Chapter 2
Mason
The sound that wakes me up is not the alarm clock. It’s not the fucking baby monitor either. It’s Johnny.
“DAD!”
My eyes snap open instantly. Years of living the kind of life I have means my brain doesn’t wake up slowly. It goes straight from asleep to ready-for-a-fight in about half a second.
I push myself up on one elbow, my heart already pounding, scanning the room automatically. Kelly is still beside me. The baby monitor sits on the nightstand. The house is quiet except for—
“DAD! MOM!”
Johnny’s voice echoes through the hallway like a damn air raid siren. Kelly groans beside me and buries her face into the pillow.
“Oh my God,” she mumbles. “What time is it?”
I glance at the clock.
6:07 a.m.
Too damn early.
Before I can answer, Johnny bursts into the bedroom like a tiny tornado, nearly tripping over his own feet as he skids to a stop beside the bed.
His hair is sticking up in every direction and he’s still wearing the same motorcycle pajamas he went to bed in.
His eyes are wide like he just discovered gold.
“It’s today!” he announces.
Kelly lifts her head slightly, squinting at him through half-closed eyes.
“What’s today, baby?” she asks groggily.
Johnny looks personally offended that she doesn’t already know.
“THE TWINS’ BIRTHDAY PARTY!”
Kelly drops her face back into the pillow with a muffled groan.
“Right,” she mutters. “That.”
I rub a hand over my face, already feeling the headache forming.
Yeah.
That.
Today our quiet little house is about to turn into ground zero for the Storm Reapers.
Johnny is practically vibrating with excitement.
“They’re awake!” he adds loudly.
That makes Kelly’s head snap up again.
“They are?”
Johnny nods enthusiastically.
“And they’re crawling everywhere!”
I sit up straight.
“What do you mean everywhere?”
Johnny shrugs like it’s no big deal.
“Everywhere.”
Kelly and I look at each other. Then we both move at the exact same time. I swing my legs out of bed while Kelly grabs the edge of the mattress and pushes herself up. Johnny runs ahead of us down the hallway like a tour guide leading a disaster scene.
“See!” he says proudly as we reach the living room.
The twins have officially taken over the house.
Maddy is sitting in the middle of the living room floor surrounded by a pile of plastic blocks, happily banging two of them together like she’s conducting an orchestra.
Madison is halfway across the room near the couch, crawling at full speed toward something on the floor.
My boots. Of course.
Kelly sighs.
“They’re fast now.”
“No kidding.”
I walk over and scoop Madison up before she manages to shove one of my laces into her mouth. She immediately grabs my beard with her tiny fist.
“Hey,” I mutter. “Easy, gremlin.”
Madison grins at me like she just accomplished something impressive. Behind me, Kelly kneels beside Maddy.
“Good morning, birthday girl,” she says softly, brushing a kiss over her head.
Maddy responds by immediately trying to eat one of the blocks.
Johnny plants his hands on his hips like a proud supervisor overseeing the entire situation.
“I told them it was their birthday,” he says.
I raise an eyebrow.
“You did, huh?”
Then something clicks in my head. I glance around the room again. Then back at Johnny and narrow my eyes.
“Johnny,” I say slowly. “Did you get them out of their crib?”
Johnny nods proudly.
“And you carried them downstairs?”
Another proud nod.
My stomach drops a little. I crouch down in front of him so we’re eye level.
“Buddy… you know you’re not supposed to carry them down the stairs by yourself.”
Johnny’s smile fades slightly.
“But they were awake,” he says.
“I know they were,” I reply calmly. “But you still have to get me or your mom first.”
I rest my hands on his shoulders.
“You’re a great big brother, Johnny. You really are. But those stairs are dangerous. You could’ve fallen… and then you and the girls could’ve gotten hurt.”
Johnny looks down at his feet.
“I was careful.”
“I know you were,” I tell him. “But accidents happen even when we’re careful.”
Kelly gently lifts Maddy into her arms and steps beside us.
“We just want everyone safe,” she says softly.
Johnny thinks about that for a second before nodding.
“Okay.”
I ruffle his messy hair.
“Next time you wake us up first, alright?”
Johnny grins again.
“Like today?”
I sigh.
“Exactly like today.”
Madison squeals in my arms like she approves of the plan and Kelly laughs.
“Oh boy,” she says.
“What?” I ask.
She gestures around the living room.
“This is the calm part of the day.”
I glance around the house. The toys. The baby blankets. The tiny socks already scattered across the floor. Then I imagine what this place is going to look like in a few hours.
With the Storm Reapers crammed into our house. Bikers trying to navigate around baby gates. Kids running everywhere. Someone definitely bringing beer even though Kelly specifically told them not to.
I groan quietly.
“We’re about to host a clubhouse full of bikers and babies.”
Johnny looks thrilled by that idea.
“Justice said he’s bringing balloons!”
“That’s not comforting,” I mutter.
Kelly laughs again.
