Breathe, Amelia! I repeat over and over in my head as I walk up the steps to his house. Today is the day I meet his little girl—the most important thing in his life—who could become my daughter.

The door opens, and I freeze as I see long brown hair before the most beautiful little girl peeps her head out. Her eyes connect with mine, and it’s like my world stops. She looks so much like Lane!

“You’re finally here!” She opens the door and steps out onto the porch. “I’m Tiffany.” She smiles and I smile back.

“Nice to meet you, Tiffany, I’m Amelia.” I lift my hand for her to shake.

“We hug here—that’s what Papa Smiles says.” She comes over and wraps her arms around my waist. I am gone for this little girl already. I sense someone watching, and I look up to see Lane staring at us with a soft expression which causes my stomach to flutter.

I bend down a little more to wrap my arms around her. “Nice to meet you, Tiffany.” I hug her a little tighter.

I relax my arms, but she doesn’t let me go. I look up at Lane, and he’s staring down at Tiffany. His eyes flit to mine, and I know he’s noticing the same thing I am.

“The steaks are ready.” The door creaks as Lane pushes it open a little more. She stirs in my arms and lets me go while flashing me a smile.

She is wearing skinny jeans, light pink socks, and a flowy teal blue mid-sleeve T-shirt, and her long dark brown hair flows down her back. Her face is the spitting image of Lane, but she got all the good parts—she is absolutely beautiful.

“Let’s get my ladies fed.” Lane winks at me and Tiffany laughs. She hops into the house, her hair flowing behind her.

“She is beautiful, Lane.” He wraps his arm around my waist. We walk into the house, and I am hit with the smell of steak. Lane and his steaks; I am pretty sure he doesn’t know how to make anything else.

He flashes me his cocky smile. “Well, she is my daughter.”

I roll my eyes and smack his chest lightly at his cockiness. “You guys coming or what? I am wasting away here,” Tiffany yells from the dining room.

Lane and I laugh loudly.

I walk into the dining room to see her sitting calmly at the table. Lane walks around the table, and I sit down in the seat across from Tiffany. She grabs a white napkin off the table and places it in her lap. I grin at Lane and a smile tugs at his lips.

“Baby, you need me to help you cut up your steak?”

She rolls her eyes. “Dad, I got this.” She grabs her steak knife and fork and cuts her steak into small pieces. She is so sassy; I love it. I laugh and begin cutting up my own steak.

“Since you’re here, Amelia, and you’re dating my dad, maybe you can help me out.”

Lane groans and covers his face with his hands.

“What’s that, honey?”

She gives me a sly little smile. “Talking Dad into letting me have a bra.”

I burst out laughing as Lane pales and holds his stomach. “A sports bra, maybe?” I ask and Lane groans again. I bite my lip so I don’t laugh again. She nods and goes back to eating her food.

I understand the desire for a bra. When I was around her age, I wanted them from the moment I saw my mom wearing them. A sports bra is completely harmless, and I guarantee once she has it she won’t even wear it.

“Dad, can I ride my dirt bike after dinner?”

“Sure, Baby.”

He is so sweet; it makes me love him all the more when I see him staring at her like his entire world rests in her hands.

“Can you ride, Amelia?”

“I used to ride when I was a kid.”

Tiffany claps her hands. “That means we can ride together!” She grins at me and my heart skips a beat. She is so pretty when she smiles; her eye light up with happiness and I can’t not stare at her.

I must say Lane is so fucking screwed when she gets older. Guys will be beating down the door, and Lane will be beating their asses.

“Baby, go put on your riding gear. We will ride down to the lake, have a fire, and fish.”

She runs out of the dining room, her footsteps pounding the steps.

“Want me to help pack some sandwiches and drinks for later?” I ask Lane.

He walks over and kisses me softly on the lips. “I will bring in the cooler. We have an ice maker in the pantry. Thank you, Baby.” He kisses me on the forehead and walks out of the room, leaving me all alone.

