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“I’ve already discussed it with Jackson, so I’m just starting to tell everyone.” Grant took a deep breath and finally looked at me. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. The rain slicking his hair down didn’t improve the image. “I’m leaving Reno.”
“Huh? What? When? Why?”
Grant nodded, starting toward the waiting crew. “Yeah. The few years have taken a toll on me, man. Bates is dead, the Wolverines are disbanded. The dust is actually settling. And hopefully it’ll stay settled.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I don’t want to live this life anymore. I’m tired. Just… fucking tired. Outrunning death, hiding from it, delivering it… I can’t do it anymore. Call me an old man, I don’t give a shit. I’m just going to hit the road and see where the asphalt leads.”
Before I could ask, Grant continued, “Mason and Suzie are going to keep running the shop in my absence. They’re one hell of a team to take care of things. I’ll keep the house, be in and out and shit.” He paused to grin. “‘Course I’ll visit now and again to make sure you bastards don’t burn it down.”
I matched the grin. “Babies are gonna be running around soon trying to turn wrenches into teething toys, so no promises.”
He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Didn’t think so. Auntie Susan will keep the oil cans locked up.”
“Well, good luck, man. Devils got your back. Always.”
We joined the others and revved the bikes. As soon as my helmet was on, my frown deepened so much it hurt as much as my chest. I had known Grant for a decade. He was ride or die Devil’s Luck since Jackson first formed it. To be without him, to not have him bickering with Suzie in the shop, to not have him walk around his own backyard with all of us gathered around the fire pit…
But Grant was closest to Gabriel, and without him? Grief hit us all differently. Grant needed space to deal with his.
We drove to Grant’s for one last club night with him.
Luckily, we’d prepped for the rain and had extra clothes ready to change into. It was not fun peeling out of a soaking wet suit. But by the time everyone changed, the rain had stopped.
Chairs were wiped down, drinks were passed around, and Grant had the fire pit spitting sparks with fresh wood in no time. Soon, everyone was happily settled into companionable silence or low murmurs.
Caroline settled into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and resting her cheek against my head. “You okay?”
I closed my eyes briefly. “I think so. I will be.”
“Me, too.”
We both looked up when Sam clapped her hands together. “Announcements, everyone.”
She and Elle were standing together, both beaming with smiles—a much better sight than them red-eyed from crying—and hands on their bellies that seemed to have grown considerably in the past three weeks.
Jackson and Abel leaned back in their picnic chairs, looking both pleased and far too proud of themselves.
“Oh, damn,” I muttered to the perfect-ass woman on my lap. “What have they gotten into now?”
Caroline swatted me. “Hush.”
Elle spoke first, absolutely shining now. “Baby announcements!”
Everyone except the fathers shot straight up in their seats. Holy shit, surprise gender reveals!
Sam was bouncing on her toes. “We’re having a… boy! And we’re going to name him William.”
We all broke out into cheers and congratulations. Suzie toasted the highest, smiling through happy tears.
“Abel and I,” Elle began excitedly, “are having—a girl!” Then her voice softened, and she looked at Grant. “We’re going to name her Gabriella, after Gabriel.”
Grant got emotional, even if he tried to hide it. The Devils razzed him lightly, toasting and ready to celebrate Gabriel’s sacrifice with two new lives soon to enter the world.
Everyone dissolved into their own mini conversations. Caroline stroked the hair at the nape of my neck, something she discovered I really fucking liked, and kissed my temple. I soaked in her presence, breathing in the faint perfume scent on her neck that outlasted the rain.
“Babies,” I mused when she pulled back to look at me. “Wild.”
Caroline narrowed her eyes, but there was no real menace in the glare. “Don’t get any ideas.”