I was up early as usual to start my day. It's Saturday, but I need to run out to one of the job sites to make sure the guys posted all the proper permits on the board outside the office trailer. The place is shut down for the day, and Nikolai received a heads up yesterday an inspector may drop by to make sure our building permits were up to date. The city has a job to do too, looking for violations, but I run a tight crew, which means they won't find shit.

It feels fuckin' great to be back in the thick of things—back to working full-time. I'm working on my second cup of coffee when Mila comes sauntering into the kitchen wearing nothing but one of my shirts and her long, thick, black hair piled on top of her head. As she reaches into the cabinet above the coffee maker to grab a mug, her shirt rises rewarding me a brief glimpse of her bare ass.

"Fuck, Kitten, you're killin' me," I groan. Standing, I grab my cut from the back of the chair and slip it on.

"What," she feigns innocence and looks over her left shoulder locking her smoldering eyes with mine.

She knows I'm heading out to take care of work-related shit before we load up and head to Logan's lake house. Today is Sofia's birthday, and she insisted on having a pool party. Logan has the pool and the space to invite the whole crew out for a huge celebration. I'm hoping some girl time and fun in the sun will help Mila put aside her worries for a while. She has been stressed out due to the fact her Grams has fallen ill and is having a hard time getting better. A little down time might be just what Mila needs, even if it's only for the day.

"You sure you have to go?" Mila asks, sipping her coffee as she walks towards me. She's making it damn hard to leave now when all I can think about is her sweet pussy squeezing my cock. She sits her mug on the table and taking the opportunity; I reach for her and pull her into me. Cupping her face in my hands, I place my lips on hers. Melting into my embrace, Mila deepens our kiss while running her hands up my chest. If we keep this up, I won't leave. Reluctantly, I break our kiss and press my forehead to hers, "You're making me want to stay," I admit. Biting her bottom lip, she smiles as her mouth hovers over mine, "I love you."

"I love you too, Kitten." I respond.

Taking a step back, I plant a softer kiss on her lips. "I've got to run. I'll be back in no less than an hour," I clear my throat and try to suppress my raging hard-on with the palm of my hand.

"Be careful. I'll have Ava and myself ready to go when you get here," She says grabbing her coffee from the table and makes her way towards the hallway putting an extra sway in her hips.

Stepping outside, I mount my bike and take in the warmth of the summer sun beating down on my face. I don’t know how I got so damn lucky. Having Mila in my life has given me something I never knew I was missing before. A sense of peace—of completion. Loving Mila has given me solace.

After wrapping shit up at the job site, I make it back home to find an eager Ava bouncing around the living room decked out in her bathing suit, sunglasses, and blown up floaties stuck on each arm.

"Yay! We get to pool party now!" she exclaims throwing her hands up with excitement. Mila is over by the kitchen table packing the rest of their pool gear. I stop and take her in. She’s simply dressed in a pair of blue jean shorts that show off her long toned legs and a cropped, black Rolling Stones t-shirt covering up the black bikini I know she's wearing underneath. She turns and catches me taking her in and smiles. Her bright eyes and beautiful smile make me feel as if the earth at my feet has crumbled beneath me. There is no other way to describe the depth of what my heart feels for her. The love I have surrendered to is transcending.

"You ready?" she asks in a breathy tone bringing my feet back down to the ground.

"Yeah, babe. I'll grab everything. You grab Ava," I tell her. Knowing she packed me some trunks incase I decide to get in the water. I grab the bags she packed and the presents we purchased in my hands, and we ride the elevator to the first floor. Once outside, I load everything into the trunk of her car, her new car.

Last week I took her to the dealership downtown and told her to pick out what she wanted. Of course, she tried to give me lip more than one time, but I wasn’t budging on this. She needed a reliable car, and her old rust bucket was on its last leg. Giving in, she ended up picking out a new, black Range Rover Sport.

I would never have thought I'd be driving around town in a family car. The guys have been quick to give me hell over the fact as well, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Although, nothing can and never will replace my bike and the freedom I get on the open road, or the memories I get to soak up and relive when driving my brother's truck.

After making a quick stop at the store to pick Ava up some sunscreen, we arrive at Logan's. Knowing everyone is out back near the pool and lake area we make our way around back. Music is already playing, and kids are already in the pool having fun.

