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  Jackie opened her mouth to spout out an evil reply when the door opened again to reveal Doctor Christian Hodge, a jovial smile spread across his face as always. “So, the nurses tell me that you're ready for some drugs.”

  “God, yes!”

  What seemed like days later found a large group of bikers and women assembled in the small waiting area of the maternity ward. Tyler, Jagger, and Benz had arrived from Lakeside not long after Dean and Ian had shown up, thankful that Mack had bothered to mention the situation to them. Many of the diner employees and clubhouse hangarounds had also come bearing more gifts for the newborn. The nearby nurses kept a wary eye on the group as it grew larger and larger.

  When the waiting almost seemed to get the better of the impatient bikers, their tough, brooding enforcer emerged from a room down the hall and made his way to them. A light green bundle was settled securely in his arms. He entered the waiting area, a broad grin plastered on his face, and his gaze never left the face tucked into his chest. The group rose from their seats as one and waited anxiously for the man to speak.

  “I'd like to introduce you guys to the newest member of the Kings family.” He held the baby up a bit so that everyone could get a good look. “This is Oliver.”

  8

  “What are you talking about? He looks just like me!”

  Dean held the newborn baby up next to his face, their matching dark hair, brown eyes, and tan skin making the resemblance undeniable. Little Oliver blinked sleepily at the other bikers, who looked back at him with proud grins. The group stood inside the Red Kings clubhouse, where a small gathering to welcome the newest addition to the family had turned into a large-scale Thanksgiving cookout involving several charters.

  Jagger shook his head as Dean settled the baby carefully back into his hold. “Poor kid wasn’t blessed with his mother’s good looks. Gonna grow up to look like an ape just like his dad.

  “I’m surprised he didn’t come out covered in tattoos,” Murphy added, making faces at the baby as he tickled the tiny foot clad in a Harley Davidson onesie.

  “Move!” Tyler ordered, shoving through the crowd to get to the newborn. “You guys don’t get to dote on my nephew if you’re going to insult him.” He gently grabbed Oliver and cradled him to his chest. “Hey buddy, don’t worry. Uncle Tyler won’t let them be mean to you.”

  “Well, since Uncle Tyler is taking over,” Dean said, slapping a hand onto the prospect’s shoulder, “I’m gonna go find my lady.” He gave a small wave to Oliver, who seemed content to stay with the younger man, and then wandered outside. The smell of barbeque chicken hit him immediately, as Luke and Mack stood just off to the left operating the grills, complete with matching chef’s aprons. Kids ran across the parking lot chasing a soccer ball and cheering happily. For the first time, the sounds of children playing didn’t annoy Dean, and he attributed that to now having his own, even if his wasn’t quite up to running around yet.

  “Oh no,” Mack said with a grin, pointing a spatula at Dean as he approached. “You know you’re not allowed near the food after what happened last time.”

  “It’s not my fault the burgers caught on fire,” Dean replied defensively, folding his arms across his broad chest. “Ian put too much charcoal in the damn grill.”

  Mack merely grunted before turning back to the food to watch it carefully. Dean squinted against the harsh sunlight as he looked around the lot, trying to spot Jackie in the crowd.

  “Relax, she’s fine,” Luke said without looking up from the grill, knowing exactly who Dean was trying to locate. “She’s with TJ by the garage.”

  Dean looked a moment longer, finally locating her standing quietly next to TJ as he carried the conversation with a small group of partygoers. She seemed content, smiling at something the loud man said as she sipped on her drink. Deciding all was well, Dean stepped over to a row of coolers and pulled out a cold beer, popping the cap off with a nearby bottle opener. He took a large gulp and sighed as the strong flavor of the IPA hit his taste buds.

  “So, did you lose your kid already?” Luke asked with a grin.

  “Nah, he’s being passed around like a trophy to all the aunts and uncles. I got tired of mingling.”

  Luke nodded in agreement, gesturing to the grill. “Why do you think I’m cooking? It’s easier to hide over here.”

  Mack squinted his eyes to look across the lot, confusion entering his face at what he saw. “Is Ian flirting with your mom?”

