“How did you get here so fast?” Shade asked.
“Dad flashed his old badge. There’s three people stuck in Florida, cursing us right now for taking their spot on the plane.” Penni laughed, throwing herself in Shade’s arms. Shade hugged Penni back as his father reached his hand out to shake.
“Had to get here to meet my new grandson,” his dad said with a grin.
Rachel, his stepmother, moved to take Penni’s place within his arms when she moved away to the bed. Shade placed his arm around Rachel’s shoulder, leading her to Lily’s side.
“Can I hold him?”
“Of course.” Lily lifted the baby to her, and Penni grabbed and hugged her as soon as she released the baby.
“Your timing couldn’t have been better. I was taking my vacation with the parents when Shade called and told us you had the baby. Have you decided on a name yet?” Penni asked.
“No. I like several, but Shade says they’ll kick his butt in school if we picked any of them. I really like Brandon.”
Penni and his father both grimaced at that name.
“I told you so,” Shade reminded her.
“I know the perfect name,” Penni offered with a mischievous smile.
“What is it?” Shade asked cautiously.
“Lily’s favorite cowboy, John Wayne.”
“John Wayne Hunter,” Shade’s father repeated. “I like it.”
“So do I,” Lily said, staring at Shade hopefully.
Taking the baby from Rachel, he held his son as he walked to stand in front of his father. “Meet your grandson, John Wayne Hunter.”
His father reached out, taking the baby into his arms as Shade went to Lily’s side, reaching down to place a kiss on her pleased face.
“You don’t mind?”
“No, a cowboy name beats a pussy name. Did you really think I would let you name him Brandon?”
Lily laughed, giving Penni a conspiratorial look when she didn’t think he was looking. “I was going for Colin.”
*
The roar of his motorcycle going down the street never failed to give Shade a shot of adrenaline. He was on his way back to the hospital after going to the clubhouse to shower and change. He had snuck out while his family was there so Lily wouldn’t worry.
The light ahead turned red. Slowing down, Shade came to a stop. As he waited for the light to turn green, he casually looked down the neighborhood street to his side, seeing a large group arguing in a yard and on the sidewalk. Recognizing a familiar figure, he turned down the street when the light changed.
His mouth almost dropped open when he saw a little girl kick out at the biker dressed in leather.
He parked his bike a few feet away from them and climbed off, striding forward as Willa came rushing out of a house.
“You a-hole!” Shade lifted a brow as the girl who looked to be the oldest among the group of kids yelled at Lucky.
“Sissy!” Willa moved between Lucky and the girl, handing Lucky a towel and a plastic bottle.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” Lucky snapped, staring at the items in his hand.
“I thought you could use them to clean it off,” Willa said, pointing at his bike.
Shade’s eyes went to Lucky’s bike sitting in the driveway next to Willa’s house.
He went closer, staring at the motorcycle that had been spray-painted with the word “Blasphemer,” while Willa grabbed the items from Lucky’s hands and went toward the bike.
“I’ll clean it for you.” Willa was about to spray the words with the cleaning solution when Shade stopped her.
“What happened?”
“Lucky thinks one of the children or I did this while he was inside Jenna’s house. I told him they didn’t, that they were playing in the backyard, but he doesn’t believe me.” Willa’s lashes blinked furiously, trying to hold back the tears brimming in her eyes.
Shade stared back angrily at Lucky who was flushing a guilty shade of red.
“I didn’t say they did. They”—Lucky pointed at the little boy and older teenager—“were both out front when I came outside, and Willa was going inside her house when I got here two hours ago. I was just trying to ask if they had seen who did it.”
“That wasn’t the way it sounded to me,” Willa said, contradicting Lucky’s explanation.
“Then I’m sorry.” Lucky pointed at his bike. “I was just angry when I saw that. Maybe I over-reacted.”
Willa ignored his apology, again moving to clean the word written across the entire frame of Lucky’s bike.
“Don’t touch it, Willa. I’m going to call Knox and get him to come and take pictures and see if he can find any prints.”
A frightened look came to her eyes as she stared at the children behind his back. “That’s not necessary. I can pay for the damages.”
“Why would you pay for something you’re not responsible for?” Lucky snapped.
“I don’t want you thinking we did it. There’s no need for a police report.”