by Debra Kayn
Lilly was a beautiful woman who lived passionately and let her heart lead the way. She wasn't something a man could ignore. When that heart led her right to him, he'd protect her with his life.
Chapter Nineteen
Everything happened at once. Her parents walked up the steps to Kurt's house. Ink was still missing. He hadn't come back yesterday and he'd stayed away from the club this morning. Lilly stood in the living room and texted Ink. They're here.
He replied right away. Visit with them. I'll C U soon. Shutting cell off.
Her mom, Tori, walked into the room and held out her arms. Lilly put the cell in her pocket and hugged her mom. Despite her dad's looming talk to get her to move back to Pitnam, she was happy to see them both. Being away from her parents for four months was harder than she imagined.
"I'm so happy to see you," Lilly said, kissing her cheek. "You need to tell me what's been happening in Pitnam."
"I will." Her mom smiled and stroked Lilly's hair. "Your dad...nothing will stop him from seeing you. He's missed you."
"I know." Lilly blew out her breath. "I don't want to disappoint him, but I don't want to go back to Pitnam. I'm happy here."
Her dad walked into the room, slipped out of his leather-riding jacket, and tossed it on the couch. Lilly moved away from her mom, gravitating toward her dad. He'd always taken care of her, watched over her, and loved her.
"Daddy," she whispered.
"Come here," Rain said, opening up his arms.
Lilly lunged straight for him. "I've missed you."
"Missed you too, baby girl."
Enveloped in her dad's massive arms, dwarfed by his size, she hugged his solid middle and breathed in the scent of spice and open air. There was not a day that went by that didn't remind her how proud she was to call Rain Brookshire her dad.
Not only was he present in her life, but in every aspect of her daily living. Federal Charter still answered to her dad. As the president of Bantorus MC, he'd created a safe world for her, surrounded by people she was honored to call family. Even when she wished the club rules were easier to break so she could be together, in the open, with Ink, she wouldn't change a thing about her relationship with her parents.
She raised her head without letting go of her dad. "I need to talk with you."
"Not yet. I have business to discuss with you." He kissed her forehead. "First I want to know what's involved with you managing Silver Girls."
She took his hand and led him over to the couch. "I wanted to talk to you about that too. Kurt put me in charge of managing the Sterling Building. I'll be interviewing tenants who want to stay upstairs, and making sure the MC stays up to date on any building maintenance that must be done—though it's a new building, so everything should be good for a while."
"Know that, Lilly. What about the Silver Girls?"
"I'm running the books, handling schedules, ordering outfits, and making sure everyone gets along with no problems. I've hired Shari to instruct the dancers, and business is good...better than I expected." She scraped her teeth over her lip. "Kurt had me hire four new girls from Moroad MC, and they started dancing a few weeks ago. I'm concerned though, because I remember seeing the Moroad president in Pitnam. Black hair down to his shoulders and walks with...I don't know. It's not a limp, but a controlled step like he has a hurt leg."
"Cam. I know him." Rain hooked the back of her neck and squeezed. "Is he bothering you?"
"No. He asked about you though." She shrugged. "I found it weird that he was at Cactus Cove years ago and now he's in Federal running the Moroad MC. Kurt never said why he wanted the women hired on to Silver Girls, but I think it's strange."
"It's all good. Kurt cleared it by me first." Her dad let go of her and leaned back against the couch, reaching for her mom's hand. "Moroad keeps to themselves. I've asked for their help in the past when we dealt with Los Li and vice versa. They have ways of getting information that we're unable to gain ourselves. There's no bad blood between us, but I want you to keep your distance. As long as Kurt's got a handle on their status, everything will be okay."
"Okay." She raised her brows. "Then I'll let Kurt deal with it."
Her mom smiled at her dad, giving him the raised eyebrow will wonders never cease look she knew so well when she was the topic of their conversation. "Our daughter's growing up."
Lilly laughed. "I'm not stupid. I know who to go to for information. Kurt doesn't tell me anything, so I can't really find out this stuff, unless I ask Dad."
