I start to knock when I hear Demon say, “Make sure you take care of the bitch. Don’t trust her.” Briggs and Ash come out of Demon’s office.
My eyes narrow on him and he bumps hard against my shoulder. “Where are you off to?”
“A run for Demon. You wanna come with me?” Briggs says.
“I gotta find Harlee.”
“Where the fuck you think we’re headed?” Ash snaps at me. “She told me she’d be fine, so I left, shouldn’t have fuckin’ listened to her.”
Demon’s words are all too fresh in my mind. Surely he didn’t mean his own daughter. I’ll fucking kill him. “What’s going on?”
“That dumb cunt is giving Harlee shit over taking your kid. We’re going to convince her to hand her over.”
“Goddamnit. Let’s ride.”
**
When we roll up next to Harlee she is laid back in her seat asleep. She must be damn tired if the sound of our motorcycles didn’t wake her. I park my bike and peck on her window.
She jumps up and clutches her chest. “You scared the shit out of me,” she says once she opens the door. “
“What are you doing here, Wrecker?”
“Princess, don’t you think it’s time you went back to calling me Carter? You’ve been flip flopping on my name for a week now, and you know I hate when you call me Wrecker. I’m not Wrecker to you. Never will be.”
“Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”
I crouch down by her seat as I push the door open further. “Am I pissed? Fuck yeah, I’m angry. But I love you and we will work through our shit. Right now though, we need to get our girl.”
She bites her bottom lip and I nod.
Briggs comes over when I give him the signal and we ask her everything we need to know.
“Is the kid there?”
She switches the key in the ignition and lights up the dash. “She should be getting ready to get off the bus in a about fifteen minutes.
“Here’s what’s going to happen. You pull in the driveway right before she gets off the bus and be waiting for her. The moment she steps off you put her in your car and you drive straight to your father. Don’t stop no matter what. Ash will follow you the entire way home, so you don’t get any trouble.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Are you sure you want to know?”
She nods.
“I’m gonna make sure this bitch never comes after our daughter then I’m going to come home and we are going to sit down and work through our shit together as a family. Feel me?”
She nods and I stand up. You follow us but we’ll be parking away from the house. Don’t pull in the driveway until I give you the signal.”
“What’s the signal?”
“I’ll call your phone and let it ring once and then hang up.
“Okay, Wr—Carter.”
“That’s right, baby, it’s Carter from now on.”
Harlee does exactly what I instructed her to do, when I saw my daughter get into the back seat of Harley’s car, I almost went over to her, but I have a job to do, so a family reunion will have to wait.
The front door opens as Harlee takes off out of the driveway with Ash following closely behind her. “Get the fuck back here! This is kidnapping!” The old woman screams.
“It’s not kidnapping when it’s her daughter you old cunt.” I growl at the bitch as I stalk up to her.
She points a finger at me. “You get off my property. Right now.”
I shake my head. “Yeah, that’s not going to work for me, we have some business to discuss with you.” She runs into the house, only to be stopped by Briggs who snuck in through the back. “This is gonna go one of two ways, you call up whatever lawyer you have working for you, put a stop to trying to get custody of my daughter and promise to never contact anyone about the kid again and we’ll leave you alone. Or we’ll just kill you. It’s your choice.”
I shut her front door as Briggs grabs her arm and leads her to her couch. “I’ll do no such thing. I’ve been the mother Harlee should have been to that little girl. She’s mine.”
“No, bitch, she’s mine.”
She looks at me in shock. “You’re her father?”
“Fuckin’ right I am. I won’t let you take what’s mine. What did you think was gonna happen huh? Did you think that Demon was gonna let you take his granddaughter away?”
She shakes her head. “I didn’t know he even knew about Ellie.” She rubs a shaky hand over her face. “I still can’t let you or Harlee take that little girl. What kind of life would she grow up to have? How many other bastards do you have running around out there? That’s not a life for her. She needs a loving and caring home. And I can give her that, I already have.”
