Page 22 of Riding Free

“She’s mine,” I state. There’s no way she isn’t. Not only do the dates align the way they should, but I can also feel it. “I didn’t know where to find Keely. She went back home after the week, and that was that. All she knew about me was my road name.”

Dare’s breath hitches, then he pushes off the desk. He takes one step forward, lifting his hand. He curls his fingers around my shoulder, shaking me gently. “The girl at the party, getting into her car. That’s her, and the baby.”

It’s not a question.

It’s a statement.

A true one.

“Keely and my baby, Thea.”

Saying their names out loud makes this all more real, and the smile that plays on my lips isn’t one I can contain. I can’t help thinking about them. The little bundle and my woman.

“And you’re claiming them?”

“I’m claiming them. They’re mine,” I say. “And that’s that.”

Dare chuckles. “So you’re claiming her, marrying her, the whole family man thing?”

I think about his words. Claiming her, marrying her, the whole family man thing. Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ll be doing. Because that’s who and what I am now—a man with a family. My family.

“I am giving her a week to decide, but she doesn’t really have a decision to make, because she’s moving in with me at the end of the week.”

Dare’s eyes widen. He’s seen my place. He knows it’s a shithole, and he also knows that I’ve bought the materials to fix it up, even if I haven’t done that yet. There is a moment of silence as he watches me, but then he shakes his head from side to side, letting out a chuckle.

“Brother,” he grunts.

“I’m fixing it up this weekend to make it livable.”

His brows shoot to the sky. “Alone?”

I almost laugh, although it would be a nervous laugh at this point. I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but I can’t imagine he thinks I can do this alone. He reaches out, curling his fingers around my shoulder, and shakes me slightly.

“You got us, brother. Let us help you. We’ll knock that shit out in a week, so it’ll be inhabitable.”

I snort. “You don’t think I can do it?”

Dare chuckles. “I know you can, but it would be a lot easier if I got a group together to tackle it. I can move some shit around. God knows some of these assholes could just not drink all day and instead get some fucking work done.”

So that’s that.

I guess I’ve got a crew to help me.

I’m going to take it because I have a feeling I’m going to need it. “Ten tomorrow morning at my place.”

“I’ll get five guys to help, plus me.”

“Plus you?” I ask in surprise.

He chuckles. “Wouldn’t be much of a president if I didn’t.”

I don’t know how I ended up with these men, with these people who love me like family. My brothers, my best friends, and now the men who are going to help me build a home for my family.

Fuck.

My family.

I still can’t believe it.