Dawg gritted his teeth as he watched the woman he fucked almost fifteen years ago climb out of her overpriced shiny new SUV in the driveway of her overpriced huge house.

She looked good. But nothing like when she was nineteen. Now she looked well-put together, dressed like she had money, her hair was perfectly in place, and she looked pampered.

Nothing he would’ve been able to give her. Not back then, maybe not even now.

Fuck no. He could only offer her dick, and the future of living over a damn strip club.

That wasn’t what she wanted from him. And he didn’t blame her, she had it good now. She probably wanted for nothing and ran in circles that would never give him the time of day. Though, he was sure some of the men in her “circles” were some of his loyal clientele.

But, hey, as long as they tipped his girls good, he didn’t care what side of the tracks his customers were from.

The women in her circle wouldn’t give him a second glance unless they were looking for a night with a bad boy just for shits and giggles. Or looking for revenge on a cheating husband. And thank fuck he’d taken one up on her offer one night last year during a dry spell. The rich bitch he did that night just happened to know Regan and slipped about Caitlin’s real father possibly being an Angel when she saw his cut.

A few casual questions later and Dawg had put two and two together...

He’d climbed off his sled and now stood there waiting, arms crossed over his chest.

She had seen him. He was hard to miss. And he was sure it wasn’t very often that a biker wearing a DAMC cut sat on his Harley at the curb of a million-dollar mansion. Or however much that house cost.

In fact, “wasn’t very often” probably meant never.

He was surprised none of the neighbors had called the cops yet for a suspicious person. But he kept an ear peeled for sirens just in case. Though he wasn’t doing anything illegal, he didn’t know any of the cops in this wealthy area outside of Pittsburgh. So he might end up tased, batoned or even thrown in jail for just looking at a pig sideways.

Then his day would suck even more than it already did.

Regan slipped her sunglasses down her nose as she stared at him from next to her vehicle. Even from where he stood, on public property to make sure he wasn’t trespassing, he could tell she was muttering under her breath.

Probably calling him every name in the book.

Well, he was calling her the same shit in his head. So they were even.

With a large visible sigh, she yanked her purse over her shoulder and stomped in his direction. “What the hell are you doing here, Dawg?” she asked in an angry whisper when she got close enough.

“Surprised you remember me,” he said, even though he had no doubt she would never forget him. Especially when she popped out his kid. “Need to talk.”

“Now? There’s absolutely no reason to reminisce about good times.”

The sarcasm in her voice made him grimace. “Was it good for you?”

Color flooded her cheeks, and she pushed her sunglasses higher up her nose. She twisted her head left and right, probably making sure none of her neighbors saw her slumming with a man of questionable character.

“You look good, Regan.”

Her head jerked back. “I’m married.”

“Know it. Don’t wanna fuck you, just tryin’ to be civil.”

Emma had reminded him before he’d left to remain calm and be civil since you drew more flies with honey. That’s what she said, and he would try to stick with that plan.

“Why are you here, Dawg?”

“Like I said, need to talk.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

He pinned her with a stare. “Doubt that.” Then he shut up and waited.

After a few seconds, her face became pale and her lips thinned. Even through her big, fashionable sunglasses he could see her eyes widen when it hit her why he was there. “I’m going inside. You need to leave.”

As she turned, he snaked out a hand and snagged her wrist, keeping her right where she stood. “No.”

“No?” She tugged on her arm and he let her go. He didn’t need to add on assault charges.

“No. Came here for a reason. Stayin’ until I say my piece.”

She tugged her purse higher up her shoulder. Maybe she was afraid he’d try to snatch it. “What could we possibly have to talk about after fifteen years? We slept together once.”

“Three times,” he muttered.

She grimaced as if that number made it even worse. “I don’t remember that.”

“I do.”

“I guess it wasn’t as memorable for me.”

He tilted his head and studied the woman before him. The one he had actually thought might be for him all those years ago. Which proved he was young and dumb at the time and only thinking with his dick. “No? Didn’t give you anything worth rememberin’?”

“You mean like crabs?”

He blew out an irritated breath. “Didn’t give you crabs.”

