(Edited 06/2026)
Siren's POV
The smell of brewing coffee and frying bacon woke me the next morning, a welcome contrast to the blinding headache from the day before. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, relieved to find the static in my skull had finally cleared. After getting up for the day, I kept things easy, pulling on a simple black strappy dress over a light blue shirt, pairing it with some comfy Nikes before heading downstairs.
Downstairs, the house was alive with a quiet, familiar rhythm. When I rounded the corner into the kitchen, I found my dad at the head of the table, a mug gripped in his hand, looking over some paperwork.
Del was by the stove, sliding a fresh batch of scrambled eggs onto a platter. But my feet froze right at the threshold when I looked at the table.
Lucas was sitting there. And cradled perfectly on his hip was a beautiful, bright-eyed baby girl.
I blinked, completely caught off guard. Lucas had a baby? No one had mentioned a single word to me about him having a kid. Seeing this big, rugged guy gently bouncing an infant with a soft, practiced expression on his face brought a strange, grounding warmth into the room.
The baby was completely oblivious to the heavy, dark undercurrents of our lives, reaching up to bat at the collar of his shirt.
Before I could even process the surprise, a sharp vibration rattled against my thigh. I pulled out my phone, checking the screen.
Maeve: Hey! Good timing, I actually have some free time this morning. I'm based out of LA, but totally down to drive out. Let's meet halfway?
Me: Perfect, I'm in Riverside. Where's a good midpoint?
Maeve: Let's hit at a cute outdoor coffee spot I know over in Victoria Gardens. Say, in about an hour? It's right off the freeway for both of us. I'll send you the location in a few.
A small, genuine breath of relief escaped my lips. I quickly typed out a See you there and locked the screen. Stepping over to the counter, I poured myself a much needed cup of coffee. I took a long, hot sip, letting the caffeine jumpstart my brain, before turning around to lean against the marble.
Glancing around the kitchen, my eyes instinctively scanning the shadows near the back door where a certain heavy presence usually loomed. The space was completely empty.
"Looking for someone, Si?" my dad asked, catching my glance over the rim of his coffee mug.
"Just noticed it's quiet," I lied smoothly, walking over to slip into an empty chair. "Where's Tank?"
A slow, knowing smile tugged at the corner of my dad's mouth. His dark eyes held a heavy, amused weight that made my cheeks instantly prickle with heat. He didn't say it out loud, but the look alone told me he saw right through my casual act. He knew exactly how Tank affected me, and he knew how much it irritated me that I couldn't hide it.
"Out on club business for the day," Dad replied, his smile fading back into his usual serious expression as he reached for the toast. "He had some logistics to iron out at the warehouse. Won't be back until later this evening."
I kept my face blank, but a quiet skepticism stirred in my chest.
Club business. Logistics at the warehouse.
My dad always phrased Tank's duties so casually, but a persistent gut feeling told me he wasn't giving me the full truth about what these men actually did. There was an undercurrent to Tank, and to this entire world, that felt far heavier than simple biker rivalries. I just couldn't put my finger on what kind of "work" genuinely kept Tank disappearing into the shadows for hours on end, or what they were really keeping from me.
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Her Broken Wings
Non-Fiction"Remember the ocean baby, always remember it" And it was like, I don't know. It was like a light went out and left me in complete darkness. I knew exactly what she meant at that moment. And it rendered me speechless, it made my heart hammer in my c...
