Five years later ~

Crusader and Al, new prospects, pushed the metal gate open, welcoming the Brikken riders home. Jett led the members onto the property. The families of the members stood outside the clubhouse, their cheers muted by the roar of the engines.

Jett backed into the first spot near the door and shut off his Harley. Three hundred and fifty riders made it home safe. Another hundred members remained behind to protect the clubhouse. Only twenty members resided in the state prison.

Brikken continued to grow through the changing of the officers. Thanks in part to re-routing the delivery of chopped bikes he'd implemented after putting on the president's patch. The rate of arrests cut by half, and so far, every shipment arrived safely. His biggest achievement was getting rid of Komoon Motorcycle Club. Obliterated. The few remaining ex-members scattered to parts unknown.

The bump in the number of Brikken members made it possible to take the shipment all the way to California without a middleman. He trusted fewer and fewer people and having control over their activities made the business more secure.

At forty-seven years old, he had time to take Brikken to the next level. The club would achieve the status to make their enemies fearful, and secure the future generation of members.

He scanned the crowd and found Sydney, holding Cara, his second born. Getting off his motorcycle, he stripped the glove off his left hand and left his right one on. Over the years, he'd had to prove himself capable of defending himself and his men. His enemies soon learned that his damaged hand neither inhibited him or stopped him from fighting back.

His gaze roamed to Sydney's left to Jackie holding Gunner's hand. His son, at almost four years old, tilted his head and squinted at his approach. The stance almost comical. Gunnar had spent a lot of time over the summer following Chief around and had picked up on mimicking his grandfather.

He headed straight to Sydney and kissed her. High off the ride, he wanted to get his family home. But, there was a celebration to attend.

"Welcome back." Sydney caressed his cheek, taking another kiss. "I missed you."

He kissed the top of Cara's head on her momma's shoulder and rubbed Sydney's swollen belly. "Tired?"

Running after a four-year-old, an almost two-year-old, and being two months away from delivering his third child, should've worn Sydney out. She took to pregnancy like carrying his babies were her call in life, loving every moment.

He was going to be damn sure he was home for the third kid after missing out on the arrival of Gunnar. Sydney had their son a week early, and he'd been six hours out of Tacoma when he'd received the call. He'd rode straight to the hospital only to find Sydney holding their son after having a quick delivery.

"Nope. I feel great." She motioned her head to the side. "Jackie spent the day with me, taking care of the kids, and I had a three-hour nap. You totally owe your sister fifty bucks. She earned it."

"That so?" He looked at Jackie. "How much have you saved for your car?"

"A little over one thousand." Jackie raised her chin. "I should have enough saved when I get my license in a year."

"Remind me to give you a hundred." He winked at his sister. "Thanks for taking care of my family."

Sydney's eyes suddenly widened, and she placed her hand on his chest, pushing him away. "Hurry, move back," she said with a laugh.

He barely rocked back on his boot, and D-con poured a beer over his head and threw his arm across Jett's shoulders.

"We did it, you son of a bitch." D-con shook another beer can. "Drinks in the clubhouse."

Jett shook his head, spraying the area, and swept his hair back. Sydney stood with her side to him, protecting Cora from the celebration. Though a little beer never hurt anyone. It was a time for celebration.

"Nice, job, son." Chief handed him an unopened beer.

He cracked the can, held it up, and shouted, "To Rollo."

Everyone mingling outside—bikers, women, kids— said, "To Rollo!"

He hooked Sydney's neck, brought her to him, and kept his hand on her neck. Hot, dusty, sweaty, and now covered in beer, his chest expanded with pride for his woman, who never shied away from him, no matter his condition.

"Daddy?" Gunnar tugged on Jett's vest.

He patted his chest. "Up, son."

His boy grabbed his vest and using his feet to climb up Jett's legs, made it up high enough to wrap his thin arms around his neck. He circled his son's body with his free arm.

"Missed you." He gently butted heads with Gunnar. "Miss me, son?"

Gunner nodded. "Aunt Stassi said Chief can beat you up. He can't, can he?"

Jett looked over at Chief standing behind Johanna, his arms around her from behind. At sixty-six years old, his father finally felt the aches of hard living but because Chief was Chief, fighting his dad wasn't something he'd try, even to prove a point to his son.

"That's something I'll never find out the answer to." Jett squeezed Gunnar, getting his attention. "Family doesn't fight. That includes you and Cora, and the baby in Momma's belly."

"Can I wrestle 'em?" Gunnar leaned back in Jett's arm.

He set his son down on the ground. "You bet, but later. Right now, I'm going to go inside and enjoy your momma alone for a while."

