Prologue
Dex
Weeks Ago . . .
“What do you think?” Ashley, my stepmom, asks. Though, she’s more than a stepmom if you ask me. She’s the only mother I’ve ever had, and I’m damn lucky.
In my arms is my newest sibling, Rory, with her dark chocolate hair the same shade as mine and our father’s. Her eyes are a dark blue, and Ashley tells me the doctor thinks they’ll turn brown. She muttered something about how a baby’s eye color can change, but I wasn’t paying too much attention. Instead, I was focused on the little one blinking her big eyes up at me while she’s holding onto my index finger.
“She’s gorgeous,” I say with a smile, looking up at Ashley.
“Yeah. I’ve told your father we’re done after this. I’m exhausted.” She giggles, sitting down beside me on the couch. My parents’ house overlooks a small lake in their backyard. The sun is just beginning to set and they just came home this afternoon from the hospital. I was on baby duty, watching my sister, Noelle, who’s about eight now, and our brother, Fist, who’s one and a half.
“What’s one more?” Dad chuckles from behind us.
“You try pushing one more of these out and then ask me that,” she grumbles, turning to glare at him.
“But our eldest is leaving the nest, and we’re gonna get even lonelier.” Dad tries to plead his case, but Ashley isn’t having any bit of it.
“Robert, we’re not having another baby. The baby-making factory is closed for business. The going out of business sale has already happened. We’re done.” Shit, she never calls him by his real name, only by his road name.
“Ash, you can’t seriously mean that. The second Dex leaves, you’re gonna be a damn mess and we both know it,” Dad tells her.
I watch as she cocks a brow. “We have three other kids under the age of nine. You can’t be serious.”
“I like a full house. What can I say?” Dad goes on, and as he continues rambling, Rory starts to fuss.
“Shh, little one. I’ve got you.” I rock her slowly back and forth in my arms, but her screams grow louder by the minute.
“I’ll take her and give you some time with Ash. You leave tomorrow around six in the morning, right?” Dad asks while he scoops Rory from my arms.
I nod, trying to speak to Ashley and Dad. “Yeah, I’m gonna get an early start on the drive. Figure it’ll probably take me two days to get over there.”
“Are you sure you want to take your bike that far? I mean, Dex, it’s New York. You know it’ll be snowing in a few months. It would make more sense for you to take the truck.” Ashley only wants me to be safe, and while I understand that, being without my bike would cripple me.
“I promise I’ll be safe, and I know what I’m doing. I learned from the best.” I glance over to my dad, who smiles at the small compliment I’ve given him while he shuffles down the hallway to Rory’s nursery.
Ashley’s smile fades away and she gnaws on the corner of her lip. “I suppose I might be having a bit of a hard time. I never thought this day would actually get here. You know?” Before I know it, she’s wiping the back of her hand under her eyes. Shit. She’s already crying.
I shut my eyes for a moment and instinctively wrap my arms around her, pulling her into the tightest hug I think I’ve ever given her. “I’m gonna fuckin’ miss you. I know I don’t say it enough, Ash, but you’re my mom and I love you. When you and Dad got together, my whole life changed for the better.” I pull her in closer, and she settles her chin on my shoulder, hanging on tight.
“I know you’re only going off to college, but it feels so terrifying to be losing my sidekick. It was you and me against the world, always.” She chuckles, crying through it.
Snaking my hand up her back, I hold the back of her head. “Nothing will be any different. We’re still the best duo. I’ll just be in Albany, and you’ll be here in Billings. You know I’ll come back here for winter break and anytime I can.”
Ashley pulls away and I release her, but she grazes her hands over my shoulders and grabs me by the collar of my t-shirt. “You’d better, ‘cause I pack a mean punch. Your dad can attest to that.” She snickers, still with tears flowing down her cheeks.
“I’m only going because I got a free ride, and you know it. Probably the only fucking thing my birth mother did for me.”
“Yeah.” Ashley sighs as she speaks to me, and I know she’s nervous. This whole situation is nerve-wracking for us all. I haven’t seen my uncle Jonathan since I was three, and out of nowhere, he offers me this scholarship. When it happened, I wondered if my birth mother had anything to do with it, but I highly doubt it. She’s probably too busy being hooked on whatever drug is her vice these days.
Ashley pats my shoulders. “You’d better get over to the club. I think they might be doing something special for you.”
I cock a brow. “Really?”
Ashley rolls her eyes. “I know how much you hate surprises, so I’m giving you a tiny heads up, and let’s be honest, you know deep down we wouldn’t let you go off without some grand gesture.”
“Will you stop by later?” I ask, hoping to see her one last time before I go.
Ashley smiles sweetly. “My sweet Dex,” she brushes her hand against my cheek, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I just have to wait for your sister to get settled in. Your father and I will trade places, so we can both say our goodbyes.”
“Whoa. What’s with the goodbye shit? Ain’t it see you later?” Dad says, sounding a bit upset.
“Yeah, Pops. That’s it,” I tell him, easing his heart. I rise from the couch and head for the door. “I’m gonna go over to the club and see what’s shakin’. See you both later?”
“Damn straight,” Dad replies while Ashley nods.
The club is fuckin’ packed. Even more than I’ve ever witnessed before, and we’ve had some intense parties here. An arm wraps around my shoulders the second I’ve dismounted my bike, and then rough knuckles rub against my hair harshly.
“Yo, what the fuck?” I hiss, pushing whoever it is off of me.
I look to find it’s the Prez, Zane, who’s also Ashley’s brother. He’s standing here shaking his head in disbelief. “This is hard to believe, kid. I remember like it was yesterday. You were still shittin’ your pants.”
“Yeah, if you’re not careful, Neo’s gonna grow up that quick too.” Neo’s his son, er, okay, maybe not. It’s a complicated situation. Zane might be the Prez of the club, but he’s into men and women. He’s married to Octavia, but he and Octavia apparently had a night of pleasure with her ex-boyfriend. Neo was born roughly around nine months later. I remember the way there was some chatter amongst the club for a bit, then Zane came out and told everyone that Neo is his son, regardless of who his biological father is. He’s a damn good man and an even better leader.
“I sure hope not. C’mon, I have something for you,” Zane tells me while he waves his hand. He heads toward the clubhouse doors, and I follow behind him. We walk through the club, seeing people packed in here. Our friends from the Skulls Renegade MC, Devil’s Riot MCs, Inferno’s Clutch MC, Knights of Retribution MC, Sons of Gods MC, Raiders of Valhalla MC, and Iron Vex MC are here, which causes me to narrow my eyes a bit.