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When the fuck did I become the bitch of twin hellions? But they were smiling, and admittedly so was I, during those next six laps.

“Is our local MC ready for food or what?” Ren, Zarina’s brother-in-law, called from the top of the stairs with an arched brow, motioning for his daughters to come inside.

“One more, Daddy!” It was Eliza’s turn to hold up a pudgy finger.

“You girls owe Ashe at least twenty bucks in fuel money already! Get your butts inside before I eat your dessert.”

The two year olds rolled their eyes in a way that reminded me of their aunt, but they let me plop them on the ground regardless.

They waddled up the steps and then tore into the house once they were on flat ground, heading straight for the little dinner table that was just for them in the corner of the dining room.

Everyone else was sitting at the table already, except for Zarina who was buzzing around and smiling from ear to ear as she piled the centre with trays of food.

Her brother Sam shadowed her with a mild look of grump on his face, probably from being scolded already for picking at the food while Zarina was still cooking it.

But finally, Zarina clapped her hands and sighed, looking happy with her work.

“Alright,” she smiled, taking the empty seat beside me. “Eat up, everyone.”

“You’re a weapon, Zar,” Toni mumbled, mouth already stuffed with food.

Sammy grunted his approval around his own mouthful.

I was busy watching Zarina.

She had her elbows propped on the table, a small smile on her lips while she took in the sight of her family all together. I knew more than anything that this was what made her happy.

These people, all in the same room.

And I was man enough to admit that being welcomed in by them felt special too.

I was worried at first.

How they would react to me and Zarina’s relationship. Even though the feud between the Santinos and the Redline Angels was long over, I still worried that I was nowhere near enough for theirprincessa.

“So, Ashe, you’ve been to a couple of these family dinners now,” Toni said after a little while. “What do you think?”

The table went quiet and all eyes were on me, and I tried not to shift in my seat. Zarina smiled at me from where she was sitting, curiosity in her eyes. Toni arched a brow at me, like he was expecting some horrible review, but I chuckled into the air.

“Honestly?” I sighed.

“Actually, no,” he shook his head and laughed. “No, I don’t wanna know.”

“It’s great, Toni. Never really had a proper family dinner before. So I think it’s great that you guys do this every week.”

And I meant it.

I had the club, but I had never been around a family quite like this. It was easy to imagine what it might’ve been like to grow up like this, surrounded by people who loved you, sitting down for meals together, sharing things about your life.

I mostly just sat back and watched the ordeal, trying to come to terms with the fact that families like the Santinos actually existed outside of sitcoms.

“Well,” Toni shook his head, “I guess we’ll be seeing you every week then, brother.”

I nodded once and he returned it, offering a warm smile to go with it.

The easy chatter amongst everyone continued, and I dropped my gaze down to the plate in front of me, shuffling food around.

When I looked over at Zarina, she was watching me with so much fucking warmth, so much love, so much care that I had to look away again. But her hand reached out, squeezing me on the thigh twice before letting it rest there.