Page 33

Pulling Out The Big Guns

G rizz

Pretty’s singing came through the radio, and if he didn’t shut the fuck up, I was going to hit him with Aunt E’s car.

Technically, I was in front of him, so I would have to reverse, but I could manage it.

Cyph had connected the car to the network, and I had listened to the brothers rib each other every mile of the way home.

Some of it had been funny, but someone needed to shut Pretty up.

It was a good thing he hadn’t quit his day job. Did he even have one anymore?

“Wreck, shut him up, or I’m popping his back tire,” Slate came through, loud and clear.

“What’s not to like about loud and off-key?” Grease said. “It’s better than when Lightning sings in the garage during oil changes. Dude can’t carry a tune.”

“I’m keeping the baby from crying.” Pretty couldn’t have cared less. None of this fazed him. “I’m knocking out the competition early for favorite uncle, since there are too many godfather choices.”

“You can change her diaper when we stop in a few, uncle,” I said, catching wind of a shit.

“Nope, favorite uncles buy them things their parents say no to. We don’t change shitty diapers,” he chuckled. “Hey, Grease, can you make JR a baby bike? I tried to order one, but they said he was too young.”

“They were right.”

“I need two now, so you better get busy.” No one questioned if Pretty was serious. He was, and if he could get it accomplished, JR and the baby would have their own mini bikes.

“I’ll get right on it. Right after I cry in my new garage.” Grease dramatically sniffed.

“If it’s that bad, we’ll sit with Count and figure it out.” Sabre would have to play peacemaker between the two of them until they found a solution. I’d probably get roped into that conversation.

“Buster gave me the design for the inside…” Grease trailed off.

“Is this where you tell us the design doesn’t fit your needs, and she has no clue what she’s doing?

” I rolled my eyes in the car, waiting for the argument to start.

“I’m pulling over at the next rest stop, so I don’t pass out from the fumes.

” The car seat was rear-facing, and if I wanted to see the baby, I had to look through the mirror Stella had bought. “You’re stinky, Pumpkin.”

“Pumpkin. Aww, that’s so cute.” Pretty made cooing noises.

“There’s a rest stop in five miles. We’ll pull in for a few minutes.” Sabre put a stop to the argument that was brewing over the garage.

“If there was a vote, I’d vote Buster in.” Zook’s statement surprised me.

“Yeah, I would to,” How added. “Em’s never had friends because of our family situation, but Flo and Buster genuinely include her.”

“Hey, Grizz, if Dead needs a break, I can take over for a few,” Zook added. “If it matters, Emily doesn’t have a bad word to say about Buster. That’s good enough for me.”

Emily wasn’t a patched brother, but she’d convinced the two most important men in her life to take a chance on my wife. It mattered to me, but I didn’t know what to say.

“Buster made it clear in the beginning she wasn’t staying. There’s a bet to see when she would actually leave. She hasn’t. You’re the one who’s talking about leaving,” Op noted.

“We should wait for Monday to finish this conversation.” Sabre was trying to save me from making a rash decision or saying something I’d regret.

“Someone told Meredith that I’d leave with her if it made everyone feel better.

” I didn’t know how much I wanted to reveal, but we had two more miles to go before the rest stop.

They didn’t know Meredith the way I did, but that didn’t matter anymore.

They’d seen her—really seen her—and they were making their own decisions.

Not a single one of them brought up Pulse, or what she’d lost. Just what she’d done since she got here. That was what mattered.

“Dead,” Wreck said.

“Yup. It was totally Dead,” Pretty agreed.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “It got back to her, and she wanted me to make an offer. If the club allows us to build a home in the neighborhood, she’ll hide.

I told her no. The whole point of being a brother and wearing the patch is to live free.

I’d rather leave with her than let others dictate our lives.

I won’t let Pumpkin see anyone disrespect her mother.

She’ll believe that’s how people should treat her, and that’s fucking bullshit. ”

No one spoke. As soon as we were back at the clubhouse, they’d scamper off, talking amongst each other until church on Monday.

Sabre pulled off the highway when the exit for the rest area appeared.

I followed the line of bikes to the back of the parking lot, pulling into a spot.

There was no one next to me, and I’d have plenty of room to get this done.

The prospect parked the truck a few spots down for me, and if you were looking this way, you wouldn’t see past it.

Out of the four of them, C and D were the better half.

They were fighting against Pulse’s legacy, but we’d eventually patch them if they still wanted it. I couldn’t say the same about A and B.

