Page 30 of Arch
I turn to Keegan, checking him over, my hands on his shoulders, his face, making sure he’s whole.
“You good, boy?” I ask, my voice rough with relief.
Keegan nods, his smirk faint but there.
“Told you I could handle it, Daddy,” the boy says, his smile winning me over in an instant.
I want to kiss him, to crush him against me, but there’s no time.
We secure the warehouse, grab the manifests Keegan photographed, and torch what’s left to send a message.
The Vipers are finished, their operation gutted, their supplier’s link severed.
But Jinx’s face—his guilt, his excuses—burns in my mind, a reminder that even family can break you…
Back at the clubhouse, the air’s thick with exhaustion and victory.
The boys are battered—Tank’s got a busted lip, Jace a gash on his arm, and I’m sporting a cut that’ll need stitches.
Keegan’s quiet, leaning against the bar, his eyes on me as I pour whiskey for the crew.
Clay and Jace are debriefing, Dylan and Caleb hovering close, their worry easing as they see their Daddies are whole.
Jinx is locked in the back room, awaiting judgment, and the weight of his betrayal sits heavy on us all. But we have time on our side, we don’t need to act rashly.
I hand Keegan a glass, my fingers brushing his, and the spark between us flares, even now.
“You did good tonight,” I say, low enough for just him to hear. “Reckless, but good.”
The boy grins, tired but real.
“Had to keep up with you, old man,” Keegan laughs, shooting a look to Caleb and Dylan. “Guys, I told you I can say what I like to him!”
I chuckle, but it fades as I look at him,reallylook.
The kid’s changed me, cracked something open I thought I’d locked away years ago. I’ve spent my life outsmarting traps, keeping the club alive, but Keegan’s different…
He’s not a trap I want to escape.
He’s home, and the thought of losing him tonight—fuck, it nearly broke me.
“Keegan,” I say, my voice rough, stepping closer, the clubhouse fading around us. “I need to tell you something.”
Keegan tilts his head, those green eyes searching mine, and I see it—the trust, the want, the same fire that’s burning me up.
“What’s up, Daddy?” he asks, soft, no taunt this time.
I take a breath, my hand finding his, grounding me.
“I’ve never felt this way,” I say, the words heavy, true. “Not in all my forty-three years on this damned planet, not with anyone. You’re under my skin, boy, and I don’t want you out. I love you, Keegan. Not just as my boy, but as my partner, my equal. You’re it for me.”
I watch as his eyes widen, his breath catching, and for a second, I think he’ll bolt, that wild streak taking over…
But then Keegan steps closer, his hand tightening in mine, and he smiles, soft and real.
“Took you long enough to say it,” Keegan murmurs. “I love you too, Arch. I know it might sound crazy, but I always have, I think.”
I pull him into me, my lips finding his, and this kiss is different—slow, deep, a promise we’re both making.