“Oh, it’ll be fine.”
“Last time Justice brought balloons someone nearly caught the clubhouse on fire.”
“That was one time.”
Johnny gasps suddenly.
“CAKE!”
Kelly freezes.
“Oh no.”
Johnny spins toward the kitchen.
“Can we eat the cake now?”
“No!” Kelly and I both say at the same time.
Johnny sighs dramatically.
“Why not?”
“Because the party hasn’t started yet,” Kelly explains patiently.
Johnny crosses his arms.
“Well it should.”
I sit Madison on the floor and she squeals again like she’s voting in favor of the idea before crawling over to Kelly and wrapping around her leg. Then Maddy drops her blocks and starts crawling toward Kelly’s other leg.
Within seconds both twins are clinging to her like tiny koalas and Kelly looks up at me helplessly.
“Coffee,” she says.
“Please tell me there’s coffee.”
I smirk.
“Already ahead of you.”
Johnny immediately perks up.
“Can I help?”
I look down at him with a frown.
“You helping usually means I have to clean something up afterward.”
Johnny grins and nods.
Kelly laughs quietly while lifting one of the twins.
“Go help your dad.”
Johnny pumps his fist like he just won the lottery.
“YES!”
As he follows me into the kitchen, he suddenly stops and turns back toward the living room. His voice booms proudly through the house.
“IT’S THE TWINS’ BIRTHDAY!”
Maddy squeals and Madison claps her hands. Kelly just shakes her head, smiling. And I realize something as I start the coffee pot.
This house…Our house…Is about to become the loudest place in Delway today. Because in a few hours the Storm Reapers are going to show up. And when a motorcycle club throws a birthday party…There’s no such thing as quiet.
Johnny follows me into the kitchen like my shadow, his bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor while he narrates his excitement like a sports commentator.
“I think Uncle Justice is gonna bring balloons,” he says.
I grab two mugs from the cabinet.
“And Uncle Demon said last time that if there was cake he was definitely coming.”
I start the coffee maker and glance down at him.
“Pretty sure Demon doesn’t need cake as motivation to show up anywhere.”
Johnny nods thoughtfully like he’s considering this important information.
“That’s true.”
Behind us I hear Kelly’s footsteps coming down the hallway.
She walks into the kitchen carrying Madison on one hip while Maddy sits on the other. Both girls cling to her like a tiny koala. Somehow she manages to move around the room like this without missing a step, something that still amazes me after a year of watching her juggle the twins.
Johnny spins toward her immediately.
“Mom! Uncle Stryker is coming today!”
“I know, baby,” she says with a smile.
“And Aunt Bella!”
“I know.”
“And Uncle Demon! And Uncle Justice! And Uncle Devil! And Uncle Ghost! And Sarah!”
Kelly laughs softly.
“Yes, Johnny. I’m aware.”
I slide a mug across the counter toward her just as the coffee finishes dripping.
“You’re gonna need this.”
“You’re a lifesaver,” she mutters.
Meanwhile, Madison has spotted Johnny and starts bouncing in Kelly’s arms like she’s preparing for liftoff.
“Da! Da! Da!”
Johnny puffs his chest out proudly.
“She said my name.”
“She absolutely did not,” I tell him.
Kelly sets Madison into one of the high chairs at the kitchen table while I take Maddy and put into the other one. Both girls immediately start smacking their hands against the trays like they’ve been waiting their whole lives for breakfast.
Kelly grabs two small sippy cups from the cabinet and fills them with milk before placing them in front of the twins.
Madison grabs hers instantly and shakes it like a maraca. Milk leaks out everywhere.
“Alright,” Kelly says calmly. “We’re already making a mess.”
Johnny climbs into his chair at the table, still bouncing with excitement.
“I’m gonna show Uncle Justice my dinosaur,” he announces.
“Which dinosaur?” I ask while pouring coffee.
“The big one with the teeth.”
“That narrows it down.”
Kelly moves around the kitchen grabbing eggs, bread, and fruit while the twins continue banging their cups against the trays.
Johnny keeps talking like he’s afraid the words might run out.
“And Uncle Devil said one time he used to wrestle a bear.”
I sit down at the table.
“Pretty sure that story gets bigger every time he tells it.”
Johnny leans forward.
“Do you think Uncle Demon will let me sit on his motorcycle?”
“No,” Kelly and I say at the same time.
Johnny sighs dramatically.
“That’s not fair.”
Kelly cracks eggs into a bowl and starts whisking them.
“You’re six, Johnny.”
“So?”
“So you’re not riding motorcycles.”
Johnny thinks about that.
“Well… maybe when I’m seven.”
I choke on my coffee.
Madison squeals loudly and slaps her tray again. Maddy decides this is the perfect moment to throw her sippy cup. It hits the floor with a loud thunk.
Johnny gasps.
“Uh oh.”
Kelly doesn’t even look surprised.
“Five second rule,” she mutters.