by Simone Elise
I could see it on Abby’s face; she hadn’t been sleeping, as she’d been spending every spare second she had fighting against the urge to rip Hannah’s door off its hinges.
“Like someone said, the situation isn’t black and white.” I glanced at Reaper, using his words on his wife, but not putting the blame so heavily on his side like he’d done. “Reaper reacted how any loving Dad would have when pushed to the breaking point.” I shrugged. “My dad would have reacted the same.” I wasn’t sticking up for family violence or saying it was acceptable; I was just explaining that, as Reaper had said, the situation wasn’t as black and white as some would think.
Abby glanced at Reaper and then nodded her head, her eyes returning to me. “Yeah, I think my dad would have done the same.” A small smile spread across her lips. “In fact, my dad wouldn’t put up with half the shit Kade has to put up with.”
“I know! What Hannah and Eve get away with is shocking. Like dragging Reaper into the cinema to watch chick flicks. My dad won’t look at the television unless it has a sports game on it. I literally took up an interest in sports so I could have a conversation with him about it.”
“Same! My father wouldn’t have let me leave the house wearing anything in Eve’s wardrobe!”
I laughed, nodding my head. “Good old Roach is old school.” I knew Abby’s dad better than she would properly know. “Yeah, the girls got lucky with Reaper.” I continued to smile at Abby. “Though, according to Roach, you and Kim got your way for your eighteenth party. He even mentioned something about his pub turning pink?”
Abby automatically rolled her eyes. “I had zero to do with that. Trust me, Eve takes after my sister! I had nothing to do with the pink bomb that went off in that pub. I actually spent the party in my bedroom.”
“Geez, now we know where Hannah gets it from.”
“Yeah well, Kade ended up showing up.” Abby smiled, and by the look on Reaper’s face, he had never been happier to hear his first name—which, if I remembered correctly, he hated being called by. Abby took a few steps to him and Reaper’s arms opened for her and she stepped into them.
It was like seeing a completed puzzle when you saw Abby and Reaper together. Neither of them was complete without the other.
“Maybe Kade can give Cyrus some tips on how to sit through a movie.” Abby looked at me as if she owed me something.
“Or maybe I can give the girls some tips on how to sit through a full game of sports without complaining.” The words just came off my lips. It was my automatic reaction to have my dad’s back, and it caused the always serious Reaper to laugh.
“Now that I would love to see. Eve and Hannah have some six senses when it comes to an important sports game. Sudden disaster is sure to occur.” Reaper spoke as if this happened every time he sat down to watch a game.
By the look Reaper was giving me, it was like I had gone up on some scale of respect or something.
Right now would be great timing for Tyson and Hannah to reappear but they didn’t.
“Well, there is a game on tonight, if I recall. Perfect practice for Hannah and Eve.” I shot Eve a grin, causing her to scoff. “Trust me, a football game is easier to watch than eighteen holes of golf. Or better yet, test cricket.”
“You watch golf?” Reaper asked, honestly sounding shocked.
“Yeah, I ended up taking it up; well, Alfie was too young and the boys went through a stage of refusing to go with Dad so I was dragged along. And before I knew it, I had a handicap.” I was sharing more about Cyrus’s and my relationship than I ever had. I wouldn’t lie, Cyrus was a great dad. The only dad I had ever wanted or needed.
I just usually didn’t share that we were that close with anyone.
“God, I’d rather eat carbs than play golf,” Eve scoffed. “Nothing is more boring than golf and the only good thing a golf club is for is as a murder weapon.”
“Trust me, a gun is a cheaper option.” Again it just came; it was the truth though. And it seemed me knowing that fact caused Reaper to laugh again.
The front door opened and Tyson and Hannah were back. Why was Hannah giving me that look? I narrowed my eyes at my best friend. It hadn’t occurred till now that her sudden need to see her brother had something to do with me.
Tyson casually walked in and then froze next to me, his eyes widening on his parents. What, had he never seen his dad hug his mum before? God, I would think he was used to seeing his parents all over each other.
