Nova - The Kings of Retribution MC, Louisiana - Chapter 24

“W hat the hell you sittin’ over here sulkin’ about brother?” Riggs takes a seat next to me at the bar.

The whole family is here getting ready to head to Piper’s graduation. The women are upstairs fussing over my daughter now, helping her get ready.

“I’m not sulkin’,” I grumble.

Riggs calls me out on my lie with a look. He knows better.

“Fine. My baby is growin’ up too damn fast. It seems like just yesterday I was walkin’ her into school on her first day of kindergarten. Now she’s graduating high school. Not only that, she’s officially an adult.”

It’s true. Piper turned eighteen four days ago. This evening after her graduation, the whole family is heading to Pop’s to celebrate her finishing high school and her birthday.

I asked her a couple of days before her birthday what she wanted, and I wasn’t surprised by her answer when she said she wanted to do something with just her family. But that’s Piper.

To her, family is everything. While most kids her age want to hang out with friends and see what trouble they can get into, my little girl is happy hanging with her old man, Gampy, and her uncles.

“She decide what to do about college?” my brother asks.

“Not really. I’ve been laying off her about it. Don’t want to stress her out or say too much to sway her decision. Piper knows I want her close, but I don’t want her feeling like she has to base her decision on what will make me happy.”

“My niece likes being around her family too much. I’ll bet money she’ll stick close to home.”

“Fuck, I hope so, brother. But I’ll support her either way.”

I take a pull of my beer when Riggs asks another question. “Where does Piper stand with her mom?”

“I asked her if she wanted to invite Madison to her graduation, but she said she wasn’t ready for that yet. When it comes to her mom, she’s not all the way there. Hell, she’s not even halfway there, but she’s trying. It’s going to take time.”

Riggs and I are quiet for a minute before he speaks again. “What the fuck is takin’ those women so long? Swear to Christ.”

I chuckle. “Beats me. Those women have been getting ready since seven o’clock this mornin’.

Promise took Piper to Sadie’s to get her hair and nails done. Then she informed me they were goin’

shoppin’ for a new dress and shoes.” I shake my head. “Don’t see why women need new clothes and shoes for every occasion.”

“Beats the hell out of me, man. I stopped tryin’ to figure women out a long damn time ago.”

The sound of the clubhouse door opening draws mine and Riggs’ attention. I turn on my stool to see Kiwi, Fender, and Everest strolling in. Behind them is Wick, Tequila, and Sydney.

“Hey, brother. When did you all get back in town?” I ask Wick as he and Tequila sidle up to the bar. They took Sydney to Nevada to see her mom. They’ve been gone almost a week.

“Got back last night. You know we wouldn’t miss Piper graduating, man.”

“Speaking of,” Tequila cuts in, “Where is she? Doesn’t the ceremony start in an hour?” She looks down at her watch.

“Piper’s upstairs with the women gettin’ ready.” I turn to Sydney, who is standing close to Tequila.

“Hey, darlin’. Why don’t you go upstairs and see what the ladies are doin’? While you’re at it, see if you can rile them up. We need to hit the road.”

“Okay.” Sydney giggles and takes off up the stairs.

AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER, all my brothers and I are sitting outside on the bleachers while we wait for Piper’s name to be called so she can walk across the makeshift stage on the football field and accept her diploma.

Promise is tucked in close to my side with a massive smile on her face. Her friends, London, Sadie, and Ruby, are here too.

“Look,” Promise taps my thigh. “Piper is up next. This is so exciting.”

I grin at how giddy my woman is for my little girl.

“Piper LeBlanc!” the principal calls out over the loudspeaker. And as my little girl makes her way across the stage, the whole first row of the bleaches stands and cheers. “Fuck, yeah, baby girl!” I cup my hands over my mouth and shout.

“Whoo-hoo!” This comes from beside me, where Promise is jumping up and down.

“That’s our girl!” Riggs, Pop, Wick, Kiwi, Everest and Fender all shout in unison. We get a few disgruntled looks from some of the folks in the crowd, but my brothers and I don’t give a damn.

