Crow’s answer was the back door from the parking lot opening and Zak stepping inside. He spotted them and flipped his hand up over his shoulder in a greeting.
“Didn’t bring the kid?” Crow called out as Z made his way across the common area.
“I look like his mother?” Z shouted back.
“No, thank fuck,” Crow muttered as he moved closer to where Hawk and Dawg were standing, downing their second shot of whiskey. He sipped his coffee and sighed. “Now that shit’s good. Just need one of your woman’s cupcakes to go along with it. Can’t be bakin’ shit when she got a baby hangin’ ‘round her neck. Should be doin’ daddy daycare.”
Z hit the bar, clasped hands and bumped shoulders with all of them before accepting a shot of Jack. “Got my sled. Can’t be stickin’ the fuckin’ baby seat on the back of that.”
“Well, you could,” Hawk said, then laughed.
“Yeah, well, he still needs Soph’s tits. Kid’s a greedy motherfucker. Can’t wait to get her tits back.”
“Like you don’t...” Crow started, shook his head and then smiled. “Never mind.”
Z shot him a look. “Ain’t goin’ there.”
Crow lifted a hand. “Yep, brother, you’re right. Ain’t goin’ there.”
Z glanced down the bar at Grizz and then back to Dawg. “Okay to talk here? Or we gotta move into the meetin’ room?”
“Nah, it’s okay. Ain’t a secret. Just wanted to discuss some important shit with you an’ the VP.”
“Have to do with Emma?” Z asked, pinning his gaze on Dawg.
“Yeah, sorta. But it’s more than that.”
“Ah, shit. You fuckin’ claimin’ her?” the club’s president asked, the surprise evident in his voice.
Dawg’s head jerked back. Was he? He hadn’t even thought that far ahead. In his mind, he’d already claimed her. Though, she wasn’t his ol’ lady officially, and he wasn’t even sure that Emma would want that.
“Little early to be claimin’ her,” Hawk said, downed another double shot and barked out a “Fuck!” as he winced.
“Hell no, it ain’t. Knew Soph was the one after the first night, Chicken Hawk. Can’t tell me you weren’t ready to claim Kiki after the first time she made you blow your load.”
Hawk poured himself another double and smiled. “Was ready to claim ‘er as soon as ‘er hot fuckin’ ass wearin’ that tight skirt walked into the visitin’ room at County. An’ when she put on ‘er glasses... Fuck! Was ready to bend ‘er over the table an’... Yeah. Got your point.” Hawk reached down and adjusted himself.
Dawg grinned and shook his head. “Ain’t ‘bout claimin’ her... yet. Need to get shit settled. Askin’ if we can patch in Moose before his year’s up.”
“What the fuck? Why?” Z asked. “Know he’s a good one, but...”
“Yeah, he’s pullin’ his weight at Heaven’s Angels,” Dawg explained. “He’s a fuckin’ trustworthy prospect. Worth patchin’ ‘im.”
“Agreed,” Hawk said.
“’Kay, we’ll patch ‘im in. That it?” Z asked.
“Fuck no. Wish it was. Once he’s patched in, thinkin’ ‘bout handin’ over the club to ‘im. Lettin’ ‘im take over my apartment, take over managin’—”
Z shouted, “Hold up! Back the fuck up, Dawg. What the fuck you sayin’? You buyin’ out your membership? You givin’ up your colors? For Emma?”
“Fuck no. Ain’t ever leavin’ this club. But need to get a place. Need to do somethin’ else. She might have a fight on her hands when it comes to custody an’ I don’t wanna be the reason she loses her daughter. She already lost her for the past year an’ a half. Got me?”
Zak stared at him for a moment. “You’re handin’ over the reins for Heaven’s Angels? You’ve been the only one who’s ever run it. You make the MC a fuckload of scratch from that club. Moose gonna be able to fill your shoes?”
“Dunno. Think so. He’s got a smart head on his shoulders. Ain’t a squirrelly piece of shit like some of the others. Trust ‘im. If you think he ain’t right, then maybe Dex or Linc can take over.”
Hawk shook his head, a frown covering his face. “Nope. Linc’s managin’ the bar for me. He’s good at it. Want ‘im to continue.”
“Then what the fuck are you doin’?” Dawg asked.
