by Harley Wylde
“Yes, you are.” She grabbed my beard between her teeth and tugged.
“Did you just billy goat me?”
“Yep.”
Life with Mei was going to be interesting. And I couldn’t have been happier to see her this way. She was smiling and looked genuinely content. So I probably shouldn’t bring up her father again. I’d just sneak off to go visit the man without telling her. I nearly snorted at myself. Yeah, even I wasn’t stupid enough to think she wouldn’t be pissed over that one.
“Not to ruin the mood, but I think I need to shower and dress, then head over to the prison.”
“Why?” she asked, taking a step back.
“I need to talk to Blades, Mei. He needs to know about you, and that you’re mine. And I need him to tell what he remembers so we can unravel this whole fucking mess.”
She sighed and nodded. “Fine. We’ll shower and head over there.”
“I didn’t say you had to go with me.”
“No, you didn’t. I honestly don’t know if I want to meet him. I’m just worried if I don’t go, he might find a way to have you murdered before you make it home, and I’ve grown rather attached to you.” She glanced down. “Especially certain parts of you.”
I smiled and pulled her into my arms again. “I like this side of you, Meiling. Don’t ever change.”
Chapter Eleven
Meiling
I’d never been to a prison before, and I wasn’t too thrilled over the experience. Thankfully, I hadn’t set off the metal detector, or whatever the hell that thing was I had to walk through. Dingo wasn’t so lucky. He’d had to strip down to his underwear in another room so the guards could make sure he wasn’t sneaking anything in. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh at the expression on his face, or go kick their asses for putting him through that.
We’d been shown to a room with nothing more than a table and two chairs inside. Dingo had insisted that I sit and he stood behind me. A tall man with broad shoulders and white hair came into the room. The prison orange didn’t do much for him, but I was grateful for the shackles around his wrists and ankles. The guard fastened the chain between his wrists to a ring on the table, then stepped out of the room.
Blades eyed Dingo, his gaze resting on the cut. “So, one of you finally came to see me. Been a while. No one’s ever brought a pretty woman with them, though.”
Dingo put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed.
“You’re Robert Young?” I asked.
“Don’t go by that name anymore. I’m Blades. Who’s looking for Young?”
I took a breath and knew that I needed to do this. I could let Dingo lead, but if this man was truly my father, then I wanted to hear it from him.
“I’m Meiling Shan Young.” I paused. “Your daughter if my birth certificate is correct.”
Blades fell back against the metal rails on his chair. “Fucking hell.”
“So you do know who I am?” I asked.
“Yeah. Told your mother not to bring you here. Why did she let you come now?” Blades asked.
“She didn’t. I don’t even remember her,” I said.
His gaze shot to Dingo. “Are you responsible for her being here? How she’d get mixed up with the club? I told Xi-wang to keep away from the Devil’s Fury.”
“We don’t know yet what happened to Xi-wang. Shortly after you were locked up, your daughter went into foster care and her mother vanished without a trace,” Dingo said. “As to why she’s with me… she’s my wife.”
Blades shot to his feet. “Like fuck she is!”
“Sit down, old man,” Dingo said. “She’s been accepted by the club as my ol’ lady, and we’re legally married. Besides, she could be carrying your grandchild.”
Blades looked ready to explode, but he sat. Slowly.
“Why the fuck are you here?” he asked, his attention focused on Dingo.
“We need some answers. Mei doesn’t remember her mother, and never knew about you. In fact, her birth certificate was buried and a false one put in its place. You tried to keep her a secret, but it’s time to talk.”
Blades looked away, then gave a jerky nod. “Fine. I’ll tell you what I know, then you explain what’s really going on.”
“I can live with that,” Dingo said.
“I met Meiling’s mother when she was on spring break. Prettiest woman I’d ever seen. And far too damn young for me. She was only nineteen to my forty-four.” He got a far-off look in his eyes and smiled faintly. “I kept an eye on her, but didn’t approach her until she needed me.”
“Needed you?” I asked.