“You ready to go, Hannah?” I twirled the keys in my hand. “We’re pushing it for time,” I reminded her.
“Yep.” She nodded her head, and then looked at Abby. “Mum, can you invite Brad and Andrea tonight?” Hannah’s words had nerves in them. “Maybe give them a better impression of what a dinner with us is like.” She glanced at her dad but then her eyes were focused back on her mum.
“Andrea and Brad broke up,” Abby spoke and I saw Hannah’s expression.
Well, what a surprise, Brad broke it off with his girlfriend. I wondered why. It took all my control to not roll my eyes and not give Hannah credit for causing it. Clearly Brad thought more of Hannah than he did his of his club girlfriend.
“Oh,” was all Hannah managed to say and honestly it did sound like that fact had surprised her. “Well, that’s no good. I really liked Andrea,” she added; well, at least she put effort into that. Because it generally did sound like she meant it.
Abby shrugged, like the reason to Brad’s actions was a mystery and it was a mystery. If a mystery was blonde with killer blue eyes and a perfectly shaped body.
“We should invite Layla’s family then,” Hannah spoke again, and this time my head snapped in her direction. Was she serious? Cyrus and Reaper weren’t on speaking terms at the moment.
My ability to mend things was only so good. I couldn’t force Cyrus to accept whatever reason Reaper was going to feed him.
“That’s a good idea,” Reaper spoke up. “I’ll make the call.” His eyes went to me, as if telling me everything was going to go smoothly. I wondered if Reaper had ever seen the side to my dad that wasn’t understanding? Because I knew that was how Cyrus was right now.
“Good, the parents will handle it. Let’s go.” Hannah pulled on my arm, and I didn’t know whether she suddenly wanted to run because her dad and her had agreed on something or if she really wanted to be on time for her appointment.
“Tyson and I are heading to school as well.” Eve suddenly wrapped her hand around Tyson’s arm. “We have missed a lot of school.”
“Are you insane? There’s like two hours left!” Tyson looked at his sister like she was a dumb blonde, but he was the dumb one because clearly Eve just wanted to give her parents the house to themselves. It took half a minute for Tyson to switch on. “Right, we should go.” Tyson finally caught onto Eve’s angle.
And just like that, Eve and Tyson were following Hannah and me out, leaving Abby and Reaper with some space to talk, because I’m just taking a stab in the dark and saying Abby didn’t take him hitting their daughter very well.
“Um, Layla?”
I was about to open my car door when Tyson’s words stopped me. I turned to look at him. “What, Wilson?” I noticed how he had picked the timing between Hannah getting in the car and Eve getting out of earshot.
“I really wanted to use your number.” He took a step closer. “Do you think we could convince our dads that you spending the night wouldn’t result in me crossing lines with you?”
Well, that was one hell of a bold angle to take. I was slightly impressed he had the balls to say that. As if I had already agreed.
“We wouldn’t have to convince them.” I leaned in closer to him. “Cause you aren’t crossing any lines with me.”
I think I’d made my point as I opened my car door and got in. My eyes went to Hannah, and suddenly her nickname of ‘Nice’ didn’t suit her. Maybe ‘Meddler’ suited her better.
***
It
took half an hour and some bourbon to get Cyrus to agree to dinner but even when we pulled up out the front he didn’t want to go in. I think it hadn’t helped that Tatz had spent all weekend filling Cyrus’s ears up on the belief that Reaper was disrespecting him on purpose.
Cyrus said he was remaining sober in what Tatz had called a ‘possible trap’. I still hadn’t had a word with Tatz to explain what had happened. Reaper didn’t do family violence. He was a ruthless man but when it came to his family he protected them and he didn’t hurt them. That was obvious to me but yet not to everyone.
I guess the reputation that came with Reaper’s name was—well, you don’t rule off him being incapable of anything.
Mum got out of the car and so did Alfie but I waited. I knew Cyrus wanted to have a word with me.
“Well, get it off your chest,” I said as soon as Mum’s door shut and it was just Cyrus and I.
