“Don’t get your panties in a twist, pop. I’m a lover of all brands.”

Shit. He’s a mini me. Dammit!

“One. Don’t call me pop. I’m not even 14 years older than you. Two. Fuck. You better be,” I say with a somewhat growl. Yes, I’m f**kin growling at my kid. I rub my jaw with one hand and squeeze Storm’s hand with the other. I’m f.u.c.k.i.n stressed!

“Well, what the f**k do you want me to call you then?”

Storm starts laughing, and I turn my head and raise my eyebrow at her. “What? He’s your f**kin kid.” She says and starts laughing more.

“How about just ZZ?” I grit out.

“That shit works for me.”

“Oh shit. I can’t take it. He’s a mini you.” Storm loses her shit completely, and I sigh.

“She’s hot. Maybe when you’re old and gray and shit, she might wanna move onto a younger version of you.”

THE FUCK?

“Shit.” Storm curses, her laughing stops.

“You’re only getting away with that comment because my blood runs through your veins,” I say with a hoarse tone.

“Gotcha. So, here’s the thing, my parents want shit to do with me right now. Gotta place I can crash?”

Before I can answer, Storm starts tugging on my arm. I avert my attention to her, and she gestures for me to bend down so she can whisper. “The Russians, babe. If they find out you have a son and he’s not being pro-tec-ted…,” she drags the final word out.

Jesus Christ! Will it ever stop?

I take a deep breath, pray that my newly found son isn’t a pu**y, and hope that he won’t run away. “Look, here’s the thing kid. Well shit. You’re not a kid. Fuck. Mace. We’re not… dammit. Storm, a little help here?”

I don’t know what to say.

“Mace,” she says sweetly. “We’re in a bit of a pickle here.”

“Pickle, really?” I laugh.

“You want me to explain it or not?”

I throw my hands up from her tone.

“People want some of us dead.” She points to her battered face. “See. This ain’t race wars and shit you’re probably used too.”

Race wars. Huh. Good job babe.

“If you want to stay here, you need to follow lockdown rules. If the people after us find out your ZZ’s son, you’ll be killed. I’m not saying that shit to play games. They will kill you. So if you stay, you will need to listen to the brothers, follow their rules.”

I look over at my son and see a grin float across his face. I admit I’m a little freaked out right now, because this kid is me, like not long ago…

“Fuck I’m in.”

I groan and smack my head onto the table.

“Don’t worry about him,” Storm says with a laugh and starts rubbing my back. “He’s just a little stressed.”

Mace whistles and I look up. He’s got his eye on Piper. Oh hell no. “Don’t even think about it kid. Sniper will kill you.”

“Damn she’s cute, and she’s coming this way,” he says with a smile, totally ignoring what I just f**kin said.

“Hey guys what’s up? Oh, who’s the fox?” Piper grins at my son.

“My son.”

“What? Oh, are you f**kin serious?”

“As a heart attack.” I reply.

“Well, you want something to drink? ZZ, you look like you f**kin need it.” She laughs at me. What’s with all this f**kin laughing? This shit ain’t funny. I’m now responsible for two kids. Would have been a third… Fuck, I do need a drink.

“I’ll take one.” Mace grins the Dillan smile at her. FUCK!

“You’re under age,” I growl.

“ZZ, you let Tatiana drink all the f**kin time. Get the stick outta your ass,” Piper taunts.

“Who’s Tatiana?”

“Well, I guess she’s your sister. She’s ZZ’s daughter.”

Leave it to Piper to tell the world every motherfuckin thing.

Piper and Mace start chatting one another up, and I sit back in the booth, place my arm around Storm, and drag her body into mine. I need a calming peace right now, and she’s my f**kin peace. Just when things feel like they’re settling, Winter comes over and gestures for me with a head nod.

“I’ll be right back.” I whisper to Storm and place a kiss on her temple. I can’t kiss her on the lips. I want to devour her every single f**kin time when I do.

I walk up to Winter, and she’s nervously biting on her lip.

“I need you to talk with the brothers. On my prepay that we set up for my cousin…” she trails off, waiting for me to remember what Braxxon informed us about before he left. “He says some of the Russians are my mom’s and some of them are my uncle’s. I have no f**kin clue who is who. Or who we can trust ZZ. My cousin sounded a little fishy, and I don’t think I can trust him anymore.”

“You can’t open the club tonight, darlin.”

“I know.”

“See that kid over there with Piper and Storm?” I nod to our booth.

“Yeah?” She says looking over my shoulder.

“He’s my son.”

“What? You’re shitting me, right? Like this is some f**ked up way of making a laugh outta the shit we’re in?” Her mouth drops open when she takes a look at my serious face. “Well… I think Sniper might snap if you don’t send him towards another skirt to chase.”