“Some guys were hassling her. I stepped in and sent them on their way, with a few broken ribs for their trouble. She looked at me like I was some kind of hero. After that, we spent every second of that week together. When it was time for her to return to school, she promised to keep in touch.” His gaze scanned my face. “You look a bit like her, except you got my red hair and green eyes.”
I glanced at his hair and he chuckled.
“I’m sixty-two, darlin’. The red faded long ago.”
“If my mother left, how is it you signed paperwork acknowledging I was your daughter?” I asked.
“She came back. Dropped out of school and came running straight back to me. When she told me she was pregnant, and the baby was mine, I knew I’d stay by her side. Well, as much as I could. Club life would have chewed her up and spit her out. I kept her in an apartment in town and saw her as much as I could while keeping up appearances.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You mean you fucked around on her. Typical.”
“Now don’t go getting your feathers ruffled. Only woman I ever loved was your mother, but the Devil’s Fury was a rough place back then. I’d imagine it still is. She wouldn’t have survived there, and if I’d stopped fooling around with club pussy, my brothers would have been suspicious.”
I wasn’t sure I bought that excuse, but whatever. I motioned for him to keep talking.
“The day you were born was the happiest of my life. But one look at you and I knew I couldn’t let you anywhere near the Devil’s Fury. That wasn’t the life I wanted for you. Your mom was smart. Really fucking smart. If you were anything like her, I knew you’d do well in college and make something of your life. Better than being a biker’s woman or a club whore.”
Dingo’s hand tightened on my shoulder, but I patted his fingers, letting him know I was fine. And I was.
“What happened after that?” I asked.
“I did the best I could, but like I said, different type of club back then. Or so I hope if you’re mixed up with them. I went on a job that went south. People died and the finger was pointed my way. A witness saw me covered in blood fleeing the scene. I got hauled in and sent to prison. Saw your mom once after that and told her to never come here again.”
I slumped in my seat. “So you don’t know what happened to her, or how I ended up in foster care?”
“Nope. I never even heard that she was missing. No one ever came and asked about you, but you were mine legally. If someone finds out what happened, I sure the fuck want to know.”
“Outlaw is working on it,” Dingo said. “He’s a hacker for the club, and has some friends who are even better at it than him. What we’ve gathered so far is that the social worker in charge of Mei’s case was dirty. I don’t know yet if it was a blackmail issue or what, but the files on Mei were falsified and she was placed in a…” Dingo’s words dried up at that moment, and I knew why.
I looked up at him before meeting my father’s gaze. “He doesn’t want to tell you.”
“Did they hurt you?” Blades asked.
“They made her into a whore by the age of fourteen,” Dingo said, his voice deep and husky. He couldn’t hide the pain it caused him to say that.
Blades’ hands fisted on the table, and his face turned a startling shade of purple. He roared out his rage and stood so fast his chair kicked over. The man must have been strong as an ox because he
ripped the chain free of the table and proceeded to put a dent in the metal surface as he pounded his fists against it. The guards rushed in, but Dingo held up a hand, cautioning them to stay back.
“Give him a minute,” Dingo said.
“No. Fuck that shit.” Blades looked at me before lifting his gaze to Dingo. “I didn’t fucking kill those people. You find out who did, get me out of here, and I’ll handle the men who hurt my daughter.”
“I didn’t hear that,” one of the guards muttered. “Did. Not. Fucking. Hear. It.” He walked out, dragging the other one with him.
“Are you trying to say you’re innocent?” I asked.
Blades gave a bark of laughter. “No, daughter. I’m far from innocent, but I didn’t commit the murders I was accused of. If Outlaw can find out what happened with your situation, then maybe he can help with mine. When I got locked up, there wasn’t someone capable of digging up that kind of dirt, not within the club, and certainly no one who gave a shit about me. You get me out of here, and I’ll make sure they all fucking pay.”
“On one condition,” Dingo said.
“What’s that, boy?” Blades asked.
“You give your blessing for me and Mei to be together.” He cleared his throat. “I love her, and I will love and protect any children we have together. If we’re ever blessed with any.”
