Dex surged up, twisted his body and rolled Brooke beneath him. Obviously, he figured out something was going on with her.

He pressed his forehead to hers. “Stay with me, babe, right here. In this room. In this bed. Don’t go anywhere but here.”

“Dex,” she whispered, not sure what to say.

He lifted his head and shook it. “No, look at me.”

She raised her eyes to meet his dark ones as he swept her hair out of her face.

“Right here, babe. Stay right with me.”

His deep, gruff voice sent a shudder through her.

He began to move, to take over, to show her how right things were between them. Whether she was on top or he was.

Either way seemed to be fine with him. It hit her then that she always didn’t have to be strong. Not always.

When she didn’t want to be, he could step in and be strong for her. Support her. She could lean on him when and if she needed to.

She knew right then that he wanted that, too. Craved that.

He moved in and out of her like a gentle wave, not crashing against the shoreline, but a slow surge like a rising tide. He took her mouth, exploring every inch of it, drawing a moan from her, which he captured and kept. When he finally broke their kiss, he traced the tip of his tongue along where her pulse beat furiously along her throat.

He kissed the hollow of her neck and across her collarbone. Down her chest and over to her nipple, sucking it gently, then doing the same to the other. Her fingers slipped through his hair, finding purchase, holding him close, encouraging him to continue.

Normally, the few times he’d been on top, she’d gotten wild, scratching and biting, clawing her way back to being in control. This time she didn’t have that desire. She let him guide the two of them slowly to the brink. To the very edge of that surf.

Her cries were soft, not demanding.

For once she wasn’t telling him what she wanted. She allowed him to figure it out on his own.

And he knew what she wanted. What she needed. At least in that very moment between the two of them. She needed to let go and he was helping her do just that.

He trailed his hands down her arms and intertwined their fingers together. He lifted their clasped hands and pushed them into the mattress alongside her head, in the midst of her hair that was spread out around her. Then he kissed her once again.

With their bodies, their lips, and their fingers connected, he kept it slow. And she liked it. She wanted it to last. To never end.

“Babe,” he murmured against her lips.

She stopped him by taking his mouth, encouraging their tongues to tangle, discouraging any more words.

Surprisingly, he let her do it.

The roll of his hips reminded her of a rocking ship in a calm sea. While his pace remained steady, their breathing did not. Small whimpers escaped the back of her throat, her hips rose to meet each one of his strokes.

They took turns giving and taking. And soon neither was on top anymore, they were equal. Simply enjoying each other. Taking each other to the crest of one wave. Then they rode the next one. And the next.

Until, finally, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Dex stared up at the motel room’s water-stained ceiling. He really needed to get his own fucking place. He was going to start looking right away and stop waiting for D to realize that the apartment above the pawn shop would no longer work for a family of three.

He tipped his gaze down to the woman who was sprawled across his chest. Well, he wasn’t going to start looking right away because he wasn’t moving from this bed until she did. He combed through her hair, enjoying how the silky strands felt over his skin and over his pierced nipples. When she gave him head, he loved when that soft hair tickled his balls and his thighs.

Yeah.

He thought about what happened last night. The sudden switch in her. He had no idea why it happened and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it when it did.

She had given herself to him. Not with words. Hell no. Nothing had been said. But something changed. He recognized and encouraged it. Whether that was fucking selfish on his part...

He shrugged mentally. Last night was a turning point. He was not letting this woman go.

He didn’t know what she’d think of that. Though, once he admitted it to her, he was pretty damn sure she wouldn’t hesitate to let him know her feelings.

He had no idea how they would make it work, but he was determined to try.

The problem was, he doubted she’d just walk away from what seemed to be a successful business or simply give up her house, especially for him. Would she be willing to give everything she’d built for a biker like him?

Even if she was, the house would be the easy part. They could find something in Shadow Valley since new neighborhoods were popping up everywhere outside of town. Even something temporary until they could find what she wanted. And whatever she wanted was fucking fine with him since he only needed a roof over his head and her in his bed.

