13
SAVAGE
When I pickup Aurora and start carrying her through the compound, let’s just say Claire and I attract some stares.
“Claire!” Stella’s full-volume shout stops us both in our tracks.
Blade, our club treasurer, is sitting at the bar making googly eyes at Stella while she sips something out of a mega cup covered in sparkles.
She comes bouncing around the bar, waddles up to us on huge heels, and squeals. “A new home, a fresh start.” She pulls Claire into a hug and looks her deep in the eyes. “Don’t be a stranger. You have my number. You need anything.” She flicks a look at me holding Aurora. “Except babysitting. When she’s old enough for makeup and boys, I’m your gal. But anything else—” she kisses Claire loudly on the cheek “—you call.”
Claire nods and rocks Stella back andforth in a hard hug. “Thank you,” she breathes against Stella’s heavily sprayed hair.
I get stares from some of my brothers, including Blade, but Viper comes up to us as we’re nearing the door. He looks me over and shakes his head, but then he claps a hand on my shoulder.
“See you later?” he asks.
I’m not sure what he means by that, so I don’t say much. Viper ain’t one for kids and families, so I’m sure he assumes that after Phantom and Shadow, I’ll be the next to fall.
“Catch you later,” I say, but I don’t say any more. I’ll be back. I just don’t know yet when that will be.
Shadow comes in the door just as we’re heading out. “Hey, glad I caught you.” He holds out a gift bag that’s purple and overstuffed with shit. “Books,” he explains, holding it out to Claire. “Mostly for Aurora. Violet sent these as a little housewarming gift.”
Claire looks at the bag and then at Shadow, and she steps up to the man, rising on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Please tell her thank you.” She shakes her head. “You’ve all done so much. Thank you, Shadow.”
Shadow looks at me, then narrows his eyes. He waves off Claire’s thanks with a hand. “I’ll be seeing you,” he says, then stumbles past me, giving me one more long look.
I don’t care how it looks, me carrying Claire’s kid. She’s got her arms full, and fuck, the baby wantedme. But it doesn’t mean anything. It sure doesn’t mean anything to me—at least, that’s what I tell myself.
We head over to my pickup truck, where Tank’s moving the car seat into the back seat. After he’s done, he comes up to me and takes little Aurora’s arm in his and slightly slaps her hand against his palm. “High five, baby doll.”
Aurora laughs hysterically, a belly-jiggling, dimple-making laugh, and Claire gives Tank a hug.
“You call me anytime,” he says. “This guy’s paying for my gas, so I’ll take you wherever you need to go.”
“All right, fuck off with the long goodbyes,” I growl, but I can’t help feeling warm inside.
Claire’s made an impression around here—and not just on me. She’s quiet but has come into her own. She’s healed and changed in the time she’s been with us, and I’m feeling grateful as fuck for the family I have that stood behind her while she was at her lowest. It’s what this brotherhood is supposed to be. It’s who we are.
We’re trouble and we’re not exactly squeaky-clean, but we’re a family.
The words stick in my throat, but I’m even more shocked when Claire climbs into the passenger seat beside me.
“She’ll be okay alone?” I ask, widening my eyes and looking back at Aurora.
“Yeah,” Claire assures me. “It’s a short ride. I gave her some toys. She’ll be fine.”
When she straps herself in and looks at me out of the corner of her eye, I can’t stop feeling like this is my family too. This woman, with her gorgeous new haircut, those bangs that make her eyes look evenprettier, the way she crosses her legs in the passenger seat. It’s like we’re on a date, and I have to grip the wheel with both hands to stop myself from reaching for her.
This is a move for Claire’s good. So she can get her head on straight and find a job and settle into a routine with her daughter that doesn’t include playing on the floor of a motorcycle club compound.
This is not about Claire and me.
But as I park the truck in front of my condo, it’s hard not to feel it. I was never a guy who dreamed about my future. I’ve always looked over my shoulder, watched for the demons that chased me every step of every day. But now, I look at Claire beside me, the condo ahead, and the only thing I see behind me is a perfect baby with crystal-blue eyes and a dimpled smile that can break down your walls.
I shake my head and turn off the engine. “Welcome home,” I say, the double meaning of my words making my voice thick.
Claire hugs her arms around herself and takes a deep breath. “Welcome home to you too. This will always be your home, even if it’s cluttered with a lot more clothes, toys, and dirty diapers.”