Chapter 24
YOU ARE THE FATHER
JOSEPHINE
Life is settling—kind of. Or at least, it’s starting to feel like the ground beneath my feet isn’t shifting anymore.
The tension that’s been coiled tight in my chest for weeks is finally starting to unravel like I so desperately need.
The strain in my marriage has lifted, leaving space to deal with the other issues afoot.
Being honest with Vik was long overdue. I should’ve done it sooner instead of letting my temper and pride twist a hard situation into something so much worse.
He didn’t deserve my ire, didn’t deserve the cold shoulder or the sharp edge of my tongue.
I was exhausted of feeding my stubborn streak just to prove a point he was oblivious to.
Now, I can breathe again.
The late-afternoon sun filters through the backyard, blinding but comfortable for this time of year.
Sitting on the back porch, one leg tucked beneath me in the wooden rocker, as I use the other to keep up a steady pace of back and forth.
I take in our little slice of heaven, which I never could have imagined for myself as a girl.
I’ve been thinking about her a lot the last couple of days, and the what-ifs of my life had I never met Vik.
But nothing good ever comes from lingering too long in the unknowns.
This is my life, and at the end of the day, through surprise kids and unwarranted arrest, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I take a long gulp from my glass of iced tea, which sweats against my palm. The condensation drips lazily down my wrist, cooling my heated skin.
“Hey, baby, be careful with that,” I call out, my voice carrying across the yard.
“I got it,” Trenton answers easily, his tone calm but amused as he jogs after Haley.
She’s sprinting across the grass like she’s got somewhere important to be, tiny legs pumping, a hammer clutched dangerously in her hand. My heart lurches into my throat seeing every possible horrific outcome.
A shadow stretches over me, pulling my attention away from the scene unfolding in front of me. I don’t need to turn to know who it is. Vik has a way of moving that doesn’t match his size at all. It still startles me every time he just appears without a sound.
“He’s good with her.” There’s an awe in his voice I haven’t heard before.
A smile tugs at my lips as I nod, watching Trenton gently intercept Haley before she can do any real damage. “You’d think they grew up together.”
I tilt my head back, glancing up at Vik. The sunlight catches along his thick blond lashes, turning his eyes lighter, softer than usual. His harshness, which I’m used to from when he’s around the club, disappears completely at home, especially around the kids.
“You coming out here to join me?” I ask.
“Actually…” He shifts slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ghost’s on his way over. He’s got some news.”
Right on cue, the crunch of tires rolling up the driveway cuts through the quiet laughter off in the trees. My brows lift as I glance toward the front of the house.
“Well, damn. Waited until the last minute on that one, huh? Should be some news…”
“He just called, smartass,” Vik shoots back. There’s no real bite to it, just the constant heat of lust he’s been throwing my way since we reconciled. “Now, are you coming in with me to hear it?”
I push myself up from the rocker with a quiet groan. The sun hits my eyes, and I lift a hand to shield them as I scan the yard again.
Haley stands with her feet planted wide, the hammer raised high above her head like she’s about to conquer something—or kill it.
Maybe she’s been hanging out with Aunt Harlow too much.
Before she can bring it down, Trenton steps in, wrapping his hand gently around hers. He doesn’t take it away or scold her for handling it incorrectly. He simply guides her and says something I can’t hear.
The hammer comes down, tapping the nail with a satisfying thunk. Haley gasps, then beams up at him like he just handed her the keys to a new world of possibilities.
“Hey, you two,” I call. “I’m going inside for a bit. You good?”
Haley doesn’t even look at me, already focused on trying again. Trenton glances up, gives me a quick nod, and waves me off like it’s nothing.
“Come on. They’re fine,” Vik murmurs, reaching for my hand and tugging me toward the house. “Let’s get this over with and see if we can sneak away while they’re distracted.”
Heat creeps up my neck at the implication, but I don’t fight him as he pulls me inside. This last week, since we fixed our shit, he hasn’t been able to keep his hands to himself.
Not that I’m complaining.
Every morning, I wake up to his mouth on me, his hands gripping my thighs to keep me in place. It’s like he’s making up for every moment we lost. My body aches, overused and claimed in a way that silences an insecurity I didn’t know I had.
Honestly, my poor pussy could probably use a vacation or a long soak in the bath, at the very least.
The doorbell rings through the house, snapping me back into the present. Bear lets out a half-hearted bark from his spot in the hallway, barely lifting his head.
“Some guard dog you are,” Vik mutters as he walks past.
I grab the pitcher from the fridge, topping off my tea. While Vik and Ghost grumbled their greeting on their way toward me.
“Hey, Ghost. Can I get you something to drink?” I ask, leaning against the counter.
