Page 1 of Devil's Crossroad

PROLOGUE

I’mthe president of the Feral Steel motorcycle club. People know me as Devil. To my wife, Callie, I am Ky or Kylar. She dropped Devil unless she was pissed at me after our third child was born and some intense questions from our oldest son. We decided that our children hearing their dad called Devil wasn’t an ideal way to go in our family home. They still listen to it from my brothers but not in our home.

Things change when you have a family. There have been many things I have done for my club that my children will never hear about. Those are the things Devil has done. At home, I am a family man. I love my wife with no end and am a protective bear with my children. Mess with my loved ones, and you will be on a slow, painful, one-way trip to hell. Callie helps me balance both sides of my life without putting up walls between the two. Our children know both sides of my life; it’s not like we hide it, but we keep what they know age-appropriate. I try to leave the club problems at the clubhouse, but sometimes the lines blur together.

Callie was brought up in a motorcycle club the same way I was. She knows how to ensure our family knows we have a more prominent family, including the club, and our children are always there for the many family days and lockdowns. Callie and I draw the boundaries at club parties and anything related to club business. We have two sons prospecting for the club now; they know the club's score, or they’re learning it. I never pressured either of them to join the club; it made me proud, but it had to be their choice. It’s grunt work, and they are learning that day by day.

Our life is perfect, and I want it to stay this way. We have had our ups and downs. The good times outweigh the troubled times. Callie and I have made memories with our family. The club has gone through growing pains going legit. We’re still not the men wearing white hats and a badge, but we are leaving the troubled times behind us.

Callie and I have had nine beautiful children, and we love each of them. My woman is a hell of a mama, and she has made me the father that I am because she wouldn’t consider anything else. We have nine children, seven boys and two girls. They range from ages nineteen to five. We have two sets of twin boys. One set was a total surprise, and they still give us hell. The doctor said they would arrive, girls, but this one time, he was wrong.

That brings us to today. Callie has her heart set on having one more child. Don’t get me wrong, Callie is beautiful when she is pregnant. The woman has a glow to her that makes her impossible to resist. My woman on a typical day is a knockout; I don’t know how I got so damn lucky to have her love. She could have her choice of men, but she wants me. The woman has had nine children and is still as petite as she was the day I met her, and she was only a day shy of eighteen. We have had some history. She’s only thirty-eight and works out daily to stay in shape. She tells me it is for her and not for me, but I reap its rewards.

I know I need to keep myself in shape at fifty-two to keep up with my Baby Girl. She still has the name twenty years later. It’s her club name, and I wear it proudly on my cutte as she does mine on hers.

For the first time in twenty years, we are at an impasse. She has valid points for her side, but so do I. I know when we were first together, I told her that I wanted a large family. We have a large enough family now. She wants twelve children but wants to compromise for one more. She wants one additional daughter. She is always telling me we have too much testosterone in our home.

I appreciate her willingness to compromise, but we could have another dozen boys before we have a girl. I want things to be left alone the way they are. What does a seasoned couple do to work out their problems? It’s road trip time on the back of my bike.

The two of us are on the road for a week or so to reconnect as a couple without our children around to distract us. We will work this out. We always work everything out. I’ll either fuck the idea out of her head, and she will submit to me, or she’ll convince me that adding to our family is the right thing to do. I am determined it will be my way. This will be the ride of our lives, and I will make it count.

ONE

Callie

Kylar’s idea for this bike trip is to change my mind about having one more child. I’ve known that man for too long for him to pull the wool over my eyes. He said we need alone time to talk this out and then compromise. I happen to know he thinks he will give me the complete set of skills that he possesses to distract me, and I look forward to it, and then I will change my mind. That’s Kylar’s idea of compromise. He won’t get his way this time.

I have nine children and should appreciate that, and I am. They are all happy, healthy, and well-adjusted in my eyes. I yearn for one more to hold in my arms and nurture, to love unconditionally.

I don’t know when I became the type of woman who needs that tiny baby in my arms, but I know I am that woman. I love all my children, but holding a baby in my arms makes me feel complete. If there was a medical reason for me not to get pregnant or if the pregnancy would put my child at risk, I would say I was through with babymaking, but there isn’t. I will compromise with Kylar, but I want at least one more baby to love and cuddle.

I have compromised from three to one more. When I get my baby blues again, one of our older boys will make us grandparents.

“Woman, all we can take is what can fit in my saddle bags. I thought we were buying everything else on the road. What’s taking so long? We need to get on the road.” Kylar yells from downstairs. I grab my small bag, feeling guilty for not being here for Halloween. Our children love the holiday, and we always do it right. Trick or treating with our family and friends for the younger ones and then a spooky movie marathon with more junk food than is healthy for the older ones, except for our two oldest, who are at the club now and are too old for both festivities or so they think.

“I’m on my way,” I say when I am close to Kylar. “I was ensuring the children didn’t forget anything before we left and had to turn around to return and get it for them.”

“I already did that,” Kylar tells me. I shake my head. Kylar’s idea of checking is to open the doors to their rooms and look for about three seconds.

“I checked again, so we both know the children have everything they need to stay in Texas. Micah and Maddie won’t be blowing up my phone now.” My younger twin sisters, or Micah, panics about anything to do with our kids when they are together. Maddie handles it like a champ. Maddie is a mother hen like me, and Micah, bless her heart, is a drama queen. They have always been that way. Micah is full of piss and vinegar; having children has not calmed her down, and Maddie is more laid-back and has motherly instincts.

Micah would shoot someone first and ask questions later if she thought any children were in danger, and Maddie is a nurturer. They are my half-sisters, and that is a very long story for another time. They both love their families and ours very much. We take turns hosting all the children to give each of us a break. They live in Texas, and we live in Oklahoma. It’s not that far apart, just two different states. Maddie and Micah keep all our children together. I take them on by myself. The children get to enjoy their cousins being together.

“Are you ready to ride?” Kylar asks me.

“Have you squared away our oldest two sons for the week?” I ask my husband. I am ready for this little getaway.

“Our oldest sons are grunts who will be washing bikes, cleaning the clubhouse, and anything they are called out for. The brothers will keep an eye on them, and they have their orders from me. You know they are both adults now? It’s time you cut those apron strings so they can become men.” Devil gives me that fatherly glare he uses on the boys.

“Those boys at any age will always be my babies, so get over it. I understand what you are saying, but it is different for a mom than a dad. Having another child would help with that, though.” Kylar laughs out loud. Kylar wags his finger at me.

“Nope. We agreed not to talk about another child until we stopped for lunch. I get the lunch to talk, and you get the dinner talk. We state our cases and then have time to think about everything said until Halloween night in Pandora. Follow the rules, Baby Girl. I not only wanted to come on this ride with you to settle our little issue, but I also wanted to spend this time for us to be a couple again. I want some Callie and Kylar time. We have always had children to worry about. We never had time to be together without responsibilities; we’ve had weekends here and there, but I am talking about quality time for us alone. I want that time before I am too old to enjoy it. Do you think we can handle that? Just breathe, Callie.” Kylar tells me but he enjoys our rules a little too much. I should have thought this out more before setting the rules.

“Now, who is stating their side of the issue? Let’s ride Devil. It’s been a while since I have been on the back of my man’s bike. Let the good times roll.” I wink at my man and let him know I am ready for whatever he has in mind. We walk over to Kylar’s bike, and he mounts it and revs it after he starts it. I see the smile at the edge of Kylar’s lips. I climb on behind my man, and my body melts into his. I hug him tightly from behind. This is easier than breathing; getting that rush that vibrates through my body never gets old.

TWO

Devil

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