“Then I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she answered in a snotty tone.

He raised his eyebrows at her lie. “No idea?”

She lifted her chin. “Nope.”

“Found out recently you’ve had somethin’ of mine for the last fourteen years.”

Her mouth gaped open, and she stumbled back. Dawg reached out and snagged her wrist again to keep her from tumbling backward onto the pavement.

“Let me go!”

Dawg released her and held his hands up in surrender. “Just tryin’ to help.”

“How are you helping me by coming here now, after all these years, and saying stuff like that?”

“It’s true, ain’t it?”

She glanced toward the house, a worried look on her face. “No.”

“Bullshit, Regan. I saw her.”

“When?” she breathed.

“A few months ago at her school.”

“Why would you go there?”

“To see if it was true. To make sure she’s mine.”

Regan slammed her hands on her hips. “So what if she is? She doesn’t know you. I don’t want her to know you.”

His body went solid. “That’s fuckin’ clear.”

“Even if she was yours, you have nothing to offer her. Just look at you.” She waved a well-manicured hand up and down his body.

His nostrils flared as he sucked in an impatient breath. “Regan, is she mine?” He needed to hear it once and for all. The absolute truth.

“She’s my husband Paul’s.”

Another fucking lie. “On paper or by blood?”

Regan grimaced.

Dawg shook his head at her reaction. “Gettin’ a DNA test.”

“No! I’ll fight it.”

He shrugged. “Try it. It’s gonna happen.”

“Why would you want to screw up her life? Paul has given us a good one. He’s giving her all the opportunities you’d never be able to give her. With you, she’d be lucky to end up in a community college, if she didn’t end up on the pole. With him she’s got a shot at an Ivy League school.”

“Because her life’s a lie.”

“It’s a good lie. She doesn’t have a clue that Paul isn’t her father. She knows no different, Dawg.”

“But I do.”

“Don’t be so damn selfish. This isn’t just about you. This is about my daughter.”

“Just confirmed she’s my daughter, too.”

“It doesn’t matter. You are nothing to her, Dawg. Nothing. Get that through your thick head. The only thing you had going for you was that you were decent in bed. That’s it. My first mistake was missing a couple days of my birth control and thinking I would still be covered. My second was thinking it’d be fun to have a couple of nights with a bad boy like you. But my biggest mistake was actually fucking you.”

His hands clenched into fists and his jaw got tight.

Dawg had never hit a woman before and he wasn’t about to start. But it was close. So fucking close. She was lucky she wasn’t a man because her ass would be on the ground right about now, knocked the fuck out.

“You were a damn biker. Obviously, you still are. Why would you have wanted to be saddled with a baby back then?”

“Took my fuckin’ choice away, Regan. Didn’t gimme a chance to decide how to handle it.”

“You’d better think long and hard about this, Dawg. Think about what you’re going to do to Caitlin. Think about what kind of turmoil you’re going to cause in her life. Why would you do this and be so selfish? Why would you come in now and interrupt her life?”

“Maybe ‘cause I didn’t know ‘bout her, Regan. So don’t accuse me of being selfish. You,” he poked his finger in her direction, “kept my blood from me. Now, that’s fuckin’ selfish. Wanna know my daughter. Have every right to know her. Wouldn’t be any turmoil if I’d known about her from the fuckin’ beginnin’.”

“One reason I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I considered having an abortion. Just because I didn’t, doesn’t mean I want to relive my mistake over and over for the rest of my life.”

“You didn’t tell me because you considered me that mistake. You’ve made that pretty fuckin’ clear.”

She tilted her head as she stared at him through her sunglasses that probably cost a small fortune. “Are you still running that strip club? If you are, DNA test or not, you don’t have a chance in hell on getting visitation rights. No judge in their right mind will give you that. So think hard on that, Dawg. What kind of morals are you going to teach a fourteen-year-old girl when you have naked women dancing on a stage in front of a bunch of perverted men?”

He couldn’t argue that last point. But there was nothing illegal about his club. The women were treated well, and it was their choice to work there. They weren’t coerced one bit. So she could take her self-righteous morals and shove them up her ass.