I clutch my stomach; constant butterflies have rattled me. Meeting Tiffany is such a huge moment for me. Tiffany is the most important thing in Lane’s life, and I want her to like me because, if everything goes according to plan, she will be my daughter.

I break from my thoughts to stack our dirty dishes and carry them into the kitchen. I set them in the sink; I will wash those later. I open the cabinets and find everything I need to pack a lunch for later.

The door that leads to the garage opens, and Lane walks in holding a cooler. He sets it down in the middle of the floor. “I will be back once I get her bike out, Doll.”

Once I have everything packed, I hear Tiffany’s faint voice. “Daddy, can you braid my hair for me?” I close the lid to the cooler and put back the lunch meat, and I move in the direction of Tiffany’s voice.

I peer around the corner to see her decked out in gear. Lane is standing behind her, French braiding her hair. Not able to resist I grab my phone out of my pocket and take a picture of him.

This is too fucking cute. A huge man, tattooed and looking like he can kill you just by looking at you, can get down to a sweet little girl’s level and braid her hair. He is so gentle with her. I wish my dad had been this way when I was growing up.

Lane and Tiffany have a bond that is purely amazing. She is a daddy’s girl through and through, and Lane loves her so fucking much—I can see it by just looking at him.

Lane told me that he has to tell me the story of how they met. Apparently, it isn’t good and she has been in his life only a year because he didn’t even know she was alive. There is more to the story, and I will know it soon.

“I have the cooler packed,” I tell them.

Lane ties her hair off with a bow and helps her down from the counter. “Amelia, you have to see my bike!” She runs over and grabs my hand, pulling me from the room. She leads me outside to the garage, and I see a small hot pink dirt bike with her name on it. “Oh I love how it’s pink!”

She smiles at me. “Daddy surprised me with it for my birthday.”

He is such a sucker.

“Baby, put your helmet and gloves on. Amelia and I are following behind you in the Rhino.”

She grabs her helmet off the handlebars, slips it over her head, and tightens the straps on the bottom.

“Come on, Doll.”

I tear my eyes from Tiffany and follow Lane. He sets the cooler in the back of the Rhino. I open the small door and climb in the seat beside the driver. This Rhino is huge, and it also has a backseat.

Lane starts the Rhino, and I look back at Tiffany just as she starts her bike. She gives me a thumbs-up and takes off. My heart goes into my throat; what if she gets hurt?

“I know what you’re thinking, and why do you think I follow her?” Lane shoots me a grin and takes off after her. I grip the handrail and hang on for dear life. Tiffany got her need for speed from Lane. Tiffany jumps little hills, does small wheelies, and is an all-around daredevil.

“You know I have never been fishing before.”

Lane looks over at me in shock. “Never?”

I shake my head. “Never!”

He grabs my hand and kisses the back of it. “Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

* * *

Thirty minutes later we arrive at the back of Lane’s property, which is a lake that stretches out through many properties that other MC members own. Their properties are side by side but closed off with high fences.

Tiffany parks her bike and takes off her helmet. Lane pulls next to her and I climb out. I reach in the back, grabbing the blanket that Lane tossed back there for us to sit on.

The lake here is so beautiful, surrounded by lush green trees, and peaceful. This is heaven. Lane has an amazing life on this property, with a lake and a beautiful house and surrounded by family.

I spread out the blanket on the ground and glance at Lane and Tiffany. Lane is smoothing Tiffany’s hair out of her face, talking to her about something. I look down to hide my smile.

I sit down on the blanket and stare out at the water.

“Amelia, you have pretty hair.” I feel a piece of my hair being lifted, and I smile at Tiffany. She sits down beside me holding her small fishing pole.

A pole is placed in front of my face, and Lane sits down beside me. He sets a couple of Styrofoam containers in front of me. Tiffany bends down, pops one of them open, and digs in a pile of dirt. She pulls out a huge-ass worm, and I stare in utter disbelief as she strings the worm onto her hook. She notices me staring. “Do you need me to help you?”

