One and a half years later…

 

Jessa gasped, hurrying over to the long wooden bar lining the side of the great room. Some of the presents had toppled over.

 

Butch looked up from where he was sitting with Gunner as they played with blocks. “Everything okay, First Lady?”

 

Jessa nodded, straightening the tower of gifts. She would have nothing less than perfect for this party. As Silas’ surprise 29th birthday party, and his first birthday as a father, she wanted everything to go off without a hitch.

 

Which was why she had enlisted the help of every single club member. Butch watched Gunner, who had just turned seven months old. Butch was an unlikely babysitter at forty years old and six foot four, but he had a soft spot for kids, and besides, Gunner preferred him. Viper and Tiny were out taking Silas to see some properties, under the guise of hunting for a new house for his family.

 

And Tequila was, of course, manning the liquor. He brought beer and rum inside the clubhouse by the case full, setting it on the bar.

 

“Don’t make the presents fall over again,” she warned, sending him a playfully stern look.

 

“Okay, okay.” Tequila wiped his brow as he prepared to head outside for another load. “Man, I liked it better when you didn’t come around here.”

 

Jessa snorted. She and Tequila often ribbed each other about her absence. All of the brothers had accepted her as an invaluable part of the clubhouse. Of course, when she was the president’s old lady, it was hard to disagree. Silas would beat anyone who even hinted at disrespect.

 

Her phone vibrated, and she picked it up, sliding it between her ear and shoulder as she adjusted a balloon bouquet. “Hello?”

 

“Hey, beautiful.” Silas’ smooth bass voice made her smile, even with the jitters of pulling off a surprise party.

 

“Hey, babe.” She headed for the back hallway, hurrying to duck into their bedroom. They spent half the time here and the other half at her house as they awaited finding the perfect house to move into. Silas was hell-bent on giving her exactly what she wanted, a four-bedroom ranch-style house with a huge backward and an in-ground pool. “What’s up?”

 

“Oh, just heading back to the clubhouse with the boys.” She knew Silas would check in, so this meant he was getting close. “What are you doing?”

 

“I just stopped by the house,” she lied, her stomach squeezing with excitement. “I’ll probably stop by the clubhouse in a couple of hours. Meet you there?”

 

“Sure thing, babe.”

 

“You having a good birthday?” She pressed the phone to her ear, fighting the grin that threatened to take over her face.

 

“Yeah. Just wish I had better news.” He sighed. “I was hoping to surprise you by finding our house today. But… no luck.”

 

“Aw, babe.” It was hard to conjure much sadness when such a huge surprise awaited him here. “Don’t worry. We’ll find it. I know we will.”

 

“I’ll see you later. Tell Gunny Daddy said hi. Love you both.”

 

“Love you.” She swiped the phone off, relishing the sweet silence after their conversation before rushing into action. She burst out of the bedroom, heading straight for the great room.

 

“Guys!” She called out as loud as she could. “Five-minute warning! Everyone assemble!”

 

Tequila burst in through the front door with his final load of drinks as people started filing in from the back hallways and the kitchen. Jessa had rounded up all the club brothers, of course, and tons of friends from across the state. It was gonna be a rager, so Jessa planned for a babysitter early on, before things got too crazy for babies.

 

“Is everyone parked in the back of the clubhouse?” she called out, cupping her hands around her mouth.

 

A chorus of “Yes” and “Yeeeeep” rang through the room. She tried to tamp down the butterflies, but her legs still felt wobbly.

 

“Okay, guys. He’ll be here any minute. Stay quiet until he comes in the front door. Then we yell ‘surprise!’”

 

Jessa picked up Gunner, bouncing him on her hip as they waited. She checked that Butch had the camera ready to record the big moment. Her heart raced as she got the text from Tiny: Pulling in now.

 

“They’re outside guys!” Her voice came out as an excited hiss.

 

Her heart pounded as the seconds dragged by. Every murmur or rumble from outside made her jump. Gunner looked around with wide, ice-blue eyes, just like his daddy’s.

 

“Dada?” he asked.