"Always knew Kurt was smart. You need to stay out of club business." Her dad smiled when Lilly slapped his leg. "Are you done talking now?"
Neither one of them gave her any clue on why they were here nor if her mom informed her dad about her relationship with Ink. She nodded and glanced at her mom. Today's talk was not going to be easy, because whenever her dad finished what he wanted to tell her, she was going to upset him when she brought up Ink's name. They had to understand that she wasn't going to leave him.
"Your mom wants to set up a mobile coffee shack in Federal," her dad said.
"Really?" She looked at her mom. "You could've told me this over the phone."
Her mom ran three of the shacks in Pitnam and had never talked about spreading out to other states before. Lilly waited for her to say something, but her mom only looked at her dad.
"Okay, what's up?" she asked, knowing she hadn't heard everything yet.
"I want you to quit working for Kurt and manage the shack," her dad said.
She stood up. "No way."
"You know everything there is to running a small company and have worked for your mom since you were sixteen." Her dad stood and continued. "I didn't raise you to spend all your energy making sure men got their rocks off."
"Unbelievable," she muttered, walking over to the window. "You both know I loved the experience of running the coffee shacks in Pitnam, but I didn't go to college to serve coffee—"
"Watch what you say," Rain growled.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to face her mom. "I'm sorry, mom. I don't mean it as an insult."
Her mom walked over to her and held her hands. "I know. We love you. Your dad only wants what is best for you."
"Right now, managing the Sterling Building and the Silver Girls is bigger than anything I've done. The money is good and most of all, Kurt has given me freedom to improve and expand. I haven't said anything to him or the girls, but now that the Moroad women are working for me, I want to open Silver Girls to five days a week. There are other improvements that I want to slowly bring in too," Lilly said.
"No." Her dad crossed his arms.
"Dad." Lilly squeezed her mom's hand for support. "You can't ask me to quit or order me to work for you."
Her dad continued to gaze at her. Her mom moved closer. She waited, because no one, not even her dad, was going to talk her out of doing what she wanted with her life. There were more important things happening that she hadn't mentioned yet. Once Ink talked to them, her parents would have no more say in what she did for a living. Ink would be the only man she answered to, and he fully supported her working for the club and managing Silver Girls.
"No, honey, he's not going to ask you to quit," her mom said.
"Jesus Christ," her dad mumbled, walking to the other side of the living room. "Tell me when I started letting women run my life. If I say she quits, she quits. I'm the president of Bantorus MC. I'm not going to have my daughter going against my orders."
Her mom looked at her and shook her head slightly, leaving Lilly's side to join Rain on the other side of the room. Lilly watched her parents whisper, and finally her dad threw his arm around her mom and patted her butt.
Her heart raced, because if anyone could make her dad change his mind, it was her mom. "Please, Dad. I love my job. I really do. You know I'm an adult, and you've taught me to stand on my own two feet. I want your support, even if you're unhappy with my decision."
"Fine. No coffee shack in Federa
l," her dad said, not meeting her eyes. "Your mom changed her mind."
Lilly crossed her arms, her thoughts twirling in her head at the rapid change, thinking her parents were crazy. "Mom never wanted to expand the business, did she?"
Her mom shook her head. "It was your dad's idea."
"All right, both of you knock it off." Her dad leaned down and kissed her mom. "You owe me."
"Tonight, honey," her mom whispered, loud enough Lilly caught what was passed between them.
Lilly rolled her eyes and joined her parents, hugging them both. While she'd been concerned about having to quit, there was never any real fear her dad would go to Kurt and motion for her job to go away. Behind the bolster and bossiness, her dad was a business man as much as he was a biker. Lord help her, she'd learned from the best.
"Love you both." She straightened. "I'm also glad you're here. Now that I'm living in Federal, we'll have to work out a way for you to come and visit more often. It's going to be hard for me to get away once I take Silver Girls to a full time job."
