Page 29 of Razor’s Redemption

Ranger is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching all three of us prospects clean the common room like it's the most entertaining thing he's seen all week. Lily is next to him, trying not to laugh.

"Razor," Ranger says. "You've mopped the same spot four times. Either there's a stain you're personally offended by, or your head's somewhere else."

"Just want it clean."

"Bullshit." He pushes off the wall and walks over, plucks the mop out of my hands. "You're meeting Luna today. Everyone knows. You're allowed to be nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

Angel snorts. "You're terrified. It's written all over your face."

He's not wrong. I am terrified. Have been since Daisy told me two weeks ago that Luna wanted to meet "the nice man who makes Mommy smile." Those exact words, apparently. The nice man. Like I'm some kind of saint instead of an ex-con with a record and a road name that makes people cross the street.

It's been a month and a half since that night in the parking lot. Six weeks of dates. Coffee at Rosie's Diner, walks through the park, late-night conversations in my car after her shifts.

Six weeks of learning everything about her: how she takes her coffee (two creams, one sugar), how she hums when she's concentrating, how she laughs with her whole body when something's actually funny instead of just polite.

Six weeks of falling completely, irrevocably in love with her.

I told the brothers about her a week after our first date. Sat in church and admitted I was seeing someone—a single mom, a civilian. Expected judgment or at least concern that I was moving too fast, getting distracted from earning my patch.

Phoenix just nodded and said, "She good to you?"

"Yeah."

"You good to her?"

"Trying to be."

"Then you have my support."

Judge asked if she knew about my record. Canvas asked if she made me happy. Brick asked if I was serious about her or just fucking around. When I said I was serious, more serious than I'd ever been about anything, they all just accepted it.

Even told me that when you know, you know.

I knew after that first night. Knew when she looked at me in O'Malley's and said I was allowed to be something other than my past. Knew when she kissed me like I was worth kissing. Knew when she trusted me with her body in the backseat of that car, giving me something she hadn't given anyone in six years.

I've been working my ass off to be worthy of that trust ever since.

But meeting Luna, that's different. That's not just about me and Daisy anymore. That's about a six-year-old kid who's already lost one father and doesn't need another man walking into her life unless he's planning to stay.

And I am. Planning to stay. Forever, if Daisy will have me.

But what if Luna hates me? What if she takes one look at the tattoos, the scar and decides I'm scary? What if I say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, prove I have no fucking idea how to be around kids?

"Razor." Ranger's voice cuts through my spiral. "You need to leave. Now. Before you combust."

"I'm supposed to be cleaning—"

"We'll cover for you. Go. Get to Daisy's house before you make yourself sick."

Lily steps forward and squeezes my arm. "You're going to be great. Luna already likes you because Daisy talks about you. Just be yourself."

"What if myself isn't good enough?"

"It is," she says firmly. "Trust me. She wouldn't introduce you to her daughter if she didn't think you were good enough."

Angel claps me on the shoulder. "Go get 'em, brother. Show that little girl what a real man looks like."