Tony handed me the open plastic fish bag, and I poured Jeffrey II into the bowl.

"This place is creepy at night," Tony said, keeping an eye out around us in the bakery's kitchen.

I tried to see what he was looking at. "It's just the bakery. Turn on a light if you want."

"If you don't need a light, I don't need a light," he said, tugging up the zipper of his jacket.

I laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Okay, big guy. Jefferey is home, so we can leave the scary, dark kitchen."

Tony threw away the fish bag. "I didn't say scary."

Three tiny taps of Jeffrey II's food scattered across the top of the bowl. He needed to be well-fed. "Yes, you did."

Tony hovered over the bowl, watching Jeffrey II suck up the food. "I said creepy. That's totally different from scary."

The bakery still smelled like the cookies Anessa baked that day, and I went in search of one. I skirted around the trash can with ease, knowing my way in this place even in the dark. The swear words flowing from Tony's mouth hinted that he didn't have as equally a straightforward journey.

"Holy shit," Tony said from the kitchen as I pushed past the swinging metal doors into the main part of the bakery. "You weren't kidding."

I spun around. "About what?"

Tony held up the blue shark diaper bag filled with Jeffrey's belongings. "He's got a freaking diaper bag. She has a water purifier in here, Vonnie."

"I told you." Hadn't he learned by now that I never joked about fish diaper bags?

"Vonnie, your aunt is going to realize you've swapped him."

My mother called as I opened the bakery case in search of a cookie. I ignored the call. It probably had to do with my sister. The one they said was "going through a phase." If I'd taken off with a murderer at her age, my mother would have had me committed. But Vivi did it, and it's "a phase."

"First, I've replaced him," I said and leaned into the cookie display. "And no, she won't."

Tony stole one of the double chocolate chip cookies from my hand. "She's got a diaper bag for the thing. She's gonna know."

I grabbed a replacement cookie and closed the case's door, giving him a quick pat on the shoulder. "Have faith."

"You're going to need more than faith." Tony shook his head. "Come on. I'll take you home."

"Actually," I said with a mouth full of chocolate goodness. It was like heaven burst forth right on my tongue. "I have one more thing first."

"Do you need me for it?" he asked, sounding genuine. Tony didn't know what trouble I'd pulled him into, but that didn't stop him from coming along.

He liked the thrill of it more than he'd admit.

"No, but Broadrick will be pissy if I go alone."

It was one thing not to listen to him when he was here to yell at me, but something else to do it behind his back.

**

"You want to attend a biker celebration?" Tony asked in disbelief as I jumped into his truck after locking up the bakery.

I buckled my seat belt and almost opened his glove box to check for gum. Except Tony didn't keep gum in there. He kept a gun. Very similar spellings, but vastly different outcomes-an important distinction.

"It's for Gina. Kind of like a biker baby shower before she has a real one." Hopefully she had a girl because Anessa already had mounds of pink to decorate with, since it was her ultimate favorite color.

Tony parked outside the compound where I directed him. The bikers had a neat little setup in the northern part of town. Then they had a mechanic shop where everyone took their cars. Next to it, they ran Buddy's. Picture your standard biker bar and you got the idea. Except Buddy's served the best pizza.

"You're right, Broadrick would lose his shit if you came to this alone," he said.

I nodded and left out the part that he'd probably still lose his shit, even with Tony here. But Broadrick put Tony in charge, so he didn't have much to complain about. He would, but he'd lose the argument quickly.

"Yup," I said and held up the cut piece of fence for Tony. Katy made this exciting entrance into the biker compound once, and we'd been using it to gain access ever since. Dominick knew about it, but said he didn't fix it because he figured we'd just keep cutting holes in his fence if he did.

He was right.

I guess you didn't become the leader of a motorcycle gang just from looks alone-or looks and impaling. Dominick also had brains. Except when it came to women.

Tony eyed me and then closed his with a sigh. "I will not fit through there."

I lifted the cut piece of fence higher. The metal groaned and the muscles in my arms ached. "Hurry."

"I'm not making enough for all the life-risking I'm doing with you," Tony grumbled, and then squeezed himself through the hole.

I positioned myself the right way and then slipped under before letting it fall. "Broadrick is paying you?"

Now it really was a babysitting job. How dare he?

Tony waited for me to start the walk even though the flames from the fire shot high into the air, directing our way. "No."

"But you said... Oh." I started us off in the right direction. "I'll have B grab you a pizza when he gets home."