"Hey, brother. Glad you made it. Take a load off and come have a beer with the rest of us," Logan calls from the other end of the yard just near the water's edge where he's sitting in a lawn chair along with Quinn and Gabriel.

"I got all this," Mila states, "Go have a good time with your brothers."

Setting the bags down on the patio table to my left, I hook my arm around her waist, "Go look the girls. You know where to find me," then I kiss her.

I watch her walk into the house with Ava before turning and making my way over towards the guys. I grab one of the empty chairs and plant my ass in it. When I lean back, Gabriel reaches into the cooler sitting beside him and tosses me a cold beer. Cracking it open I chug half the bottle. The cold crisp taste is going down smooth. Looking out at the reflective lake, I relax in my seat. I think I needed a day off just as much as Mila did. Life sure has thrown some damn wrenches into the works over the past few months. Many of us have come a long fuckin' way from where we once were. I take another pull from my bottle and enjoy the stillness of the moment. Catching a glimpse of blue out the corner of my eye, I turn my head to see Alba walk up with baby Gabe on her hip.

"What the fuck is that?" Gabriel's voice booms, causing the rest of us to look on confused as to why he sounds so pissed off.

"What are you talking about?" Alba starts to check every square inch of the baby's exposed skin.

"That," Gabriel points his finger at her and gestures up and down to what she's wearing.

"It's called a bikini," Alba cocks her head to the side and huffs.

"Cover-up. You got too much tit showing," he growls at her.

Rolling her eyes, she hands their son over to him. "He wants his Papi. Could you entertain him while I take a dip in the pool?" she asks him, then softly kisses the baby's cheek and gives a brooding Gabriel one too, before heading over to the pool.

"Damn, who knew a pregnant woman could be so sexy," Quinn remarks, knowing he's poking the bear.

Ignoring him, Gabriel tucks his son into his side and warmly smiles as he looks down at his boy whose making vroom vroom noises while playing with a toy motorcycle he is holding onto with his chubby little hands. Out of all my brothers, most people would look at him and never in a million years say he's a dad. But if I'm honest, watching Gabriel with his son and seeing how natural he is with the whole role, I would say it suits him more than any other title he has in life. I want that. I want that with Mila. I want to have a large family. Have as many kids as she's willing to give me.

"How's the baby making going, Logan?" Quinn asks as he pops the top off a beer. Logan told me awhile back that he and Bella have been trying with no luck. Quinn on the other hand either knows because he and Bella are close friends, or it may be due to the fact the little fucker seems to always know what's going on with everyone. He's more observant than most people give him credit for.

"The same, but I'm havin' fun trying brother, that’s for sure," he grins lifting a beer from the cooler.

"Holy shit. Look at the tats on Emerson," Quinn says droolin'. I'll be damned. Who would of thought Emerson had all that ink under her scrubs. "Fellas, I don’t know about you, but three fine as hell women just walked out that house wearing next to nothin' and one of them has my name all over her sweet ass," Quinn stands. The rest of us eye them over our shoulders. There standing by the pool in their tiny bikinis talking to Alba, who's laid back sunbathing, are Bella, Mila, and Emerson.

"She won't even give you the time of day," I tell him.

"Oh, she's mine. She just doesn’t know it yet." Quinn says with certainty.

My eyes zone in on Mila. I watch her laugh with the rest of the woman. Fuck. It's official. My favorite color on her besides those gorgeous honey colored eyes is black. Standing at the same time as Logan, whose eyes are trained on Bella and her tiny green bikini, we walk towards the four of them.

Stepping up to the women, I come up behind Mila and kiss her neck. "You enjoying yourself?"

"I am," she tells me.

Running my fingers down her arm, I let my warm breath dance across her ear as I whisper, "You wear this for me?"

I watch her lip turn up with a mischievous grin. "Maybe," she tells me.

I pull her into me, pressing my hard length against her ass.

"You're fuckin' perfect, Mila Vaughn," I kiss her neck again causing her skin to break out in goosebumps.

