by Levine, Nina
Her voice wobbled on her next question. “What if you’re not my dad?”
There wasn’t anything in life quite like watching your child struggle. It broke me in ways I’d never been broken. The urge to protect kicked in fiercely, and I pulled her into my arms. I wanted nothing more than to tell her it wasn’t fucking true, that it would all work out. But I knew that wasn’t what she was looking for. She needed me to be the strong one here, to be the one she could count on to know what to do if everything turned to shit.
With one arm tightly around her and a hand smoothing her hair, I said, “If we get to that point, we’ll deal with it together. I will never walk away from you. Ever. I will be right here, still your dad as far as I’m fucking concerned, ready to be in your life however you’ll let me.”
She blinked a few times before nodding and resting her head against my chest. She didn’t try to move out of my hold, and I didn’t give her the option. We held each other for a long time, taking the strength and comfort we both desperately needed. Life sure as shit had a funny way of bringing people together.
Chapter 37
Monroe
Dad’s eyes bulged. “You’re moving in with him?”
I put down the tea towel I held and gave my father a look. “Yes, and I don’t want you going on about that all night, okay? I’ve invited you for dinner so you can all start to get to know him.”
“You’ve just met the man, Monroe. Why on earth would you think it’s a good idea to move in with him so soon?”
We’d been going back and forth about Hyde for a good ten minutes while Dad drilled me before he arrived for dinner. Both of us had gotten worked up, but this question calmed me down. I smiled at him and gave him the best answer I had. “Because I just know.”
Dad frowned. “You know what?”
“That he’s the one.”
Dad drew a long breath. I knew it was one of his stalling moves when he grew frustrated. I hated it when we argued like this, but I wouldn’t back down from this disagreement.
Mum placed her hand on Dad’s arm as she joined in. She knew he was reaching his breaking point, too. “What makes you so sure, honey?”
“I know you just see his roughness and what he shows the world, but there’s a whole other man underneath all that. He’s thoughtful, and caring, and giving. He accepts me for who I am and doesn’t try to change me. He puts up with my demanding side and doesn’t complain. He listens to what I have to say about things. He stands up to me and fights me on the things that are important to him. He admits when he’s wrong, and he tries to be a better man. He’s a good dad. And he gives me the fireworks I’ve always wanted.” There were so many other little things about Hyde that I loved. And I knew there would be a million more things I’d discover along the way. People could think we were moving way too fast, but they didn’t know what we already had, and they sure as hell didn’t know what was in my heart.
Mum’s face lit up while I shared my thoughts. “I like him, Col. I saw the way he made Monroe sparkle. I think you should look for that tonight rather than focusing on Hyde so much. Look at your daughter and see that this man makes her feel good about herself. At the end of the day, it’s not whether we like him so much as how he makes Monroe’s life better by being in it.”
Dad looked at her. “You just quoted your mother, didn’t you?”
Mum nodded. “Remember how much my father disliked you when you two first met? That’s how you’re acting now. Think about that before you give Hyde too much hell tonight.”
He shook his head. “You’ll be the death of me, woman.”
She grinned. “I do my best, darling.” I wanted to high five my mother, but a knock at the front door distracted me.
Butterflies swarmed in my belly.
Hyde.
Today had been a write-off at work thanks to him. I’d planned on tackling tax stuff but hadn’t been able to concentrate after he’d bossed me into moving in. Not that he really had to do much bossing. I just let him think he did.
His intense gaze captured mine the minute I opened the door. I was surprised to find him on his own.
“Where’s Charlie?”
His hand curled around my waist, and he pulled me outside. Drawing me close, he bent so he could speak against my ear. “She asked me to drop her at the service station around the corner, so she could buy some drinks, which means I’ve got you alone for a good few minutes. I’ve been thinking about those lips of yours all fucking day.”
“I like your thinking.” I really freaking liked it. I needed this time with him before venturing back inside where my father lay in wait.
He captured my mouth in a kiss that took my breath away. “Fuck, sugar, you make a man wanna dedicate days to you.”
Happiness hummed through me. I loved his desire for me. Looping my hands around his neck, I hit him with a sexy smile. “How about dedicating something else to me?”
“Why do I suddenly feel like I need to be careful about what I agree to here?”
“I have no idea.”
He ground himself against me. “Okay, hit me, but I’m not saying yes until I know what it is.”
I pouted. “You’re no fun.”
“Spit it out, Roe.”
“Well,” I started, “I was thinking it could be fun if you got your cock pierced.”
He stared at me like I had two heads. “You’re fucking shitting me, right?”
“No. The sex would be so good.”
“That’s easy for you to say when you’re not the fucker who has to stick a fucking hole through your dick.”
Even though he was grumbling, I knew I had him. It would take me some time to coax him, but he was using the tone that told me he’d do anything for me.
My sister walked up my front path. “Did you just say you’re sticking a hole through your dick?” she asked Hyde.
“Fuck no,” he said, his eyes firmly on mine still. “Your sister is trying to convince me, though.”
“You won’t regret it,” Savannah said.
