Tiny's Sweet Obsession

64: Home

Lily POV

I nodded. "Pops is the only one who remembers my birthday and gets me a new charm every year. Although, I don't know where the bracelet with other charms is anymore. I always hid them from Sean. He didn't like when Pops gave me presents," I mumbled.

Tiny heard me and mumbled, "Don't worry about the bracelet, I'll find it."

"I think he just didn't like that Pops was showing me what it means to be a good human and what I deserve. Pops always hated Sean, and I understood why, but truthfully, Pops is the only man who has ever treated me with respect and taken me under his wing and I can't thank him enough for it," I whispered.

"If I know Pops at all, the only thing he wants from you is to see you succeed and be happy, and I think you are doing just that," Tiny assured me.

As we drove to the clubhouse, I planned my surprise for Tiny. Last night, Tiny asked me a question, and I wanted my answer to be special. However, as soon as the car was in park, Ginger and Tiger grabbed my hands and dragged me inside.

What is going on? Why are we in a hurry?

Once inside, I looked around, and everyone froze, staring at me. Killer stood on the bar hanging a happy birthday banner. Hawk and Bear were handing out confetti poppers. Shotgun placed a present on a large table with a mountain of others, and Whiskey was mid-tying a balloon.

Whiskey? If he is home, then where is...

"Why the fuck is everyone standing around?! They are going to be here any-"

"Kayla!" I yelled, tears welling in my eyes.

Kayla paused on the stairs, and her smile widened when she saw me. A small cry came from her arms, and we all turned to a tiny Callie. Kayla shushed her down each step and pulled me into a hug, careful not to crush the bundle of joy in her arms.

"What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed, staring at her wildly.

"I'd have to be dead to miss your eighteenth birthday, Lily. Besides, both the hospital and Whiskey," she whispered, "were driving me insane."

I laughed and could picture Whiskey being completely protective of his two girls, and I didn't blame him. Then again, Kayla isn't one to be told what to do and listen. Looking around, I noticed everyone had gathered around us, and they had finished decorating. They all stood with poppers in their hands, ready to bust them open, but Kayla didn't have it.

"I swear if you pop even one of those before I get outside, I will string you up by your balls, and you can sleep with a screaming Callie tonight," she bit out before heading out the back door.

As soon as the back door closed, all the poppers popped, sending mass amounts of confetti into the air, and I couldn't help but laugh. Tiny twirled me around and pulled me into another breathtaking kiss.

Tiny pulled away, leaned his forehead against mine, and whispered, "I love you, Lily. Happy Birthday."

"I love you too," I confessed, and Tiny's blue green twinkled at my confession.

"Alright, that's enough. Let the poor girl breathe!" Tiger laughed and pulled me towards the girls who gathered around the babies.

Ellie sat on the play mat, playing with Dakota's tail, laughing every time it moved. Dakota is a guard dog, but he is the most gentle ball of fur around the little ones, and it is one of the best things I have ever witnessed.

I sat on the couch, and Kayla handed me a sleeping Callie. She was so small and sound asleep that I sat perfectly still, not wanting to do something wrong or wake her up. I have never wanted kids, not wanting to raise them in the environment I lived in, but seeing these women and babies surrounded by love has me thinking.

"How are you feeling?" Tiger asked Kayla.

"Better now that I'm here, but sore for sure. The unfinished nursery is stressing me out, but Callie will be sleeping in our room for a while anyway," Kayla smiled, staring at her daughter.

"I'm sure the guys will have the nursery finished tomorrow. The first few months will be the hardest, but if you need anything, you know we are a phone call away," Ginger smiled.

Callie woke up, allowing me to see her beautiful hazel eyes, but soon the crying started, and I gave her back to Kayla. Excusing myself, I wandered into the kitchen and saw an exhausted and overwhelmed Whiskey.

He spotted me and put on his best smile. "Hey, birthday girl! How does it feel to be eighteen?"

I shrugged. "Honestly, ever since Tiny and everyone found me, my age seems irrelevant. I'm no longer waiting for the day I am out from under someone else's grip," I answered.

"I understand," Whiskey nodded. "I'm supposed to keep you out of the kitchen today, but something tells me you have other ideas."

I laughed, "Not wrong. Mind keeping Tiny busy for me for a while?"

Whiskey smiled, grabbed a platter of food, and called out to the living room, "Time for a rematch, and this time you better play fair!"

Everyone started shouting, and I knew Tiny would be entertained for at least an hour or more.

After finding all my ingredients and stealing a bottle of bourbon from the bar, I put on an apron and got to work on my bourbon cake. I measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, eggs, sugar, and of course, the bourbon. The recipe may have called for a fourth cup of bourbon, but I put a little extra in for good luck and cut back on some of the milk instead.

While it was baking, I made a bourbon cream cheese frosting and the soak for the top. Although it is not my first choice in cake flavor, it is a Southern classic and is the best way I know how to blend my and Tiny's lives together; just in cake form.

I pulled the cake from the oven, soaked it, and let everything chill in the fridge before heading to the living room, where I found Tiny, Gears, Shotgun, Whiskey, and Tiger in a heated game of Clue. They didn't notice me standing behind the bar, laughing at their childishness. I joined Kayla, Ginger, and the little ones on the couch, who were just as engrossed in their stupid game as I was.

"Do they always get like this when they play games?" I asked, laughing at the chaos.

"Girl, this is only round three! One more, and it will be an all-out war!" Ginger howled.

After twenty minutes, I snuck back into the kitchen to finish the cake and decorated it just as someone walked in. I stopped piping and looked up, relieved to see Tiger and Dakota next to her.

She sat on a stool on the other side, upset, and said, "Your Rider is ruthless when playing games. Don't ever go easy on him."

I blushed at her words. My Rider. "Tiny isn't exactly my Rider, but I'll keep that in mind," I smiled, concentrating on the last bit of piping.

"He will be after this cake," Tiger laughed, wiggling her eyebrows. "Come on, I'll go break up the fight that's about to happen so we can get this party started."

I stepped back from the cake and admired my work. Tiny deserves all the love in the world, especially after learning about his past, and I want to give him what I can. Today may be my birthday, but the only reason there is a smile on my face and we are celebrating is because of the others.