Page 209 of Steel

I’m a fucking Dirty Maverick until I die, but I’m also more than that.

I’m a husband and a father.

Not really sure my life can get better than this.

Epilogue

Six Years Later

My eyes follow mypregnant wife around the cookout as she chases our two-year-old son, Kian, around the yard. He screams when she gets close and takes off in a fit of giggles toward his big sister on the other side of the yard.

Lyric is busy building sandcastles with her three-year-old brother, Nero, but pauses when she hears Kian’s screams. Her eyes widen and laughter spills from her lips as she opens her arms for him.

She promised us six years ago that she was going to be the best big sister ever, and she’s lived up to that promise. Lyric absolutely adores her brothers and sister.

A tug to my beard and the happy “Dada” has me peering down at the little girl in my arms. Raya, our eight-month-old, is babbling while happily and safely cocooned in her daddy’s thick arms. Most of our kids are all about their mama, even Lyric, but Raya turned out to be all about her daddy. Bailee likes to act all put out about it, but I see the happiness and love in her eyes every time she catches me with our daughter in my arms.

I fucking love keeping my wife pregnant with our babies. I love watching her body change as they grow inside her. Fucking enjoy knowing there’s proof of the love we have for each other. Bailee was born to be a mother, and I was born to fucking make her one. My kids get to have the one thing I tried so hard to give Lyric when Heather was alive—a home with two parents who loved them ridiculously.

“No, Mom, you can’t have him,” Lyric teases.

My eyes fly to Bailee, wanting to see the way she melts every time our daughter calls her mom. Bailee gets that little smile on her face as she always does when Lyric calls her it.

Bailee adopted Lyric four years ago, and I honestly think it’s been the best thing that’s happened to them both. Bailee has always seen Lyric as her daughter, but after all the shit we went through, for her to be able to say that without fear, without worrying about someone taking Lyric from her, it’s given her more life. The first time Lyric called her ‘Mom’, Bailee cried in my arms for over an hour. There’s a bond between my wife and our daughter that transcends anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s goddamn beautiful, is what it is.

A little motorcycle engine revs, and I look out to the parking lot of the club, where Blade, Phantom, and their Old Lady stand with Lena and her men as our five-year-old son, Jude, ridesthe miniature bike that Bailee bought him before he was even born. When we found out we were having a boy and were going over names, I knew right away the one I wanted. Out of all the brothers we lost over the years, Bozo’s death still hangs heavy over the club, especially when we see his little boy running around. A little boy he never got the chance to know. A son who looks like a miniature version of his father. When I asked Bailee about naming our son Jude after Bozo, she agreed immediately, loving the idea. She said it was an honor to let our boy carry on a name that meant so much to me and the club. Jude has become such close friends with Bozo’s little boy, Duke, that Duke is at our house nearly every night. Not that I mind. Love that little kid as much as my own.

I’m not the only one who loves that kid as my own either. I watch as Cowboy strolls up to Duke’s mama, Tessa Kate, placing his hand gently on her shoulder and whispering something in her ear as he watches Duke ride beside Jude on the bike Cowboy bought him.

Life in the club has been crazy over the last six years.

The charter we established in Ashbourne, Florida, has been running great with Rage at the helm. He’s turned out to be one hell of a President with his Old Lady at his side. They’ve had a few tussles with some rival clubs already, but nothing they ain’t been able to handle on their own. They even made a new ally in the Saint’s Outlaws MC over in Coral Cay after the two clubs had a mutual problem that needed fixing.

Shit’s been running so great between both chapters of the club that Wraith has been talking about establishing another one out west somewhere.

Brothers are finding their Old Ladies and settling down, and babies are popping out everywhere. New prospects are joining, hoping they have what it takes to become patch holders.

The Dirty Mavericks are becoming bigger and better every day, and I fucking love watching it grow.

Lyric makes her way over to where I’m standing with her sister and snuggles up to me. “Hi, Dad.”

I lean down and kiss the top of her head, making Raya giggle. “Hi, Princess. Havin’ fun?”

She’s growing faster than I want her to. Fourteen years old and her head nearly comes up to my shoulders.

“Yeah.” She crinkles her nose. “Hendrick is being mean again, though.”

Ah, hell.

The heartbreak in her tone says it all.

My girl has a crush, and I don’t know if I’m ready for it.

“Want me to beat him up for you?” I tease.

Lyric giggles. “No, Dad. I can handle him.”

I laugh. “I have no doubt, Princess.”

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