I shake my head. “Well bitch, I appreciate that you were around but my kid don’t fucking need no bitch in her life that thinks she is above her mother and father.” I cross my arms and nod as Briggs stands behind her with a garbage bag and zip tie.
Bitch made her choice by not picking the first option.
Chapter 32
Harlee
I get back to the clubhouse with my daughter. Ellie is skipping as we walk inside, the whole ride here I told her all about meeting her grampa, her daddy, and the rest of our family. To say she was excited would be an understatement.
“Baby girl, simmer down,” I say to her with a smile.
“I can’t simmer, Mama, I’m just so happy,” she sasses back.
“Things are gonna be different now. You’ll always be with me. Nothing will keep us apart ever again,” I promise her.
“Hey, Princess, your dad is at his place,” Hacker calls to me as I go to step inside.
“Okay thanks!” I shout back. We head in that direction instead and ten minutes later, Ellie is practically shaking with excitement as we come up to the house.
We walk up on the porch and my old man is sitting in a rocking chair smoking a cigar.
“Smoking is bad for you,” Ellie tells him.
“So it is, kid. So it is.” He coughs and puts it out.
He holds his large hand out to her and she shakes it. “Pleased to meet you, I’m Ellie.”
“Names Roy, I’m your grampa.”
Suddenly, she flings herself at him and he pulls her into his lap hugging her neck.
“Mama, I’m so happy to have a grampa!” She shouts as she hangs off him.
When Demon looks at me he has a tear in his eye, and I must admit I am feeling weepy myself.
“You have any problems?” He questions.
I shake my head.
“Good.”
We go inside and I prepare them both something to eat while we wait for Carter to get here. Ellie hasn’t shut up. She’s been talking a mile a minute. Telling her grampa all about school and her favorite things. She wasn’t supposed to start kindergarten until next fall, but she tested higher than most of the kids currently in kindergarten, hence her starting early. I guess I can’t deny that Gladys taught her well.
I thought it would be best to let them meet at my father’s house. I have so much I need to do. I need to figure out where Ellie and I are gonna live. Will Carter want to get a place together? Will I need to sell my house? It’s all a bit overwhelming.
After he finishes a few small bites of his soup and sandwich I watch my father take an assortment of pills and vitamins. Seeing what he is going through tugs on my heartstrings. The pile of medical bills on his kitchen counter further cement that he is telling me the truth. Most of the envelopes are from the office of an oncologist. I’m finally getting my life back and learning to accept this man and I have to lose him in return. It isn’t fair.
Ellie is in the living room watching cartoons.
“Don’t look at me like that, Princess. Don’t need you feeling all sorry for yourself or me. Life is what it is. We know what’s coming, we just gotta make the best of it.”
“For you I guess that means losing yourself in women and liquor,” I tease.
“Yesterday, maybe. But now I got you and my granddaughter with me. I plan to make the most of it. Gonna spoil that girl rotten.”
I smile weakly.
In a way, I don’t want Ellie growing attached to him. She will fall in love with his wicked charm and then he’ll be gone.
“Isn’t there anything we can do? There has to be a specialist who can give you an experimental treatment,” I suggest, feeling a shred of hope.
He takes my hand and squeezes it. “Doc told me, I could do some chemo and radiation, and it could buy me a few months at best, but I’d be sick and weak. I’d rather have a few good weeks than a few more miserable ones. I’ve lived a wild but good life. I did the one thing I wanted to…I got you girls here with me. Let me enjoy it. Don’t be sad. Be happy I lived and loved a lotta women.” He winks.
I start to cry and he shakes his head. “I raised you to be tougher, Harlee. Pull yourself together. I’m gonna go watch cartoons with my grandkid.”
I nod biting back my tears until he leaves the room. My hands are shaking. He’s just giving up. That’s it. I wrap my arms around myself and let my tears fall freely.
