Arriving at the clubhouse, Jillian is outside with Alessandra, big smiles on their faces. I can tell by the look on their face they’re up to something.

“Mac?” Shifting in my seat, I poke him in the arm before pointing at the two women smiling like they have planned a party or something inside. I’m in no shape for a welcome home party.

Mac opens his mouth and then shuts it. “I told them no,” he breathes heavily.

“You mean you knew about this?” I hush-whisper.

“They texted me about it, but I told them you’d probably be tired.”

“Girl, you better get used to Jillian doing what she wants.” Raven laughs from behind the wheel. I sigh, knowing she’s right. Jillian is a strong-willed woman, all of the ol’ ladies are actually, but their care for one another is not lost between the lines of being independent. I learned that the day all three of them came to my room when I was at my lowest.

Forcing a smile, I lift my chin. I might as well accept my fate. We’re all ol’ ladies after all. I’ll just make an appearance and then head up to the hotel room. I’m exhausted, and not sure I can stand very long with the incision on my lower stomach.

Raven stops the car, and Mac helps me out of the car. Every move tears and pulls at my stomach and I wince. I should have taken a pain reliever before I left the hospital.

“Take it slow.” He rests his hand on my back, easing me out of the leather seat.

“I’m good,” I exhale through the pain, and stand up straight. Mac bends into the car and unlatches the car seat from the belt. His bicep flexes, his shoulders rising when holding the weight of the seat with one arm. A biker holding a baby car seat does things to a woman that are unfair.

Biting my bottom lip, I force myself to look away. Four weeks. Four weeks until we can have sex again and it’s going to be the hardest four weeks of my life.

With the car seat gripped in my palm, Jillian and the girls come running at me to see the baby.

Jesus Christ. I hold Catori up high, nervous they’re going to smother her to death.

“Mac.” Jillian scowls, raising her brows, and I raise mine in return. She has it in her head I should just give her the baby whenever she wants, and that’s not fucking happening.

A hand claps down on my shoulder and I take my eyes off Jillian to find Zeek staring back at me with questioning eyes. He needs to talk, shit. Leaning into Simone, I tell her, “Go inside, check out whatever they did, and I’ll come rescue you in five.” I kiss her on the cheek and point at Jillian. “Jillian, do not take your eyes off her.” My tone of voice threatening. She gives me the bitch eye before helping Simone inside.

I Follow Zeek away from the crowd, and he glances down at Catori, rubbing the scruff on his cheeks.

“So you claimed Simone as your ol’ lady, huh?” He doesn’t sound surprised, or the least bit worried.

Switching the car seat into the other palm, I nod. I claimed Simone before I knew it was Gatz’s child, and I regret nothing.

“You need to keep her up in that suite until we find Veer, brother. Especially now that there’s documentation of her giving birth here in the state,” he says, watching the women go inside the club.

“Well, get me a good fucking prospect to keep guard at the door,” my tone dry.

Zeek’s eyes snap to mine. “I’m trying.”

“What about Bishop? He’s ready!” I encourage. The kid is bred for this kinda shit.

Zeek rubs at his chin, annoyed with my persistence. “You know the women want him to get his GED. Not many of us Outlaws can say we’ve finished high school.”

I give Zeek a knowing look. It would be good for Bishop, the best gift we can give a brother.

“Go get your chick and go rest,” Zeek nods. “I’ll take care of the giddy fucking women with their ovaries about to combust.” He shakes his head, and I can’t help but laugh.

Stepping into the club, it looks like a fucking she-shed. There’s pink ribbon, and pink balloons, and just fucking pink everywhere. I find Simone, sitting on a stool and unwrapping a stroller. I can tell she’s in pain but trying to mask it for everyone else’s sake.

“You guys, this is too much. Thank you!” She smiles up at everyone, her face glowing. She’s unwrapped a few gifts since I’ve been outside. A crib, some clothes, diapers, and formula.

The club really came together for her, for us.

Simone’s face creases and her hand rests on her stomach. She’s really starting to hurt. I shove through the group of women, and to her side.

“Okay, Simone needs to rest you guys. We can bring up whatever you want later, but she needs her pain meds, and Catori needs a diaper change I’m sure,” I interrupt.

Raven rolls her eyes, resting her elbow on the back of the bar.

“You going from changing oil to changing diapers there, Mac?” She busts my balls. I flip her off and help Simone up from the stool.

“Oh, I’m fine.” Simone acts coy, but the way she’s gripping my hand, I can tell she’s grateful I intervened.

Machete and Zeek following us up, but Simone starts to slow down, her pain level escalating. With hesitation, I hand Catori to Machete. “Don’t you dare hand her to anyone else!” I demand.

“You better watch your threats, brother,” Machete scowls. Glancing down at Catori, his face softens, eyes widening as he takes the car seat, fear dilating his pupils. He has a kid, but not this small, he missed out on the newborn state with his son.

Positioning my arms carefully behind Simone, I pick her up. She doesn’t even resist, she wraps her arms around my neck and rests her head on my shoulder. She’s exhausted, and in pain. I wish I could take it all away so she could enjoy Catori.

“I got you,” I whisper, kissing her forehead.

Finally, in the suite, I take her to my room. Fuck that sleeping in separate bedrooms shit. I place her pain pills on the side table and fill a glass with tap water.

Grabbing the bottle, she takes a pill out and takes it quickly.

“Rest, I got Catori,” I tell her.

“Mac, no. You’ve done too much.” She tries to sit up to argue, but it’s not up for debate.

“I got this, sleep now. ‘Cause we might have to take shifts if she wakes up tonight,” I explain. I’m tired as fuck and will be needing to crash at some point. Seeming satisfied with taking turns, she lays back down. Pulling the blankets over her, I leave the room and shut the door.

I feel different. Caring so much for her and the baby comes so natural but how? Looking at the floor, I bite my lip.

“You all right, brother?” Zeek asks, breaking my dissecting of this emotion rolling through me.

“Why did you give me the job to protect Simone?” I can’t help but ask. He knows my back history, he knows how my mother died.

He fucking smirks, resting his hand on the counter. “’Cause, we all broke to a woman better than us, it was your turn.”

My eyes widen, so many questions and words on the tip of my tongue. Machete laughs like a fucking idiot and hands Catori to me before he follows Zeek out of the suite.

Sighing, I look to the baby, who’s looking up at me with doe eyes.

“Do you like sandwiches? I feel like I need a sandwich, or I might kill a brother,” I tell her.