Page 112 of Break Out

Bobby pointed his fork at me. “If you’re having a boy, name him Robert.”

Even though my brother was impervious to my pointed, dry expressions, I gave him one anyway. “I’m thinking Steel might have ideas about that, Robert.”

Bobby aimed remorseful eyes at Steel. “Sorry.” He looked back to me. “I’m just saying, don’t give your kid a biker name.”

I blinked at him feeling embarrassed.

Steel laughed, though. “Your Dad and I both have regular civilian names for all the good it does us. Got a feeling it won’t matter what we name the baby.”

Bobby nodded. “I mention it because Killian told me about the crap he put up with in school with his name and other kids finding out his dad’s in a club.”

Dad shook his head. “That’s no reason to give a kid a normal name, Robert. Kids are gonna find ways to single others out no matter what. I’m sure dealing with that built Killian’s character.”

“Or his familiarity with the principal,” Mom murmured.

Dad caught my gaze. “Are you going to find out what you’re having?”

“No,” Steel said.

At the same time, I said, “Yes.”

Steel looked at me. “Why?”

I laughed. “Being pregnant has been as much of a surprise as I can handle. I want to know everything I can about this baby. Why do you want it to be a surprise?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Life’s full of surprises, but this is one of the happiest surprises you can get… and I suppose it doesn’t matter to me one way or the other. The point of that ultrasound is to make sure the baby’s healthy. I don’t care if it’s a girl or a boy.”

Dad looked down at his plate. “You’ll care if it’s a girl.”

My head whipped toward Dad. “What?”

Dad tipped his head up. “I’ve worried about you since the moment we saw you on the ultrasound.”

Mom grinned at Steel. “I bet that’s really why you don’t want to know. You won’t have to start worrying until you hold a little girl in your arms.”

Steel sipped his beer. “It’s not my first experience with a baby being born. I figure there’s plenty of time for the worrying to begin. Right now, she should just enjoy the ride.”

Bobby swallowed a bite of garlic bread. “I thought Jordan isn’t yours.”

I tilted my head back wondering how the hell he’d found that out.

“Bobby,” Mom said in a reprimanding tone.

He had the gall to look offended. “What? Jasmine told me—”

“And you should know to keep some shit to yourself, son,” Dad said.

With a patient smile, Steel shook his head. “It’s all right, Volt.” He cocked a brow at Bobby. “Your dad’s right, though. You’re better off not letting people know how much information you have on them. As for Jordan, the DNA doesn’t matter. I was there in the early years… hell, I was there after, even if his mom kept him from knowing I was around.”

Bobby’s brows furrowed and his lip curled up. “She did?”

Steel nodded. “Yeah. It’s messed up, but that’s life. Bottom line, I’d like to be part of Jordan’s life, but that won’t happen if he doesn’t open his mind.”

“How did you find that out, anyway?” Bobby asked.

“Oh my God, are you eight or eighteen, Bobby?” I asked.

He glared at me. “It’s a valid question. How does he know that bit—woman didn’t do something else to scam him?”