“If this turns sour then you need to see Creed, do you understand?” Cyrus’s words rung in my head.
Things weren’t turning sour. Things were going to be fine. But even if things were to turn out for the worst, and Cyrus ended up dead, then I still wouldn’t reach out to Creed. Creed was the Deadly Dozen’s mother charter’s President’s son and if Cyrus had it his way, then Creed and I would already be engaged.
I was thankful when we left the same state as him. Not because I didn’t like him but because I didn’t like relationships or being tied down. Being bound to a man that was being trained to fulfill a mother charter President role—well, it meant a relationship with him would come with a lot of strings and not just tying me down but gluing me down.
Cyrus got out of the car after I gave him a nod, agreeing to his wishes, even though I wouldn’t follow through with them. It just occurred to me that those same reasons why I ran from Creed, all those strings that came with him, were the same ones that would come with Tyson.
Holy fuck, how had I not realized that till now? But I wasn’t heading into a relationship with Tyson, was I?
Chapter Twenty
Hannah
So dinner wasn’t a disaster yet, but it hadn’t really started. I hadn’t gone into complete meltdown when Brad walked in the room, though the coldness between Brad and Dad was noticeable. I would even say the coldness was shared with Cyrus, who for some reason wasn’t his normal self around Dad.
Layla said Tatz was causing trouble—clearly she had downplayed how much. I had never seen such a cold side to Cyrus—sure, he was a biker and it was natural for him to have that character in him. But usually around Dad he was relaxed and he was comfortable. But right now, he was acting like he was in enemy’s territory.
Was that what he thought of us now? Enemies? Had Tatz already done too much damage?
I saw the way Cyrus was standing a calculated distance away from Dad, Tyson and Brad, as if ready to pull his gun within a second. While Mum and Meg, Layla’s mum, made small talk, it was clear the boys needed to talk privately.
I looked at Layla; couldn’t she do something? Cyrus looked like he was one second from walking out on the tea and the brotherhood peace.
Layla rolled her eyes. She had told me not to expect miracles. Dad was living up to his name as Reaper and not giving an explanation for his behavior or lack of appearance around the club.
Dad wasn’t known for explaining his actions or giving anyone an insight into his decisions—unless you were Mum.
I had never felt more tension in the air than when Mum’s and Meg’s small talk ran out and it felt like us against them.
Layla went to walk toward me, maybe to make it seem so it wasn’t us against them but Cyrus grabbed her arm and pulled her back to his side, as if he was positive that if she wasn’t there Dad would shoot her or something. Now that I took it in, he had Alfie behind him as well, who was on his video game. Meg was also at his other side. Well, someone had to break the ice.
I was expecting it to be Dad but the look in his eyes told me he didn’t like being this disrespected in his house. It was a typical Dad thing. When he invites someone into his house it’s like him opening a side he never reveals to anyone. Everyone knew he treated this place like a fortress.
For him to let someone in—well, to him he considered it a big deal. So for Cyrus to be treating him this coldly, it sent Dad into automatic defense mode. I also noticed how Brad’s attention wasn’t really on Cyrus, but on me. It was like every time I looked at him, I found his eyes on me.
Then he would look away.
I guess that was as much communication as we were going to have tonight. I was surprised he actually came. Mum must have sweet-talked him.
“Okay, that’s it,” Meg snapped and stepped away from Cyrus. “Cyrus, if your hand itches toward your gun one more time, I’ll be personally taking it off you!”
I think everyone was surprised by Meg’s outburst. So that was where Layla got her attitude from and that tone.
“Clearly there is a misunderstanding,” Meg spoke on behalf of both of them. Here I was thinking Layla’s mum was a quiet church mouse.
Cyrus scoffed. “A brotherhood misunderstanding maybe,” he muttered under his breath. Okay, I wasn’t sure if that meant he was saying there was a misunderstanding to the brotherhood peace or if there really was a misunderstanding, because there really was one.
“Reaper wouldn’t invite us here, Dad, if he had a real issue,” Layla backed up her mum.