But the business part...

He knew it took time and effort to build a business since the DAMC owned quite a few. And in the last year, he watched Slade and Diamond build a new one from scratch. It involved a lot of hands-on work, as well as planning. And a lot of scratch, as well.

A lot of fucking money was being funneled from the club’s fat coffers. Now that Shadow Valley Fitness’s doors were open, Di and Slade were busier than ever. In fact, they rarely ever saw those two. If the couple wasn’t sleeping, Dex had a feeling they were fucking like rabbits or working like dogs.

So he knew that moving a business wouldn’t be easy. She’d be starting from scratch. She would have to build up new clientele in and around Pittsburgh. Re-establish her name, her brand. Maybe some of the women could help her. But he wasn’t even sure she’d agree in the first place.

Dex brushed the tips of his fingers over Brooke’s shoulders.

She wasn’t a woman who would sit back and just be an ol’ lady.

He snorted.

Her grey-blue eyes blinked open and she stretched but remained glued to him. He bit back a satisfied grin.

“What time is it?”

“Early,” he answered.

He wanted to talk about last night. But if he suggested it, she’d probably balk at the idea. So instead, he just needed to be patient and wait for her to reveal whatever changed when she was ready.

Though, being patient about it may be a problem.

“What happens now?”

He assumed she meant with Pierce and not with them.

“Got a meetin’ this mornin’. Gonna tell the Executive Committee what we found out, then justice will be dealt.”

“Justice,” she repeated softly.

“Yeah.”

“I want to be there.”

“For the meetin’?”

“For the justice.”

“Not sure that’s a good idea.”

“Well, I want to be there anyway. I have a right to be.”

“Not so sure ‘bout that, either.”

“Dex.”

He shifted, but not enough to dislodge her from his chest. He liked her right where she was. “Look, Brooke, lemme set somethin’ straight with you. This club...” He inhaled to brace himself. “The DAMC don’t let the women call the shots. An’ I know how much you like to do that shit, but it ain’t gonna fly with the rest of the brothers. Can tell you that right now. Goin’ in there an’ makin’ demands ain’t gonna work. Don’t care how good of a shot you are. Don’t care how strong of a woman. It ain’t gonna fly.”

“The women have no power,” she stated flatly.

“The truth?”

“Yes, I want to hear the truth.”

His answer might surprise her. “The truth is... the women got more power than they know. Than any of the brothers will admit. But not just any women. The ol’ ladies. We all pretend like they don’t, but they do. Know why?”

“Why?”

“Because they got their ol’ man’s ear when things are dark an’ quiet. When they’re layin’ in bed together. When things aren’t fuckin’ hectic. The ol’ ladies hear shit when they shouldn’t. Can put a seed in their ol’ man’s ear when one needs to be planted.”

“How do you know when you’ve never had an ol’ lady?” She lifted her head. “Or have you?”

“Nope. Never had one. Never wanted one.” He left off the “’til now” part. “But I know by some of the shit Ivy lets slip when she shouldn’t. By shit they all say when they think we ain’t listenin’. We can shout to the fuckin’ roof tops that club business ain’t women’s business, but the ol’ ladies got their hands firmly on their ol’ man’s nuts. And they know how to squeeze them juuuuust right.”

Brooke rolled her face into his chest to smother her laugh.

He frowned. “Think that’s funny?”

She twisted her neck to face him again, but she didn’t hide her amused smile. “Yes. I think it’s hilarious. You men... you bikers... You all look and act tough. Like badasses. Leather, denim, chains, knives. Guns. But—”

Dex quickly pressed a finger to her lips to stop her. “But nothin’. We’re exactly what you see.”

“Bullshit.”

“Ain’t bullshit, babe. Are who we are.” He brushed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. “But we all got a side of us which we show our women an’ now our kids.”