He might not be Paul-type rich, but he did well. He could provide for his daughter, give her most of what she needed. Maybe not everything this Paul could, but she didn’t need to be spoiled, she just needed her father. She just needed to know she was loved. And wanted.

Fuck.

“Now get out of here before she comes outside looking for me.”

He glanced toward the house. He’d had no idea that Caitlin was inside all this time. His heart began to pound. “Wanna see her.”

“You have no right to see her.”

“Need to tell ‘er ‘bout me.”

“No, I don’t, Dawg. That’s why there are courts. Good luck with that. I’m sure we can tie things up in the system until you run out of money.” She moved away from him back to her driveway. “If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the police and then she can see you being arrested and hauled off in handcuffs. Something I’m sure you’re used to.”

His jaw tightened. “Ain’t a jailbird.”

“Oh, well, let me give you a gold star. I’m sure you’re an upstanding citizen with a lot to contribute to society. Go you!” she cheered, then sneered, “Now get out of here. Any further communication can be done through our attorneys.”

With that, she spun on her heel and hurried toward the house.

He fought the temptation to follow her, force his way into the house and see Caitlin. To talk to her. Hear her voice. Discover everything about her that’s been kept from him.

But he didn’t.

Because ending up in jail wouldn’t help him. Wouldn’t help Emma.

She had told him to remain civil.

He was going to remain fucking civil even if it killed him.

“Got a bead on ‘em,” Diesel’s voice grumbled through Dawg’s cell phone three days later.

Dawg blew out a relieved breath and scrubbed a hand over his beard. “Where? Brunei?”

“Yeah,” D grunted. “Looks like they were plannin’ on stayin’ for a while. Rented a place. Bought a car. Changed their names.”

Dawg turned his back toward the stage and stepped away from Cubby, covering his ear with his hand so he could hear the DAMC’s enforcer better over the music. “Your guys there now?”

“Yeah. Hunter. Walker. Mercy headin’ that direction.”

Fuck. With Mercy on his way, shit was about to go down and Lily might be home soon. Dawg needed to get his shit together and get their future in order. Talk to Z. Talk to Emma once he figured out their plans to see if she was on board.

He hoped to hell she was.

“They got Lily yet?”

“Nope. Watchin’. Waitin’. Makin’ sure they don’t bolt somewhere else.”

“She okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I tell Emma?”

“Fuck no. Ain’t tellin’ her shit. Once the kid’s back on the ground in PA, we’ll tell ‘er. Not a second before, got me?”

“She worries, D. Wanna tell her Lily’s safe.”

“Just gonna hafta worry for now. Don’t want this fucked six ways to Sunday. Keepin’ it on a need-to-know basis. Gonna do this the way my guys wanna do it. They’re the ones puttin’ their asses on the line.”

“Understood,” Dawg answered. He understood it, but he didn’t like it. Emma needed some reassurance. He turned with his phone still up to his ear and immediately spotted Ember working a customer at the other end of the stage.

He didn’t like keeping shit from her. Not about her own daughter. But he had to do what was best for Lily and for D’s crew. D was right, they were putting their asses on the line. They didn’t have to, but they wanted to since D confessed that they had decided to volunteer their time. D and the DAMC coffers were covering a lot of the travel expenses. Dawg would cover anything else needed.

This was a costly mission in more ways than one. But he wasn’t giving the rat bastard who stole Emma’s daughter more than a second of his thoughts. Not more than one fucking second.

He did Emma wrong. He did Lily wrong by ripping her away from her mother. A mother who loved and cared for her. He deprived both of them a year and a half of their lives together.

He was a selfish prick who needed to pay. However Mercy decided the fucker needed to pay, Dawg was okay with it.

Did that make him a cold-hearted bastard? Probably. But there were consequences to every action. And Emma’s ex was going to find that out.

“You know shit’s gonna change once she’s back with her mother, right?” D’s deep grumble came through the phone.

“For Lily?”

