Page 42 of Always My Fate

For the first time in days, Randi smiled, a real one, and let her dad pull her back into his side as they sat together on the steps.

The world still felt a little scary.

But with her dad’s arm around her, it didn’t feel so heavy anymore.

***

Blackie

Blackie stood on the porch long after the last taillights had disappeared down the driveway. The house had gone quiet with the kids in bed, prospects on watch, and Peaches resting inside. He leaned against the railing, beer bottle dangling from his fingers, staring out into the dark Texas night.

The fight at Belle had been won, but the war wasn’t over. Roscoe and the remaining MDMC ghosts were still out there, licking their wounds and looking for another opening. Blackie refused to keep playing defense.

He pulled out his phone and fired off a short message to Rook and Oaky:

*Church tomorrow. Bring ideas for expansion. We’re not waiting for the next hit.*

Growth.

The thought had been rolling around in his head for days. They’d proven they could hold what they had, but strength came from growth done right.

Blackie took a slow sip of his beer, turning over the details with quiet, deliberate focus. Belle was solid under Horse. He liked that the chapter had earned its place and then some. He wanted to reinforce it further, maybe add a second support outpost between Belle and Longview to choke off the southern routes the MDMC kept trying to use. A small, tight crew. Trusted men only. No hotheads. No weak links.

He’d talk to Gunny about pulling in a couple more reliable patchovers from the north. Myron would keep feeding them clean intel. They’d train new prospects harder and smarter. Build loyalty the way he’d been taught, through blood, consistency, and leading by example instead of fear.

Blackie glanced back at the house, towards the bedroom window where Peaches was waiting. His jaw tightened with quiet resolve.

This wasn’t just about the club anymore.

It was about making sure Daniel came into a world where the Freed Riders were a fortress, not a target. Where Randi, Tater, Possum, Punkin, and Lil Bit could grow up proud of the patch instead of scared of it. Where Peaches never had to worry about another midnight call pulling him away while she or the kids were vulnerable.

He finished the beer and set the bottle down.

Tomorrow he’d lay the whole plan out for the officers. Smart growth. Fold in the best support clubs. Stronger alliances. Better defenses. No more reacting. Nope, from here on it would be only controlled, calculated moves that expanded their reach while keeping family at the center.

Blackie rolled his shoulders, feeling the old scars pull, and allowed himself a small, determined smile.

The lone wolf was long gone.

Now he was building a legacy that would outlast every enemy foolish enough to come at what was his.

Chapter Twenty

Blackie

Blackie stood in the doorway of the nursery, arms crossed tight over his chest, staring at the mostly-finished room like it might bite him.

The crib was reassembled. A sturdy oak one he’d built himself back when Randi was born. Fresh paint on the walls was a soft, warm gray that Peaches had picked out. Tiny clothes were folded neatly in the dresser, and a stack of diapers sat on the changing table like they were waiting for war.

Any day now.

Daniel was coming any day.

He dragged a hand down his face, heart pounding so hard he could feel it in his throat. Awe and fear twisted together in his gut like two snakes fighting for dominance.

“Fuck,” he whispered to the empty room.

Peaches had been stronger these last few days, moving around the house more, her smile coming easier. But every time she winced, or when she rubbed her lower back, and all the strong kicks he felt under his palm, the terror would hit him like a freight train again.