Page 65 of Flirt

Epilogue Three

Stroker and the rest of the Dads

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More years later...

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Iwatched the BlackHawk MC members and their families eating, laughing, and enjoying themselves, then looked around at my closest friends and brothers.

“When we left the military and started the club, did you ever envision any of this,” I said as I stretched out my arm and waved my hand to encompass everyone at the club’s Fourth of July barbecue.

“No. And the only thing that would make this better is if Cutter was here to enjoy it with us,” Flyboy said, and the other men and I nodded in agreement.

I shook my head, remembering our friend and brother whose life was cut short. “Can you imagine if he was? Christ, the three boys of Speed’s would be meaner. And that’s saying something compared to how they already are. I will admit, though, the best part would have been watching Ally wrap the tough bastard around her finger.”

“Oh yeah. Now that would have been funny to watch,” Romeo said.

“Even after all this time, I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t think of him,” I said, and the others acknowledged the same. “I’ll admit the thought of him with Carly and Crusher’s boys...what a nightmare. It has nothing to do with how I would have had to share the boys with Cutter. They just don’t need any more encouragement than they already get. I love my grandsons, but they are already hoodlums, and they are only seven and six. I don’t know if any of us will survive their teenage years. The other day, Crusher mentioned he and Carly were setting up college funds for the boys, and he got pissed at me when I mentioned that maybe a bail fund would be a better idea. ‘Cause those boys will more than likely need that before college money.”

“Then it’s probably a good thing their mama’s the sheriff,” Will, River’s dad and recently retired county sheriff, said as he walked up and sat down to join us. When Will had decided to retire, Carly ran for the position. I wasn’t sure who was more shocked, her or the club, when she won by a landslide.

“Hell, I’m not sure being their mama will stop her from locking ‘em up. The woman has a mean streak a mile long and wide,” Roscoe said, and we all turned and looked at him. “What? Every one of ya knows she’s mean. You want to talk about if Cutter were still alive and how his influence would have affected his grandkids. For fuck’s sake, imagine Cutter with Carly. It is right sad he never got to meet his daughter, but if he had, that father and daughter combo would keep your asses up at night.”

Romeo snorted. “You’re just mad Carly pulled you over last week and read you the riot act,” he said and earned a glare from Roscoe while the rest of us chuckled.

“Well, there was no reason for it. Damn sure wasn’t a reason for her yelling that she should write me up for recklessness. I hit a goddamn oil spot on the road. Not like I didn’t get the bike back under control,” Roscoe said in a put-out tone.

I stopped grinning, ran my hand across the back of my neck, and took a deep breath. It was the perfect opening for the subject I had been elected to talk to Roscoe about. I felt the others’ eyes on me and knew they were thinking the same thing. Even knowing they would have my back didn’t make it any easier for me to broach the subject.

“Yeah, Carly mentioned it took you a bit to straighten out the bike,” I started but didn’t get anything else out before Roscoe bristled and cut in.

“For fuck’s sake, I got it under control. That’s what matters. I’ve been riding longer than the girl’s been alive. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about, and she should mind her own—”

“Stop it! Your old ass scared the shit out of her, Roscoe,” I blurted out, cutting his rant off. No man wanted to admit they might be slowing down with age.

“What?” he said with a little less steam than he previously had in his words.

“You scared her, brother,” I repeated, then continued. “She watched the bike come loose in the curve, and there was nothing she could do about it. She figured she was going to have a front row seat to you crashing. I was at her and Crusher’s house when she walked in.” I shook my head, remembering. “Crusher asked her what happened, and that was all it took to break her down. I have never seen the girl so torn up. I can count on one hand the times I’ve seen her cry but nothing like that day.”

“She didn’t act upset when she pulled me over. She acted pissed. She started yelling at me about slowing my fucking ass down because she didn’t have time to waste standing around while I was scraped off the road,” Roscoe said, then I watched him look down at his hands and flex them.

“Is your arthritis acting up?” Dare asked as he joined us and sat down beside Roscoe.

Roscoe blew out a breath before he answered, “Yeah, the damn stuff is getting worse. Flaring up more every dang day. Already taking the max dosage in medication to ease it. Doc said if it gets worse, he’s going to have to change my medication again. Getting old sucks ass, boys. Some days, it takes all I can do to get my hands to cooperate enough so I can squeeze Sue’s ass.”

Several of us chuckled, and a few groaned. There wasn’t one of us at the table who couldn’t relate to how Roscoe felt. No biker wanted to acknowledge that his riding days were limited. I already knew I would prolong it as long as I possibly could.

Hell, there were already more days than not when I got off my bike after a ride, my legs hurt, my hands ached, and my ass was numb. I even wondered if I was going to be able to walk the next day. Yet, it never stopped me from getting back on my bike. Nothing came close to the feeling of riding the open road with the wind hitting me. I would do whatever it took to keep experiencing it.

“I’m sure the boys can modify your roadster into a trike,” Preacher suggested. The look Roscoe gave him had my lips twitching, and when I looked at the others, they were in the same shape. Every one of us was fighting to contain our laughter.

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