Rush (Carolina Bad Boys, #5)(5)

“Yeah. The best.” I kissed her hard and quick on the lips—not something I’d intended at all. “Gotta go. Brodie and Boomer’s little sis is having her baby.”

I backed away, but Shiloh halted me. “Max?”

“Yeah?”

“It was good seeing you again.” She moved against me, and her voice barely breathed against my ear. “And I’m not taking your warning to stay away.”

A hard shudder crashed through my body, and I had trouble focusing on my helmet, the kickstand . . . breathing in and out . . .

Hammering down, I left a tread mark on the road when I roared away from Shy. I looked back, just once. And she watched me, too.





Chapter Three


All in the Family





THE HOSPITAL WHERE CAT was popping out the kid wasn’t far from Shy’s house, but the couple of miles through Charleston’s busy one-way street system took longer than expected. I made it up to the maternity ward and had to bark a laugh at the scene in the waiting room.

Looked like all of Retribution MC plus the crew from Stone’s Auto Service had set up shop and hunkered down for the duration. The men from the garage were all good friends with both Cat and her famous husband, Nick Loveland. That meant they were part of the family as well.

Massive dudes everywhere.

Black leather and big boots.

Goatees and long hair and gruff voices.

I fit right in with the melee, getting a quick update from soon-to-be Uncle Brodie.

The dude had the chillest eyes I’d ever seen—icy pale blue—and now they looked a little damp. “Hey, bro. Cat’s hangin’ in there. Baby got a little turned around on the way out—”

“Probably got the wrong directions from you!” Josh Stone—owner of the garage and Nicky’s best friend—heckled.

For once Brodie just flashed him a grin, not the bird. “Anyway, C-section for her. They just wheeled her in. Nicky’s with her. Baby should be out in no time.”

I knocked my knuckles against his then went to say hi to the other almost uncle, Boomer. He only stopped pacing when his wife Rayce placed her hand on his forearm.

For the next twenty minutes we all hung out, taking over the waiting room, watching the door for Nicky to appear with the good news. Thirty minutes and Brodie started raking his hands through his hair while Boomer looked like he was about to bull rush the swinging doors.

And yet more bets were placed on the baby’s gender.

I was throwing my money down the newest bean on the block was a boy.

Finally the doors were thrown open with enough force to create a breeze, and Nicky, still in his surgical gear and cap, stuck his head outside.

“Well?” Josh strutted toward him. “Ya fuck. Boy or girl? I got money riding on this.” He razzed his buddy, but his giant grin was as unmistakable as the one on the proud new papa’s face.

“It’s a boy, y’all!” He whooped, and everyone joined in, sending the room into sheer pandemonium.

Boomer and Brodie marched up to give him hard hugs while the rest of us shouted our congrats and best wishes for Cat, drilling him about when we could see the newest arrival to the world. The latest member of the Retribution MC/Chrome and Steele family.

Shit, I shed a tear or two. Even Tail knuckled beneath his eyes.

Nicky scowled at all of us as if he was contemplating getting us kicked off the maternity ward before he finally relented with nothing short of the biggest shit-eating grin I’d ever seen.

“Yeah, c’mon.” He motioned us into the corridor. “But keep it down. Jesus. They’re just cleaning him up while they finish with Cat, then we’ll be in the recovery room. But you might get a glimpse from the nursery window.”

Brodie hustled up to him. “So? What’s my nephew’s name?”

“My nephew too.” Boomer bristled.

“And I’m honorary uncle.” Josh made sure his claim was clear as well.

I chuckled.

Nicky stopped just before stepping into the nursery. “Daniel.” His throat bobbed, and he wiped a finger under his eye. “Danny. Named him after my brother.”

The brother who’d overdosed. Fuck. Another sting of emotion clamped my throat tight. Burying his only brother was a story Nicky had unfolded for us after we’d all helped him lay his grandmother to rest.

“That’s perfect.” Josh gave him a crushing hug. “You done good.”

“Well, Cat did all of it.”

“Of course she did. She was born a Steele,” Brodie boasted, but his voice was shaky.

“Made of something close to steel, that’s for sure.” Nicky opened the door to the nursery then glanced back. “Thanks, guys. All of you. For coming.”

We took up the entire hallway, crowding at the big window, possibly leaving nose-prints on the glass. Nicky reappeared, holding the tiniest bundle imaginable. Incredible. Wrapped in a blanket with a plain white knitted cap on his head, baby Daniel fit into the pocket of Nicky’s forearm like it was the most perfect cradle in the world. His little red mouth popped open, and one hand clutched strongly at Nick’s huge thumb.

The dudes pulled out their phones, quickly snapping off pictures. Tucker nodded over and over with twin tears coursing down his cheeks—he’d been a father figure to the Steele family after the accident that took both their parents. Now he had a daughter in Rayce, and because of his close bond with Cat, he was practically a grandfather.