I snort and look away. "Define progress."

He nods. "Give her time."

Time. Fuck, we've wasted eight years already. I ache all over and can't sit still any longer, so I haul myself out of my chair. The weather's perfect. Hate that I can't ride on a day like this. Hate being trapped and dependent on others to get around. All of it.

I'm talking to Rock when Bricks and his brood show up. Seeing him doin' the dad thing somehow makes me feel worse. He and Winter haven't even been together that long and they look like one big happy family. "Hey, brother," I call out.

His two mini-mes-Lisa and Deacon-run right for me and I brace for impact. Thankfully they stop when they take in the crutches.

Lisa plants her fists on her hips. The expression on her face is too funny. "What happened?" she shrieks.

"Broke it."

"I bet it was on your motorcycle. They're dangerous," she sing-songs back.

Rock chuckles and Lisa turns her glare on him. "They are, Uncle Rock."

"So I hear."

"What's up with you, little man?" I ask Deacon. It's a miracle the kid ever gets a word out around his sister.

Bricks catches up to them and chases them off before Deacon answers.

"His mom pitched a fit when I picked 'em up. He's been quiet all day."

"Sorry, man," Rock answers.

Winter stops long enough to say hello. She's got her fussy toddler on her hip, so she keeps moving to the backyard after she gets a quick kiss from Bricks.

Heidi and her friends race outside. She stops and gives me a big hug.

"I hate seeing you on crutches, Uncle Wrath," she says sincerely.

"Not more than I hate bein' on 'em, Heidi-bug." She doesn't even blink. I get away with callin' her bug, mainly because I think she's too scared of me to argue.

The rest of the afternoon's a pleasant blur. We eat. The kids play. The family's in one place. Trinity lets me put my arm around her for a whole five seconds.

Heidi finally gets around to opening presents, saving Murphy's for last. Already heard him yap about the black and pink helmet for days, so I know what's in the box.

"It's from me, Heidi-bug," Murphy says with a grin.

"I figured." Heidi rips into the box, shiny paper flying everywhere. "Oh, I love it! Thank you, Blake."

"We'll take our ride in a few, okay?"

Is he fuckin' serious? Axel left the group when Heidi picked up Murphy's present, but he's still within earshot.

"Yeah." Heidi smiles shyly. "I didn't know if we were still doing that."

"Of course, Bug. It's your birthday."

She runs over to her friends. Murph's gaze follows her across the yard. Jesus Christ. I can smell trouble from a mile away.

"They've been doing that every year on her birthday since she was like eight," Teller says.

I turn and realize Teller's explaining the completely-inappropriate-now ritual to Hope.

The drama's starting to bore me. I'd love to get through Trin's cake, so we can go the fuck home. Instead, Heidi races back and asks Murphy to take her for a ride now.

I raise an eyebrow at him. "We haven't done cake yet." You know, the one Trin stressed about making all week long?

Murphy slaps my arm, coming damn close to having his own arm snapped off. "We won't be gone long, bro."

After watching them leave, Hope turns to us and sighs. "Aw, that's sweet that they have a birthday ritual."

She would think that.

Sensing my irritation, she raises an eyebrow. "What?"

Why do I have to spell this shit out for her when Rock's standing right there? "He needs to knock that shit off. It ain't okay anymore."

"Wait, I thought you were team Murphy?"

After that whole exchange I had with Murphy the morning after my welcome home party, I think I'm switching teams. "Axel's a good kid. He cares about her."

"Murphy cares about her."

Did I grow a vagina and no one told me? Why the fuck am I having this conversation with her? "It's not about that. It ain't cool to have another brother's girl on the back of your bike."

Rock taps my shoulder. "We'll worry about it another day. Axel's fine. Teller's fine with it. Let it go."

Yeah, whatever.

"The cake Trin made is pretty kick-ass. She's real excited about it too. Those two better not be gone too long." Just then I hear Murphy's bike. Fucker.

Hope laughs. "You're so cute."

What? "Cute? Sugar, there's absolutely nothing 'cute' about me."

Rock tilts his head like he's worried she's got a screw loose.

Hope struggles to come up with something. "Well, I think it's cute you're all worried about Trinity being disappointed if Heidi doesn't get to see the cake she made for her," she finally babbles out.

