She didn’t know Dutch well since she had been so young when the club became no more, but she was finding out quickly what a character he was. Being an Original, he was biker through and through. But then, his sons seemed to be the same way. He raised them as any MC member would, even though he hadn’t been part of the Fury for over twenty years.
So, it wasn’t surprising that Cage and Rook slipped easily into the MC life.
It still surprised Jemma that Judge had. Deacon surprised her even more. Their cousin had never lived the MC life, never grew up like she and Judge had, but appeared to thrive in the environment.
Since she’d been home, she met Reese. The woman surprised the shit out of Jemma. She was an attorney and not one of those sleezy kind. No, she had a lot of confidence, intelligence, and was stubborn as all fuck. She made Jemma smother a laugh one too many times with how skillfully she handled Deacon.
Even so, it was clear to see both her brother and cousin were deeply in love. She never thought she’d see the day. Especially after Judge’s first disaster of a marriage.
Cassie was perfect for her brother. Daisy was a damn handful. And again, Reese shouldn’t fit in at all, but somehow did. At least with Deacon by her side.
She doubted the MC life was one either women would have chosen if it hadn’t already been part of the men they fell in love with. In fact, she was pretty damn sure both women would’ve preferred their men weren’t involved with the club at all.
Jemma understood that inclination better than anyone. Because there was no fucking way she would ever end up with a biker, or even a man like Ox. A man who put himself above his own child, his own family.
A long shed with garage doors sat to the left and parallel to the stone driveway leading to The Barn, what she learned was the official name of the clubhouse. Right past the shed sat a new mobile home about fifty feet long and twelve feet wide. It had no skirting, nor was it sitting on a concrete pad like they normally did, and she could see where the utilities were connected.
It wasn’t permanent, but only temporary. Just like Jemma being in Manning Grove.
That reminded her she needed to buckle down and find another job in her field. What she was meant to do. Not raise someone else’s child. For free, no less.
She didn’t even want to raise her own child. Not yet. One day she’d be ready, when she found the right man to do it with.
A good father.
A man who would put his children above himself.
A loyal husband.
A man who’d treat her like gold instead of tarnished silver. A man who’d be her best friend.
Basically, a man as far from Ox as she could find.
Another man stood outside the trailer with a baby in his arms. She wasn’t sure if he spotted her vehicle yet, so she rolled to a stop about a hundred yards away to study him.
Cage was talking to the baby while he supported both her butt and neck and gently bounced his body up and down. She was pretty sure it hurt for him to do so, but he was putting his daughter’s comfort above his own.
She doubted her own sperm donor ever did that with her or Judge. She doubted Ox ever changed a diaper, fed them a bottle or read them a bedtime story.
Cage seemed to be taking the unexpected arrival of his own child pretty damn well. Yes, he was overwhelmed, but he was dealing with it.
The easy way out would’ve been to give Dyna up for adoption.
Cage didn’t take the easy way out, and Jemma respected that. Even though her own opinion was he should’ve adopted her out instead of planning on raising her within an MC.
But whatever. That wasn’t her decision and Dyna wasn’t her child.
She was only there to help for a short while. That was all.
Jemma’s heart did a little flip when Cage dipped his head and pressed his lips to his daughter’s tiny forehead. He held them there for a while. Almost like it wasn’t a simple kiss but an actual promise to her. To do right by her. No matter what.
Holy shit. Her imagination was running wild.
With a groan, she gave the Volvo gas and pulled up to the biker who stood waiting for her and proudly wearing his colors.
She rolled down the window. “This is it, huh?”
No grin. No smile. Only a solemn, but unneeded, confirmation. “This is it.”
She hadn’t seen him smile once since she came back to town. Not fucking once. She tried to convince herself that it shouldn’t matter to her.
Unfortunately, it did.