“For you, brother. Woman’s got a seven-year-old. You got a strip club. Gotta make a plan. Ain’t gonna be a fight on her end with the husband. That problem’s bein’ permanently solved. Don’t know jack ‘bout ‘is family. They decide to fight ‘er, she might lose. Some people get jacked ‘bout women dancin’ naked on a stage. Ain’t gonna look good durin’ a custody battle.”

“Yeah. Gonna talk to Z as soon as you hang the fuck up.”

Dawg heard a grunt on the other end of the phone and then his cell went dead.

He pulled the phone away and immediately texted Z. He needed a meeting with the prez and his VP.

Like yesterday.

After telling Emma he needed to go take care of business, he approached the private bar at church not an hour later where Hawk waited for him. The VP’s eyes were serious as he tracked Dawg heading in his direction.

Hawk stepped from behind the bar and they clasped hands and bumped shoulders. “Brother,” Hawk grunted.

“Brother,” Dawg greeted back. His head twisted toward the end of the bar where Grizz had his ass settled in his regular seat and a half-empty pint glass already in front of him. “Mama Bear must be workin’ in the kitchen if the old man’s already in his seat.”

“Yeah,” Hawk said. “Can’t pay that woman enough to keep my kitchen runnin’ as smoothly as it does.”

“Hear ya, brother.”

Hawk ducked back behind the bar. “Jack?”

“Fuck yeah, will need it for this.”

With a raised brow, Hawk pulled a bottle of JD off the shelf, cracking the top and lining up a few shot glasses along the bar. He filled two of them and handed one to Dawg, who downed it in one swallow and hissed away the burn.

“Fuck,” he muttered, dragging a hand over his mouth.

Hawk blew out a breath. “I’d say that’s a good way to start the day, but it’s fuckin’ two o’clock.”

Dawg turned his head when he heard someone coming down the steps from the rooms upstairs. Crow, his black hair wet and loose around his shoulders, appeared, spotted them and headed over.

“Don’t you gotta open up shop?” Dawg asked him.

“What time is it?” Crow asked, rubbing a hand over his dark, tired eyes. He waved a dismissing hand and shook his head at the full shot glass Hawk offered him.

“Fuckin’ day’s half over,” Hawk grumbled.

“The fuck it is,” Crow grumbled back. He headed toward the commercial coffeemaker tucked away in the corner and looked at the pot. “How long has this sludge been sittin’ here on the burner?”

“The fuck if I know,” Hawk answered. “Don’t live here. You do.”

Crow grimaced as he emptied the coffee out in the sink and started a fresh batch.

“Don’t you got customers waitin’ on you?” Hawk asked Crow.

“Fuck no. Got a large piece scheduled for later. Ain’t doin’ shit before that. An’ that fucker who’s scheduled don’t roll outta bed until...” He glanced at the clock behind the bar. “‘bout now. I’ll still be there before him. What’re you two here for?”

Crow’s answer was the back door from the parking lot opening and Zak stepping inside. He spotted them and flipped his hand up over his shoulder in a greeting.

“Didn’t bring the kid?” Crow called out as Z made his way across the common area.

“I look like his mother?” Z shouted back.

“No, thank fuck,” Crow muttered as he moved closer to where Hawk and Dawg were standing, downing their second shot of whiskey. He sipped his coffee and sighed. “Now that shit’s good. Just need one of your woman’s cupcakes to go along with it. Can’t be bakin’ shit when she got a baby hangin’ ‘round her neck. Should be doin’ daddy daycare.”

Z hit the bar, clasped hands and bumped shoulders with all of them before accepting a shot of Jack. “Got my sled. Can’t be stickin’ the fuckin’ baby seat on the back of that.”

“Well, you could,” Hawk said, then laughed.

“Yeah, well, he still needs Soph’s tits. Kid’s a greedy motherfucker. Can’t wait to get her tits back.”

“Like you don’t...” Crow started, shook his head and then smiled. “Never mind.”

Z shot him a look. “Ain’t goin’ there.”

Crow lifted a hand. “Yep, brother, you’re right. Ain’t goin’ there.”

Z glanced down the bar at Grizz and then back to Dawg. “Okay to talk here? Or we gotta move into the meetin’ room?”

“Nah, it’s okay. Ain’t a secret. Just wanted to discuss some important shit with you an’ the VP.”

