Page 19 of Finn's Future

Finn looked over at Noah asleep in my arms and something in his expression changed. Not suspicion anymore, but something warmer.

“Then Noah is ours,” Reaper grumbled.

Lucy made a broken sound. She was moving before I could react, crossing the room and dropping to her knees in front of me. Her hands hovered like she didn’t know where to touch, then settled gently over Noah.

“My nephew,” she whispered, tears spilling freely now. “He is my brother’s baby.”

My throat closed. I nodded, even though the motion felt heavy. “Yeah,” I whispered. “He is.”

Relief swallowed me. Not because I’d doubted it, but because now they couldn’t.

Lucy brushed her thumb over Noah’s cheek, laughing shakily through her tears. “Nine months old and already as stubborn as Caleb when it comes to waking up.”

“Unless it’s the middle of the night,” Finn muttered while smirking.

Riot gave a small nod. “Youngest Dead Knight.” He actually grinned as he typed something into his phone.

Just like that, everything changed. I wasn’t just a girl who showed up at their door anymore. I was tied to them now, whether I wanted to be or not.

Reaper’s gaze shifted to me. “You’ll move to the clubhouse,” he said. “Maria’s already setting up space for the kid.”

We would be safe, but in the clubhouse, I would also be controlled and watched constantly. I liked the protection, but I wasn’t sure about that many eyes on me.

Before I could answer, Finn’s voice cut through the room.

“They can stay with me, at my place.”

I looked at him, my mouth slightly open and eyes wide as I was caught off-guard.

“It’s quieter,” he said. “Better for the baby.” Though his lips said one thing, his eyes looked panicked.

Reaper’s brow furrowed. “Your place?”

“It’s five minutes out,” Finn said. “Close enough if you need me or we need you. Far enough they’re not sitting in the middle of the clubhouse.”

“You don’t know what’s coming for her,” Reaper said.

“Neither do you,” Finn replied.

Lucy stepped in quickly. “He’s right. The clubhouse isn’t exactly built for a baby, Jay. It’s loud, people coming and going, club whores . . . it’s not suitable for a young woman and a baby.”

Reaper didn’t look at her. His focus stayed on Finn then landed on me.

I swallowed, suddenly unsure as the weight of his gaze bore down on me. Part of me wanted the safety of numbers. The place Caleb had told me to go. But another part, the quiet part, the part that had finally been able to breathe for the first time since running . . .

“I’d like to stay with Finn,” I said, meeting Reaper’s gaze.

Reaper held my gaze a second longer, then gave a short nod. “Fine.”

Relief loosened something in my chest, but it didn’t last long.

“You don’t go anywhere alone,” he added. “You don’t leave without one of us. That doesn’t change.”

“It won’t,” Finn said before I could.

Of course, it wouldn’t. He’d made sure of that from the start.

Reaper looked at him again. “If this turns into a problem,” he said, “it lands on you.”