"Jackie, can you take Gunnar inside and drop him off with Kylie in the playroom?" asked Sydney. "I'll be there in a minute to let Cora have time with her aunt."

"Sure." Jackie scooped up Gunnar, groaning under the boy's weight.

His sister was growing up. The teenage boys were eyeing her, and he knew Chief had talked to a few of the younger men at the club, warning them away from Jackie. He only hoped she had a good hold on her emotions because he'd hate to kill some young son of a bitch for hurting his sister.

Stassi walked away from them, shoving her hands in the back pockets of her jeans with a scowl on her face. "What's wrong with her?" he asked Sydney.

"I don't know."

"Hey, sister," called Jett.

Stassi turned around. "What?"

"What's your problem?"

His youngest sister rolled her eyes. At ten years old, she acted like an emotional sixteen-year-old.

"Thorn took my phone before he left for the ride." Stassi pulled out one of her hands and pointed at their brother, standing several feet away. "He lost it."

"Ask Chief for one. One that doesn't go on the internet." Thorn raised his brows. "You're too damn young for me to find out you've made a Snapchat account."

"You suck, Thorn." Stassi stomped away.

"Snapchat?" Jett looked at Sydney.

She laughed. "I'll explain later. She is too young. Thorn did the right thing before Chief finds out and holy hell breaks loose."

He reached down and cupped Sydney's ass. "Let's get Cora settled."

He led everyone into the clubhouse. Olin passed him holding a bottle of whiskey heading for the door. He grabbed his brother. "Where are you going?"

"Home." Olin tucked the bottle inside his vest.

The quietest of the brothers, Olin often disappeared from the celebrations. Jett leaned closer. "Take a woman or two with you. Wear off the ride."

Olin looked around and sniffed. "Nah, I'm going to hit the sack. Catch you tomorrow."

He watched his brother walk out of the clubhouse. After Olin's near-death attack from a Brikken enemy when he was in his mid-twenties, he'd spent a hell of a lot of time alone in one of the houses Chief owned. Normally, he wouldn't worry, but lately, there was something about Olin's habits that seemed different.

"Honey, I'm going to take Cora to Kylie. She can barely keep her eyes open." Sydney leaned in and kissed him. "I'll meet you inside?"

"Yeah." He patted her ass. "I'm going to grab a shower upstairs, change my clothes, and then come back down. I'll be quick."

He went upstairs, showered, and dressed in clean clothes he kept in his old room at the clubhouse. A room he kept vacant in case a member needed to sleep one off or stay over.

Inside, he sat on the bed and rubbed his hands over his face. Yawning, he looked at his useless fingers. Many days would go by without him stopping and trying to figure out how to do whatever he needed done with his bum hand. He'd figured out how to do most things, and what he couldn't do with his right hand, he'd do with his left.

The only time it bothered him was when the weather got cold, and a deep ache settled in his joints.

He stood, swept back his wet hair, and went downstairs to find Sydney. She stood by the bar, holding a beer can he knew wasn't for her. His balls throbbed. The sooner they got out of here, the better. It'd been a long fucking week away from her and the kids.

Sydney turned, caught sight of him, and smiled, leaving the conversation of the others and coming to him. He stopped, loving the way she walked. Belly leading the way, hips swaying more than normal.

She stopped, gave him the beer, and slipped her arms around his neck. "I almost thought I'd have to come and get you out of the shower."

"Mm." He kissed her. "You should have."

"I don't think the shower upstairs is big enough for two people." She glanced down at her baby bump pressing against his stomach. "At least not with your baby inside me."

He inhaled deeply. "You look damn sexy."

"Good enough to take me home and use my body." She grinned.

He chuckled and rubbed her ass with his free hand. "Let's go grab the kids and get out of here."

"No." She stopped him. "Let's wait an hour. They'll both be sound asleep soon, and we can carry them to the truck, and when we get home, they'll go right to bed."

He growled. "My dick's hard."

"Your..." She burst out laughing, tilting her head back. "And I bet you're cold, too?"

She wasn't the only one good at manipulation. "Real cold."

She laughed hard, making her body shake—which rubbed against him. His chest quivered in amusement at the way her belly kept him from pressing against her. "Need warmed, Syd."

He turned her around and wrapped his arm around her from behind, palming her belly, while pressing the front of his jeans against her lower back. "That's better. You just stand there keeping me warm, and I'll finish this beer."

She turned her head and looked at him over her shoulder. "I love you."

He kissed her upturned lips. "Love you, too."

And, that's how he spent their night celebrating. Standing in the middle of the clubhouse, surrounded by Brikken members, his kids safe and protected, wasting time until he could take Sydney home, and she could warm him properly.