“Managin’ Linc,” Hawk answered with a grin. “He’s doin’ the late shift so I can be with my woman. I’m takin’ daylight when Kiki’s workin’.”
Yeah, Kiki had definitely taken the top spot with Hawk after she walked into his life. The bar was now in second place. The club’s VP no longer worked long and late hours at The Iron Horse. He did what he had to do, then went home and did what he wanted to do. With his woman.
That was exactly what Dawg needed, too. He was getting older; he didn’t need to be working until three in the morning anymore. He’d leave that to the younger members.
“What ‘bout Dex?” Dawg asked.
“Dex ain’t managin’ the strip club. His dick will be in the girls more than he’ll be managin’ ‘em. Got a good policy ‘bout not doin’ your girls. Needs to stay that way,” Hawk stated.
True. Dex wouldn’t be as concerned with a lot of the things Dawg was. He also could see Dex running the club into the ground. And Dawg didn’t want to see all his hard work fall to shit. Then he’d have to kick Dex’s ass.
And that probably wouldn’t go over very well.
“So back to Moose. Best person in my opinion,” Dawg said.
“Yeah, thinkin’ that’s true. But sure you wanna do this? Give up everythin’ you worked hard for just for pussy?” Hawk asked.
Dawg’s nostrils flared and his fingers curled into his palm. Hawk was fucking with him. He had to be. Because if Dawg had ever said the same thing about Kiki, not just now but in the beginning when the couple first crossed paths, Hawk would have pounded him into the ground without a second thought.
“Brother,” Crow warned Hawk with a low voice and a shake to his head. “You two goin’ at it in here’s gonna break a lot of shit. Hope you’re just fuckin’ with ‘im.”
Hawk’s face broke out in a grin, then he whacked Dawg on the back. “Know how serious you are ‘bout her, Dawg Pound. Just messin’ with ya. But still... ready to give all that up? Again, it’s only been what? A couple of weeks?”
“Yeah. But I get what you’re sayin’. Been runnin’ the club for fifteen years. Don’t know anything else.”
“You’ll need to do somethin’,” Z said.
“Right. Been thinkin’ ‘bout that, too.”
All eyes landed on him.
He continued since he had their attention. “Shit that went down with Pierce... The Committee didn’t strip ‘im of his colors for a couple reasons. One that I know of was the gun shop.”
Hawk straightened up from leaning back on the bar. “Whataya sayin’?”
“Thought it might be a good idea for someone to slide in there an’ learn the biz from the inside out. This would be a good excuse to do it. Our bylaws state I gotta work an’ bring money into the club account. So no better place for me than the gun shop and range, right? Nothin’ would be suspicious. But once I get a good handle on the business, we got the option to kick ‘is ass the fuck down the road. Strip ‘is colors, if need be.”
Z looked thoughtful but nodded his head. “Might be a good idea. He’s always bitchin’ he don’t got enough help. I can’t help ‘em ‘cause of my felony charge. But you’ve gotta good brain for business an’ a good excuse to move into a spot over there.” He looked pensive for a moment. “Yeah, fuck it. Like that idea. Chicken Hawk?”
Hawk nodded, too. “Fuck yeah. Like it. D will love it. So will Jag an’ maybe even Ace. Pretty sure Dex will vote yes on that motion, too.”
“Gotta get a meetin’ scheduled quick then, brothers. Gotta get Moose patched in ASAP. Hunter an’ Walker got a bead on Lily. She should be comin’ home soon. Need to get this shit movin’. Also need to find a place to live,” Dawg announced.
“Hopin’ it’s the three of us,” Dawg answered.
“Ace’s farm?” Crow suggested.
“Maybe. Not sure if I wanna live out in the country.”
“Not sure if Ace’s got anythin’ available, anyhow,” Z answered. “’Specially with Annie an’ Allie each takin’ up a cabin. Diamond an’ Slade shackin’ up in another. I think he’s got the rest rented.”
“Like I said, not sure if I wanna move out into the boonies. Not sure what Emma wants, either. She don’t know what I’m here talkin’ about. I’m sure she’ll want a say where her an’ Lily settle. Got cash for a house, but have a feelin’ it’s gonna go to fightin’ for Caitlin.”
Zak’s head spun toward him, his brows pinned together. “Who’s Caitlin?”