“Do you think now that Diesel’s child is born, he’s going to be a loving, sweet father to his baby girl?”

Dex had to think about that for a moment. “Dunno how D’s gonna be. I know that little girl’s gonna have a father who will lay down his life for ‘er. No matter what. He’ll protect her to the end. Who knows how lovin’ he’ll be. Can’t say how lovin’ he is to Jewelee in private. Can guess, though. Jewel ain’t one who’d sit back an’ let their relationship be one-sided. Don’t mean D’s gonna show that side to everyone else. An’ he certainly ain’t gonna let her call any shots in front of the others.”

“So all you guys have a side you keep hidden?”

Dex lifted his shoulders. “Probably.”

“And your secret is?”

“Should know what it is by now.”

She flicked a fingernail over one of his nipple rings. “So I know what your secret is. What you keep from everyone else. Why is that?”

“Truth is, babe, didn’t quite fuckin’ know it myself ‘til you came around.”

She lifted her head, stared at him for a long moment, then shifted until all her weight was on him, until she covered him with her whole body.

And that weight on him felt fucking good. Satisfying. So fucking right. “Babe...”

“Yes?”

“You know Pittsburgh ain’t far away from Shadow Valley, right?”

Her brows knitted together. “Yes. So?”

“An’ the ‘burgh’s a lot bigger than that city you live outside of.”

Her eyebrows knitted together. “I know it is. So?”

“Just sayin’.”

“I didn’t realize I needed a geography lesson.”

“Speaking of geography. What d’you think of Shadow Valley?”

“Right now I don’t like it.”

Well, that wasn’t a good fucking start. “Why?”

“Because of who lives here.”

“You mean Pierce?”

“Yes.”

That made sense somewhat, but he wondered how she’d feel about it once Pierce was taken care of. “Gonna get that handled. You’d like it better once he’s gone?”

“I’ll give you that answer once that happens.”

“Gonna hold you to that.”

She sighed. “What time is the meeting?”

Dex’s gaze slid to the old digital clock on the nightstand. “Not for another couple hours, yet.”

“So, we have time?”

He smiled. “Yeah, got time. Whataya have in mind?”

“You need a few reminders,” she stated firmly.

“Do I?”

She pressed her mouth to his ear and breathed, “Yes, you do.”

“An’ you’re gonna give ‘em to me?”

“No one better to give them to you other than me.”

He snorted. “Then what the fuck you waitin’ for?”

She snagged his earlobe firmly between her teeth and tugged. And that shit wasn’t gentle at all.

He smiled.

His Brooke was back.

Dex did a double-take when he walked into the meeting room. Diesel sat at the far end of the table where the prez normally sat with a tiny Violet tucked into the crook of his arm.

She looked like a miniature doll next to his huge muscles. She also looked innocently unaware of being surrounded by pure brute and solid tattoos as she slept.

“What the fuck?” Dex asked as he grabbed a seat a couple of chairs down from him.

D shot him a glare. “Gotta keep it down,” he grumbled, checking on his daughter to make sure her eyes were still shut.

“Where the hell is Jewel?” And why did D have his less-than-a-week old baby in his arms?

“Probably in The Iron Horse downing a bottle of whiskey,” Ace said in a loud whisper as he walked into the room. He approached D and held out his hands, offering to take his grandbaby.

Diesel just shook his head. It didn’t seem like he wanted his father to take his child.

Z came in next, stopped short, closed his gaping jaw and sat to D’s left. “Where’s my gavel?”

“Ain’t hittin’ that thing on the table an’ wakin’ ‘er up.”

Z snorted loudly and D shot him a glare. Z’s brows rose and he lifted his palms in surrender. “Okay.”

Hawk wandered in next, stutter-stepped when his gaze landed on his younger brother. He was the next to approach him, his hands out offering to take Violet.

D shook his head again, “No.”

Dex asked, “Have either of you got to hold ‘er yet?”