I watch my daughter shake the principal’s hand and accept her diploma. Piper turns toward her family, wearing a prideful smile on her face. She raises her diploma in the air with one hand, then gives us devil horns, and shouts, “Hell, yeah! I did it, Daddy!”

Her show of celebration causes all of us to roar with laughter.

That’s my girl.

I have a hard time keeping the smile off my face as I watch Piper exit the stage and make her way back to her seat until I hear the roar of Harley pipes in the distance. I turn and look over my shoulder.

That’s when I see Crow and Madison riding out of the parking lot of the school.

“Was that…?”

I shove my hands in my front pockets. “Yep.”

“Did Piper decide to invite her?”

“No. She wasn’t ready. But I’m not surprised she came anyway. As long as she keeps her distance and lets Piper come to her when she’s ready, I won’t interfere.”

Promise wraps her arm around my middle and snuggles closer to me. “It’ll all work out. Just give it some time.”

“Yeah, sugar, you’re right.” I lean in and kiss her.

LATER THAT NIGHT, we are sitting around a fire at Pop’s place with our bellies full of his kickass catfish and hush puppies.

My brother hands his daughter to Luna, then stands from his seat. “Listen up. I got somethin’ I’d like to say.” All chatter stops, as everyone’s eyes settle on Riggs.

He clears his throat. “Piper. It feels like only yesterday when I arrived home on leave from the military and was helpin’ your dad change your shitty diapers.”

Piper giggles, “Oh my God, Uncle Abe. I’m tryin’ to eat here,” she says with food in her mouth as chocolate squishes out the sides of her s’more.

Riggs continues. “Or when your Gampy and I came to the rescue, when you were five years old, and sick with fever. The three of us rotated in shifts, and pulled all-nighters for three nights straight until you were feeling better. Your dad was sometimes too proud to ask for help, but we gave it anyway.”

Most teenagers would probably cringe with embarrassment by now, but Piper is sitting near the fire, with her legs crossed, with nothing but love in her eyes and a smile on her face as she listens to her uncle speak.

“Or the time you started your period on your first day of middle school. You called your dad cryin’,” Riggs chuckles. “Your dad had no clue what he should do, so we tackled it like we always did—together. He drove to that school, dried your tears, then took you for ice cream. Wick was in town that week,” Riggs looks in Wick’s direction, “Do you remember, brother?”

Wick throws his head back laughing hard. My brother continues. “I think Wick and I bought out the entire feminine product aisle at the local drugstore and had it all waitin’ for you when you got home.”

Some of us are holding our stomachs we’re laughing so hard, but Riggs keeps going. “Okay.

Getting serious for a minute.” My brother pulls in a long breath. “Piper. You’ve been one of the greatest blessings to come into our lives. You’ve been raised by a bunch of knuckleheaded, Harley ridin’ bikers.” Riggs’ eyes cut to Pop.

“And a hard lovin’ cantankerous old man, but you’ve givin’ us so much more than we could have ever givin’ you. You’ve grown into a beautiful, caring young woman— despite all our tumbles along the way. I know I speak for every damn person sittin’ here today when I say, I’m so fuckin’ proud of you.” Without any warning, Piper stands and rushes to Riggs, burying her face in his chest.

“I love you so much, Uncle Abel.”

He kisses the top of her head. “I love you too.”

I think the reminiscing and the sharing portion of this night is over once Piper returns to her quilt, spread out on the grass, but my brother continues. “Cain.”

My eyes leave the flames dancing on the fire, and settle on my brother’s face. “You’re a good father, and the best damn brother and friend a man could ask for. We’ve had our shares of hard times, been through a lot of changes and growin’

throughout our forty-one years, but I’ve always had you by my side. I couldn’t imagine it being any different.” Riggs clears his throat again, and I swallow the lump of emotions clogging mine.

“Promise,” he directs his attention to my woman.