I glance over at Rock. Control your woman, dick.

Fucker just smirks at me.

"She spent a lot of time on it, that's all, Hope."

She nods like I'm full of shit. "Sure. Okay, Wrath," she says as she backs away.

Rock watches her walk away before laughing his ass off at me. "She so has your number, brother."

"Shut the fuck up," I grumble.

A good hour later, Heidi and Murphy still haven't returned. Ice crackles through my veins when a cop car pulls up with lights and sirens. Christ, I hope Murphy didn't take a spill with Heidi at his back. Once I spot Heidi in the back of the cop car, I can breathe. Whatever this is should be interesting.

Hope flings open the garage door I'm standing next to with an irritated Rock right behind her. I can't help laughing.

"Shut up, dick," he snaps at me.

Hope's red-faced, but as soon as she spots the patrol car, she straightens up and marches down to meet them.

"The fuck?" Rock asks.

"Your house, was waiting for you to go deal with it."

"Thanks."

Rock follows Hope to the car. Me, cops, crutches? It's best I wait by the house.

"Can I help you, officers?" she calls out. I don't get much more of the conversation, but a few seconds later, Rock jogs by. "Need Teller out here now."

Teller's already on his way out to see what the commotion is. Trin's right behind him. She walks up and snakes her arm around my waist and tips her head up. "What's going on?"

"No fuckin' clue."

Z joins us and we watch the show.

Hope doesn't hide how pissed she is as she argues with the officers. She doesn't back down either. If anything the cops seem a little afraid of her.

The back door opens and Heidi's finally let out. She runs past us, tears and snot running down her face.

Trin glances at the house, then back at me. "I feel like I should talk to her, but don't know if that will make it better or worse."

"Give it a sec."

We watch Murphy step out of the car and the cops uncuff him.

What the fuck happened?

Hope's still arguing with the officers and Trinity snickers. "She's like a little pit bull."

Finally, the cops leave and Murphy ambles up the driveway. The first thing out of his mouth, "Is Heidi okay?"

"She's in the house," Trin explains.

Hope breaks out of Rock's hold. "I'll check on her." She touches Murphy's arm. "You sure you're all right?"

Murphy grins. "Yeah. I'll be better when I get my bike back."

"I'll drive you downtown," Trinity offers.

Uh, what now? Except she's really the only option that makes sense, so I keep my mouth shut. Even though she still won't let me go public, alone together things have been good. I trust my girl.

Rock shakes his head. "Jesus Christ. Never a dull fuckin moment. You wanna explain that shit, Murph?" he asks, clamping his hand on the back of Murpy's neck and walking him up the driveway.

"Empire pigs really got nothing better to do but hassle little girls?" Z spits out.

As a group, we all head inside. There's no sign of Hope or Heidi. Axel's pacing around the living room and glances up as we come in. "They're in the bathroom."

Trinity fidgets in the kitchen and I'm about to tell her it's time to go home when Hope walks in with her arm around Heidi.

We all give her a round of applause.

"It's not funny," she grouches.

"Can we please have some fuckin' cake now?" Z shouts, breaking the tension.

Trin unveils her creation and everyone admires it.

"Holy shit, Trin. You should be on one of those cake decoratin' reality shows or something." Z says.

"Why do you even know something like that exists?" I ask him and he flips me off.

We've barely finished the damn cake before Hope's cleanin' up after us.

"Let's talk," Axel says to Heidi in a lowered voice, that I don't think I was meant to hear. They leave out the back door.

Murphy watches them, then turns to Trinity and raises an eyebrow. "Can we go get my bike now?"

Motherfucker.

Trinity glances at me before answering. "Yeah-"

Hope pats Trin's shoulder. "I've got this, Trinity. Go ahead."

Thank you so much, Hope.

I catch Trinity's eye before she leaves with Murphy and she shrugs.

Godfuckingdammit.

I've got my hands wrapped around a beer bottle, shredding the label, when Hope settles her hand on my shoulder.

"Need anything?" Must look like a real miserable bastard I guess.

Yeah, I need someone else to drive Murphy downtown. "I'm fine. Thanks, babe."