Rain grunted. Her mom smiled. "We'll work something out. Don't worry."
The doorbell rang.
All her good feelings fled faster than it took her to change her dad's mind. She backed away. "I'll get the door. Kurt's upstairs with Risa trying to make her nap."
She hurried out of the living room and entered the foyer. Her body warmed and her heart raced at the sight of Ink's head looking through the window on the door. She had a manic thought to rush outside and sweep him away, and forget about talking to her dad. She'd already disappointed him once. What Ink was going to ask would push her dad into having a heart attack.
"Hey," she whispered, stepping aside to let him in.
He studied her, keeping his distance. "You okay?"
"Yeah." She waved her hand, keeping her voice low. "Everything's cool. I'll explain later."
"Right," he mumbled.
She moved closer. "Are you still going to talk to my dad?"
His shoulders relaxed and he put his lips on her ear. "Whatever happens, Ace. You're in my bed tonight. Whether it's in the club or we get a hotel room in town, you'll be on the back of my Harley and everyone will know you're my woman."
"Okay," she said, caressing his chest. "I can't wait. It's finally happening."
Just like that, he'd put her world back to perfect. She moistened her lips and inhaled. This was it. Everything she'd struggled with for years to keep Ink in her life would pay off. She loved him more than she thought possible. He was the only person she wanted. She'd willingly trade her job of managing the Silver Girls if it meant her and Ink could be together.
"Lilly?" her mom called from the living room.
"Coming." She held out her hand for Ink.
He stepped away. "I'd rather have my hands free, Ace."
Without questioning him, she led him into the other room. "It's Ink."
Her mom moved forward and hugged Ink. She moved beside her dad and clasped her hands together, wanting to say something. A warning or explanation of why Ink was here, but she knew Ink wanted to do this on his own and she had to respect that. He'd never stand to have a woman protect him from what he considered a man's responsibility.
"It's good to see you, Ink." Her mom held his shoulders and smiled up at him. "How have you been?"
"Good." Ink's mouth curved into an awkward smile, and he stepped around Lilly's mom.
Ink approached her dad, holding out his hand. "Good to see you, Prez."
Rain glanced at Lilly, back to Ink, rocked back on his heels, casting his eyes to the ceiling. Every muscle in Lilly's body seized. She reached out for him, knowing what was going through his head, but she was too late.
Her dad hauled off and punched Ink in the face, knocking him to the floor.
"Dad!" She fell to her knees beside Ink and looked up accusingly at her dad. "What are you doing?"
Her dad lifted his boot and kicked Ink in the ribs, eliciting a groan from Ink. Lilly screamed in shock, falling out of the way.
Ink pushed himself to his feet, grunting in pain, and coughing to catch his breath. She scrambled to her feet and stood between him and her dad.
"Stop." She fisted Ink's vest, trying to keep him away from her dad's anger. "We'll leave. We'll go—"
"You're not going anywhere," her dad said behind her.
Ink grasped her around the waist, lifted, and set her to the side out of the way. He kissed her hard. There was nothing gentle or caring about it. "Ace, back up."
Stunned that he'd kiss her in front of her parents, she could only do what he asked. She was also a little thrilled, because never in her wildest dreams had he ever fought for her out in the open.
"Prez, I respect you and the club. But, any man that throws a punch near Lilly, no matter if it's her old man or an MC brother is going to get his ass kicked." Ink stepped forward and swung.
The pop from Ink's fist hitting her dad's cheek shocked her as much as it did her dad. Her mom wrapped her arms around Lilly's waist, pulling her away from the fight. Kurt's thunderous stampede down the stairs, the fisted hits coming from the living room, and the grunts coming from Ink and her dad filled her ears. All she could do was watch her life crumble and die right in front of her. There was no way her dad would give his permission for Ink to be with her now.
Chapter Twenty
Rain lay on his back in Kurt's front yard. Ink laid four feet away, holding a towel to his nose, and aching everywhere. He wasn't sure, but it felt like he had a broken rib, because each breath struggled to come.
