Page 183 of Tied to You

Hearing Fin begin to make some pretty cute noises, I can’t help but take another look at the relatively new addition. “Looks good on you, mate.” Doesn’t matter how many times I see them; I can’t help but thank my lucky stars Dean woke up and came back to all of us. He may no longer be patched in, but I wouldn’t have survived without him here.

Dean turns his head just as Fin burps and pukes all over his chest. He looks at me over the rim of his glasses, sick rolling down him, and I hold back my laugh, gritting my teeth on a grimace. Oh fuck. It’s everywhere. “Tell me when my life changed so much.”

I laugh, handing him the muslin cloth to clean himself up. Mads catches my eye walking hand in hand with Grace. I point to her. “I’d say right about there.”

Dean looks at me then follows where I’m looking.

Grace is skipping, holding Mads’ hand as they head towards Mick and Riley down by the new pigs.

“Fuck, where does time go?” It’s been a year since Dean and Mads got married. A whole two years of being in Mollie and Riley’s lives.

Best two years of my life. No doubt about it.

He smiles, watching his girls before he swipes away some more sick. “Time flies when you’re having fun.” He’s serious. He’s loving every minute of family life. It’s a thousand miles away from the life he knew previously.

I laugh to myself, thinking as we both settle back down in our chairs, viewing everyone from afar.

Content.

Beats is manning the barbeque, most of my men standing around him.They all seem happy now that business with the club has settled. We’re still doing what we do best, but we scaled it right back. Gave ourselves some breathing room.

Beats gives me a thumbs up, letting me know food’s ready.

I wave my hand. “Hungry?” I ask Dean.

“Fucking starving. But,” he drags out the word, looking down, “I’m not going anywhere until he’s slept for at least another hour.”

I take a sip of my beer, watching as Jay and Lauren walk across the open space, Legs and some girl he’s been seeing following closely behind. I know how Legs is getting on but, “How are those two?” I ask, nodding my head in their direction.

Lauren’s barely been around and Jay, well, word on the street is he wants to patch in, begin his prospecting year with the club. No way I make that call without talking to the guy on my left.

Dean sips his beer, the other hand on Finlay’s back, holding him steady. “You know something I don’t, brother?”

My hand pauses, the rim of the bottle near my lips. “I think I know something you do.” I take a sip.

“Fuck,” he hisses under his breath, as Mop starts dishing out hotdogs to everyone. “It’s not what I wanted for him.”

“I know.”

Jay finished his apprenticeship with flying colours. The kid’s a natural, and actually has quite a good business head on him. It would be a waste for him, no doubt, but that doesn’t mean he would be wasted in the club. I know it, and Dean does too. Still, “Talk him down will you?” Dean says exasperated. “I don’t want it for him.” I get it. We don’t want this for any of them. “Lauren I can talk to, that’s my job now. But Jay, he won’t listen to me about this. Bottom line, I’m not his dad.”

I swing my head, seeing Jay and Legs laughing, both of them entertaining a few of the mums waiting for food. “Fucking hell,” Dean muses, light humour in his voice.

I laugh. “Remind you of anyone?”

He rolls his eyes. “Cheeky fuck. I was never like that.”

“They’ll be no stopping him now.”

He shakes his head, going quiet. He knows once you get a taste for club life at such a young age, nothing else comes close to interesting. It’s all youwant. All you see. It was his life for so long, a small part of me wonders if he misses it. Then I look at him holding his son, and I know even if he did, he would never come back. The game’s changed for him.

“Oh, I heard from Jack earlier,” he says chirpily.

“He alright?”

Finlay stretches his arms out, his lips pouting. He burps again, and we both hold our breaths, hoping for no more puke. It doesn’t come.

Dean’s hand hovers over his son like he’s a bomb that could go off at any moment. “That’s my boy,” he eventually says quietly, kissing Fin’s head.