Page 41 of Liam

I run over to the door that leads to the back of the club. I push it open, and Shaylin walks inside with Liam’s huge birthday cake. Chrystal has the refrigerator open, and Shaylin slides the cake inside.

I can’t wait to see his face. Braelyn and Ethan will be here later, not that Liam knows that.

Liam has had a few birthday parties since he got to Braelyn’s, but nothing big like this because that is not what he wanted. But I don’t give a shit what he wants because I am going to give him this.

It kills me on the inside when I think about what kind of childhood he had. It was horrible. I know that he never had enough food to eat, and he had a steady rotation of pimps and drug dealers in his house. He watched his mother get beaten and I don’t want to know what else. When he got older, he tried to step between his mother and these guys, but that led to him getting beaten up. That breaks my heart. I picture a small Liam, scared, hiding in a corner, witnessing all of this going down.

He never had that motherly love, and he never had a real father. The father he did have beat him and Braelyn every single day. Braelyn had it rough. I am not sure how she got over what a shitty hand she was dealt, but she is one of the strongest people I have ever met.

Vanessa has been doing a lot better. She knows that her father is dead, and she is okay with it. She told me that she was relieved; she was tired of looking over her shoulder. She can finally be happy and free with Tyler.

I haven’t gotten to see many of the new guys getting patched into the club, and it’s almost unheard of for three to be patched in at a time. Most prospects don’t make it this far.

Kyle walks into the kitchen and waves me over. I follow him into the main room, and we sneak past Liam toward the back of the club. Kyle pushes the door open, and I see the sleek black beast of a bike. I smile and walk closer to it. “He is going to be so surprised!” I tell Kyle.

“Fuck yeah! That’s one hell of a bike,” Kyle tells me.

He is not wrong. It’s the most beautiful bike that I have ever seen. “Thank you for helping me, Kyle.”

His face softens. Kyle has been my uncle since I was a little girl. This is the guy who had tea parties with me. “Anything for you, sweetheart. I am glad to see you’re happy, and I don’t give a fuck if Liam is a brother or not, if he doesn’t make you happy, I will kill him.”

I snort before laughing loudly. “Kyle, we both know Liam would never do anything like that, and we both know you’re a softy.”

He glares at me. “I am fucking not.”

I laugh louder. “I remember the tea parties, Kyle.”

His face falls, and I laugh louder at the sight of his shocked face. I never brought it up before. It’s some kind of code to never bring up anything like that since it would bruise his badass image.

I slip past him and run away, with him on my ass.

“Keep your trap shut, Paisley.”

I laugh louder, running into the main room.

Everyone turns to look at me and Kyle. The president who barely speaks, let alone laughs, is running after me, laughing. It’s a shocking sight.

Liam steps out from behind the table, and I run over and hide behind him. Kyle stands in front of Liam, laughing.

“What the fuck is going on? Who drugged Kyle?” Techy muses and Kyle’s face drops, glaring at Techy.

“Never mind.” Techy laughs and walks out of the room, probably to get out of firing range.

I peek out from behind Liam, and Kyle is standing there with his arms across his chest. “Your secret is safe with me,” I tell him.

He winks and walks toward his office.

Liam turns around and looks at me, confused. “What secret?”

I throw my arms up. “I am afraid that I can’t tell you.” I slip out of his arms and back toward the kitchen. There are butterflies in my stomach just from Liam’s touch and the excitement of his birthday.

I can’t wait.

* * *

Kyle steps into the middle of the room, and I peek over at Tyler, Shane, and Brett, who are standing together drinking beer. Liam is standing next to me, his hand resting on my ass. My dad is across the room with Kayla in front of him, his arms around her. The rest of the guys with ole ladies are in similar positions.

We are a family. The kids are in one of the playrooms with a babysitter Kyle keeps on hand.

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