  Spinning around, Dean quickly locked his eyes on the target that was, in fact, his mother. Her bright lime-colored shirt and matching pants stood out vividly against the backdrop of gray asphalt and black leather. He cursed under his breath, quiet moment over, and quickly strode across the lot to join the pair.

  “Ma, you were supposed to call me when you hit the city limits,” Dean said gently as he approached, sending Ian a quick glare at whatever antics he was up to. The young man was cozily standing arm in arm with his mother, looking entirely up to no good.

  His mother laughed and waved a hand absently at the remark. “Oh, darling, no need to hide the scantily clad women on my account.”

  “Yeah, don’t worry, Dean.” Ian’s charming smile was on full blast as he stared adoringly down at the small, older woman. “I spotted Miss Lily immediately and came to keep her safe.”

  Dean stared at him with hard eyes, trying to control the urge to strangle the guy. “Oh great, I feel much better.”

  Lily patted Ian’s arm gently, giving him a knowing look. “Let’s not antagonize him, dear. You know how he can be.” She released him and moved to her son, wrapping her tiny arms around his middle, her dark, curly hair barely reaching his chest. “It’s lovely to see you, sweetheart,” she said softly as he returned her hug with a smile.

  “It’s good to see you too, Ma. Glad you could make it.”

  She pulled back with a raised eyebrow, releasing him slightly to stare up at him. “Like I’d miss the chance to meet my first, and probably only, grandkid? Or this mysterious woman you’re in love with? Of course I’m here.” She took a step back and shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked around at the crowd of people in the parking lot. “Now, where are they? Are we sure they’re not a figment of your imagination?”

  Ian snickered, reminding Dean of his continuously annoying presence. “Oh, she’s real,” Ian replied, a smirk plastered on his face as he pointed Jackie out to the woman. “We’re not sure she’s got all her marbles, though, considering she hooked up with your son.”

  Lily hummed at the assessment as Dean rolled his eyes at the pair’s budding friendship. Every time the two were together, they somehow ended up having a conversation about him and his romantic partners.

  “Well, she doesn’t look like much,” Lily said skeptically as she eyed the young woman in a dark blue maxi dress and sweater as she chatted on the other side of the parking lot. “But, I suppose she’s cute enough.”

  “C’mon, Ma, be nice,” Dean replied, looking down at his mother with a soft smile. “She’s adorable… and I really like her.”

  Lily smiled back up at him and laid a hand on his arm. “If you like her, then I like her, darling.” She looped her arm through his and turned him in the woman’s direction. “Now, let’s go meet your lady love, and then I’d like to go find my grandson.” She turned to Ian with a sweet smile. “Be a dear and get me a scotch, would you?”

  Ian flashed a grin and gave her a mock salute before heading off to the clubhouse, much to Dean’s delight. The pair made their way slowly across the lot, Lily stopping regularly to say hello to the bikers familiar to her. She had met many of them over the years at various club functions and the occasional drop-in when they traveled to Atlanta. Her saucy personality and wild spirit made her a hit with everyone, despite her ripe age of sixty.

  Jackie looked over at them as they approached, immediately recognizing the small, older woman from a few pictures Dean had shown to her. Stepping away from the group she was socializing with,
Jackie smiled nervously as Lily very openly appraised her.

  “Hi, Ms. Rockwell,” Jackie said as they stopped in front of her. “It’s very nice to meet you finally. I’ve heard so much about you.”

  Lily contemplated a second longer before her face broke into a large, welcoming smile. “Oh, well, I’m glad Dean talks about me so much since he barely talks to me. And call me Lily, sweetheart.” She closed the distance between them, wrapping her up in a hug. “It’s wonderful to meet you too. Surprisingly, he has told me quite a bit about you. He never usually tells me anything about anyone, so I figured I’d have to come meet you myself.”

  Jackie hugged her back fiercely, glad the woman was so open and accepting about her involvement with Dean. The man in question stood back as he watched them hug it out, a smile of absolute joy on his face that the two most important ladies in his life were finally getting to meet.

