Page 80 of Vapor

He looks surprised by the question but takes a moment to consider it.“You know, I haven’t really thought about it before,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck.“Why do you ask?”

“Watching you with the kids… You’re just so good with them,” I say, smiling softly.“It made me think about our future, I guess. Have you ever thought about it? Having a family, I mean.”

“Maybe someday. But not right now. There’s still so much we need to do, so much we need to experience together.” His hand finds mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze.“We have plenty of time to decide, babe.”

“You’re right,” I agree.“There’s so much more I want to see and do before I settle down like that. I’ve been sheltered for so long… it’s time for me to spread my wings.”

“Exactly,” he says, grinning.“And when we’re both ready, we’ll figure out the kid thing.”

I smile up at him until he lowers his lips to brush a soft kiss across them. The hunger in his eyes tells me he wants so much more, but we’re standing in a pool full of children, so he’s going to have to wait.

We play with Eli and Ricky for a little longer before Diablo sends Vapor a text asking if he’s ready to go. Vapor announces that it’s time to say our goodbyes. We make our way over to Scar, Julia, Reaper, and Lexi, exchanging hugs and well-wishes.

“Ricky,” Scar says gently, kneeling down to the boy’s level.“Our friend Diablo is going to drive you to your new home. Vapor and Blue will be right behind him the whole way to make sure you’re safe.”

“Is my dad going to find me?” Ricky asks in a small, worried voice.

“Never again,” Scar reassures him.“You’re safe now, kid.”

As we part ways, I can’t help but tear up at the thought of what Ricky must have gone through. I want to ask Vapor to tell me more about what happened, but ultimately decide that I don’t need to know. All that matters now is that Ricky is going to a safe, loving home. I’m grateful to be a part of that journey.

I climb onto the back of Vapor’s bike, gripping his waist tightly while we wait for Diablo to get Ricky situated. Diablo buckles the boy into the SUV with a gentle, reassuring smile before climbing into the driver’s seat. We take off, following closely behind him, our engines roaring in unison as we make our way to Baton Rouge.

As we enter a picturesque neighborhood lined with towering oak trees draped in Spanish moss, my heart races with anticipation. Diablo pulls up to a wrought-iron gate and waits for it to slide open. The moment it does, we drive through. The gate closes securely behind us.

A French Creole-style home stands before us, its wrap-around porch and vibrant shutters exuding Southern charm. A sweet-looking woman in her early forties steps out onto the porch, wearing a casual summer dress that flutters gently in the breeze. She carries a pitcher of iced tea in one hand and a plate of freshly baked cookies in the other. She places everything on the patio table before waving to us.

We leave our vehicles in the driveway and walk up to her. Vapor and Diablo take turns embracing her with warm hugs.

“Blue, this is Monica,” Vapor introduces the woman.“Her old man was a member of Underground Vengeance, NOLA. He passed away a few years ago.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” I say sincerely, meeting Monica’s gaze. She smiles sadly, nodding in appreciation.

“Thank you, sweetie. I’ll always miss my old man, but I’ve found love again with a wonderful man. He isn’t part of the MC, but he’s good people.”

“We made sure of it,” Vapor says, chuckling.“Matrix and Fang did background checks on her fiancé to make sure he’s a good man. He checked out.”

“Thank you again for doing that for me,” she replies, her eyes twinkling with gratitude.

“Any time.”

“Hopefully this is the last time.”

“Hopefully,” Vapor agrees.

“Come sit for a few minutes. I baked chocolate chip cookies, and this is a fresh pitcher of sweet tea.” Monica smiles as Vapor and Diablo grab the sweet treats.

“You home is beautiful,” I say, sitting in a chair beside her.

“It’s been in my family for many years.”

We’re silent as a warm breeze rustles the leaves on the trees surrounding the beautiful French Creole-style home. The entire estate feels like a peaceful sanctuary.

Ricky peeks out from behind Diablo’s legs, where he has been hiding.

“Well, who do we have here?” Monica asks, squatting down to his level. She greets him with a smile.“Hello, Ricky. I’m so happy to finally meet you in person.”

Vapor leans close to me and whispers,“Monica and Ricky did several video chats to see if they might be a good match.”

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