"Come on, sunshine," Quinn begs as he towers over Emerson who has walked off. I've never, not in all the time I've known Quinn, seen a woman turn him down. Whatever he gives them they always come back for more. Not with Emerson and it’s thrown him for a loop. I don’t know what to think with this one. Either he is in it for the thrill of the chase, or he has caught what the rest of us have. We all watch what will happen next. Emerson stops, turns and faces him, appearing to listen to what he might have to say. He attempts to lean down and whisper something in her ear, but as soon as he does she places the palms of her hands on his chest then gives him a firm shove. Catching him entirely off guard, he falls backward into the pool, water spraying those of us close enough.

"Dumbass," Gabriel mumbles, placing Gabe on Alba's lap.

"What did I miss?" Nikolai asks walking around the corner of the house with his hands full of grocery bags. Sam and Leah are right behind him carrying a cake box. I look around. I think the whole family has finally showed up. Except for Prez. I don’t see him anywhere. It's not like him to not show up to things like this. "Where's Prez?" I ask no one in particular.

"He called earlier this morning. He said he'd be late, but he'd be here. Something is going on with him. I'm not sure what. You know he's tight-lipped about personal shit. He doesn’t share with no one." Logan explains gaining all our attention. I've notice Jake has been a little edgier than usual this past week. I hope everything's alright. As Logan said, Jake doesn’t share anything outside of club business with no one.

I've yet to let go of Mila, just as Logan has a tight hold of Bella and Gabriel has sat his large ass frame down on the lounge chair Alba was on and has her on his lap, and the baby is on hers.

Nikolai walks inside for a few minutes then walks back out with a timid Leah following behind him holding a platter of burgers to cook on the grill. She's always as quiet as a mouse. She hardly says a word to anyone, preferring to keep to herself, but I've noticed Nikolai has taken an interest in her. I'm not sure if it's sexually though. He's very gentle in the way he talks and approaches her.

Hearing her giggles and the splashing, I look off to the side in the grassy area next to the pool and watch Ava playing in the little blow-up kiddie pool set up for the smaller kids. It’s a good thing too because, between Sofia, her friends from school and some of the member's kids, a good dozen teenagers are hanging out in the ground pool.

"Looks like Sam has taken a liking to Sofia," Nikolai gestures as he points the spatula in his hand towards the other side of the pool.

We take notice of Sam standing with Sofia. The two of them talking and smiling at one another when Sam reaches up and pushes her fallen hair from her face.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Sam, guys. He's not interested in Sofia," Alba says brushing it off and giving her attention back to the squirming baby in her arms. It doesn't look like nothin' to me, and I'm sure my brothers feel the same.

"What the hell do you mean nothin' to worry about? He has a dick, and he's lookin' at her like he wants her for dessert," Logan lets go of Bella and clenches his fists at his side. Oh hell, this is not going to end well if we don’t get Sam away from Sofia.

"Sam is gay," Leah softly says from beside Nikolai.

"Leah," both Alba and Bella chastise.

"Like hell he is. That boy is not gay," I add.

Nikolai softly talks to Leah. Low enough no one else can hear, but whatever he says helps her to relax. "I can assure you, ladies; you are wrong." he turns and addresses us all.

Well, doesn’t matter because while we were over here discussing Sam's sexual orientation, Quinn took it upon himself to break up the little moment the two were having and currently is having a talk with Sam.

"Where is the birthday girl?" Prez's voices booms over the sound of music and kids as he strides towards everyone.

Sofia runs over and stands on her tiptoes and hugs his neck, and he hands her a small wrapped box.

"Thank you, Jake. Where's Grace?" She asks looking around.

"Couldn't make it, sweetheart," He looks down at her and gives a forced smile. "Open it," he tells her.

Tearing the paper off, she pulls the top off the small box in her hand. "Oh, my goodness! It's so pretty." Lifting the gift from the box, she shows off a delicate, gold chain with a small gold cross dangling at the end. Handing it to Jake, she waits for him to put in on her. Like with the rest of us, Jake is the father figure in our lives and with Sofia it's been no different. Unfortunately for her, she now also has several brothers too.

An hour later everyone gathers and find a seat at one of the many fold out tables that have been set up end to end. A tired, water-logged Ava sits between Mila and me chewing on the cheeseburger in her hands. I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this happy and content.

"You have an amazing family, Reid," Mila says as she takes in all the faces at the table.

"We have an amazing family, babe," I tell her.