Page 140 of Down & Dirty: Rage

That stopped Rage cold. If he did, he certainly wouldn’t tell Crow before sharing that with Lyric herself. “Can’t tell you that.”

“Can’t ‘cause you don’t? Or can’t ‘cause you haven’t told her yet?”

Damn, the man was putting Rage on the spot. “Just gonna say that you don’t gotta worry ‘bout your girl.”

“Never not gonna worry. When we brought her into this world, made a vow to protect her. Don’t matter if she’s one or one hundred years old. She’ll never not be my blood.” Crow slapped a hand over his heart. “She’ll never not be in here.”

“Hear that.” It was another warning that wasn’t anin your facetype. But then, that was how Crow rolled. Subtle, but effective.

“Good. Got one other thing to say.”

Rage braced.

“Just glad she picked someone who ain’t gonna take her away from us. Back in the 70s, this club welcomed my mother, despite her not bein’ lily white. Accepted me when I returned from my mother’s rez and didn’t hesitate to hand me a prospect cut when they coulda told me to fuck off, find somewhere else to go. Not all MCs are equal. This one’s truly a family and will always be. A family’s always gonna have issues, but it’s how those issues are dealt with that makes a huge difference.”

Since Crow was spitting out some truth, Rage did, too. “It’s why none of us in my generation left. Why none of us hesitated to accept our prospect cuts. It’s why the Shadows’ kids joined, too. They saw what the DAMC had and wanted the same.”

“Yeah. Sittin’ at the table like you do, it’s in your hands, as well as the other officers, to keep improvin’ this club andto keep our family strong and safe. It’s up to you, Rage, to keep this club together for our generation, yours, and the next.”

Damn, this conversation was a bit heavier than he’d like. “Take that job seriously.”

“Just like your pop and your uncle.”

Rage took that compliment to heart. “Learned from the best.”

“Six months,” Crow reminded him.

“Six months,” Rage acknowledged with a chin lift.

When they clasped hands and bumped shoulders, Rage’s tension eased. While Crow wasn’t one to make a scene, that didn’t mean he couldn’t put a kink in Rage and Lyric’s relationship.

Respect was huge between club brothers and not approaching Crow first could’ve been taken as totally disrespectful. Rage knew that.

He was lucky as fuck Lyric’s father gave him some grace. Rage was also damn sure if he’d been an outsider, things would’ve gone differently.

Rage watched Crow head toward Jazz where she sat with a plate in her lap but with her eyes on them.

His gaze sliced from Jazz through the courtyard to see where Lyric was. She was looking his way, concern on her face. Since they both knew this talk with Crow would be coming, she’d kept her distance so as to not interrupt them.

Lyric started to head over to him but abruptly stopped.

Fuck. What now?

Rage spotted his parents working their way through the crowded courtyard from the clubhouse to where he stood.

Jesus.He couldn’t even get a fucking break to grab a damn beer. And fuck if he didn’t need one.

But what caught his attention the most was the lines inhis mother’s face and the gray highlights in her blond hair. Age was finally catching up to her.

He couldn’t imagine not having his mother in his life. She had been the fucking best. Seeing his father walking by her side with his hand curled possessively around the back of her neck made it clear his parents would love each other to the end of time.

Rage had always held everyone else’s relationship up to theirs. Now he had the chance to use them as the perfect model for his own.

Kiki went toe-to-toe with him, cooed, “Oh, my baby boy!” and cupped his cheek. “Finally becoming a man!”

“For fuck’s sake, Mom,” Rage muttered, while Hawk barked out a laugh.

“You know I always have to try to embarrass my only son, who not only towers over me, but decided to use Rage as his road name.”