“Cain waited a long damn time for the right one to come along. I can tell you now; he didn’t realize he was lookin’ for the other half of his soul until he found you.” His gaze briefly leaves Promise to look at his wife. “I should know. Love has a way of sneakin’ up on you when you least expect it.”

Promise sniffles, and I rub my hand that I have tucked between her knees against her skin. My brother scans over each of us men before looking back at Promise and me. “I just realized I’ve never officially said this.” He raises the beer in his hand. “Welcome to the family.”

The silence around us is broken with cheers. Leaning back, I smile so hard my face hurts. I’m the luckiest fucking man alive. I got my daughter sitting beside me, my woman on my lap, my baby in her belly and my ring on her finger. I’d say life doesn’t get any sweeter than this.

SEVEN MONTHS Later

“CAIN.”

My eyes open when Promise calls my name. I bolt upright in the bed and find her side empty along with a large wet spot on the sheets. I look across the room to see her standing inside the bathroom door, cradling her round belly.

“My water broke.”

I blink several times before the situation registers. “Fuck!”

Tossing the blanket aside, I climb out of bed, snagging my jeans off the floor, pulling them on. In a rush, I open the dresser and grab a t-shirt.

As I’m making my way to the nightstand to retrieve my wallet and keys, I trip over my boots. My ass tumbles to the floor. “Son of a bitch,” I grumble.

Promise giggles. “Cain, are you okay?”

“Fine,” I grit as I pick my ass up off the floor, sit on the edge of the bed and pull my boots on.

“Is everything okay in here?” A sleepy-eyed Piper asks from the doorway of the bedroom. “I felt the house shake.”

Piper’s statement causes Promise to giggle harder. “Your dad tripped and fell.”

“Oh. Are you guys going somewhere? It’s the middle of the night?”

“Promise’s water broke, Bean,” I tell her.

Piper suddenly looks more awake. “Oh, my God! Really?”

“Yup. So, if you could get dressed, we can get a move on.”

“I’ll be ready in two minutes.” Piper dashes back down the hall to her room with a squeal of excitement in her tone.

With the three of us ready, I carry Promise’s overnight bag in one hand and help her down the porch steps and to the truck with the other. Piper takes the bag from me and climbs into the back seat.

Before jumping into the truck herself, Promise faces me and cups my face. “Let’s go have a baby.”

I rest my forehead against hers and kiss her lips. “Let’s go have a baby, Sugar.”

Ten hours and seventeen minutes later, Jaxson came into this world, kicking and screaming. He weighed in at nine pounds three ounces. My son has his mother’s dark hair and hazel eyes like mine.

In other words, he is perfect. So perfect, I can’t stop staring at him. Promise and I both agreed to name him after her father who passed away and my grandfather.

“Are you going to hog him all night?”

I look over at Promise, who is lying in bed, glowing with happiness. “Yes,” I grin, telling her the truth before leaning in and kissing her.

I peer down at my son then back at my woman. “I’m so fuckin’ proud of you, Sugar. You did good, babe.”

Her face softens. “Thanks, honey.”

The hospital room door opens, and Piper sticks her head in. “Can we come in yet?” You can hear the excitement in her voice. And by we, I know she means the entire family. I called them on the way to the hospital, and they’ve been patiently waiting to meet our newest member.

“Yeah, Bean. Tell everyone we’re ready.”

A minute later, the door opens again and leading the pack, the patriarch of LeBlanc men, Pop.

Filing in behind him is Riggs and Luna, who is holding their daughter. Behind them are Wick, Tequila, Sydney, Kiwi, Fender, and Everest. Behind the guys are London, Sadie, Ruby, and Jackson.

Even though my woman washed her hands of the toxic relationship she had with her step-father, and Avery, she still has a strong bond with her step-brother.

Once my brothers and family have gathered around the hospital bed, I announce with pride.

“Everyone. I’d like you to meet Jaxson Abraham LeBlanc.”

Then my eyes drop to tell my son. “Welcome to The King family.”

THE END