Hyde moved away from me so he could look at her. “You’ve fucked a guy with one?”
Savannah smiled. “No, but Roe has. She told me how good it—”
Hyde cut her off with a growl. “Stop talking. I never want to hear about Monroe fucking another man again.”
Savannah’s brows lifted. “We’ve got a possessive one here, I see.”
I took a step towards him and patted his chest. “You have no idea, Sav.” I caught Charlie coming down the street out of the corner of my eye. “Ooh, I love her hair, Hyde.”
“Yeah, just don’t mention that it’s blonde. She’s touchy about that.”
I frowned. “That’s not blonde. It’s balayage.”
He shook his head and swore under his breath about fucking women and hair. I ignored him and greeted Charlie, “Hey, girl, I love your hair!”
Her beautiful smile filled her face. “Thanks, Roe.”
Putting my arm around her shoulder, I guided her inside, leaving Hyde with Savannah. “Come in and meet my family. Well, my brother and his wife aren’t here. You’ll get to meet them another time.”
I smiled as I heard Savannah grilling Hyde about me moving in with him. Unlike my father, she’d been excited when I’d told her the news. I loved that she threw a million questions at Hyde, though. He could do with an inquisition from her. It’d keep him on his toes.
“Oh my God,” Charlie exclaimed as she looked around my kitchen. “I love your style! These colours are amazing in here.”
I glanced at the teals and reds in my kitchen. “Yeah, we’re gonna have to add a lot of colour to your dad’s house. That white and grey he’s got going on is yawn-worthy.”
I made all the necessary introductions before saying, “Right, let’s get the food on the table and then see if we can all get along.” I stared pointedly at Dad as I said this. He nodded, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It didn’t mean he’d go easy on Hyde, but it did mean he’d give him a ch
ance.
Chapter 38
Hyde
“This is fun,” Monroe said a few days later at a last-minute club get-together King had organised at the clubhouse. It was one of his efforts to boost club morale. “I mean, it doesn’t beat what I had planned for us today, but it’s still fun.”
I pulled her close. “What did you have planned, sugar?”
“My mouth around your cock. That kind of thing.”
I eyed the exit. “We could find a room. You could still take care of that.”
“Stop dreaming, tiger. Tatum just walked in, and I wanna meet Evie and her baby. And Hailee’s there, too. I’ve got secret women’s business to get involved in.”
I tracked her ass while she made her way to Tatum, only dragging my eyes from her when King interrupted me.
“Just had an interesting call with Billy,” he said.
“Tatum’s boss?”
He nodded. “He may have some information for us in the next hour or so.”
“About the motherfucker screwing with the club?”
“Yeah.” He took a long swig of his beer, shifting his gaze to Jen who’d just exited the room. “Fuck, I told her to stay home,” he muttered before stalking towards her. He’d been in a foul mood for days because of her. I was looking forward to her giving birth to that baby and leaving him in peace. But that was months away.
I moved to where Kick and Nitro stood in the corner of the room. Kick could hardly take his eyes off Evie and their baby daughter. I didn’t blame him. There was nothing like a newborn and their mother. On top of that, Evie’d had complications with her pregnancy, so I figured he was being extra cautious. Exactly how I’d be if I had more kids.
“Kick!” Evie called out. “Can you come and take Elizabeth for a moment?”
Nitro and I watched in amusement as Kick covered the distance between him and his family in a matter of seconds.
“Wanna place bets on how long it takes him to knock her up again?” Devil asked, joining us.
“You reckon six months?” I suggested.
“If that, brother,” he said.
Nitro changed the subject. “Where’s King at with Marx? Are we done with him yet?”
Marx hadn’t proved useful at all. “As far as I’m concerned, we are. But King hasn’t mentioned any decision yet. I’ll bring it up with him later.”
“We need to get him out of here as soon as possible,” Nitro said. “The last fucking thing we need on these premises if the feds raid us is him.”
The screech of tyres and a bloodcurdling scream from outside cut through the air. The sound of gunfire followed close behind.
“Fuck,” I yelled, my entire body alert. Moving swiftly to the clubhouse bar exit, I met Monroe’s gaze and ordered, “Stay here! Do not come outside!”
I ran the distance of the driveway, searching for the source of the screaming and gunfire. Nitro and Devil were right behind me.
“What the fuck?” I said when we reached the end of the driveway. There was no one in sight.
“Where’s King?” Nitro asked.
“Last I knew, he was with Jen.”
“I saw them come out here a little while ago,” Devil said.
They definitely weren’t here now.
My gut churned with apprehension. We’d all heard the sounds. So where the fuck did they come from?
“Hyde!”
King.
We moved further outside the perimeter to look down the road and made a gruesome discovery, one I knew would completely change the path our club was on.
“Fuck me,” Nitro swore, echoing my thoughts as we watched King approach.
“Motherfucker,” Devil cursed, too.
This shit wasn’t happening.
It couldn’t be.
King walked our way carrying Jen’s limp body. Her blood-soaked clothes hung from her, and I knew from the amount of blood that there was no way her heart, or her baby’s, was still beating.
