Page 9

People have converged back into the common room as I escape the chapel. At least they’re keeping their fucking clothes on while my kids are here.

Cookie isn’t around anymore, which is a good thing after the way she mouthed off earlier.

Can’t guarantee I wouldn’t have dragged her out of here by her hair and tossed her in the fucking street.

Doesn’t matter if she didn’t know about Birdie.

She knew better than to talk out of turn like she did.

I don’t like putting my hands on women in a way that isn’t pleasurable for us both.

That’s shit I leave to another woman in the club, but I was damn tempted to do it myself this time.

Eyes crawl over me as I march through the room and toward the stairs. When I glance to the left, my gaze clash with Dimples. Anger shines in her eyes, but it’s the small bite of fear as she glances toward the stairs that has me curious.

Is it Birdie and Valkyrie she’s afraid of or someone else?

That’s something I’ll consider later. Right now, getting Birdie and my kids tucked away in my house takes priority.

Dimples steps toward me, but the look I shoot her sends her scurrying back to her spot. If the brothers didn’t like her pussy so much, she’d have been gone a long time ago.

She doesn’t know when the hell to quit. No matter how many times I tell her no, she still fucking tries. Never met a bitch so hungry for one dick when there’s a fucking club full of brothers who would dick her down anytime.

Scorch said it’s because she wants what she can’t have. It makes me a morsel she’s dying to get a taste of.

I can make her wish come true if she doesn’t watch herself.

The dying part, that is.

I might even shed a tear.

More than likely not, though.

Basilisk leans against the wall with his arms folded and his booted foot propping him up as he watches me climb the stairs.

He appears relaxed, but if I had been a threat, I’d have a knife buried in my throat before I could blink.

For how big the motherfucker is, he strikes quickly, and his aim is always true.

People assume he earned his road name because of that.

It’s not until someone is on the receiving end of his death stare that the real reason is unveiled.

“I’m going to get them moved to my place. Then I’ll go over what I need from you.”

He nods, tapping me twice on my shoulder in confirmation before jogging down the steps.

Basilisk hasn’t spoken much since he got out of prison a few years ago. He had some dark shit go down in there. Shit he doesn’t talk about but carries the scars of for us all to see.

My knuckles crack against the wood with a quick rat-a-tat-tat. “Just me, little mama.”

There’s a quiet snick and the door creeps open. Valkyrie blinks, blinking away the dislike for me in her eyes before she steps to the side so I can enter.

She might as well get in line. I got a lot of fucking haters at this point, but I’d have to give a shit about it to care. She should ask me if I do because she’d find out how little I don’t.

Birdie is sitting on the floor, her back straight and resting against my bedframe.

Lovelyn huddles against one side of her while Legend takes the other side.

Birdie stares at me, her eyes a dark void, and Legend regards me warily.

Lovelyn, my sweet little love, gives me a tiny smile.

When I wink her at her and she giggles, her mama curls her arm tighter around her shoulder.

“You could’ve sat on the bed.”

Her stony silence and empty stare would unnerve a normal person, but all it does is make me want to split her chest cavity open to ensure she’s still got a beating heart in there.

I can’t very well make her fall in love with me again if she doesn’t.

Valkyrie mumbles something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like, “And catch an STI? No, thanks.”

I always wear a condom, thank you very much.

Birdie’s body jerks, and Legend growls at me.

“ Scannalach bréagán ,” Valkyrie mutters on her way past me to get to them.

Disgusting whore.

Huh. I must have said that condom bit out loud.

I tangle my fingers in my hair and tug with a grimace.

Fuck .

The last five years didn’t pass with me being a damn monk, but I never planned on rubbing that in Birdie’s face.

Acknowledging what I said and its implications will only hurt her more. Birdie has been through enough pain.

“Let me help you up. We’re heading to my house.”

“We can stay here,” Birdie says.

She’s assuming I still live in the same place I did when we were together, but she’s mistaken. It took everything I had not to burn it to the fucking ground like I did my relationship. Cyanide had to pull the gasoline can from my hand when he caught me there one night contemplating it.

“No can do, little mama.”

When she stares at me, I hold her gaze and lift a brow, hoping she’ll show me some of that fire that’s missing. Unfortunately, she just turns her head away to whisper to the twins.