  The pair parted, but continued to smile at each other happily. They began chatting animatedly about this and that, completely ignoring the biker that stood guard next to them contently. He was happy to stand there in silence as long as they were happy to converse.

  “Hey Dean,” Tyler said as he approached, the baby held awkwardly away from his body. “He stinks, here.” He tried to pawn Oliver off to his father, who took a step back with his hands in the air.

  “Oh no, Uncle Tyler. You wanted him, you can have him,” Dean said smugly, refusing to take the child even as Tyler continued trying to hand him over.

  “I don’t want to change his diaper, dude. That’s gross. He’s your kid!”

  Jackie shook her head at the antics, not surprised that neither man was willing to deal with the issue. Lily was less impressed and propped her hands on her hips. “Dean, are you not helping with the baby? He’s your responsibility too.”

  Dean rolled his eyes, knowing it wouldn’t take her long to start nagging him about something. “I help, Ma. But his diapers are absolutely disgusting.”

  “Well, yours were no walk in the park either. Give him here, blondie.” She reached for the baby, who immediately snuggled himself up to the woman. Tyler took a step towards Dean, bashfully rubbing the back of his head as Lily cooed at the baby. “Hello there, my sweet. Aren’t you just a cutie?” She turned to Jackie with a grin. “C’mon, I’ll give you a hand with the diaper while you tell me all about how you met my son.”

  Jackie stuttered momentarily, vividly remembering the first time she had encountered the Kings’ wild Vice President. Dean, on the other hand, just smiled wickedly, clearly not bothered by the idea. “She was wowed by my charm and good looks, Ma. What’d you expect?”

  Lily hummed and pursed her lips in doubt, knowing full well that her son had never been particularly charming. “Whatever you say, dear.”

  “Ollie’s stuff is in the clubhouse, c’mon.” Jackie led the way towards the clubhouse, smiling at friends and club acquaintances as they passed.

  Entering the building, they encountered raucous laughter and the smell of cigar smoke as bikers played pool at one end of the main lounge and poker at the other. Taco was happily slinging drinks behind the bar, putting the mixology skills he learned in another life to good use. Murphy and Jagger were fighting loudly over a game of cards at one of the tables, while Nash was sprawled on a beat-up leather couch in the corner quietly chatting with Benz and his wife.

  Ian bounced up with a grin, a glass of scotch in hand. “Here you go, madame,” he said charmingly as he gave the drink to Lily. She hummed her thanks as she took a sip, smiling at the excellent quality of the liquor. She waved him off, and the two ladies plus the baby continued their trek towards the back of the clubhouse, down the dark red hallway, and entered one of the bedrooms where Jackie had left her stuff.

  Lily laid Oliver gingerly on the tattered blue blanket covering the bed, making faces at her grandson. “No telling how long ago these linens were washed,” the older woman said, wrinkling her nose in doubt.

  “It’s certainly been awhile since I’m the only one that ends up washing them,” Jackie replied as she grabbed the baby bag from the top of the shoddy wooden dresser. “This place lacks a female touch, but I don’t really want to tackle it, so I just do enough to keep things from completely spiraling out of control.”

  “Yes, well, that’s what happens when boys have a clubhouse. Not your job to clean up after them, you’ve got your hands full already.”

  Jackie sighed, nodding her head as she handed Lily a diaper while the woman got to work. “That’s for sure. I barely have enough time to deal with this little one.”

  “You’re making Dean help, aren’t you? Not letting him escape his responsibilities when he’s not feeling fatherly?” Lily watched the other woman out of the corner of her eye, not missing her tired features.

  “Well, I don’t want to overwhelm him-”

  “Don’t make excuses for him.” Lily’s voice was stern and certain, despite the soft touch that was currently changing a diaper. “He’s a grown man. He made his choices, and now he needs to handle them.”

  “But what if it’s too much and he flakes out on me? On Ollie?”

  It was Lily’s turn to sigh as she paused what she was doing and turned to face the younger woman. “I know he’s done some bad things. Even as a kid, he was always getting into trouble. But he’s a good boy. He was so young when his dad walked out, and he’s been taking care of me ever since. Always checking in, always making sure I don’t need or want for anything.” She grabbed Jackie’s hands gently, hoping to get her message across. “He’s not perfect, and he’s kind of an asshole sometimes, sure. He’s going to struggle a bit at first. But he’ll be good to you and this baby if you give him a chance.”