I’d seen my president handle some bad shit. Had watched many times while he allowed his madness to take over. I watched now as that madness circled, claiming him.
It was in the rigid set of his shoulders.
The harsh lines etched into his face.
The savage hollow of his eyes.
King would go on a rampage to avenge these deaths.
I strode towards him, meeting him halfway.
“Who the fuck did this? Did you get a look at them?” I demanded, taking in the blood covering him, trying to figure out if he’d also been shot. Trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
He exploded with deranged anger. The veins in his neck strained against his skin, and his lips pulled back, baring his teeth. “I don’t know who it was, but they fucking messed with the wrong man.”
Blood roared in my ears as I balled my fists. The need for vengeance surged through my veins as I stared at Jen lying in King’s arms.
Where the fuck would this end? We now had the blood of a woman and her unborn child on our hands. The body count was adding up too fucking fast.
“Let’s move this the fuck off the road.” Nitro rounded us up and pulled the clubhouse gate closed behind us.
When we were safely inside the compound, King knelt and placed Jen on the grass. He pressed a hand to her belly and kept it there. His jaw clenched as he looked up at us with cold, hard eyes. He didn’t say a word, but we all read his silence. No words were needed.
Our club was in turmoil, and anarchy would follow. It wouldn’t matter that the feds were watching, or that picking off enemies could bring new ones. King’s wrath would dictate our actions from here on out, and as brothers, we would all stand behind him. We would be ruthless and uncompromising to the bitter end.
“Fuck!” Devil thundered, nostrils flaring. “We’re done trying to fucking pander to Ryland. We need to take that fucker out once and for all.”
King grunted as he stood. Ignoring Devil, he pulled out his phone and made a call. “Billy. Tell me you fucking have something for me,” he barked when Billy answered.
When he ended the call, his eyes met mine. “We have an address.”
“For?”
“Someone tied to the motherfucker who did this.”
King inhaled sharply, determination filling his face. “This guy wants a war? He’s fucking got one.”
* * *
It was a two-storey building we were sent to. In a quiet, unsuspecting suburb full of soccer mums. Dusk had fallen on the busy street as people arrived home from work, There were far too many people around for what we had to do.
King didn’t care. He’d pulled fifteen club members from the get-together for this. We roared in on our bikes, not even trying to draw attention away from us.
“You take the back, I’ll come in from the front,” King said, and I directed members to where he wanted them.
There was no silent entry. We kicked in doors and filed into the house, spreading out as we went. It was a huge place with numerous rooms to check. No furniture, though, so nothing slowed us.
The lower level of the house was clear. Not a person in sight, silence consumed the place. I met King at the bottom of the staircase. He pointed up, and most of us followed him. Devil stayed downstairs with another member to ensure no one came at us while upstairs.
We checked every room methodically and came up with nothing. There was no one in the house. I pulled the curtain across in the last bedroom we checked, to see if anyone was outside.
“It’s fucking clear,” I said to King who paced the bedroom we stood in with Nitro. The rest of the club members waited outside in the hallway, ready for King’s next order.
He slowed and glanced up. Pointing, he said, “Here.”
I followed his gaze to an attic ladder.
Nodding, I said, “I’m with you, brother.” I signalled to Nitro, letting him know we were going up.
King pulled the ladder down while Nitro moved to the bottom of the ladder, his gun aimed up. I followed Kin
g, wondering what the hell we’d find. Hoping like fuck it wasn’t a trap.
“Fucking hell,” King muttered when he reached the attic. I took the last couple of steps, shocked to shit when I reached the top and discovered what King already had.
“Hello, King. It’s been a long time.”
No fucking shit it had been a long time.
A woman stood in the empty room watching us.
Ivy.
The fucking love of King’s life.
I pointed my gun at her, fully expecting King to as well, but he didn’t. Instead, he simply stared at her in silence. Stunned. I’d never seen him lost for words like this.
She didn’t acknowledge me, but rather kept her eyes firmly glued to King. She had no weapons; truth be told, she was a weapon. To King, anyway. Fuck knew how many ways she could screw with him. I imagined she could wreak more havoc on him than any manmade weapon. “Are you going to say anything?”
He took a step closer to her. She allowed that. Didn’t flinch. Didn’t appear to be concerned that a gun was pointed at her either.
“You look well,” King finally said.
Ivy was a beautiful woman. Stunning, in fact, with her olive skin, long legs, toned body, sultry eyes, and dark hair that fell to her waist. And he was right—she did look well. The last time I’d seen her was over a decade ago when King had walked away from her. He’d broken her back then, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen someone so ruined by a breakup as she had been.
“Looks can be deceiving,” she said.
“What’s going on, Ivy? Are you not well?” he demanded, concern lacing his question. He was wound tight, the muscles in his back bunched, his arms locked by his side.
“Nothing that would ever concern you. But I didn’t come here to talk to you about that.” She was all business with her flat eyes, blank face and cool tone.
She knew we were coming?
“Ivy,” King said in a low, warning tone. “I asked you a question.”
Her eyes blazed with bitterness. “You gave up that right a long time ago, King.”