Looking into the mirror, I checked the baby. She was wide-eyed, studying the world around her. “Alright, Pumpkin. Let’s get you changed. No one wants a stinky girl.”

“That’s not what your mom said last night.”

I rolled my eyes, stepping out of the car. This wouldn’t be a quick stop if I responded to those assholes. I wanted to pound my fist into one of them, and it didn’t matter who.

Opening her car door, I bent over, kissing the baby’s forehead while she made baby noises.

I’d fed her before we left Aunt E’s, but I was hoping she’d make it back to the clubhouse.

I didn’t have anywhere to warm a bottle, and I hadn’t thought about making one ahead of time and getting a thermal insulator.

Grabbing the changing mat, a clean diaper, and wipes, I was ready to tackle this mission.

“You ready, Pumpkin?” I asked her, unclipping the belts of her car seat.

Stella had done me a solid, leaving several bags of stuff and a new car seat on Aunt E’s back patio.

I’d given How money to hand her, but he’d come back, saying she wouldn’t take it.

He’d tried to sneak it into her purse, but she had taken off before he had the opportunity.

There had been enough to get me through the weekend, and I’d packed the rest for Meredith to use until we could buy whatever we needed.

Stella had left a pink gift bag with sparkly tissue paper poking out of the top.

The card had said “to my favorite new parents”, and I hadn’t wanted to open it without my wife.

“Here. Give me that stuff.” Sabre popped up at my elbow.

“I’m good,” I told him, not really wanting his help.

“Don’t. You won’t be able to juggle it all holding her. Trust me, I know from experience.”

I relinquished the mat, and he walked around the back of the car to the other side. “Come on, stink face.” I made a face at the baby, and she drooled. Picking her up from the car seat, I went the same direction Sabre had.

He backed away from the door when he saw me, and I laid the baby on the mat. Taking a step back, I bumped into Sabre. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Protecting your ass. You can’t see from inside the car, so I’m your wingman.”

I said nothing, unbuttoning the one-piece pajamas on the baby. “Aww, shit.” Literally. There was a streak a mile long up her back.

“That brings new meaning to shit stain, Pumpkin.”

I turned my head. Pretty was leaning over my back, his chin laying almost on my shoulder. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I asked.

“Nope, I already went pee pee in the potty and got a snack.” He smiled, all of his teeth showing.

“Make yourself useful and see if there’s a change of clothes in one of those bags.” If he didn’t get away from me, I’d shove my elbow into his stomach. Pretty had done nothing to deserve it, but I was almost at my breaking point with the brothers.

“Ay, ay, captain.” I heard the other door open, but I didn’t bother to look until I heard manic laughing. My head popped up, and Pretty was holding a new pair of pajamas. He must have found them in a bag. “Oh, fuck! You’re a daddy now, Grizz.”

“What the fuck are you on about?” I held my hand out for the pajamas, but he was staring at them.

“They’re so small. You claimed a baby, which makes you her daddy.”

I ignored him, not wanting to address what he had just said. “Pumpkin, if you pick him as your favorite uncle, I’m disowning you.” I waited a beat, trying to clean up the mess. “Nah, that’s not true, but we’ll have a talk about your shitty taste in men.”

***

Meredith

“How much longer?” I asked Grace, kicking my feet as I sat at the kitchen island.

She shook her head at me. “I’ve already told you what I know. Sabre said they stopped to change the baby about an hour ago. Have some patience.”

“I can’t.”

She laughed at me, turning her back to pull out serving utensils from the cabinet drawer.

“You sure?” I asked her again, in case the answer had changed in the last two seconds.

Grace had decided that it was a good day for a family dinner, so Chef was outside grilling steaks and burgers while she was working on the sides.

I was supposed to be helping her, but I’d plopped down on the barstool and never moved.

Grace handed me a bowl and a pair of tongs. “Positive. Mix the salad.”

“They won’t eat it,” I whined with a half-ass attempt at using the tongs.

She ignored me, moving about the kitchen.

A loud commotion floated through the doorway from the main room, and it could only mean one thing.

The men were back. Grizz was more important than a salad, and I needed to lay my eyes on him.

Jumping from my stool, I ran towards the door, but I felt a tug on the back of my t-shirt.

Grace pushed past me, but when we squeezed through the doorway together, it was a no-go. We were stuck.

“Move,” I told her, pushing forward but not getting anywhere.