Chapter 7

Stone

Any hesitation I might have felt about returning home to Opey washes away when I stand on the front porch and watch my family gather to welcome me home. Everyone is here, beers and whiskeys in hand and wearing big-ass smiles because they're happy that I'm back. Happy to see me.

Fuck it feels good to be home.

This party out on the front lawn with the music blasting makes it feel—almost—like I never left. Like five years haven't flown by since I last set foot on this soil, but then I look out, and I can see the changes. Hair is grayer, and people I remember as kids are now teenagers or older. It's all different but also exactly the fucking same. I'm not sure how I feel other than overwhelmed.

I grin and rush down the steps to join the chaos of a party on Hardtail Ranch. I scan all the familiar faces in search of the one I haven't seen yet, but I'm sure she's here.

"Hey, Hollywood, lookin' for someone?"

I smile. I know that voice. Sage. Ivy's little sister. I turn and see she's all grown up now, except for that mischievous smile she's perfected.

"Hey, Squirt. Have you seen my sister?" My gaze scans the crowd, and I see and recognize everyone except Maisie.

Sage punches my arm with a scowl. "First of all, don't call me Squirt. My name is Sage."

"Don't call me Hollywood," I shoot back with a teasing smile.

Sage rolls her eyes before answering my question, "Maisie hasn't been here in forever. She's busy living it up in Las Vegas. I thought you knew that."

"I do know that. I just thought she'd be here. Guess I'll have to plan a trip to Vegas soon."

Sage's face lights up. "Can I go with you? Now that you're all hot and adult-like?"

I grin. Sage has never minced words. "Adult-like? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're all grown up. So am I." She beams.

My lips tug into a smile, and I ruffle her hair like I did when she was a kid. "Don't know, Squirt. Just got here."

Sage's frown is as adorable as ever. "And to think, I was happy to have you home."

"Aw, thanks, Squirt." I press a loud, obnoxious kiss on her cheek. "It's good to be home."

Her lips fight a smile that already lights her eyes. "Yeah, well, I guess we'll see about that. Happy homecoming, Hollywood," she teases around with a smile before walking off toward the bar.

I walk over to Holden and Wheeler. They're like uncles to me and their women, Aspen and Annabelle. Well, I've known them my whole life. "You dirty old men better scram before I tell your wives you're hittin' on these hot young chicks." I wink at them both, earning me an eye-roll from each.

"Who the fuck you callin' old?" Wheeler stands first, taking my hand and wrapping an arm around me. "Glad to see you're home, but don't forget," he says with a broad wink, "I can still knock you on your ass, son!"

I laugh and hug him back. "Maybe if Holden is pinning me down," I tease, but he's still a big fucker, and other than a little bit of gray at his temples, he looks to be in great shape.

Holden gets to his feet to greet me the same way Wheeler did. "Good to have you back, Stone."

I nod, accepting his words. Being here at the ranch and in the Reckless Bastards is my legacy. This is where I belong. "Agreed." Unwilling to get too serious tonight, I turn my attention back to the women, hugging and kissing Aspen and Annabelle in turn.

Next, I find Cruz and Hennessy slamming beers near the bonfire. I plan to stop and greet them both, but a moan sounds that has me turning and nearly crashing right into a familiar and welcome face.

"Stone," Hazel sighs. "My goodness, you sure grew up."

I ignore the redness in my cheeks and flash a charming smile. "Hazel, the sweetest woman on Earth." I hug her tightly. "Don't tell Ma," I whisper in her ear, and the familiar sound of her laughter is so fucking welcome I squeeze her a little tighter. "Where's Saint?"

"Getting me some food, of course. You know I'm only here for the food, right?" She giggle and takes my hand, tugging me to another table where Slayer and Ella Mae are already eating. "Look who I found."

I'm not sure who gets to me first, but in a hot second, I have two sets of arms around me, squeezing the life out of me. More than anyone else on the ranch, these two are family because I spent so much time at their house hanging out with Gray. "Aunt Ella Mae. You smell just like I remember."

"Bacon and motor oil?" she asks with a laugh.

"Vanilla and maple syrup," I reply with a chuckle.

"You're just buttering me up to get me to make those chocolate chip cookies you love so much."

"Me?" I ask innocently. "I wouldn't dream of it, but if you find it in that big heart of yours to make 'em, I'd be happy to test them out for ya."

She laughs before pressing a kiss to my cheek. "It's good to have you home."

"It's good to be home."

Slayer smacks my back and laughs. "Stone. Welcome home."

"Thanks, man."

"Well, well, well. Look who's gracing us with his California presence. The movie star himself."