 

Jessa nodded excitedly, pressing a finger to her lips. The front door creaked open… The undertones of Silas’ voice… She sucked in a deep breath. Heavy bootsteps. And then…

 

“SURPRISE!”

 

A chorus of voices rang out as a stunned and wide-eyed Silas came into the room, his face somewhere between shock and joy. Brothers rushed up to greet and harass him, jostling him from all angles, tugging at the knot of hair on his head.

 

“Happy birthday, fucker!” Tiny shoved him, cackling.

 

“Holy shit,” Silas said, his shocked gaze cresting the room. His eyes finally found Jessa’s. She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt.

 

The second their gazes locked he was heading toward her, and she knew he was unable to stop himself because they were drawn to each other like magnets. Whenever they were in the same room together, they were by each other’s side. It wasn’t just nice; it was necessary. It seemed the more they got of each other, the more they wanted.

 

It had been that way since the beginning. And at this rate, even though they were just over a year and a half in, it seemed it would stay this way forever.

 

Silas wrapped his arms around her, encompassing both her and the baby. Gunner shrieked from within the hug, babbling with happiness.

 

“Did you do this?” he whispered into her ear.

 

Jessa tilted her head back to look at him, grinning like a damn fool. “Maybe.”

 

He laughed, shaking his head. “You got me, babe. You got me good.”

 

“That’s all I wanted to hear.” She pushed up onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. “Now go say hi to your friends.” She pushed him away toward the throngs of people waiting to greet him, but Gunner protested. He leaned out of her arms, reaching for his father. Silas returned, scooping his little boy up into his arms.

 

“A boy needs his dad,” he said simply, pressing another kiss to her lips. She watched from the sidelines as Silas made the rounds, greeting everyone who’d come, sharing laughs with almost every person who crossed his path.

 

All the while Gunner gleamed and grinned in his arms. There was no place that boy would rather be than in his daddy’s arms. Jessa’s throat tightened as she watched the two of them glide around the room. Every so often Silas would look her way, sending her a sexy grin or lifting a brow. Each time he looked her way, she laughed into her hands.

 

How had she gotten so lucky? She rolled her lips inward, studying the leather seam of the couch as she fought a wave of emotion. The hormones were still strong during the breastfeeding months, or maybe she was just too blessed to fully process it.

 

She might not have admitted it then, but crossing paths with Silas was the best thing that had ever happened to her. He’d given her more than a son; he’d given her life.

 

Because now that she was back in the warm embrace of the MC, she knew just how cold and lonely her life had been. Sure, she missed Jakey and her dad every day. But this family of hers, adopted and otherwise, was stronger than most blood bonds.

 

It had taken her a helluva long time to realize it, but here she was.

 

Happy. Head over heels. And totally, one hundred percent, lucky.

 

“If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I’d ask why a gorgeous lady like you is sitting on the outside looking in?”

 

Silas’ reassuring voice was in her ear. She straightened, turning to face him, pressing a grateful kiss to his lips.

 

“You know why,” she said, leaning back into him while perched on the armrest of the couch. Gunner yipped happily from his arms.

 

Silas reached down with a free hand to squeeze her shoulder. “Maybe I do. Why don’t you tell me anyway?”

 

She grinned up at him. “Just counting my blessings – wondering how I got as lucky as I did… Enough extended family to claim a new zip code… An amazing husband… A beautiful boy.”

 

“And another one on the way?” Silas asked.

 

She laughed, swatting his arm. “Not yet.” They’d been trying, and both were eager to add to their family. “Trust me, I’d have told you by now. That would have been the best birthday gift yet.”

 

“I’m happy enough as it is, babe.” He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Just waking up with you in my arms every morning is enough for me.” Gunner squealed as if protesting the exclusion. “And next to this little guy, of course!”

 

Jessa laughed, popping up onto her feet. She wrapped her arms around Silas and Gunner, taking a deep breath.

 

“I love you both more than I can properly express,” she whispered, feeling her throat tighten again.

 

“And I love you more than that,” Silas returned, smoothing a kiss over her forehead. “Now let’s go take a shot in Stone’s honor.” His blue eyes sparkled as he jerked his head toward the bar. “After all, we owe it all to him.”

 

THE END

 

***

 

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