Shell squeezed his waist. “I love you,” she mouthed.
He’d get it out. He’d do anything for his woman. After clearing his throat again, he spoke. “To celebrate the woman who is my entire world. It seems like only yesterday that I was a fucking idiot with my head in the sand when it came to Shell. I know you all love her almost as much as I do. She’s at the very center of this club. The heart of our family. She’s kept me smiling in good times and sane in the rough ones.”
“You don’t deserve her!” someone called out, probably Maverick. He sat with his wife Stephanie, and their twelve-year-old twin boys.
“You think I don’t know that?” he yelled back. “Pretty sure I don’t deserve any of you.”
He paused, taking in all the love around them.
Toni and Zach sat with their five-year-old daughter and their adopted daughter Lindsey, who’d just turned twenty-eight. They’d been the last of the crew to get married. Even Screw and Gumby had their version of a commitment ceremony with Jazz before Zach proposed to Toni. The triad was one of the few relationships in the club that hadn’t produced children. They loved playing aunt and uncle to the hordes of kids in the club. They also had about ten foster animals at their house at all times.
Even Thunder and Makenna had gone on to have one boy despite always joking about their too-full house. Their boy was only seven right now, one of the younger kids.
Jig and Izzy had blown everyone out of the water, having four children. Who’d have thought the badass, MMA fighting, tattoo artist would take to motherhood like a duck to water? But she had, and within a year of having her first child, Jig had knocked her up again. They were by far the MC's coolest parents with little kick-ass kiddos set to follow in their mother’s footsteps.
Rocket and Chloe, as well as Holly and LJ, had also added to the kid’s club with a couple of rug-rats each. He and Shell had Beth, Lana who was fifteen, and Paige, their twenty-five-year-old in a four-year-old’s body. She’d been a bit of a surprise, but very welcome addition to their crew.
What could he say? He couldn’t keep his hands—or other parts of his body—off his wife.
Paige sat across the room on Cassie’s lap. At seventy-three, Cassie still lived with them, and neither he nor Shell would have it any other way. They both viewed her as the mother they’d both been denied by nature. He loved her fiercely and hoped Viper would be pleased she’d come to live with them and had stayed for so long.
Copper cleared his throat again. “We’ve been through a lot as a club. Some really fucking high times and some devastating lows.” His gaze met Cassie’s, who gave him a watery smile and a nod. Still, after all these years, the hole in his heart caused by Viper’s death remained gaping. It always would.
Cassie had found happiness, diving into her new role of club grandmother with both feet. She had more love in her life than almost anyone he knew.
“I’m proud to call each and every one of you, my chosen family. A lot is changing and will continue to change as the younger generation grows into adulthood and begins to take over the club.”
His gaze shifted to Beth, who watched him with a smile and his chest filled with warmth. Fuck, he loved his family with everything he had.
Beth’s hand rested on the table, linked with Lee’s. As much as he wanted to protect his eldest daughter and keep her close, Shell was right. Lee couldn’t be a better choice. Even if it chapped his hide. “I’ll be proud to welcome each of our children into the club as they come of age.” Then he cleared his throat again. “I’m getting off track. Tonight’s a celebration.” He lifted his glass. “Let’s raise ’em up for Shell. Heart and fucking soul of our club, and the woman who deserves a whole room full of awards for putting up with my grumpy ass for so many years.”
The room erupted in cheers, shouts, and whistles as everyone called out their birthday wishes. The music kicked back up, and everyone returned to partying even louder than before.
Shell turned in his arms and gazed up at him. All the love she felt for him shone bright in her eyes, hitting him right in the gut.
“You know,” she said. “Every one of those people out there are just as lucky to have you in their life. You’ve given all of them purpose, a place to call home, and a family when they needed it most. But no one is luckier than me,” she said as she placed her hand over his heart.