“Fuck no,” Ace grumbled quietly.

“Nope,” Hawk said with a frown, pulling out the chair next to D carefully so the legs wouldn’t squeal against the floor. “Gonna have to steal ‘er away when her private security detail ain’t holdin’ her. Which seems to be all the time.”

“She gonna be in here the whole time?” Z asked. “’Cause we got business to talk ‘bout.”

“Yeah, an’ you know club biz ain’t women’s biz,” Dex stated softly with a smirk. “Even if she’s only five days old.”

D grunted in answer.

“Is Jewel takin’ her before we start?” Ace asked his youngest son.

“Nope. I’m watchin’ her.”

Ace blew out a breath and leaned back in his chair, scrubbing a hand down his salt-and-pepper beard. “Can’t watch her every second of the day. She needs her momma.”

“Jewelee gets Vi when she’s hungry.”

“The way you’re actin’, woulda thought she came outta your vagina, D,” Jag said.

Hawk’s lips twitched. “Jesus Christ. Never thought I’d see the day...”

Jewel poked her head into the open doorway. “Baby, can I have her now?”

“No. Shut the fuckin’ door.”

Dex met Z’s eyes. “We’re seriously gonna have a fuckin’ meetin’ with an infant in our enforcer’s arms. What the fuck has happened to this fuckin’ club?”

Z dropped his gaze to the table and his whole body quaked silently as he shook his head.

“Might as well go grab Baby Z, too, an’ they can have a fuckin’ play date while we talk business,” Jag griped.

Ace made a noise and Dex looked over at him. He was laughing, too.

“Might as well get rid of the fuckin’ pool table an’ set up playpens an’ shit. Bottles of titty milk instead of Jack. Get Nash to start playin’ nursery rhymes. Fuck,” Dex grabbed his balls. “We’re turnin’ into a bunch of bitches.”

“Shut up, Dex. Call the meetin’ to fuckin’ order, then,” D muttered, fussing with the purple blanket that was wrapped around Violet.

From the little Dex could see of her, she had an almost full head of dark hair, which shouldn’t surprise anyone between Jewel and D. But he wondered what her eye color was. Blue like Jewel’s or brown like D’s. It was probably too early to tell yet.

He was right when he told Brooke the tree was now twisted. With Violet’s birth, the founding members’ genes had been officially combined. Ivy and Jag’s kid would combine the Doc/Bear lines as well.

He wondered if Doc or Bear ever considered that they’d eventually be related by blood. It had been a while since he’d visited Doc at Greene, maybe he should do that and ask him. He had a feeling his grandfather would be tickled pink... or purple.

Then suddenly a stink rose up that made Dex’s eyes water. “What the fuck?”

Hawk shot to his feet and moved down the table. Z’s gaze dropped to Violet and then up to D.

“Now what?” Jag asked. “Gonna change her right her in the middle of the meetin’ table? But, fuck, that shit’s just nasty. Jesus Christ.”

D rose to his feet, walked to the door, opened it and yelled, “Jewelee, come get your kid.” The baby’s wail as well as the eye-watering stink trailed out the door with him.

Jag snorted. “Figures.”

“Tell her to bring some air freshener or somethin’,” Hawk yelled out, his complexion a bit green.

“Gotta get used to that, son,” Ace said, laughing. “Gonna soon have a shittin’ machine in your house, too.”

“An’ that’s why I got Kiki.”

“Kiki ain’t gonna let you not change diapers,” Ace said.

Hawk shot a look at Z. “Z don’t change ‘em.”

Z smiled and shrugged. “Do it wrong a few times, a couple disasters later, an’ they’ll never ask again.”

D came back in the room and shut the door behind him.

“No air freshener? Ain’t no windows in here,” Hawk muttered.

“Let’s get this shit over with,” D said, settling his bulk back into a chair with a grunt.

“Meetin’ called to order,” Z announced and pounded his fist on the table.