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“Are we almost there?” Rockson asked from the backseat. He was snuggly strapped into a booster seat and had been asleep most of the way.
“Just a few more minutes, and we’ll be at the compound,” I replied, feeling a twinge of nervousness in my belly.
I hadn’t seen Storm in a couple of weeks. It was getting easier communicating with him, but it was also still weird after I’d killed one of his men and his half sister…myhalf sister. Learning she’d just turned eighteen and had died in the explosion I’d triggered had messed me up. I felt an enormous amount of guilt. Remarkably, Storm had forgiven me, and I wasn’t sure I deserved it.
“And there are lots of kids there?”
“That’s what Storm said,” I replied. “He has three: Birdie, Chase, and Frankie.”
Ella looked back at Rockson. “Remember I told you they were your cousins?”
“Mhm. They’re my family!”
“That’s right, buddy.” Ella smiled at me. She’d been talking up Storm and his family to Rockson all week. After wanting me to destroy the man she’d thought had been the reason for me leaving her and all the other crap, she was trying to bridge our families together.
“We’re here,” I muttered when I stopped at the gate. An armed man stepped out of a guard shack.
“Wow, they don’t mess around, do they?” Ella’s eyes went wide.
“Nope.” I lowered my window as the guy came to my side. “I’m Rocky Jones. Storm is expecting my family and me.”
“Yeah, we’ve been anticipating your arrival. I’m Markey, your cousin.” He peeked in the back at Rockson and waved. Then in a low voice, he said, “Jax was my best friend. If you cause any trouble here, I will take you out.”
Jesus fuck. “I’m sorry, man.”
“Don’t apologize. Just do better, as my old man would say.”
“Your dad sounds like an amazing man.” Storm couldn’t say enough good things aboutUncle Matt.
“He was. Go on in. Mind your Ps and Qs, and it’ll all be good.” He tapped the hood of my truck and waved me through.
“Okay, that was intense,” Ella whispered.
“I don’t blame him for warning me. Christ, I feel awful about his best friend.”
“I know, baby.” She squeezed my thigh.
Several people exited a building—the clubhouse, I presumed. One of them was Storm.
I blew out a tense breath, hopped out of the truck, and took Rockson out of his booster seat.
“Rocky, I’m glad to have you here.” Storm clapped me on the back. “Hey, Rockson. Remember me? I’m Uncle Storm.”
“I remember you.” Rockson leaned against me, acting a little shy.
“And this pretty lady is your Auntie Angel. She makes the best cookies.” Storm winked at my boy.
“It’s nice to meet you, Angel.” Ella came to my side and looped her arm through mine.
“The pleasure is all mine. Come inside. Supper is ready, and the place is full of people who are dying to meet you.” Angel draped her arm around Ella and guided her inside.
“Before you eat, David is here. I thought it would be better to get your meeting over first so you can relax for the rest of the visit.”
“Sounds good.” As if I had a choice. I was on Storm’s turf now and would follow his orders. He’d made it clear that he wanted to have a relationship with me, not the Hell’s Bells MC. He didn’t need to worry about the Bells. I’d dismantled the club and burned the clubhouse to the ground days after Vegas’s death. Tomcat had returned to his ranch. Mona had moved to Florida to start fresh. And Xabier had gone home to Mexico. There was nothing left in Scornrock, just many painful memories.
“Come on, Rockson, I’ll take you inside. I’m Birdie, by the way.” She reached for his hand.
“Okay!” He shimmied out of my arms and ran off with the little girl who was the spitting image of her mother, just with gray eyes like her father’s and mine.
