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My breath caught in my throat. He looked so much like me. Something in the shape of his face or the faint scowl on his brow. Or maybe I was imagining it. But it struck me like a sledgehammer. That’s my kid. I dropped Nova’s phone, chest heaving.

She stooped to pick it up, tears in her eyes. “Maverick, wait…”

But I couldn’t listen. My entire world just flipped. A son, or a daughter? A baby, anyway. My baby. And Lexi married some asshole lawyer for the mob, passing the child off as his? Rage roared in my veins.

I stormed away, pushing past the crowd. Nova called after me, stumbling with Chigger in tow. I heard Chigger slur something like, “Shit, Mav, calm down!” But I couldn’t stay calm.

I reached my bike, fingers trembling as I yanked on my helmet. I had to go to Texas, find her, find that Mark asshole. Confront them. The idea terrified and infuriated me. How could she not tell me?

Ophelia suddenly stepped into my path, eyes glinting, lips parted. “Maverick,” she purred, “I was wondering if you need some where to park tonight.”

“Get lost,” I snapped, my voice rough.

She drew back, offended, but I couldn’t care. My life had just imploded. I had a child I never met. That overshadowed any fleeting attraction to a coldhearted woman.

She scoffed, stepping aside. I threw my leg over the Harley, jamming the key in the ignition. The engine roared, echoing my rage. Fuck the rally, fuck the Road Monsters’ orders. This was personal. I had to see Lexi, face her, demand answers.

Nova’s voice rose behind me. “Maverick, wait! You can’t just…”

But I peeled out, gravel spraying under my tires, tears burning at the corners of my eyes. The setting sun cast long shadows across the dusty field as I sped past tents and bikers. No one dared stand in my way. By the time I hit the highway, my mind was a tangled storm of fury, betrayal, and a fierce protectiveness I never anticipated experiencing again.

I floored it, heading east, and didn't bother packing or saying goodbye. I had no plan except confront Lexi in Texas. Find out how she could hide my child. Part of me dreaded she might deny it, but I knew in my gut that baby was mine. The baby had my eyes, or something close enough. The timeline doesn’t lie.

As the miles passed, the desert wind slapped against my face, stinging my eyes. I let the roar of the bike fill my senses, fueling the adrenaline. My shoulder twinged from that old bullet’s graze, reminding me of the last time I saw Lexi. But the pain even when it was fresh was inconsequential compared to the searing anguish in my chest.

A year of emptiness, I’d tried to forget her, convinced myself she’d moved on. And she had. Apparently with Mark Martin or whatever his name was. Married him, lied to him, or maybe both lied to each other, and now they were raising my child.

My hands gripped the handlebars, knuckles white. This ends now. I needed the truth from Lexi’s lips. If I had a son or daughter, I’d do whatever it took to claim them. I wasn’t sure if that meant violence, or deals, or more heartbreak. But I sure as hell wasn’t going to let some stiff in a suit raise my kid as his own.

The sun dipped below the horizon, and I kept riding. My phone buzzed in my pocket, likely Nova or Chigger, but I ignored it, fueling up only when necessary. No more waiting. Texas was a hell of a distance away, but I had rage and heartbreak on my side. I’d ride through the night if I had to, until I reached her.

The woman I couldn’t forget, who’d stolen my heart and apparently hidden my child. God, I was furious, but underneath that wrath lay a twisted hope, maybe she still loved me. Maybe she’d only married Mark to protect the baby from the mob. Too many maybes.

The bike thundered beneath me, each rumble echoing the anger pounding in my skull. My tears dried in the wind, replaced by grim determination. Hold on, kid , I thought to the child I’d never met. Daddy’s coming. And if Mark or the mob tried to stand in my way, they’d see just how far a desperate outlaw would go for his blood.

I gritted my teeth, focusing on the endless stretch of blacktop ahead. Texas, I’m coming. And God help anyone who tried to stop me.

Finally the Texas sun beat down on the back of my neck, scorching me through my worn leather cut, but I barely felt the heat. My pulse hammered as I leaned against a brick planter across the street, eyes locked on the outdoor patio of some high- end restaurant. Bright umbrellas shaded well-dressed patrons enjoying salads, iced tea, or whatever the hell fancy people sipped in summer. I’d never been one for places like this, too clean, too proper, but there I was, skulking like a damn stalker, watching her.

Lexi. She sat at a small bistro table near the railing, wearing a light yellow sundress that flowed over her curves. A stroller rested beside her, the canopy tilted to shield the baby inside from the midday sun. My baby, I thought, heart throbbing. The child I’d learned existed only days ago, a child she claimed belonged to that lawyer she married. But I knew better, from the timing, from the photo, from Nova’s scared face.

She sipped some fruity-looking drink, occasionally bending over the stroller with a gentle smile. Even from this distance, I saw how her face lit up, pure maternal adoration. A knot formed in my throat. That could’ve been me, sitting beside her, holding our child. Instead, she’d married that bastard Mark. I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste blood.

A sleek black sedan slid up to the curb. Speak of the devil. Mark stepped out, all pressed slacks and polished shoes. He strode onto the patio, glancing around like he owned the place, then leaned down to kiss Lexi’s cheek. She gave a faint, forced smile, turning her face away a second too late.

Maybe I was imagining the awkwardness. Maybe I just needed to believe she wasn’t truly happy with him. My chest burned as he placed a hand on her shoulder, murmuring something that made her nod. So this is the father figure she wants for my kid?

I dug my nails into my palms, telling myself not to charge across the street. The crowd bustled around me, businessmen, women in heels clicking on the concrete, tourists snapping photos of downtown Dallas. None of them noticed the raging outlaw with a bullet scar on his shoulder, disguised in aviators and a battered baseball cap, seething with jealousy.

When the waiter arrived at Lexi’s table, Mark ordered with a confident wave of his hand, probably selecting the priciest item on the menu. Lexi fiddled with the baby’s blanket, distracted. My heart squeezed at the sight of her.

A whimper from the stroller made Lexi lean over, gently cooing. She lifted the baby out, her movements careful. I caught a glimpse of a tiny face, big eyes. That’s my child. My heart skipped a beat. That’s my blood. I nearly lost control, half a step forward before my rational mind roped me back. This wasn’t the moment to blow everything wide open, not on a busy downtown street.

Finally, Mark hailed the waiter for the check, tossed a card on the tray. Lexi stood to rearrange the stroller, and he bent down to give her a quick kiss again. She didn’t seem to resist too much, but she didn’t melt into it either. The baby fussed, and they hurried off, disappearing into that black sedan. I followed with my gaze until the car merged into traffic, lost among the sea of vehicles.

My chest ached with every breath. A year , that’s how long I’d let slip by. Now she was living the high life with that suit. Married, apparently. A baby in tow. My baby? Everything in me roared that I needed to confront her now , but I forced myself to wait. I had to plan, not just charge in like a savage.

I exhaled, stepping away from my vantage point. If I hurried, maybe I could tail them, find out exactly which mansion Mark stashed her in. Because one thing was certain, I wouldn’t let some arrogant prick raise my kid as his own.