“Have to do with Emma?” Z asked, pinning his gaze on Dawg.

“Yeah, sorta. But it’s more than that.”

“Ah, shit. You fuckin’ claimin’ her?” the club’s president asked, the surprise evident in his voice.

Dawg’s head jerked back. Was he? He hadn’t even thought that far ahead. In his mind, he’d already claimed her. Though, she wasn’t his ol’ lady officially, and he wasn’t even sure that Emma would want that.

“Little early to be claimin’ her,” Hawk said, downed another double shot and barked out a “Fuck!” as he winced.

“Hell no, it ain’t. Knew Soph was the one after the first night, Chicken Hawk. Can’t tell me you weren’t ready to claim Kiki after the first time she made you blow your load.”

Hawk poured himself another double and smiled. “Was ready to claim ‘er as soon as ‘er hot fuckin’ ass wearin’ that tight skirt walked into the visitin’ room at County. An’ when she put on ‘er glasses... Fuck! Was ready to bend ‘er over the table an’... Yeah. Got your point.” Hawk reached down and adjusted himself.

Dawg grinned and shook his head. “Ain’t ‘bout claimin’ her... yet. Need to get shit settled. Askin’ if we can patch in Moose before his year’s up.”

“What the fuck? Why?” Z asked. “Know he’s a good one, but...”

“Yeah, he’s pullin’ his weight at Heaven’s Angels,” Dawg explained. “He’s a fuckin’ trustworthy prospect. Worth patchin’ ‘im.”

“Agreed,” Hawk said.

“’Kay, we’ll patch ‘im in. That it?” Z asked.

“Fuck no. Wish it was. Once he’s patched in, thinkin’ ‘bout handin’ over the club to ‘im. Lettin’ ‘im take over my apartment, take over managin’—”

Z shouted, “Hold up! Back the fuck up, Dawg. What the fuck you sayin’? You buyin’ out your membership? You givin’ up your colors? For Emma?”

“Fuck no. Ain’t ever leavin’ this club. But need to get a place. Need to do somethin’ else. She might have a fight on her hands when it comes to custody an’ I don’t wanna be the reason she loses her daughter. She already lost her for the past year an’ a half. Got me?”

Zak stared at him for a moment. “You’re handin’ over the reins for Heaven’s Angels? You’ve been the only one who’s ever run it. You make the MC a fuckload of scratch from that club. Moose gonna be able to fill your shoes?”

“Dunno. Think so. He’s got a smart head on his shoulders. Ain’t a squirrelly piece of shit like some of the others. Trust ‘im. If you think he ain’t right, then maybe Dex or Linc can take over.”

Hawk shook his head, a frown covering his face. “Nope. Linc’s managin’ the bar for me. He’s good at it. Want ‘im to continue.”

“Then what the fuck are you doin’?” Dawg asked.

“Managin’ Linc,” Hawk answered with a grin. “He’s doin’ the late shift so I can be with my woman. I’m takin’ daylight when Kiki’s workin’.”

Yeah, Kiki had definitely taken the top spot with Hawk after she walked into his life. The bar was now in second place. The club’s VP no longer worked long and late hours at The Iron Horse. He did what he had to do, then went home and did what he wanted to do. With his woman.

That was exactly what Dawg needed, too. He was getting older; he didn’t need to be working until three in the morning anymore. He’d leave that to the younger members.

“What ‘bout Dex?” Dawg asked.

“Dex ain’t managin’ the strip club. His dick will be in the girls more than he’ll be managin’ ‘em. Got a good policy ‘bout not doin’ your girls. Needs to stay that way,” Hawk stated.

True. Dex wouldn’t be as concerned with a lot of the things Dawg was. He also could see Dex running the club into the ground. And Dawg didn’t want to see all his hard work fall to shit. Then he’d have to kick Dex’s ass.

And that probably wouldn’t go over very well.

“So back to Moose. Best person in my opinion,” Dawg said.

“Yeah, thinkin’ that’s true. But sure you wanna do this? Give up everythin’ you worked hard for just for pussy?” Hawk asked.