"You know, we could have just entered the compound from the front. They had the gates open," Tony said as he adjusted his army green vest like he wanted to preen before seeing the bikers.

It made me self-conscious, so I dusted off my pants. "Yeah, but our entrance is more fun. Don't worry. Dominick won't shoot us."

Tony groaned again. "Are you worried about getting shot?"

"Not me. Dominick likes me." I stopped us on the edge of the main building and peeked around. "You? You're fifty-fifty."

Tony watched my hand shuffle as I wiggled it in front of him to describe his odds. "Great."

I tapped him on the shoulder. "You'll probably be fine."

The gang's fire pit was behind the compound building, hidden from public view as much as possible when you lived in Pelican Bay. The huge flames were a big clue they had activities happening, so everyone would find out the baby news, eventually.

The entire town would stop in the bakery tomorrow to hear the gossip. I'd have to find time to grab a few hours and help Anessa out in my free time.

I chuckled to myself. Free time. Yeah right.

"What?" Tony asked, giving me a worried glance.

The flames danced across his face as we approached the group of bikers. He definitely looked tough enough to hang out with them.

"Nothing," I said and waved my hand.

The wind shifted when we were about a hundred feet behind the sizeable group, and I coughed. Fifty heads turned in our direction.

"Hey, guys. What's up? I brought a friend," I said and motioned in Tony's direction.

He raised his hand in an unenthusiastic wave and pinched his lips together.

A biker in the back clapped his hands. "Welcome, Little Squirrel."

Ugh. They hadn't forgotten the last biker kegger. "I'm not Little Squirrel, Sledgehammer."

Why did the guys get to be things like Sledgehammer and The Impaler, but they named me freaking Little Squirrel? Totally not fair.

He wandered over to us, and Tony stepped in front of me. I smiled at the gesture, but when it came to bikers, I had everything under control. Sledgehammer looked like he was in his mid-thirties with some spots of graying hair and a slight limp every second step he walked toward us. In reality, he was probably late twenties, but biker life could be hard on the body. He had on the standard motorcycle cut leather jacket and a patch with "Enforcer" sewed on the front pocket.

"You want a drink, Little Squirrel?" he asked while holding out a blue beer can.

I shook my head. "No time tonight. Sorry. We came to wish Gina and the baby's daddy well."

Trust me, when you lived in a town with a biker gang, it was important to make sure the leader knew you wished him well. One of those small tips for staying alive. Only Pearl didn't worry a little when Dom flashed her an evil glance.

"Sorry, Little Squirrel," Sledgehammer said, ignoring my sigh. "You just missed daddy Dominick. He and Gina retreated to the farmhouse."

"Ohhh, the farmhouse," a chorus of bikers sang, sounding like a group of drunks and nothing like hardcore bikers.

"Hey, bastard," someone yelled behind Sledgehammer, but he didn't turn around so I didn't worry.

"Do you think they'll care if I knock?" I asked and pointed toward the home.

Sledgehammer laughed. "Not if you want to live. They can't make a second baby yet, but I get the feeling The Impaler is going to try."

He said it with a smile, but it turned mine into a grimace. "Ewww."

Visuals I never needed.

"I'll do whatever the fuck I want," another loud male voice said right behind Sledgehammer.

And then he came flying at me after being hit from behind. Sledgehammer and Tony jumped into high gear. Tony pushed me behind him and Sledgehammer turned with his fists up.

I peeked around Tony to get a better view.

The two men behind Sledgehammer faced off against each other. One of them must have pushed the other into Sledgehammer.

"You're all talk. A baby who won't do shit," the taller of the two said.

"Yeah?" The shorter one pushed him, and he stumbled before pulling out a gun. "Let's see you say that now."

Tony tried to jump in front of me again for cover, but it was getting too good. Even Sledgehammer backed up from the confrontation, but he had his hands out, ready to mediate.

My phone vibrated. Ugh. Now was not the time. We were about to have a gunfight. In my excitement, I pushed against Tony to get a better position.

Tony jerked around and stared at me for a full second with his eyebrows practically touching his hairline. "Are you enjoying this?"

"No," I lied.

"There's only one way you leave this family, Tall Boy," the shorter one yelled, waving the gun at his brother with an apt name. "In a fucking body bag!"

The spittle almost hit Sledgehammer in the face, but he didn't flinch. "Put the fucking gun away, Road Kill. No one is leaving the family."