He loved me? My eyes went wide and I looked up at him. He loved me, and he decided now was the time to say something?
“You’re an idiot,” I said to my husband. “But I love you too.”
He grinned down at me.
“Fine. You have my blessing, as long as you make her happy. Fuck up, and I’ll God damn bury you where they’ll never find your body,” Blades said.
“If I fuck up, you have my permission to feed me to the pigs.”
Blades hesitated. “We have fucking pigs?”
Dingo burst out laughing. I hadn’t seen a single pig at the compound and I had a feeling it was just a turn of phrase. It was, right? People didn’t actually… No, I didn’t want to know. This was one of those “ignorance is bliss” moments.
Blades eyed me. “I know I’m a stranger to you, girl, but I’m your dad. I get out of here, and I’ll make things right for you. I don’t expect you to call me anything other than Blades, until I’ve earned the right to be called anything else.”
I didn’t know what to make of him. He certainly wasn’t anything like the father I’d always dreamed of, but he wanted to protect me, and wasn’t that what a dad was supposed to do? Protect his kids?
“We’ll have to agree to disagree,” I said. “Daddy.”
The old man cracked a smile, and I could have sworn I saw a bit of moisture in his eyes, but he sobered quickly and focused on my husband again. Some sort of silent communication passed between them. Next thing I knew, Dingo was leading me out of the room, but I broke free. It was against the rules to get anywhere near the prisoner, or so we’d been told, but since we seemed to be bucking the authority anyway, I ran to my father and threw my arms around him. He hesitated only a moment before hugging me back.
“Love you, Meiling. Always have,” he said, his voice gruff. “Even if I can’t get out of here, remember that. You were wanted, and you were loved. Never doubt it for a moment.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
I broke free and returned to Dingo’s side. He gave me a slight smile before leading me from the room. After giving the guards a nod, we walked down the corridor and made our way out of the prison. We’d taken the club truck again. Dingo insisted, feeling that it wasn’t safe for me to be on his bike, and maybe he was right. He’d pointed out that I’d be an easy target out in the open. I’d get to ride with him soon enough, I hoped.
“Can Outlaw really get him out of there?” I asked.
Dingo sighed and pulled out his phone. He called the man in question and put it on speaker.
“Before you say anything, know that Mei is right here and can hear you,” Dingo said when Outlaw had picked up.
“Good to know. I’m assuming this isn’t a social call, then?” Outlaw asked.
“We just saw Blades. He claims he didn’t murder those people and wants to know if you can dig anything up that might clear his name. If we can get him out, he said he’ll handle whoever is responsible for hurting Mei. He was fucking pissed when he heard what she’d been through, and I just gave him a broad generalization without the details,” Dingo said. “If he knew about those videos, or exactly what they’d done to her, I think he might kill everyone inside those walls just to get out and make things right for her.”
Outlaw whistled. “That’s a tall order. I mean, we’re talking about something that happened what? Eighteen years ago? Even if there was camera footage from back then, which is not a guarantee, then it probably would have been erased or vanished in other ways by now. They didn’t upload that shit to the precinct digital files so I could access online. It would be in a box, probably gathering dust in some evidence locker.”
I didn’t like hearing that. At all. “Please, Outlaw? I know we haven’t officially met or anything, but I just met my dad for the first time in my life. I want to get to know him, to get to hug him whenever I want. Will you at least try to find something to clear his name?”
I heard a muttered “dammit” on the other end of the line and he heaved a sigh. “You don’t play fair. I never could say no to a woman in need.”
“Does that mean you’ll help?” I asked.
“Not me, but hang on. I’m going to conference in the others,” Outlaw said.
“Others?” I asked Dingo.
“He means the other hackers. He’s the one for our club, but a few others we’re friendly with have their own version of Outlaw. The Dixie Reapers actually have a husband and wife team who are supposed to be the best in the country if not the entire world.”