Dawg’s nostrils flared and his fingers curled into his palm. Hawk was fucking with him. He had to be. Because if Dawg had ever said the same thing about Kiki, not just now but in the beginning when the couple first crossed paths, Hawk would have pounded him into the ground without a second thought.

“Brother,” Crow warned Hawk with a low voice and a shake to his head. “You two goin’ at it in here’s gonna break a lot of shit. Hope you’re just fuckin’ with ‘im.”

Hawk’s face broke out in a grin, then he whacked Dawg on the back. “Know how serious you are ‘bout her, Dawg Pound. Just messin’ with ya. But still... ready to give all that up? Again, it’s only been what? A couple of weeks?”

“Yeah. But I get what you’re sayin’. Been runnin’ the club for fifteen years. Don’t know anything else.”

“You’ll need to do somethin’,” Z said.

“Right. Been thinkin’ ‘bout that, too.”

All eyes landed on him.

He continued since he had their attention. “Shit that went down with Pierce... The Committee didn’t strip ‘im of his colors for a couple reasons. One that I know of was the gun shop.”

Hawk straightened up from leaning back on the bar. “Whataya sayin’?”

“Thought it might be a good idea for someone to slide in there an’ learn the biz from the inside out. This would be a good excuse to do it. Our bylaws state I gotta work an’ bring money into the club account. So no better place for me than the gun shop and range, right? Nothin’ would be suspicious. But once I get a good handle on the business, we got the option to kick ‘is ass the fuck down the road. Strip ‘is colors, if need be.”

Z looked thoughtful but nodded his head. “Might be a good idea. He’s always bitchin’ he don’t got enough help. I can’t help ‘em ‘cause of my felony charge. But you’ve gotta good brain for business an’ a good excuse to move into a spot over there.” He looked pensive for a moment. “Yeah, fuck it. Like that idea. Chicken Hawk?”

Hawk nodded, too. “Fuck yeah. Like it. D will love it. So will Jag an’ maybe even Ace. Pretty sure Dex will vote yes on that motion, too.”

“Gotta get a meetin’ scheduled quick then, brothers. Gotta get Moose patched in ASAP. Hunter an’ Walker got a bead on Lily. She should be comin’ home soon. Need to get this shit movin’. Also need to find a place to live,” Dawg announced.

“For you? Or for the three of you?” Hawk asked, a brow cocked.

“Hopin’ it’s the three of us,” Dawg answered.

“Ace’s farm?” Crow suggested.

“Maybe. Not sure if I wanna live out in the country.”

“Not sure if Ace’s got anythin’ available, anyhow,” Z answered. “’Specially with Annie an’ Allie each takin’ up a cabin. Diamond an’ Slade shackin’ up in another. I think he’s got the rest rented.”

“Like I said, not sure if I wanna move out into the boonies. Not sure what Emma wants, either. She don’t know what I’m here talkin’ about. I’m sure she’ll want a say where her an’ Lily settle. Got cash for a house, but have a feelin’ it’s gonna go to fightin’ for Caitlin.”

Zak’s head spun toward him, his brows pinned together. “Who’s Caitlin?”

“Dawg’s daughter,” Hawk answered.

“What?” Z turned wide eyes to Dawg.

Dawg frowned at Hawk. “Guess Kiki told you.”

Hawk ran a hand over his short mohawk. “Yeah. Kiki don’t keep shit from me.”

Dawg grimaced. “Nothin’ like attorney-client privilege.”

Hawk gave him an answering frown, then growled, “If the club’s payin’ for it, then we’re all the client. Got me?”

Unfortunately, the man had a good point. “Yeah.”

“So Zeke ain’t the first kid to be the fourth generation,” Zak muttered, sounding a little disappointed.

“Fourth generation of the foundin’ members, but not fourth in the club itself. Sorry, Z,” Dawg said.

“How old is she?” Crow asked, leaning against the bar with his second cup of coffee.

“Fourteen.”

“Shit,” Z mumbled. “That’s a helluva long time to keep a secret from us.”