“Dawg’s daughter,” Hawk answered.
“What?” Z turned wide eyes to Dawg.
Dawg frowned at Hawk. “Guess Kiki told you.”
Hawk ran a hand over his short mohawk. “Yeah. Kiki don’t keep shit from me.”
Dawg grimaced. “Nothin’ like attorney-client privilege.”
Hawk gave him an answering frown, then growled, “If the club’s payin’ for it, then we’re all the client. Got me?”
Unfortunately, the man had a good point. “Yeah.”
“So Zeke ain’t the first kid to be the fourth generation,” Zak muttered, sounding a little disappointed.
“Fourth generation of the foundin’ members, but not fourth in the club itself. Sorry, Z,” Dawg said.
“How old is she?” Crow asked, leaning against the bar with his second cup of coffee.
“Fourteen.”
“Shit,” Z mumbled. “That’s a helluva long time to keep a secret from us.”
Hell, it was a long time for a secret to be kept from him. Dawg continued, “Wasn’t holdin’ out on you. Didn’t know ‘bout ‘er until recently.”
“An’ she wants to have visitation with you?” Z asked.
“Don’t know I’m her pop.”
“What the fuck!” Z exclaimed. “That’s some bullshit right there, brother.”
“Yeah,” Dawg agreed.
“Sure you wanna do that to her?” Hawk asked quietly.
The million-dollar question. Everybody asked it, so it made him wonder if pushing this was the right thing. His gut said it was, but everyone was making him question his motives.
“You sayin’ it’s better that I leave well enough alone?” Dawg asked.
Crow tilted his head and narrowed his dark eyes. “She blood?”
“Yeah.” Though he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure until they had the DNA results. And that might take a while since Kiki would have to file the paperwork and he was positive that Regan would fight it tooth and nail.
“Your blood. You claim her,” Crow said firmly. He grabbed Dawg’s shoulder and shook it, then he clapped him on the back. “Got me, brother?”
“Yeah, brother, got you.”
Hawk shifted. “Not sure if I agree with that.”
“Ain’t your blood,” Crow told him. “If it was, you’d think differently.”
“Right,” Hawk grunted, but still didn’t look convinced. However, Dawg had known Hawk for what seemed like forever. And he knew that man would fight for his kid if he found out he had one out there somewhere. Most likely most of his brothers would. Family was serious shit to them.
“Speakin’ of kids an’ shit...You get to warn Linc?” Dawg asked Hawk.
“’Bout what?” Z asked.
“Guess you havin’ Zeke stoked a fire inside your baby sister, Z,” Dawg said.
“Yeah. And?”
“Kiki thought it’d be a good idea to warn Linc to be... cautious,” Hawk answered.
“Of what?” Z asked, clearly confused.
Hawk rolled his eyes. “Of your fuckin’ sister,” he barked at Z.
Z’s spine straightened and his blue eyes narrowed. “They fuckin’?”
Dawg shrugged. “Not that I know of. But you’ve seen ‘em eyeballin’ each other. Talkin’ close.”
“Here’s the thing...” Hawk began. “What I’m gonna tell you don’t go past here. Got me? It’s early yet, but it’s not goin’ to help Jayde’s baby fever or whatever Keeks fuckin’ calls it.”
Then the man just stopped talking. And a few seconds later, it seemed to hit them all at once.
Z groaned, “Fuck.”
“Yeah,” Hawk grunted.
The club’s president slammed his hand on the bar. “Ivy was supposed to be next. Just lost a fuckin’ Benjamin on that bet.”
Hawk snorted. “Yeah, maybe Jag’s gettin’ it in the wrong hole or somethin’. Dunno. But Ivy ain’t next.”
“Shouldn’t we be celebratin’?” Crow asked.
“Fuck yeah. But don’t tell Keeks I told you. She’s hornier than ever, so ain’t gonna end up in the dog house ‘cause of you fuckers runnin’ your traps.”
“Fuck. This club’s gonna turn into a fuckin’ daycare,” Dawg muttered.
Crow slapped Dawg’s back. “Ain’t a bad thing, brother. Bringin’ new life into this club, into this family. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. Ensures the DAMC will live on.”
“That it will,” Z said. “Pour us some shots, Chicken Hawk.”