I laugh and gather my courage, and I slowly reach down to the container. I spot a worm at the top. I touch the worm with the tip of my finger and jerk my hand back. Tiffany and Lane laugh at me.

Lane grabs the worm and hooks it for me. “I got you, Doll.” He kisses my cheek, and I cringe, waiting for Tiffany’s reaction. She just smiles at me. I guess she is okay with it all.

She walks over to the water’s edge, and I get up and follow her. She brings her pole back and whips the line out into the water. I push the button on the reel and bring my pole back, then forward, letting go out of the bottom at the same time. The line goes out into the water, and I look back at Lane triumphantly.

“Daddy, I got one!” she screams and Lane walks over.

My line gets a swift tug and I jump, startled. “What do I do?” I yell.

“Give a swift tug once you feel it biting and reel it in.”

I feel another tug and I yank my pole; it makes a whipping sound. Lane laughs loudly.

“What?” I start reeling in the line, my pole bent.

“When I said tug, I didn’t mean to rip the fish’s face off.” He chuckles and I shake my head. I finish reeling it in, and I see it’s a little fish.

Tiffany is still reeling in hers, and Lane quickly takes the fish from his hook and throws it back in the water. Tiffany finally manages to reel in a fish and it’s huge!

“Good job, Tiffany!”

She flashes me a smile and places her foot on the fish, keeping it from moving. She grabs a pair of pliers off the ground. She reaches into the fish’s mouth, twists her wrist, and brings the pliers back out with the hook. She reaches under the fish’s gills, lifts it off the ground, and releases it back into the water.

Lane watches her with a huge grin on his face. “I just got showed up.”

Tiffany laughs and baits her hook again. Lane sits down on the blanket, and I set my pole down and sit in front of him.

“She is amazing, Lane.”

She is farther down the lake finding a better spot.

“She is, she has come a long way.”

Chills break out down my arms because of what could have happened.

“Tiffany came into my life...”

I suck in a deep breath as I mentally brace myself for what happened.

“Devil Souls were putting an end to a trafficking ring that was affecting our towns. This shit can’t get out, but I need to tell you. Kyle is the president, he found Tiffany sitting in a cage in a corner with a note on top of it. She was going to be used to extort ransom from me, and the message was about to be sent out—but we got there first.” He tightens his grip on me.

“I had a girlfriend for three months back when I was twenty-two, when I was home on leave. I was home only once a month. I saw her three times, and the last time I saw her, she was shooting up. I left her that second, and that was the last time I saw her. I didn’t love her or anything like that. I tolerated her because I was lonely.”

He stops and places his forehead against my shoulder. I rub his arm, wanting to comfort him.

“Tiffany knew exactly who I was, she knew what I looked like, but she was told that I never wanted her. I never saw my baby’s first steps, none of the little things. Tiffany is still afraid that I will be ripped from her life. She had a shitty childhood, no stability and no mother worth shit.”

“Lane, I am so sorry.” My voice cracks, and I shake my head at thoughts of that sweet little girl’s childhood. I don’t even want to think of what it was like living with a mother like that. A mother who was going to put her up for ransom.

I want to beat the shit out of her, and I want to make sure she never even looks at Tiffany again.

“It’s my mission to make sure she has the best life, Tiffany is my baby. She looks just like me, acts like me.”

My heart cracks a little as I watch her reel in another fish. “Look, Amelia!” she yells and holds up the fish.

“Good job, honey!”

She grins at me.

“Lane, where does her egg donor live?”

He bursts out laughing. “Baby, Shaylin already beat her ass.”

“Well, I didn’t get to.” I huff and I lean back. He kisses me on the lips softly. His hand rests on my jaw, deepening the kiss. He pulls back but stays close to me, his eyes staring deeply into mine. “I love you, Amelia.”

Oh my god. Tears fill my eyes instantly, and my heart soars with happiness. “God, I love you too, Lane, so fucking much.” I spin in his arms and hug him tightly.

“Fuck, Doll, you just made me so fucking happy.”

My body shakes. My life just changed when he said those three little words.