Page 7

“Yeah, I’m sure. Just give it a little time and I’m sure this place will feel like home again in no time.”

Home.

That’s a word I haven’t had a meaning for in a long damn time.

After I graduated high school, my parents kicked me out of the house and cut me off in a show of “tough love” and that’s how I found my way to the club. It turned out to not be the family I had hoped it would be. Instead, I started focusing on setting Kady and I up to build the family we both desperately wanted in the future but in doing so, I made some terrible decisions and took risks that I never should have. And I’ve paid dearly for it.

“Yeah,” I murmur, running my hand over the stubble on my jaw. “To be honest, Blaze, I’m not sure how long I’m going to be sticking around here. My main focus is finding Kady and the club was never her favorite thing.”

He nods, glancing out across the room. “I understand where you’re coming from but things are a lot different now. We’re different now - more of a family than we ever were before and I think if you give us a chance, you might change your mind. I mean, hell… look at Storm.”

I turn to watch our VP as a gorgeous blonde with generous curves and long legs smiles up at him and passes a tiny little baby into his arms.

Damn.

That’s a sight I never thought I’d see in here.

“Maybe just spend a little time to get to know us now before you make any big decisions and we’ll be here to help you in finding Kady, too.”

My gaze snaps to his at the mention of her name and I clench my fists. Until I find her, I have a sneaking suspicion that nothing will feel right. She’s the missing piece - always has been and always will be. But it’s not like I have anywhere else to go and I could use their help in finding her.

“What do you remember from when I was locked up? Is there anything that could help me find her?”

Blaze meets my gaze and sighs. “Why don’t we sit down and talk about that tomorrow? For right now, just enjoy being home, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” I agree half-heartedly. All I want to do is start searching for my girl but I know he’s right. I’m not going to get anything accomplished tonight so I can hold off until tomorrow. Even if it kills me.

“Welcome home, man,” Storm says, sitting down on the couch across from us and I nod to the baby in his arms.

“Thanks, brother. I like your new accessory.”

“Wait, wait,” Smith interrupts as he falls onto the third couch. “You have to ask him her name.”

I shoot a quizzical look at Storm who rolls his eyes.

“When the fuck are you going to let this go?”

“Don’t you dare curse in front of my daughter, Logan,” the blonde I saw Storm with earlier snaps as she joins our group and sits next to him.

“Sorry, Kitten.”

“Uh, I’m never gonna let this go and you still have a story to tell,” Smith adds. The blonde shakes her head and meets my eyes.

“No, I’ll tell the story. I’m Ali, by the way, Storm’s wife.”

“Nice to meet you,” I answer, shaking her hand as she offers me a warm smile.

“Okay, so it went like this, when I was pregnant with this little peanut, I mentioned that I liked the name Magnolia but Logan was vehemently against it. He said there was no way in hell we were naming our daughter Magnolia.”

Smith snorts, taking a sip of his beer and I glance over at him with a grin.

“Ah, let me guess…”

“Goddamn it, I looked down at her right after she was born and the only fucking name in my head was Magnolia. It just fit,” Storm thunders, interrupting me as his daughter stirs in his arms and laughter booms around us. My gaze bounces around the group as I try to wrap my mind around this whole situation. Before I was locked up, you never would have found us like this and I’m struggling to reconcile the club I remember with the group of people sitting around me now.

Another blonde joins the group and sits in Chance’s lap, introducing herself as Carly, Chance’s wife, as a big, burly motherfucker in a cut and a tiny little redhead sit at the the other end of the couch. The man holds his hand out to me.

“Nice to finally meet you, brother. I’m Kodiak.”