Chapter 33
Wrecker
After dealing with the bitch and disposing of her, I’m sitting outside of Demon’s house about to meet my daughter. I’m nervous. Me…fucking nervous. What if she doesn’t like me? What if she hates me for not being around? I don’t know how to be a dad. I never had one myself. I had to be the man of the house when my piece of shit father took off when I was five. I stepped up to look after Keisha because our mom sure as fuck wasn’t going to. She was just a baby and I had to make sure she had formula and diapers. I’d walk to the corner market from our roach infested apartment and use the WIC vouchers the lady at the health department gave my mom, but she was too busy running needles in her arm to care about shit like diapers and cereal.
I did the best I could for Keisha. I made sure she graduated high school and had nice clothes. No one else was going to step in and do it. I did whatever I could to provide for her and I love my sister as if she were my own child but I did a bang up job on her. Look at her, a fucking club whore laying with old men for money.
She swears her kid is Demon’s but I don’t know. Like I said, I don’t know shit about being a dad, but I will do my damndest to do right by Ellie. I didn’t ask but I am guessing she is named after Harlee’s mom, Ellen.
I want to be so fucking mad at Harlee, but the more I sit and think about why she did what she did, the more I understand it. I don’t like it but I can’t hold it over her head if we’re going to work. And fuck I want us to work. Plus, all the shit I did to her it just wouldn’t be right for me to stay mad at her about keeping my child from me. I have no right to be pissed, she makes me crazy but I wouldn’t have her any other way.
She was made for me.
I get off my bike and see her standing in the doorway waiting for me. On her hip is our daughter and fuck me the image is perfection and what I want to always come home to.
I take the porch steps two at a time. The kid is asleep with her head on her momma’s shoulder. I lean down and kiss her forehead then bring my lips down on Harlee’s.
“She’s had a long day,” she whispers careful not to wake our sleeping angel. As I stare at my daughter, I realize she’s the spitting image of Harlee, fuckin’ hell, I’m gonna need to buy more guns.
“We all have,” I grunt and take her into my arms, smelling her strawberry scented dark hair as I hug her to my chest never wanting to let her go. I’m crying like a bitch and I don’t care. This little girl is mine and no one will ever keep me away from her again.
I follow Harlee inside and Demon is asleep in the recliner looking exhausted. The changes in him are subtle, but now that I look at the bastard, I can see the circles under his eyes and the way his clothes hang on him. He’s lost a lot of weight. I guess I see him so much I didn’t notice before now because I wasn’t really looking at him.
I take a seat on the couch and Ellie wakes up, yawning in my face. Her green eyes stare back at mine and she smiles. “Are you my daddy?” At least she has something of me in her looks, my eyes. Harlee always used to say, my eyes were my sexiest feature, and now not only does my daughter have Harlee’s looks, but my eyes. I start to wonder if maybe we can homeschool her, and keep her locked up until I’m dead.
“Sure am,” I tell her as she leans back to get a good look at me.
“Your beard is itchy.” She says as she gives me a hug that practically chokes the life out of me.
“You want me to shave it?”
Ellie leans back and looks at Harlee who shrugs. “Yes, I don’t like it. I can’t see your face.” God help me, she’s got her mother’s attitude. She pulls on the hair and I tickle her ribs as she giggles uncontrollably. I have so much to make up for. I’m going to be the man I have to be to keep my family happy.
Chapter 34
Harlee
I smile as I watch Ellie and Carter cuddle on the couch, she convinced him to watch Frozen with her. I back out of the room quietly so I don’t disturb them. Seeing them together has me feeling even more guilty for keeping them apart. They have been spending every waking moment together. For the time being Ellie and I are staying at my dad’s place. Carter is working on finding us a house. He has even been staying with us at my dad’s place, making sure he tucks Ellie in every night. He even shaved off his beard for her.
