The Biker's Fate Chapter 510

Melody

One year later…

"Thank you all for coming," I said to the crowd. "Puddin' would have both loved this and told me to stop making a fuss."

The crowd laughed, followed by loud hooting and applause. It was the Second Annual Edgar Puddin' Daily Foundation Benefit, held every year in Savannah, and it was a packed house. My sisters and their families were here, and we'd already sung together. I swear, I looked forward to that part most of all. They were now backstage watching the final part of the show.

"As you know, Puddin' was taken from us a little over a year ago, and we lost one of the greatest musicians and even better humans. I am so honored to have a few special guests here tonight. All the way from London." I turned stage left and smiled at Puddin's daughter, standing in the wings. "I'd like you all to meet Elli Daily, Puddin's daughter."

Elli walked onto the stage, waving as the crowd went wild.

Before I could introduce her kids, Elli's four-year-old daughter, Pippa, decided to run after her, curtsying and blowing kisses as she did. Instead of running to her mom, however, she ran to me, so I scooped her up and she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek.

The crowd went wild and let out a collective, "Awww."

Her seven-year-old son, Mason, walked out once I waved my arm inviting him onstage and I grinned. "These are Elli's amazing kids. This is Pippa, and this is Mason."

The crowd clapped again. I met Mason's eyes and he nodded so I set Pippa on her feet, grabbed my microphone, and led Mason over to Jimmy.

"We have a special treat for all of you," I announced. "Mason has agreed to sit in on bass while we play one of Puddin's songs for all of you!"

Jimmy's bass tech handed Mason a bass and helped him get set up with monitors as I continued to talk to the crowd.

"This song has a special place in my heart," I said. "It's one of the ones we all played with Train when he first started with us." I made my way to my man, and he grinned at me, leaning down to kiss me quickly as I patted his chest with my left hand, now sporting a giant rock.

Train had in fact proposed, in a huge way, after he signed every fucking piece of paper my lawyers put in front of him. It was at our rescheduled concert in Chicago, on live television in front of millions of people. It had been perfect.

Of course, I made sure Lyric read everything before he even saw them because there was no way in hell I wanted him ripped off in the prenup. My man wasn't an idiot and had his own legal counsel go through them, making a few changes of his own, which meant, we were starting our marriage on very solid ground.

Pippa walked back over to me and tapped on my leg. The crowd laughed as I hunkered down beside her. She had little protective earphones on, so I pulled one gently off her ear. "Yes, baby?"

I pointed the microphone toward her. "Can I sing Grandad's song, pwease?"

"You bet," I promised, standing, and talking into the mic. "Can we get Elli and Pippa mics, please?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Elli argued. "I'll just wait over here."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "The more the merrier."

But she was already behind the curtain waving her hands. I glanced back at Mason. "Are you ready?"

He nodded, and I grinned.

"She's a Thief," I announced, holding my hand out to Pippa. "Can you count us in, baby?"

She put the microphone to her mouth and counted, "One, two, free, four," just like her grandpa and I nearly burst into tears as the band started up the song.

As we sang the song, my mind seemed to wander to the past year.

Mama and her entire meth enterprise had been taken down by the feds. It was probably a drop in the bucket because the skin trade was an epidemic, but at least she and her cohorts were off the street.

I had arranged for Carrie to get some help and she was now in a facility out in Maine, getting heavy duty counseling, and with a foster family that Train had personally vetted. How he did that, I don't know, but I'd found asking fewer questions suited me just fine when it came to him and how he got shit done.

My contract had come to an end with Red Banana Records, and rather than renewing, Train had encouraged me to go out on my own. Something I'd never done before. Together we had cowritten the entirety of my new album, with Train pushing me to dig deeper and explore my personal feelings more than I ever did before. His encouragement as a producer not only garnered the best album I'd done to date, but Train was nominated for a Producer of the Year Grammy. Unfortunately, he lost to Jens Bjornsson, Swedish pop wonderkind who produced Stracey's last album. So, if we had to lose, at least, we lost to a friend.

Ant had wormed his way deep into our lives. In fact, he had decided not only to continue to roadie for me, but he'd also asked to prospect for the Dogs of Fire. Train took him on, and he was now a constant part of our world.

Our first date back after Chicago, Train had finally gotten his revenge on the rest of the band. He'd worked with Jerry from Centaur Guitars to replace everything on the stage with white instruments. We'd done sound check, then when we'd headed back to get ready for the show, the band's techs had done a quick replace of every instrument, microphone, cord, stand, cymbal, anything on the stage… except Train's guitar.

It was well-executed, well-played, and the rest of the band didn't know what the hell to do with themselves as they gathered up their instruments for the show. But it garnered Train street cred, and no one ever fucked with him again. Even Rod finally thawed and accepted him into the fold.

Puddin' would have loved it.

The Pelham blue guitar was now Train's. I'd surprised him with it the night he'd proposed. Jerry had in fact had a price, and that price had been advertising. I was happy to comply if it meant my man got the guitar of his dreams.

As the final line of the song was about to come up, I covered Pippa's ears with both her earphones again and yelled, "Everyone sing!"

"And throw away the fucking key!" the crowd sang together before the band came crashing down on the final chord.

Pippa let out a squeal of excitement and started jumping up and down as she clapped her hands. Oh my god, my uterus contracted with need as I smiled back at Train. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I bit my lip.

Babies were definitely next on the agenda.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mason Daily on bass, can we give him all a round of applause?"

The crowd went wild as the tech took Mason's bass and he made his way to the front of the stage.

"And Pippa on vocals."

Mason took a bow and then Pippa grabbed his hand and curtsied. Elli came out and ushered her kids off the stage as the crowd went wild.

I introduced the band, then performed two more encores before finally heading off the stage for good. It was party time.

And that party time would be at the Dogs of Fire clubhouse.

Train followed me into the venue dressing room, locking the door behind us, and pulling me into his arms. "You were fuckin' awesome, as always."

"Back atya, honey," I said, tugging on his beard. "That was so much fun."

"Don't think I didn't see you beggin', either," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Begging?"

"For one of those babies."

"Oh, yeah." I grinned. "Are you okay with me going off my pill?"

"Fuck, yeah, I am." He leaned down and kissed me. "Starting today."

I shivered. "Oh my god, okay, I'll get right on that."

"Right. We've got about twenty minutes before someone comes lookin' for us. I'm gonna fuck you in that shower, then we're gonna ride on over to the barn."

"Yes, sir."

He grinned, kissing me again, giving my bottom a smack. "Later, I'm gonna spend a little more time and take that."

"Yes," I hissed out and led him into the private bathroom.

As we prepared to celebrate the last year, I held onto the wonder of it. Even in the sadness, Train had made everything okay.

"Love you," Train said, as we walked out to his bike.

"Love you, too, honey."

He kissed me gently, then we climbed onto his bike and headed toward the club. My life forever changed and set to a new path of love, hope, and glory.