I followed my president and brother into the bar and was greeted with a chorus of cheers welcoming me home.
I grinned and looked around at my club brothers.
Fuck.
It was good to be home.
My eyes met Kai from across the bar, and I grabbed Dominic’s attention and pointed out his son.
Dominic rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything.
The kid had just turned twenty-two.
Old enough to be drinking but still so fucking young, despite what he might think. I could still remember how I was at his age.
Kai definitely had the cocky act kids his age seemed to take on to the T. And here he was, day drinking, in his dad’s place, no less. Not that Dominic would say anything, considering he had done worse at Kai’s age.
Besides, we both knew Kai had a good head on his shoulders. He was probably more mature than most of the guys in here.
Sometimes, I wished he would act more like his age, and I knew his dad wished for the same.
I remember the angry kid he had been before I was locked up. That didn’t change during the numerous times he had come to visit me in prison, and that still hadn’t changed, seeing him now.
Kai smiled when he caught my eyes and stood up to his tall frame.
“Fuck, that kid had grown,” I said.
I had thought he was done growing at nineteen. He seemed to have gotten a few inches taller, and definitely filled out his large frame well.
“Does he live in a gym?”
I’d seen him change during his visits, of course, but he was always sitting down, and there had been a glass that separated us. Seeing him in person was something else.
Dominic chuckled and looked at his son as he made his way over to us.
“That’s the Madden’s gene for you. Braxton’s already the tallest kid in his class.”
It was hard not to hear the paternal pride in his voice when he talked about his kids.
I smiled at Dominic.
He had Kai when he was young. At fifteen, he barely knew anything about the world, let alone raising a kid, but I could see the way he looked at his kids.
They were his pride and joy.
His only weakness in this harsh world.
Lucky for him, he had brothers by his side who did whatever it took to protect his kids as their own.
Iwould protect Kai and Braxton as if they were my own.
“Oh, fuck. It is so good to see you, old man,” Kai said, coming up and wrapping his arms around me.
I patted his back and held him close. “Good to see you too, kid.” I pulled back and took him in. “How are you?”
He rolled his eyes. “Not you, too. I swear, you and Dad worry too much.”
I chucked his chin affectionately. I was only ten years older than him, and I knew he was more than capable of taking care of himself, but I couldn’t help but worry.