I turn with a wide smile at that smart-ass voice. "Little Bit ain't so little anymore." I tug Oaklee in for a hug, smashing her face against my chest as if she was still a little scrap of a girl. "Nope, still little."

She smacks at my back until I release her before scowling up at me and punching me in the stomach. "Pretty to look at, no survival instinct." She moves like she's going to hit me again and then laughs. "California made you soft. Gotta toughen you back up."

"Aw, Little Bit, didn't know you cared."

She wrinkles her nose at the nickname. "I'm going to get some food."

I watch Oaklee walk away just as Saint returns with a plate in each hand. "Saint, good to see you."

"Too fucking right," he grins, offering up a nod since his hands are full.

Nova and Maggie are leaning against the bar and smiling like they're undressing each other with their eyes. Even though I want to skip that shit, I stop and clear my throat. "Nova. Maggie."

Nova shakes my hand. "Welcome home, man. How's it feel to be back?"

I shrug. "Strange but good. How are you handling the ranch?"

Nova takes a swig of his beer before he says, "It's definitely different. The Bastards are cool people, though. You come from a great family."

"That I do. Where's the little one?"

Maggie nods her head toward the big house. "Freya is inside with the other kids. Hazel's kids are keeping an eye on everyone." Her gaze flickers back to Nova.

"Cool. Good to see you two. We'll catch up later," I promise and turn my attention to the beautiful bartender.

Ivy is shaking a drink and smiling. There's no one at the tiki bar other than me. Well, me and Ivy. Her gaze is unfocused, but she seems happy, and I'm drawn to that smile. It's familiar and so fucking welcome. It's like a hug and a punch at the same time. She's my best friend, always has been, only now she's grown the fuck up and more gorgeous than I ever expected. "Ivy."

"Stone." Her smile is bland at first, but it gets bigger the longer she watches me. "What'll it be?"

"What's in the shaker?"

"Just somethin' new I'm working on. You brave enough to be my guinea pig?"

"Sure. I trust you, Ivy."

She arches her brow. "You trust me. You've been gone a long time, Stone."

"Yeah, so tell me what I've missed."

She laughs, and the sound is familiar but slightly different, a little huskier and maybe slightly rougher. "So, what," she asks as she tips the cocktail shaker into a short glass with ice. "You want me to catch you up on the last five years in three minutes?"

"Nope. I've got all night, and I want to know everything."

She slides the glass across the bar with a smile. "Let's start simple. I'm a bartender now at The Barn Door."

"That's cool. Been there long?" I eye the glass warily. "Why is it green?"

Full lips part into a lightning-bright smile. "Absinthe."

"Shit," I whisper to myself and take a sip. "Strong as fuck."

She laughs again. "It's called Lights Out."

I take another sip, my gaze lingering on her expression. It's hopeful and eager. "It's weird. Complex. Strong as fuck," I offer with a laugh. "You got any tequila back there?"

"What? You want a margarita?" She pulls out a bottle of Patron. "This'll light you right up."

"No, just a shot. A double."

Ivy chills the tequila with ice in the shaker and pours me a double shot. "How you been?" I ask and shoot the tequila down with a shudder.

"Good. You?"

"Glad to be—" just then, Gray walks up to the bar, wraps an arm around her waist, and kisses the side of her neck.

"Hey, babe. How's it going?"

"Good." Ivy's eyes slide shut, and an affectionate smile tilts the corners of her lips. "Just catching up with Stone."

Gray pulls back from Ivy, turning to me with a growing smile. "Stone. Man, it's good to see you."

Gray is my oldest friend in the world. He and I ran around this ranch as boys, learning every inch of the place. We're more like brothers than friends. "It's good to see you too, man. Congrats on the patch."

"Thanks." His face stretches into a proud smile, and we bro-hug like no time has passed, gripping each other's forearms, then coming in for a half-hug. "Fuck, it's good to have you back."

"Good to be back. And weird, but this party is a good way to jump right back in." Everyone I know and love in the state of Texas is here. This is my home, and while Gray turns his attention back to Ivy, I turn toward the party and watch everyone.

This scene tonight is like a dream come true. From the moment I learned about the family business, the MC, my dream was to have a kutte of my own. I wanted to patch into the MC and one day run it, and until that day arrived, I wanted to belong, just like this. To party with my brothers and our families just like this.

It"s happening.

A smile spreads across my face. I'm home, back on the ranch where I was born and raised. The humid Texas air on my skin. I fish a beer from the cooler beside the bar and let this feeling sink in once again.

This place has been in my blood from the moment I was born, and now I'm back.

Where I fucking belong.