Inked Babies (Inked Brotherhood 6)

Tessa sticks her tongue out at Audrey. Audrey crosses her eyes at her.

Sometimes moms are worse than their babies.

“When are we going to meet with the Lost Boys?” Erin asks.

“Lost Boys?” I narrow my eyes at her. “Who calls them that?”

“Tyler, who else?” She snickers as she gets up, baby on one arm, to pour six-year-old Jax a glass of water.

“He’s the one who changed my baby’s name to Zay.” Megan mock-pouts. “He said it was that or Rafe’s Brat.”

/> “Oh God.” I laugh. Of course he said that.

“Give me Rafe’s brat,” Tessa says, opening her arms. “I want to hold him.”

Megan passes the baby over, giggling. Then she turns to me. “Hey, girl, how’s Zane doing? Was he okay after meeting with the boys?”

“The Lost Boys.” I sigh. Wasn’t that a film about vampires? “He’s doing okay. Struggling a little, but he’s not letting it put him down.” I examine my fingernails. The dark blue varnish is chipped. Can’t remember when I painted them. “Finding those kids meant a lot to him. I mean, it shocked him, but I think deep down he feared it would come to that, and knowing they are now safe… it has given him the strength to fight back, you know?”

Audrey puts an arm around my shoulders. “It makes sense. And we’re always here, girl. For whatever you need.”

“I know.” I bite my lip, nod, and smile. It comes straight from my heart. “I do know it. Thank you.”

“Kayla will be here any minute,” Erin says. “Think we can rope her into making a matching gown for Isabella?”

I squint at baby Isa. “That would be really funny.”

“Girls are fun. We need more girls.” Erin points at Tessa. “You are our only hope. You need to have some daughters.”

“I’m having a girl this time,” Audrey says, patting her tummy.

“You know for sure already?”

“No. I just feel it.”

“I can’t wait to see my gown.” Tessa claps her hands excitedly.

Kayla threw together a wedding gown lightning-fast, since it was decided Dylan and Tessa would get married with the other two couples. I’m pretty excited to see it, too, truth be told.

It shocks me. It’s the first time I’m excited about the weddings and the party, and the joy of it all since Zane started having the nightmares and flashbacks.

Everything will turn out okay. I’m starting to feel it, deep in my bones. All of us, we tried to find the problem, fix it, set things right.

But Zane is the only one who can set himself right, and he will do it, no matter what it takes. I know my guy. He never gives up.

And the worry that keeps twisting my stomach is normal.

You can’t just turn off stress, I tell myself. That’s all it is. I don’t believe in premonitions and foreboding. That’s Kayla’s domain.

So when Kayla finally arrives and coos over the babies, then takes out Tessa’s gown from its garment bag and has her try it on, I let myself be swept up in the delirium of the upcoming party, this celebration of love and joy and friendship that will bind our family more tightly together.

Chapter Thirty Four

Zane

“Going somewhere?” Rafe is leaning against the opening to my booth, arms folded over his chest, eyes narrow. “I thought you were booked out today.”

“Nah, just two appointments.”