“I’m coming,” Valkyrie says, pulling my attention from my little family.

And they are mine.

All fucking mine.

“No.”

“Then she’s not going.”

Birdie’s eyes bounce between us as she chews on the inside of her cheek.

Valkyrie will put up a fight if she doesn’t get to come with us, and that’s what I don’t need until I get them in my house, then she can go balls to the wall. It’ll be interesting seeing her take my brother on, anyway.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I send a quick message to Manic.

ME

Meet me at my place to get your woman.

MANIC

Understood .

Valkyrie gives me a look that says she’s unsure about the smile that suddenly appears on my face. Her brows furrow and her eyes fill with wariness as I toss my phone from hand to hand.

I release her gaze once I’m sure her hackles are raised high enough.

“You can come. I’ll lead the way, and you’ll follow in the car with Birdie and the twins. There will be another brother riding at the rear.”

Lovelyn and Legend carefully climb away from their mom to stand next to their aunt so I can help Birdie up. Instead of letting her struggle to her feet, I squat at her side and shove one arm under knees and the other behind her back.

The whimper that passes her lips when I lift her has me pulling her closer to my chest.

Birdie holds her body so tight, I know it’s causing her unnecessary pain.

“Relax, little mama,” I murmur. “You’re going to hurt yourself more.”

“I’d prefer to walk, please,” Birdie says stiffly.

Valkyrie guides the twins out, leaving me to follow behind them. Instead of giving Birdie’s request a response, I hum a tune as I stroll down the stairs and into the common room.

A strangled sound comes from Birdie’s throat. “Are you . . . are you humming The Rolling Stones?”

“We don’t always get what we want, little mama.” I lean down and peck her nose with my lips gently. “But we might get what we need.”

Club members watch me with wide eyes as I move through them while whistling. Malice waits for us by the door, so I stop in front of him to give him his instructions for the night.

“Taking them to my place. Won’t be back tonight.” Birdie’s body tightens again at my words, but I act like I don’t notice. “Anyone needs anything, you deal. Don’t bother me unless it’s life or death.”

“Ten-four.”

Valkyrie, Lovelyn, and Legend stand beside the car, waiting for us. Legend has his little arms folded against his chest while he stares at me with a mutinous expression. Lovelyn watches us with sad eyes, twirling one of her copper-colored curls around her finger.

“Mind opening the door for me, little warrior?” I ask Legend.

He nods once sharply, opening the back door before hurrying to the other side. “I’ll help from here.”

“Thank you.”

It’s a tight fit trying to squeeze my big ass shoulders through the frame with Birdie in my arms. A little maneuvering and I’m able to get her situated carefully enough that I didn’t jar any of her injuries.

Legend guides his little hands under his mom’s arms to help slowly slide her in place.

Once she’s comfortable, Legend brushes hair from her face.

“Do you need anything else, Ma?” he asks quietly.

Birdie’s hand trembles as she feathers her fingers over our son’s face. “I’m okay, a stór .”

Dammit. She calls him her treasure.

“You sit in the back with ma. I’ll sit up front with Aunt Kyrie. Cosnóimid mama , Lovey,” Legend orders.

My throat tightens hearing him speak the language Birdie and I grew up listening to and using. As much as I want to tell him we’ll protect their mama together, he spoke in Gaeilge because he needs that. He needs to believe I don’t understand what he says because he doesn’t trust me.

Anger chokes me at how far I have to go to reach my son, but I grit my teeth and shove it away.

Lovelyn slides around in front of me, and I help her climb in at her mom’s feet. She places Birdie’s legs on top of hers, then nods at me. “We’re ready.”

I tap her nose. “That you are, my little love.”

Closing the door, I turn to Valkyrie. “We’re only going a few minutes down the road behind the clubhouse.”

Valkyrie only gives me a nod before climbing behind the wheel of that piece of shit car. She’s so focused on her anger at me that she doesn’t realize the brother riding the rear is Manic. I’m sure she’d have something to say about that too.

The black metallic paint on the tank of my bike sparkles under the sunlight as I march toward it. My fingers trail over the black matte birds that fly along it before I toss my leg over and settle onto my seat. Turning the key and flicking my wrist, the bike rumbles to life below me.

I walk it backward and then wait for Valkyrie to line up behind me before taking off.