He shakes his head. “No, this won’t take long.”
Vik arches a brow at that, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Alright, man. What’s up?”
Ghost drops a stack of papers onto the counter with a sharp smack that makes me flinch slightly.
“Results are in. Boy’s definitely yours. DNA confirmation is in there, so you’ve got a copy.” He taps the top sheet. “I’ve also started the paperwork for full legal custody. No one’s going to be able to contest his staying with you. Not that I think it’d be a problem.”
My breath catches at the news we’ve been waiting for.
“I looked into his grandmother,” Ghost continues.
“Her record’s a mess. Almost as long as yours should be.
” He flicks a glance at Vik. “She’s in Florida.
Not exactly in a position to fight anything, should she have a come-to-Jesus and all of a sudden want a relationship with the grandson she’s never met. ”
The tight grip that’s been wrapped around my heart finally loosens. A soft breath leaves me, louder than I intend, and both men glance my way.
“Hey.” Vik’s at my side instantly, his arm wrapping around my waist, pulling me into his chest. “We’ll figure all this out. It’s going—”
“No,” I cut him off, shaking my head as I press my hand flat against his chest. “It’s not that. I’m just… relieved. We can finally move forward,” I say quietly. “Let him settle in without feeling like everything’s temporary. Like someone’s going to come in and rip him away at any second.”
Vik huffs out a laugh, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “I knew you were already too attached.”
I roll my eyes, but I don’t deny it. Because I am, and it happened long before these final test results showed up.
“Is that it?” I ask, glancing back at Ghost.
He hesitates for half a second. Just enough to tell me it’s not.
“Almost,” he says. “I heard something about that warehouse bust from one of my sources.”
Vik scoffs, the vibration of it rumbling through me. “We all know that search was bullshit. They went in there hoping to find something and came up empty as we planned.”
“Exactly,” Ghost replies. “Which means they’re pissed. You embarrassed them.”
The air in the room shifts, unease skittering down my spine.
“The sheriff’s not going to let that go,” Ghost continues. “Not with the new mayor pulling strings behind the scenes. The call to hit came from him.”
Vik goes still against me, like a statue’s been erected in his place.
“You were right,” Ghost adds. “The Mayor’s coming for the club.”
Vik’s hand tightens against my waist before he pulls away, pacing a step and slamming his palm against the countertop.
“I need you at church next week,” he says, his voice all business now.“ The guys have been restless with everything up in the air. The handoff’s done, and we’re clean, but they’re itching for something new.”
Ghost nods. “I’ll be there.”
“Get with Chopper before then,” Vik continues. “He’s running point while we keep our heads down. We’ll take a hit on profits for a bit, but we’ll make it work.”
“You got it, boss.”
Ghost taps the counter once, then turns and heads for the door, gone just as quickly as he came.
The silence he leaves behind lingers, making me uneasy that the mood might stick. I barely have time to process any of it before Vik’s hands are back on me, insistent as he lifts me off my feet and wraps me against him.
My legs twine around his waist automatically, my arms sliding around his neck as his mouth crashes into mine.
“Fuck, mama,” he growls against my lips. “I need to taste you right now.”
My breath catches as he grinds up against me, hard and ready to slide inside.
I open my mouth to answer, but the back door slams open, crashing against the wall. Fast footsteps follow, closing in on our moment.
“Damn kids,” Vik mutters, stealing one last kiss before setting me back down.
“And you want more,” I shoot back, a smirk tugging at my lips as I smooth my clothes back into place.
Haley comes barreling around the corner, round cheeks flushed, eyes bright with excitement.
“Mommy, come look what I made!”
She doesn’t wait for an answer, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the door with all the force her tiny body can manage.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming,” I laugh, letting her pull me along.
Vik follows behind us, but I can feel his steady eyes on me. The comfort of his strong presence something I took for granted just weeks ago.
Haley chatters the entire way, words tumbling over each other as she tries to explain whatever masterpiece she’s created. Trenton stands nearby, hands on his hips, watching her with brotherly pride.
And just like that, something off-kilter inside me shifts again, righting into its place. Another crack mending from the love I’ve yearned for from a young age, but now have tenfold.
This right here—my messy, complicated, slightly dangerous around the edges life is exactly what I always needed. And now that I have it again after almost letting it slip through my fingers… I’ll never let it go.
It’s time.
I squeeze Haley’s hand gently, my gaze lifting to Vik for just a second. He’s already watching me, understanding flickering in his eyes.
I take a steady breath, looking back at Haley as she beams up at me, waiting for me to comment on her creation.
“I think,” I start softly, brushing a strand of hair back from her face, “it’s time I told you something important.”