Eight Months Later . . .

GRIPPING THE BAR, I PULL up for the hundredth fucking time, letting out a relieved breath as I release it and jump down to my feet.

I’ve been up for the last hour, working off steam and getting ready for the day. I need my head cleared whenever I’m around my family, so I come in here every morning at the ass-crack of dawn and workout until all of my tension is gone.

So far . . . it’s been working, and I hope to keep it that way.

Grabbing for my towel, I run it over my sweaty hair and body, before tossing it aside and quietly jogging past Jax’s open room and upstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast.

By the time breakfast is done, I look up at the clock to see that it’s about time for Kylie to wake up. She seems to be on a schedule, always waking up at or around the same time each morning.

Grabbing the tray of Mickey Mouse pancakes, I make my way up the stairs, stopping to peek inside Kylie’s room.

I smile to myself and look down the hall when I hear sounds of her and Avalon laughing from down the hall.

These two women are what keep me sane from day to day, living the crazy life that I’ve grown up in. I know it’s not an easy life, but I’ve made sure to keep most of the drama out of the bar now. Things are slowly changing for the better.

These two women are my life now, and the last eight months with them have been the best days of my life. To be able to hear my baby girl laugh each morning and to be able to kiss her goodnight each night is the best thing a man could fucking ask for. There is nothing better in life than having a family to take care of and love.

I know this now . . .

Leaning in the doorway, I stand here and watch the girls for a few minutes as they play around on the bed, laughing and giggling as Avalon tries to get Kylie to calm down and stop jumping on the bed.

“Okay! Okay!” Avalon yells playfully. “I’m awake. Mommy’s not going back to sleep. I promise.”

“Mommy awake!” Kylie jumps one last time, before diving into Avalon’s arms and wrapping her arms around her neck.

“You’re awake,” I whisper, causing them both to look over at me.

“Daddy cook breakfast again! Yummy tummy!” Crawling out of Avalon’s lap, Kylie jumps down off the side of the bed and runs at me, causing me to set the tray down and catch her in my arms.

“Daddy will always be here to make breakfast for you and mommy,” I say happily. “Who else can make damn good pancakes like daddy?”

“Royal!” Avalon scolds. “Language.”

“Hey . . .” I set Kylie down and she runs over to the bed where she usually eats her breakfast on Sunday mornings when we don’t have guests. “I’m getting better. I didn’t use the F word this time. Progress, baby.”

I pull Avalon into my arms and look over to see Kylie getting lost in cartoons.

“Easy, buddy,” Avalon laughs against my ear as I cup her ass and squeeze it. “It’s going to be a long day before that can happen.”

“Oh yeah . . .” I run my bottom lip up the side of her neck, before biting her ear and growling. “Uncle Jax is downstairs and Uncle Blaine is only a call away.”

“Nice try.” She slaps my chest and walks away, leaving me gripping my hair. This woman has never turned me on so damn much. She’s so sexy, and she still has no fucking idea how much.

“Why don’t we go downstairs and eat at the table this morning.” Avalon turns off the TV, making Kylie throw her head back and whine. “Come on.”

With a pouty lip, Kylie huffs and jumps out of bed, grabbing for my hand. “No Mickey Mouse,” she cries softly.

Bending down, I scoop her up into my arms and distract her by blowing against her belly and walking fast down the hallway.

She begins laughing and squirming in my arms, being so loud that I wouldn’t be surprised if Jax came running up the stairs soon.

Once we get to the kitchen, I plop her down into her booster seat and grab the tray of pancakes away from Avalon so she can get out the orange juice.

“Mmmmm . . . Mickey Mouse never looked so fucking good,” Jax mumbles tiredly from the doorway.

“Language, asshole,” I complain.

“Both of you,” Avalon scolds while giving us the evil eye. “You two are hard to tame.”

I bite my bottom lip, before gripping her face and roughly pressing my lips against hers. Fuck . . . I love her to death. She puts up with so much from us. “I warned you, babe. Now eat your food.”

She narrows her eyes at me and shakes her head, before turning to Kylie. “You better eat up before Uncle Blaine shows up and eats Mickey.”

“Already here, gorgeous.”

“Of course,” I mumble, while reaching for more plates and pulling the pan of extra pancakes out of the oven. “Where there’s food there’s Blaine and Madi.”

“You know it,” Madison says with a smirk, before walking over and snatching the pan from me. “Every Sunday, sweets. Get used to it. We don’t wait for invites anymore.”

“Oh you were waiting for them, babe. That’s why you stacked that pan with pancakes,” Avalon says with a smile, happy we’ve all become so close lately.

I may not admit it out loud, but I’ve grown used to the gang showing up at our house for breakfast. I sort of like it, even though that means seeing Blaine’s hyper ass so early in the morning.

“Get your ass over here and sit down, brother.” Blaine throws a pancake, hitting me in the side of the head.

“I give up,” Avalon growls. “I’m going to have to start smacking you all in the mouth.” She points to Kylie, eating her food. “Little people ears here. Do I really have to remind you she’s like a sponge?”

“Shit! Got it!” Blaine says, clueless that he just fucked up again.

Avalon gives him a dirty look, but just shakes it off and continues eating her breakfast.

I have to walk behind Blaine to get to my seat, so I make a pit-stop on the way there to slap him on the back of the head and drop his pancake that he threw at me on his plate. “Eat up, brother.”

Laughing, I take my seat between Kylie and Avalon, where I belong.

I feel Avalon grab my leg from under the table and squeeze it. “I love you,” she whispers.

I place my hand over hers and squeeze it. “Love you more, baby.” I kiss her on the side of the head, before leaning over to kiss Kylie on the side of the head as well. “Love you, baby girl.”

Kylie eats Mickey’s ear and talks with her mouth full. “Love you more, daddy.”

My heart melts from her words; just like they do every single time that I hear them. She has a power over me that no one else could ever have.

She holds my heart in her tiny hand and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I’ve been here; too long actually, and as I stand here staring down at the murky water, my heart aches that I’m standing here alone . . . without my family.

A part of me wanted to ask Avalon and Kylie to come with me, but a small part of me feared that Avalon’s feelings would be hurt that I still need to come here for Olivia. I know that she understands, but I also know that it can’t be easy either. I never want to do anything to hurt Avalon again. Her and Kylie come first now, and I will protect them both at all costs.

I’ll just give it a little more time. Maybe with a few passing years, Kylie will be able to fully understand our situation and I can make it a father-daughter thing each year.

“I’m sorry that I missed your birthday,” I whisper. “I’ve been making up for lost time with our daughter.” I stop to collect my emotions before continuing. It’s never easy being here. “She’s an amazing little girl, and I have an amazing woman to help me raise her. You’d like her. You would also be so proud of the father I’ve become. I know I am. I’m different because of them. Complete . . . finally.”