  Jackie smiled, happy to see the love and support coming from his mother. It was clear that Lily cared very deeply for her son and believed in him more than he believed in himself.

  “I really want you to be right,” Jackie whispered, desperately hoping that things would work themselves out as they started this new journey.

  Lily smiled confidently, the same smile Jackie had seen on Dean’s face many times. “Darling, I’m always right.”

  9

  Jackie was in the middle of a fantastic dream involving Brad Pitt during his Fight Club days when the sound of a cranky baby flooded her ears. She woke up slowly, exhausted from the lack of sleep she'd had since Oliver arrived. She groaned and threw the covers from her body, her feet hitting the floor just as a gravelly voice floated over the baby monitor.

  “You bein' a pain in the ass, little man? Thought I told you to be good for your mama while I was gone? C'mere.” The baby's cries quieted almost instantly, leaving nothing but the sound of the man's quiet whispers.

  Jackie got up from the bed and tip-toed down the hall. She stopped just short of entering the living room, noticing the duffel bag on the floor. Dean stood in the middle of the room, still in his kutte and sweatshirt, rocking the infant back and forth gently. He had been on a run to Lakeside for the past few days, leaving her to care for their two-month-old baby, who was now fast asleep in his father's arms. Oliver must have found Dean's voice as soothing as Jackie did.

  She stayed in the hallway and listened to the man talk to his son as he lulled him back to sleep. “Did you miss me? I got back as fast as I could, although I did enjoy a little uninterrupted sleep. But I missed you a whole lot, you and your gorgeous mother. You definitely got her good looks. You'll be bangin' some hotties in no time, especially when we build your first bike. I'm thinkin' a Super Glide with a 124ci engine, a .650 cam, a 61mm throttle body, a lock-up clutch, and a Sputhe motor kit. Can't get any better than that. And one day, you'll be prospecting for the Kings, and I'll hopefully get to show you the ropes. But don't tell your ma, cause she'll probably want you to go to college and be a doctor or some shit like that. God, I hope she doesn't want you to play some pussy sport like golf. Don't worry. I'll get you a football next Christmas. I won't let her turn you into a little bitch.”


  “So, I guess ballet is out of the question?” she asked in a whisper, arms crossed over her chest and a grin on her face as she leaned against the wall.

  Dean turned to look at her, careful not to wake the baby. “Completely out of the question.”

  She laughed quietly and entered the room, approaching her favorite men with a smile. “Did you have a nice trip?”

  “Yeah, it was alright. Pretty boring.”

  “I wasn't expecting you back until tomorrow night.”

  He grinned down at her, then placed the baby into his crib before gathering the woman into his arms. “Vic said he didn't need us, so we headed back early.”

  “Well, that was nice of him,” she said with a sly smile before pressing her lips against his. Dean groaned loudly, causing Jackie to shush him. She grabbed his kutte, pulling him out of the living room and down the hall to the room they shared. “Care to show me how much you missed me?”

  “Gladly.”

  10

  “Cameras are down,” Tyler said with a grin. “You guys are good to go.”

  “Be careful, ladies,” Nash added from the driver's seat as he puffed on a cigar.

  “Yes, mom. We'll be back by midnight, promise.” Murphy flipped the pair off before sliding the van door open and hopping out. Dean followed after him, tucking his favorite Glock into the back of his jeans and adjusting his leather jacket to make sure it was hidden.

  The club scene in downtown Macon was pumping that Saturday night, which provided the perfect cover to steal cars. It always took the drunks a day or two to realize they hadn't just misplaced their vehicles. That gave the Kings plenty of time to wipe the cars and move them out of the state before they were even reported missing.

  Nash and Tyler took off in the van, leaving the pair of bikers to fight through the drunk patrons filling the sidewalks as they headed towards their target. Situated behind one of the busiest bars was a parking lot secluded from the noise of the main street, making it a perfect place to boost a car.