Joy (Hell's Handlers MC 7)

Zach laughed, but their gazes met, and he saw the understanding in his friend’s eyes. They were brothers every sense of the word but DNA. Both had been through some serious shit on their own, for the club, and with regards to their women. Forged some unbreakable bonds.

“So, what’re you guys planning?”

“Keeping it small. Just here at the clubhouse. Brothers and their families.”

“Sounds perfect to me.”

They tapped the necks of their bottles together. “Anything new on the Chrome Disciples?” Mav asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.

A scowl appeared on Zach’s Mark-Paul Gossilier look-a-like face. “No. I got eyes and ears out there, but these assholes don’t seem to be making many waves besides occasionally popping up to annoy us.”

“Maybe it means they’re mostly shit-talkers with nothing to back it up.”

“Hope so.” Zach sighed and ran a hand down his face.

“My turn to ask. You good?”

“Yeah. Got some shit going on with Toni.”

Mav’s stomach dropped straight to the floor. “Fuck, you guys having trouble?”

With a wave of his hand, Zach said. “Nah, nothing like that.” He finished his beer and set the bottle down. “There’s this girl, teenager, been coming ’round the diner for the last week or so. Real sweet kid, according to Toni. I haven’t met her yet. Anyway, she was looking for a job but is too young to legally employ, so Toni has been giving her little tasks and compensating her with meals and some cash. Pretty sure she’s homeless.”

“Well, that’s fucked up, brother.” Mav’s own childhood was pure shit. Always made him a little sick in the stomach to hear of kids sharing a similar fate.

“Yeah, it’s ripping Toni’s heart out. You know my ol’ lady. Thinks it’s her job to save every lost kid out there.”

Mav let out a light chuckle. That was the damn truth. Toni had a massive heart and gave chunks of it away to all the kids she helped set on the right path. She was a damn good woman and perfect for Z.

“Let me guess, she wants to adopt a stray.”

Zach blew out a breath. “Hit the nail on the head. She wants to offer the girl, Lindsey is her name, and Toni wants to offer her a place to stay…indefinitely.”

Mav whistled. “Big commitment, brother.” Better Z than him. Mav may want to keep Steph forever, but he was too selfish a dude to start taking in kids. At least for the time being, he wanted his free time to be spent with Steph and only Steph. Having kids was something they’d talked about exhaustively because he was pretty certain he didn’t want them any time soon, and he’d needed Steph to know that if they were going to move forward. Surprisingly, Steph seemed to be of a like mind. At least for now. Perhaps a topic they’d revisit in the future, but neither was anywhere close to ready for that kind of responsibility. “You on board?”

“You know,” Zach said as he stood and rounded the bar. After fetching both of them another beer, he turned to Mav. “It’s fucking crazy, but I am.”

“If anyone could take in a kid and not fuck them up worse, it’s you two. Marriage and fucking kids, man,” Mav said with a laugh. “When did we grow the fuck up?” They clinked their bottles again.

“You two assholes are in your mid-thirties. Not sure you should be proud of the fact you’re just growing up now.”

Mav glanced over his shoulder to see Jigsaw strolling into the bar. “Hey, brother. What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be home staring at your woman, waiting for her to pop or some shit like that?”

With a snort, Jig took a seat on the other side of Mav and waved away the beer Zach offered him. “Iz wanted some time to work up a few sketches she’s behind on. Just grab me a soda if you don’t mind.”

“Meaning she kicked your ass out for hovering and driving her batshit?”

One of Zach’s blonde eyebrows climbed up his forehead. “Pretty sure she went batshit the moment she peed on the stick.” He slid a can of Dr. Pepper to Jig, then returned to his seat next to Mav.

Jigsaw took a long drink of his soda, swallowing three gulps before he said, “I’d watch your mouth, brother. She may not be able to do much now, but she’ll kick your ass clear across the state once the baby comes. Don’t think Louie can save you either.”

“Wouldn’t dream of taking her on, man. I’ve watched her beat ass in the ring one too many times.”

“Bet all that aggression makes for some serious kink between the sheets,” Mav said, wagging his eyebrows up and down.

Never one to broadcast his shit, Jig just glowered at Mav.

“What?” Mav said shooting Jig the most innocent grin he could muster, which he admitted was more of a cocky smirk than anything resembling purity. But what could he do? He was who he was.