Hell, it was a long time for a secret to be kept from him. Dawg continued, “Wasn’t holdin’ out on you. Didn’t know ‘bout ‘er until recently.”

“An’ she wants to have visitation with you?” Z asked.

“Don’t know I’m her pop.”

“What the fuck!” Z exclaimed. “That’s some bullshit right there, brother.”

“Yeah,” Dawg agreed.

“Sure you wanna do that to her?” Hawk asked quietly.

The million-dollar question. Everybody asked it, so it made him wonder if pushing this was the right thing. His gut said it was, but everyone was making him question his motives.

“You sayin’ it’s better that I leave well enough alone?” Dawg asked.

Crow tilted his head and narrowed his dark eyes. “She blood?”

“Yeah.” Though he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure until they had the DNA results. And that might take a while since Kiki would have to file the paperwork and he was positive that Regan would fight it tooth and nail.

“Your blood. You claim her,” Crow said firmly. He grabbed Dawg’s shoulder and shook it, then he clapped him on the back. “Got me, brother?”

“Yeah, brother, got you.”

Hawk shifted. “Not sure if I agree with that.”

“Ain’t your blood,” Crow told him. “If it was, you’d think differently.”

“Right,” Hawk grunted, but still didn’t look convinced. However, Dawg had known Hawk for what seemed like forever. And he knew that man would fight for his kid if he found out he had one out there somewhere. Most likely most of his brothers would. Family was serious shit to them.

“Speakin’ of kids an’ shit...You get to warn Linc?” Dawg asked Hawk.

“’Bout what?” Z asked.

“Guess you havin’ Zeke stoked a fire inside your baby sister, Z,” Dawg said.

“Yeah. And?”

“Kiki thought it’d be a good idea to warn Linc to be... cautious,” Hawk answered.

“Of what?” Z asked, clearly confused.

Hawk rolled his eyes. “Of your fuckin’ sister,” he barked at Z.

Z’s spine straightened and his blue eyes narrowed. “They fuckin’?”

Dawg shrugged. “Not that I know of. But you’ve seen ‘em eyeballin’ each other. Talkin’ close.”

“Here’s the thing...” Hawk began. “What I’m gonna tell you don’t go past here. Got me? It’s early yet, but it’s not goin’ to help Jayde’s baby fever or whatever Keeks fuckin’ calls it.”

Then the man just stopped talking. And a few seconds later, it seemed to hit them all at once.

Z groaned, “Fuck.”

“Yeah,” Hawk grunted.

The club’s president slammed his hand on the bar. “Ivy was supposed to be next. Just lost a fuckin’ Benjamin on that bet.”

Hawk snorted. “Yeah, maybe Jag’s gettin’ it in the wrong hole or somethin’. Dunno. But Ivy ain’t next.”

“Shouldn’t we be celebratin’?” Crow asked.

“Fuck yeah. But don’t tell Keeks I told you. She’s hornier than ever, so ain’t gonna end up in the dog house ‘cause of you fuckers runnin’ your traps.”

“Fuck. This club’s gonna turn into a fuckin’ daycare,” Dawg muttered.

Crow slapped Dawg’s back. “Ain’t a bad thing, brother. Bringin’ new life into this club, into this family. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. Ensures the DAMC will live on.”

“That it will,” Z said. “Pour us some shots, Chicken Hawk.”

With a grin, Hawk filled all the shot glasses he had lined up earlier, then passed them out. As one they all raised them.

Crow lifted his face to the ceiling and yelled, “Here’s to Hawk’s new fledgling. Dawg an’ Emma gettin’ their girls back. An’ Z knockin’ up his ol’ lady again.”

Hawk and Dawg hooted and knocked back their shots while Z shouted, “No! Those are my tits. Want ‘em back before another kid steals ‘em from me.”

Crow laughed and downed his whiskey.

Grizz surprised all of them by coming up and joining them. “You fuckers are makin' this ol’ man proud. Gimme one of them shots, boy.”

Hawk handed the older man one, and he swallowed the double with barely an eye twitch. Then he raised his shot glass over his head and shouted, “Down an’ dirty...”

The rest of them roared out a “’til dead!” in answer.

Fuck yeah.