Cyrus’s eyes went from Layla to Meg then back to Reaper. “It’s amazing what a woman can convince you to do. I know that’s how I ended up here.” Cyrus’s eyes snapped back to Layla, indicating clearly that it was Layla’s words that had got Cyrus here.
Okay, maybe I had really put her in an awkward position. I didn’t realize things were this bad. She must have, though, yet she let me put her and her family in this position.
“It’s my fault,” I spoke up, and it was. It was all my fault. I had coaxed Dad to hit me. I had caused Dad to be away from the club. I had somehow given the impression to Tatz that what happened between Dad and I was normal when it wasn’t. Again, it was my fault that Tatz was filling Cyrus up on all this breaking-the-brotherhood business.
“Stop, Hannah.” Brad’s words stopped me from speaking again.
My eyes went to his. Couldn’t he see what I saw? This was all my fault. “No.” I ignored him and looked at Cyrus. “It is my fault and I’m not going to let someone else take the blame for the mess I’ve created.”
I could feel all the eyes on me. Cyrus was most likely wondering how a girl could cause the problems he had with the Satan’s Sons brotherhood now. A few more heartbeats passed and I was wondering how I was going to explain this without admitting I was sick with cancer and was so furious with myself that I coaxed Dad into hitting me.
“I hit Hannah.” Dad spoke before I could get my words together and just like that, all eyes went off me and on to him. “In front of your Vice President.” Dad took a noticeable step away from Tyson and Brad, as if he was making sure if there were bullets going to be fired then they would get him and not Tyson or Brad. “I’ve spent every second in this house awake since I did it,” Dad pointed into the lounge, “in that fucking room, to make sure she didn’t disappear out my front door without me begging her not to.”
I was speechless immediately and had never felt so guilty. I had put Dad through hell.
“It’s not Hannah’s fault. It was mine. I hit her. End of story.” Dad was letting me off the hook and I didn’t deserve it. He wasn’t explaining what really happened and that was me pushing him to hitting me and I wasn’t about to let Cyrus think that Dad was the type of man to hit his daughters.
“I told him I was going to starve myself to an early grave.” I was not letting Dad put himself up for slaughter. “I actually said a lot of other things to get him to snap,” I admitted. Cyrus’s eyes went from Dad to me. “After what I’d said—well, if anyone deserved to get hit, I did.” I was looking at Cyrus
and I could feel Dad about to talk, about to take the blame completely off me, and I wasn’t going to let him. “Tatz saw it and I think he may have got the wrong impression.”
Cyrus pushed Layla out of the way slightly, his eyes zoning in on me and I knew what he was looking for: evidence. So I pushed my hair to the side, tucking it behind my ear. Geez, my hair wasn’t even close to covering it. Cyrus just hadn’t seen it because I had kept my side to him till now.
Well, now was judgment time. Cyrus had the facts; was he going to believe the suspicions that his Vice President had been feeding him and think the worst of Dad or see it as what it was: a daughter getting the better of her father. A daughter who didn’t deserve the love her dad gave her so openly.
Yeah, I didn’t deserve Dad at all. I knew that. Which was why it had made it so much harder for me to try and come out of my room. I couldn’t face him when all he had done wrong was love me. And what did I do? I’d used that love he had for me against him.
“Did Layla ever tell you about her early teenage years when she was learning pole dancing?” Cyrus spoke directly to me.
I shook my head.
“I was against the sport. Still am. But her and her mother have this unnatural talent for it. When Layla was learning a higher level and when she didn’t have the upper body strength she has now, she fell a lot from the top of the pole.” Cyrus ran his hand down his beard. “Bruises and broken bones all the time. Got to the stage where she stopped going to get her bones reset. She used to say…”
“A broken bone tells a story and you learn from each break what not to do,” Layla finished her dad’s sentence.
“Anyway, how old were you, Layla?” Cyrus looked at her.
“Fifteen.”
“She was fifteen,” Cyrus nodded his head. “She was competing and was at a high level but she decided that league wasn’t good enough for her and she wanted to go to the next class.”