where Lilah and I were married with one or four little ones running about.

“Well, that’s our cue. You sure you don’t want to get ready with us?” Fee asked as she started packing up Birdie’s things.

“Yeah, I want to surprise you guys. It will be easier if we just get ready here,” Lilah said, shooting me a shy smile. She hadn’t mentioned what our costumes were going to be, but I trusted her—far more than I had ever trusted anyone else.

“Okay. Text us when you’re leaving so we can all show up at the same time. Get some pics while we’re fresh.” Pausing, she shot me a look before focusing on Lilah.

“Do I need to ask the big guy about the after party?” Charlie stood up, a pink boa wrapped around her neck, with a shiny cowboy hat on her head.

“Do I want to know?” I asked, my eyes going between Charlie and Lilah.

“We’re going to have a little after party here. Charlie, Match, and Roxie are gonna spend the night. Then, we’re gonna do some art projects in the morning,” Lilah told me, her chin jutting out as if I would have an issue.