"Are you sure about this?"

"It's just dinner. It's not a big deal."

He lay on the bed while she buttoned up her shirt. He knew what she wasn't verbalising and that what she was thinking was along the lines of: Maybe not for you it isn't, but it feels like I'm being taken to meet your family. And in a way, it was true.

Morena was not like any other woman he had met, fucked or committed to. He still wasn't sure about what their relationship meant and where it was going. But he did know he wanted her with him for as long as she wanted to be. But if he wanted that, he couldn't hide her from SAMCRO. It was time he took her to meet his family.

Last week he had told her about the thing he was most ashamed of. And she had showered him with compassion. He didn't think she fully understood his life yet, but he took it as a sign that she was willing to try.

He took Bobby's advice and realised that lady pussy needed to be treated better. If he was in the area, he stopped by the hospital to check in on her. If she was at his place cleaning, he would swing by. Usually, irrespective of the location, they would end up naked.

Today he invited her out for the first time. Gemma hosted a monthly dinner for all the sons. Tig had asked her to go with him. He could tell she was equal parts surprised and delighted.

"Jesus, look at the time. Gemma will kill me if we're late." She raised a brow. "You don't know Gemma," he said in his own defence. "And, we're taking my bike."

Up until that point she had managed to ignore the machine. She groaned but followed him out the door.

Tig's bike was his pride and joy. All black and chrome with reaper detail, the machine was the fastest in the lot. He handed Morena a helmet and helped her tie the clip under her chin. He got on and settled her behind him.

"Get me there and back again in one piece and you'll get lucky tonight." He felt her place a kiss in the middle of his back before she wound her arms around his waist – really tightly.

He chuckled. "Sweetheart, you're going to have to pay up."

"Like I said, with pleasure. Just get me there alive. Tig, we could just take Daisy."

He rolled his eyes, followed by an indignant snort. "I can't be caught dead in that piece of-"

"Watch yourself, Trager," she cautioned.

He pulled away from the curb, his ribcage vibrating as he chuckled. After a while he noticed her arms didn't grip as tightly and her head wasn't tucked into his back like her life depended on it.

By the time they reached Clay and Gemma's house he was sure she'd almost enjoyed it.

He switched off the bike. "And?"

"That was... kind of exciting."

"A biker in the making."

She laughed. "I wouldn't go that far. But I wouldn't mind a couple rides with you."

He kissed her quick and hard. He had no idea he would be this anxious about bringing her. She was the first woman he'd brought to a SAMCRO dinner. Another first. The list just grew.

Inside, almost everyone was there. Tig noticed a lot of stares, raised brows and the inevitable jabs in the ribs. Christ, they weren't going to let this go. If the fucking roles were reversed, he wouldn't either. He sighed. It was going to be a long night.

"Rena, sugar. Come and give me a hug." She left his side and he watched her be all but engulfed in large arms.

"Watch out Tigger, Bobby might just make a move on your Old Lady."

It was the first time Old Lady was mentioned. He looked over at her, trying to gauge her reaction. She was talking to Bobby, so he wasn't sure if she'd even heard. His chest tightened. He couldn't believe he wanted it.

"Don't think I couldn't get her to love me," Bobby joked. Morena laughed and placed a smacking kiss to his cheek.

"Hey baby." Gemma touched his shoulder. "I see you finally took your head out of your ass."

"Yeah. I hear our boy Juice helped him out with that. Old Tiggy saw the light after a grand round of fisticuffs." Chibs raised his beer and laughed.

"You fought with Juice?" Morena was beside him and he slipped a hand in the back pocket of her jeans.

Tig groaned and the guys laughed.

"In a spot of trouble." Kozik piped up.

"It ended with an understanding," he whispered in her ear. To the guys he said, "Fuck off!"

She rolled her eyes but Tara and Jax arrived with their boys and she left to talk to her.

As the evening progressed, he relaxed. Morena was easy to talk to and got on well with everyone. Their raucous behaviour and sometimes crude humour she took in her stride and didn't seem uncomfortable or out of place. Gemma might be a problem. She kept eyeing him, her brow raised. But he didn't need her approval and fuck if he didn't care.

At the dinner table, she sat close to him, her hand on his knee, his arm across the back of her chair, unconsciously twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. She seemed to make a special effort to talk to Opie and Lyla. Her efforts touched him in unimaginable ways.

At some point in the evening she was across the room, Thomas on her lap, talking to Tara who cradled a sleeping Abel.

"You going the same route?" Dark, solemn eyes.

"I'm not looking to have kids, Opie."

"But you are looking at taking an Old Lady."

"Christ no." His chest squeezed. They both knew it was a lie. "Maybe."

"You know you tell them everything or you tell them nothing." It was a statement.

"Ope..."

In his quiet, sombre but commanding way, Opie said, "Make the changes and live your life, Tig. Proper. Donna aint coming back. Maybe if I was honest with her, things might've been different. A part of the problem was what you did. But we both know it's bigger than just you and me or Clay. It's about the club."

Opie looked at Morena pointedly and then moved away.

"Opie," the other man turned around enquiringly. "Thank you, brother."

No smile. But a nod. It was something. Tig just stood there. He felt lighter.

An arm came around his waist. "You okay? I saw you talking to Opie."

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Fine. Ready to go home?" His pulse pounded just a little faster. He knew what he had just said. Home.

She stared at him for a heartbeat before reaching up and kissing him very softly.

"If I remember correctly, I think I made a promise about you getting lucky..."