Well, that sounded promising. Assuming they would actually help. I didn’t know if they’d care about an old man locked up in prison for murder. But that old guy was my dad, and until I’d seen the way he reacted, heard how much he’d wanted me, I hadn’t realized that I wanted, and needed him, in my life. And not behind bars. Maybe he wasn’t the nicest guy, and maybe he really was a killer, but I deserved the chance to get to know him and make those decisions for myself. Like Dingo had said. Not everything was always black-and-white. Maybe Blades fell into the shades of gray category.
“Dingo. Mei. I’ve got Wire, Lavender, Shade, and Surge on the line,” Outlaw said.
“Hey, guys. And lady,” Dingo said with a smile. “We need your help. Meiling’s dad is none other than Blades. He said he was set up eighteen years ago and has been serving time in prison for some murders he didn’t commit. He asked us to clear his name so he can…”
“So he can kill everyone who ever hurt me,” I said. I looked over at Dingo and shrugged a shoulder. It was true. Why sugarcoat it? “While I don’t condone murder, I’m thinking this time it might be okay. We’re talking about rapists and anyone involved in putting me into their hands.”
I heard a round of cussing that sounded like it came from every single one of them. Even the woman. Lavender? I waited to see what they’d say. If they didn’t agree to help, then I didn’t see how Blades would ever get out of prison. Murder was kind of a lifetime thing, right? No parole?
“Outlaw, send us what you have,” Lavender said. At least, I assumed it was Lavender since she’d been the only woman introduced. Unless someone else was listening.
“You know there’s no way to access anything that will exonerate him,” said another voice.
“I already told them that, Wire. But they want some help and I figured if all of us worked together maybe we could find a solution.”
“You know, we might not be able to find evidence to clear his name,” said Lavender, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t clear his name.”
Um, what did that mean? Dingo seemed as puzzled as me, as he stared at the phone with his brow furrowed. There was
some whispering that sounded like it might be Wire and Lavender. The others remained pretty quiet.
“So, we’re going to go do a thing,” Wire said. “And that’s as much as you need to know about it. Just forget you ever said anything about Blades. Work on that other shit.”
I heard a click and stared at the phone. Did he just hang up? And what the hell was that about?
“Um, so it seems Wire and Lavender are going to handle your dad,” Outlaw said. “Once the two of you hang up, I’ll talk to Surge and Shade, and we’ll see what else we can find on Mei’s issue. It sounds like we might need to work fast. And don’t even ask what that was about because I’m not telling you. The less you know the better.”
“I’m starting to think the ‘ignorance is bliss’ is going to be my mantra from now on,” I said, earning laughter from the men on the phone. “How do the club women cope?”
“You’d have to ask them,” Outlaw said. “And I’d get home quick. I saw Badger chasing after Adalia. Looked like she was heading your direction. On foot.”
“Shit,” Dingo muttered before hanging up and starting the truck.
“Why is she on foot? And why is it a problem she’s coming to our house?” I asked. “I’d love to meet someone else in the club, who doesn’t have a penis.”
He snorted. “Cute. The problem is that Adalia could have driven to the house, or asked Badger to bring her by. If she’s walking and he’s going after her, then he told her to keep her ass at home and she didn’t listen.”
Well, all righty, then. It seemed the men of the Devil’s Fury were all a bit overbearing when it came to their women. Dingo was nice, and I knew he was trying to keep me safe, but I could tell that once he realized I wasn’t a porcelain doll he’d probably pull the caveman routine on a regular basis. Not that I’d minded the way he exerted his dominance over me earlier. I’d never been so turned on.
I knew he’d been worried I’d freak the hell out, or just check out completely. Honestly, I’d been a bit concerned myself, but I knew if I didn’t at least try, then I’d never feel whole again. I needed to know that I could handle him, handle being… normal. Or whatever the fuck normal was. I just knew it wasn’t me. But then, anyone who’d lived through the hell I’d survived would have some scars, either physical, emotional, mental, or some combination of the three. All things considered, I thought I was doing amazingly well. Or maybe I was just suppressing everything and pretending that it was all fine.