Page 83 of Doc's Decision

"And for dessert," Ivy chimes in, "we've got a chocolate mousse that's going to make you drool."

Zoe grins and bounces Kash gently on her hip. "Sounds great, I'll shoot off a text to the guys and let them know dinner will be ready soon."

She disappears down the hallway, Kash's soft giggles fading with them.

I can't help but remember how this felt when this was all new to me, when I was the outsider looking in.

Now, I’m one of the ladies, and I can't imagine being anywhere else.

As if reading my thoughts, Camila glances over at me, her eyes softening. "You look like you're a million miles away," she notes.

I chuckle and shake my head. "Nah, just appreciating what we have here. It feels...it feels like home."

She gives me a knowing nod. "Because it is. This is our home, and you’re part of our family."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Doc

I park my bike in the lot as Jolt and Turmoil pull the van up next to me.

Dinner must've just started—I can smell the roast chicken wafting out from inside.

We walk in together and I spot Mandy sitting at our usual spot, feeding little Kash with a bottle.

His chubby hands grasp at it eagerly.

She looks up and smiles when she sees me—that smile always hits me right in the gut.

I head over, lean down and kiss her forehead. "How are my two favorite people today?"

She grins up at me. "We're great, especially now that you're here."

Fuck, what did I ever do to deserve her?

I take a seat next to her as the guys spread out, grabbing plates and joining in the rowdy conversations already in full swing.

Turmoil plops down across from us with a heaping plate.

"Where were you three off to in such a rush earlier?" Mandy asks curiously.

I squeeze her thigh reassuringly under the table. "Just had to take care of some quick business, babe. Nothing to worry about."

No way in hell am I telling her about the shit that went down with her scumbag stepfather today.

She doesn't need those images in her pretty little head.

I dig into my food, half-listening to Turmoil regale the table with another one of his crazy stories, complete with wild hand gestures.

But my mind keeps drifting back to earlier, in the desert.

The look of pure fear in that pathetic bastard's eyes as he was trying to reason with me, begging me to let him go.

He got off too easy if you ask me.

But that's done now.

I glance over at Mandy cooing softly to Kash and feel a sudden rush of fierce protectiveness.

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