Page 40 of Always My Fate

The old clubhouse smelled like stale smoke, spilled blood, and desperation.

Blackie sat alone at the head of the table long after the others had left, knuckles split and aching, the gavel heavy in his hand. The club was tearing itself apart from the inside—brothers questioning every decision, money running thin, rivals smelling weakness. Peaches had just told him she was pregnant, and the fear of failing them nearly choked him.

“I don’t know if I can be both,” he confessed to her later that night, voice raw. “The president this club needs and the man you and Randi deserve. What if I drag all of you down with me?”

Peaches took his bloody hand in both of hers, green eyes steady and fierce. “You already are both, Kirk. You came back for us. Now you’ve got somethin’ real to fight for. Use it. Lead with it. Don’t choose between us and the club. Just make them one and the same.”

That night had been a turning point. He stopped trying to carry everything alone. He started trusting the right brothers. He fought harder, not only for the patch, but for the family waiting at home. The struggles forged him.

***

Blackie blinked back to the present, lying in the quiet of their bedroom with Peaches curled against his chest. His hand rested protectively on the swell of her belly, feeling Daniel kick slow and strong.

He pressed a kiss to her temple, breathing her in.

“Look how far we’ve come, Peaches,” he murmured, voice low and rough with emotion. “From that broken, angry bastard barely holdin’ the club together and scared to death about bein’ a father...to this. To you still bein’ my rock while carryin’ our sixth. To brothers like Horse and Duane steppin’ up when I needed ’em most. To actually trustin’ them to carry the fight so I could stay with you.”

Peaches tilted her head, smiling softly as her fingers traced over his heart. “You built that strength, Blackie. You chose us every single day. Even when it was hard.”

He tightened his arm around her, the old memories settling like fuel in his chest. The early struggles hadn’t broken him. They’d made him the man who could lead a club through war without abandoning his family.

“I did choose this,” he whispered against her curls. “You. The kids. Daniel. This club. And I’d choose it again a thousand times.”

Blackie closed his eyes, holding his queen close as the weight of the past and the power of the present wrapped around them both.

They were unbreakable now.

Together.

Chapter Nineteen

Peaches

Peaches felt stronger today.

Not just physically, though the doctor’s cautious approval for limited activity had lifted a huge weight in her spirit. A handful of meds were moving her blood pressure in the right direction, making things at least manageable, so the constant knot of worry in her chest had loosened. Daniel was still active, but she could breathe easier now. So when Blackie suggested a small, low-key gathering at the house, she’d jumped at the chance.

The backyard glowed with string lights. The grill was smoking, coolers were open, and the easy murmur of voices filled the evening air. The gathering wasn’t a full club party, only the people who mattered most.

Glenna sat beside her on the wide porch swing, their shoulders brushing. Horse stood nearby, gaze resting protectively on Glenna while he talked with Blackie and Gunny.

“You seem like the meds have you improving,” Glenna said softly, squeezing Peaches’ hand. “I was worried about you after everything.”

“I feel better, and while it’s a pain to listen to them, the docs seem to know their stuff,” Peaches replied honestly, rubbing slow circles over her belly. Daniel gave a strong kick, almost like he was agreeing. “They’ve been clear about the preeclampsia. The only cure is delivery, so we’re taking things one week at a time. I’m takin’ it easy, but being able to sit out here with all of you feels like real emotional healing.”

Gunny dropped into the chair across from them with a beer in hand and a grin. “Look at you two queens holdin’ court. Belle’s standin’ because of women like you. You should’ve seen Glenna durin’ the fight, cool as ice while Shamu was losin’ his mind.”

Glenna laughed quietly. “I had good teachers. Peaches kept everything running from her bed even when she was on strict rest. The care packages, the transport for the injured. A thousand tiny details made up a dump truck of assistance. You held us together when we needed it most.”

Pride flushed through Peaches. “We all did what we had to. That’s what this family does.”

Blackie wandered over from the grill, wiping his hands on a towel. His eyes softened the moment they landed on her. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple, then rested one big hand on her belly.

“You good, Peaches?” he asked, voice low and warm.

“Better than good,” she murmured, leaning into him. “Look at this. Our people. Safe. Together. After everything that happened, I love how right this feels.”

Horse raised his bottle towards them. “To the ones who held the line, at Belle and at home.”