With a grin, Hawk filled all the shot glasses he had lined up earlier, then passed them out. As one they all raised them.
Crow lifted his face to the ceiling and yelled, “Here’s to Hawk’s new fledgling. Dawg an’ Emma gettin’ their girls back. An’ Z knockin’ up his ol’ lady again.”
Hawk and Dawg hooted and knocked back their shots while Z shouted, “No! Those are my tits. Want ‘em back before another kid steals ‘em from me.”
Crow laughed and downed his whiskey.
Grizz surprised all of them by coming up and joining them. “You fuckers are makin' this ol’ man proud. Gimme one of them shots, boy.”
Hawk handed the older man one, and he swallowed the double with barely an eye twitch. Then he raised his shot glass over his head and shouted, “Down an’ dirty...”
The rest of them roared out a “’til dead!” in answer.
Fuck yeah.
Chapter Thirteen
“Dawg, the paperwork’s filed for Emma’s divorce, her request for full custody, and for the PFA. Also for your paternity claim. Did you get to the lab I told you to go to?”
“Yeah.” He had done it the second Kiki had told him he should.
“Good. As soon as the DNA test is ordered by the court, Caitlin’s mother will have to get it done. She can lie to Caitlin about why it’s being done, but as long as it’s done, we’re good. Then once we have the results and we have proof Caitlin’s yours, I’ll file for visitation. Just be aware that it may be supervised visitation at first, okay?”
He nodded his head even though he knew she couldn’t see it. “Yeah, Keeks. Appreciate it.”
“Are you having second thoughts about this at all?”
Was he?
When he didn’t answer, Kiki continued, her gentle voice coming through the other end of the phone. “Look, you can always change your mind later, Dawg. Let’s get the results first and then, if you’re sure, we can go ahead with the rest. Sound good?”
“Yeah.”
“As for Lily...”
“Gonna claim Emma,” he blurted out before he could think better of it. Hell, he just told Hawk’s ol’ lady he was claiming Emma, and he hadn’t even discussed it with the woman herself.
Fuck me.
Kiki hissed out a breath and her reaction made his gut twist.
“Here’s the thing, Dawg... I know I probably shouldn’t be the one suggesting this, since Hawk and I aren’t married yet, and he told me you know about my... condition... but, honey, I really think you need to make it legal. Not just claim her as your ol’ lady. Claiming her in the club is all well and good, but you need to continue on the path of getting Heaven�
�s Angels off your hands, finding a decent place to live and showing both Emma and the courts that you’re serious about making a family with her. Getting a place where you’ll make a home. An actual wedding. Real life things.” Before he could answer, she asked softly, “Does that scare you?”
It didn’t. He had known Emma was going to change his life. Had he known how much? Fuck no. Did he care that his life was heading in this new direction at the speed of a runaway train?
“No. It don’t, Keeks. Honestly, it surprises the shit outta me with how much I want all that. Besides Emma, Caitlin’s all I can think about right now.”
“It also will make it look good for you when it comes to asking the courts for visitation. Stable home. Wife. Stepdaughter. Do you catch my drift?”
“Yeah, Keeks, I do. But she ain’t divorced.” And she wasn’t a widow... yet, from what he knew. Not yet, but soon. And he doubted Kiki would know what was going down or would even want to know.
“I know, but it’s something you need to seriously consider once she is. All of this stuff will take time, but you need to get your ducks in a row. Got me?”
Her “got me” drew a smile from him. The woman was something else. Hawk was a lucky fucker, that was for damn sure.
“Got you, Keeks. When you tellin’ everyone about Hawk Jr.?”
“Hawk Jr.?” she squeaked.
“Yeah. It’s a good name for a ‘lil badass biker.”
“A biker?”
The woman was not only engaged to a badass biker but now was knocked up by him, too. So she shouldn’t be surprised that any son of hers would end up as a Harley riding hellion.
“Yeah. Gonna be ridin’ on the back of his daddy’s sled as soon as he learns not to fall off.”
“Dawg,” she groaned.
“What?”
“You’re making me rethink this whole having a kid thing.”
“Think it’s a little too late now.”
“Fuck,” she muttered into the phone.
Dawg laughed. “If it’s a girl, name ‘er Tweetie Bird.”
Down & Dirty: Dawg (Dirty Angels MC Book 7) Page 17