Page 72 of Tempest

I chuckled, the tension in my chest easing slightly. “Bring it on. Can’t be worse than patching up your sorry ass after a bar fight. Seem to remember doing that a time or two.”

Sticks materialized on my other side, his trademark grin in place. “Oh, just you wait. Babies are like tiny drunk people. Loud, messy, and always demanding more booze -- or in their case, milk.”

The guys around us roared with laughter. I felt my face heat up, a mix of embarrassment and pride swelling in my chest.

“Real helpful, assholes,” I muttered, but there was no heat in it. These men were my brothers, and their teasing was born of genuine affection.

Viking leaned in, his voice low. “Seriously though, Tempest. You’ll be a great dad. Just remember, we’ve got your back. Lots of babysitters around here when you need a break.”

I nodded, swallowing hard against the sudden lump in my throat. “Thanks, man.”

The crowd shifted, and I caught sight of a familiar bulk moving through the crowd. Tank approached, his face an unreadable mask. The celebratory noise around us seemed to dim as he stopped in front of me, towering and intimidating as ever.

For a moment, we just stared at each other. I fought the urge to clench my fists, acutely aware of the tension radiating from the man who’d once been ready to put me in the ground for even looking at his daughter.

Then, slowly, Tank extended his hand, engulfed mine as I grasped it firmly. The clubhouse noise faded to a dull roar as I searched his face for any hint of his thoughts.

“Congratulations,” Tank rumbled, his grip tightening a fraction.

“Thanks,” I managed, my voice rougher than I’d intended.

As our hands dropped, Tank leaned in close, his breath hot on my ear. “Hope you’re ready for the ride of your life, boy,” he murmured, a hint of dark amusement coloring his words. “Sleepless nights, endless diapers, and a woman who’ll make pregnancy look like a cakewalk compared to what comes after.”

I stiffened, my pulse quickening. Tank pulled back, a ghost of a smirk playing on his weathered features. “Welcome to fatherhood, Tempest. It’s a whole new kind of chaos. Just wait until it’syourbaby girl running off with some guy you don’t feel is worthy of her.”

His words hung in the air between us, a challenge and a warning rolled into one. I opened my mouth to respond, but Tank had already turned, melting back into the crowd of well-wishers.

My smile faltered, the weight of Tank’s words crashing over me like a tidal wave. Chaos. That’s what my life was about to become. My mind raced, images of a screaming infant and an exhausted Kasen flashing before my eyes. Then her all grown up and riding off on the back of someone’s bike. A flicker of dread crawled up my spine, settling in my chest like a cold, hard stone.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, running a hand through my hair. The clubhouse suddenly felt too small, too crowded. I needed air, needed --

A gentle pressure on my hand snapped me back to reality. Kasen’s fingers intertwined with mine, her touch warm and grounding. I turned to find her blue eyes searching my face, concern etched in the slight furrow of her brow.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the din of the celebration.

I swallowed hard, forcing a weak smile. “Yeah, just… processing. Don’t think it really hit me until just now.”

Kasen squeezed my hand, her thumb tracing soothing circles on my skin. “We’re in this together. Besides, how hard can a baby be compared to everything we just faced?”

I took a deep breath, feeling my shoulders relax slightly. “You better hope you didn’t just jinx us. Now our kid might turn out like Lanie over at the Devil’s Boneyard.”

She paled a little, then the moment was shattered by the sharpclinkof glass on metal. I turned to see Viking standing on a nearby table, beer bottle raised high.

“Listen up, you sorry bastards!” he bellowed, his voice cutting through the chatter. “Time to raise a glass to our Sergeant-at-Arms and his wife!”

A chorus of whoops and hollers erupted. Bottles and glasses lifted in unison, a sea of raised arms surrounding us. The air crackled with electricity, a palpable excitement I hadn’t felt in a while.

“To Tempest and Kasen!” Sticks shouted from across the room. “And to the littlest Reaper on the way!”

“To family!” someone else chimed in.

“To sleepless nights and dirty diapers!” another voice added, eliciting a round of laughter.

I felt a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth, despite the lingering unease from Tank’s words. The camaraderie, the genuine joy radiating from my brothers -- it was infectious. These were the men I’d ride into battle with, the ones I’d trust with my life. And now, they were rallying around me, ready to support this new chapter.

Kasen’s grip on my hand tightened, and I glanced down to see her beaming up at me. The sight of her, radiant and strong, sent a surge of warmth through my chest. Tank’s warning echoed in the back of my mind, but it felt distant now, overshadowed by the love surrounding us.

“You know,” I murmured, leaning close to Kasen’s ear, “I think we might actually pull this off.”

---