I quit my job, which made my boss pissed, he doesn’t care about me, just cares about his biggest money maker, and put my house on the market. My real estate agent thinks I should find a buyer soon, which will be great, considering I bought the house at a steal, fixed it up and now it’s worth almost double what I paid for it. I’m thinking of going back to school, but I don’t know what I want to do yet. Carter says he doesn’t care as long as it doesn’t involve anyone getting to see me take my clothes off. He’d actually prefer it if I stayed at home, but that would drive me nuts. He just doesn’t want anyone else to see me. The man is possessive but so am I; we both are going to have to get over it and just trust each other.
He wants me to stay home and pop out more kids, but I told him that won’t happen until there is a ring on my finger. Although, there is a high chance I’m pregnant right now, and I think he knows it because whenever he’s in the room with me and sees me drinking he takes it away while glaring at me. If I am pregnant, it’s too soon to tell, so a little drinking won’t hurt at this stage.
Making my way across the field and over to the clubhouse, I head to the front room bar, I spot Keisha flirting with one of the new prospects. I haven’t seen her in the week since I’ve been back. And there she is. She hasn’t changed much. Her hair is cut shorter but it’s still the same muddy water brown it’s always been. She has acquired some tattoos over the years. I still can’t believe she’s dropped so low. I thought she was better than this.
“Whores don’t come here. What are you doing here, Keisha?” I ask her, taking my place at the bar. She damn well knows the new rules around here; no whores in the main clubhouse. Apparently, there is a second clubhouse location for the whores and members to party at. This one is for the club members and family, and to talk business. Basically, the other location is just a giant whore house. As long as I never find out Carter goes there, I really don’t give a shit.
“Well, if it isn’t the MC’s mother fucking Princess.” She sneers out. “Come to take back your place? Just so you know, I ain’t giving up my spot just because your back. I’m the new fucking princess around here.”
We used to be best friends, and this is seriously how we’re talking to each other now?
“How could you, huh? Fuck my dad without protection and squeeze out another bastard sibling of mine?” I sneer back at her.
“Don’t you call my kid a bastard!” She snaps in my face.
“Fuck you. Seriously, how could you? You hated my dad as much as I did.”
“Yeah, well, wh
en your so called best friend takes off, cutting you out, it makes you do things you never thought to do. Fucking your daddy was my way of paying you back for leaving me. It was also payback for that time you sent that fucking clown to stalk me for my birthday.”
I almost forgot about that, for Keisha’s eighteenth birthday I hired one of those creepy stalker clowns to follow her around all day. I chuckle at the memory.
“Don’t laugh at me you bitch! You don’t know how much that traumatized me, I knew I had to get back at you somehow, and then a week later it was your eighteenth birthday, and you just fucking vanish. So yeah. I fucked your father!”
“So what? I left. Boo fucking hoo. You know why I left, it had nothing to do with you.”
“Yeah, I did, I understood it, but you could have kept in contact with me or something.”
I shake my head. “And then you would have told your brother.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yeah, I do. You might have been my best friend, but Carter was your brother, and you would have told him. Don’t even try to deny it. We both know you would have.”
“Whatever. I’m glad we’re not friends anymore. You hurt my brother, you kept my niece from me, his daughter from him. All this time you were hating on your dad and Carter, when you were just as bad as they were. Carter claims you are back together and shit now, but just you wait, won’t be long before he’s at the whore house fucking all the bitches in the place, and you’ll just be the bitch he comes to for dinner.”
“Fuck you!” I scream in her face. “How can you say I hurt your brother? What about me, huh? Was I not in the right to be hurt when he was cheating on me? I would do it all over again. At least I didn’t spread my legs open for an old man who only used you for a sperm dump.”
I don’t see her first punch coming, but the second one I do. Grabbing her by her hair, I smash her face into the bar top. “You know better, Keisha. No one fucking touches me.”
I keep smashing her face into the bar top until I’m grabbed from behind. “Princess, what the fuck are you doing?” My dad says as he forces me to let go of Keisha’s hair.
You Wreck Me (The Prospect Series Book 1) Page 12