Page 47 of Rigid

Although every member of the club was my brother, I didn’t look at them all the same. I’d put my life on the line for any of them, or I wouldn’t have taken the oath to become a Filthy Fucker. Being close friends with each of them, however, was impossible.

The four men in front of me were ones that mattered to me the most.

“I’ve got something to say, and I’d appreciate it if you keep your shitty remarks to yourselves.”

Cholo, Pee Bee, and Crip were all leaning against the workbench, while P-Nut nervously paced the floor between them and the far wall.

“You all know that I’ve got a daughter, and that I’m protective of her. I’ve got--”

P-Nut stopped pacing and shot me a look of concern. “Nobody fucked with Eddie, did they? God damn it, I’ll kill a motherfucker--”

“Settle down, Nut. No. Eddie’s fine. Hear me out.”

He lit another cigarette, and went right back to pacing the floor.

“In the last month, I’ve been seeing a girl.” I figured saying I’d been seeing her would sound a lot better than saying we’d fucked twice. I scanned the men for reactions, and other than Nut’s pacing, everyone seemed pretty calm, so I continued. “And I liked spending time with her, but I knew it’d never amount to much with my rule about relationships and all.”

I paused, took a long pull on my vape, and then tilted my head toward the ceiling. After exhaling the smoke into the steel structure of the shop, I lowered my gaze and dropped the bomb.

“She’s pregnant.”

P-Nut stopped in his tracks and looked right at me. One of his eyebrows arched.

The other three men’s jaws dropped.

While Crip’s mouth twisted into a shitty smirk, I continued. “And, before any of you say anything slick, she’ll be moving in with me. We’re having the baby. Together.”

Crip rubbed his face with the palms of his hands and then crossed his arms. “Going domestic on us, huh?”

“Nope. Just doing what’s right.”

“It’s good you’re doing right by her,” Cholo said. “She’s good people. The two of you can come over and stare at the beach with Lex and Me from the back deck. I mean it, Brother.”

Crip shot him a look. “You know this chick?”

Cholo nodded. “Works with Lex.”

I turned toward P-Nut. Standing in the same spot, he stood statue-still with his eyes fixed on the floor. Every few seconds, he’d blink.

“You alright, Nut?”

Without looking up, he nodded.

I nodded in return, giving him the time and space he needed to come to terms with the change. I looked at Pee bee. “Well?”

He shrugged and gave me his signature grin. “Tegan and I been going skin on skin for a bit. I can’t say shit.”

“I don’t even know how to operate a condom,” Crip said. “It’s just by the grace of God I don’t have a kid.”

I couldn’t believe it. I lowered my vape and glared. “So, that’s it? None of you fuckers are going to talk shit?”

P-Nut looked up. “What’d Eddie say?”

“Ain’t talked to her yet.”

“But you’re going to, right? Not just move the chick in?”

“Fuck no,” I said. “I’ll talk to Ed about it. Jesus, Nut, you know me better than that.”