Kurt stood between them, arms crossed, and frowning. "You both owe me a thousand bucks for breaking the flat screen television and the coffee table."
"Seniority rules. Let him pay." Rain rolled to his side, groaning as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
Not to be out done by someone twice his age, Ink crunched his stomach muscles and sat up too. "You threw the first fucking punch, Prez."
Rain lifted his brows, but only one eye opened. Ink found satisfaction that he wasn't the only one marked from the fight. His split lip and broken nose would heal, and after a few days, he'd be able to breathe a little easier. Lilly's dad would feel the damage a lot longer.
He felt no remorse for fighting with someone Rain's age, because the man was strong. There'd been many times in the past where he'd witnessed Rain kicking someone's ass. He wasn't someone you turned your back on.
"You want to discuss what happened in my house when my pregnant wife is upstairs resting? It sounded like a God damn war downstairs," Kurt said.
Ink remained silent. He hadn't even begun to explain why he was here, and believed either Kurt or Lilly tried discussing what was going on and clued Rain in before he had a chance to come clean.
Rain muttered. Ink looked at him, not understanding what he said. "What?"
"You looked at her," Rain said, spitting blood on the ground.
"I'm not blind." Ink pulled the towel away from his nose. "Every man looks at Lilly. She's beautiful."
Rain tilted his head and squinted at Ink. "You looked at her, brother."
His president's meaning was clear. Ink met his gaze and nodded. "I did."
"I'll kill you," Rain said.
"Go for it." Ink remained sitting. "When you're done, you'll have to face your daughter and explain why you killed me. I'm not sure she'll be as understanding as I am. I get that she's your baby girl, but she's the woman I love."
"Fuck," Rain spit out. "I told you years ago that you couldn't have her."
"Tried to walk away, Prez." Ink sniffed and groaned when his nose throbbed clear up into his skull. "I sent her away so many times, I lost track. She never once gave up on me, even though I gave her every excuse to hate my guts. Pretty soon, I started seeing her for a woman with a heart of gold and not a little girl with a crazy idea of what love was all about. You think I could turn that kind of attention off?"
Rain pushed himself to his feet and walked away. Twenty paces and he
turned around and came back. "She's just like her mother."
Ink kept his opinion to himself. Now was not the time to agree or disagree with Rain. Nobody was allowed to talk about Tori, and he was already on the verge of losing everything, including his life.
"Look, I know you don't think I'm good enough for Lilly, and I know I'm not. I already asked you if I could claim her four years ago, and you shot me down."
"She needed to go to college," Rain said.
Ink nodded. "I would've put her through school."
"She needed to experience the real world. All she knew was the club, the lifestyle." Rain exhaled loudly. "She's twenty two years old, you son of a bitch. You're twelve years older and have a lifetime of experience under your vest."
"You're older than Tori by twelve years," Ink said.
"Fuck you." Rain's fist balled at his side. "Keep my woman out of this. I'm talking about my daughter."
"Ask Lilly how long she's loved me, and I think you'll find the answer you're looking for." Ink stood, holding his ribs. "You can hate the idea of me having your daughter, but I've already told you I love her. I've always loved her."
Rain stepped in front of him. "Have you told her that?"
"No." He dropped his arm to his side. "I wouldn't, because I wanted your permission first. I'm not going to hide anything from you. I've had Lilly, more than a few times over the years. I broke club rule, and if you want to strip my patches, I get it. I'm not making any excuses any more, but I'm not walking away from her. I walk out of the club, and I'm one hundred percent sure, your daughter is walking away with me."
Rain ran his hands through his hair, the tension coursing through him radiated over to Ink. He had no doubt Rain wanted to kill him, and the only thing stopping him was he knew Ink was right. Rain wasn't stupid. He could try to shrug off Lilly's crush as something she'd get over, except she hadn't gotten over it in ten years. Ink had distanced himself from Pitnam and temptation by coming to Federal. Lilly had followed him.