She hangs up on me and a sense of peace washes over me. The women are all home and they’re safe and happy.
Before I can put my phone away it rings again and Mason’s name fills the screen once again.
I let it ring out and then put it away. In a beat, dad is walking toward me and he’s thrusting his phone at me. I refuse to take hold of it and dad sighs.
He taps the screen and Mason’s voice is what I hear next.
“Brother?”
My lips stay firmly closed and dad shakes his head. “Is he there or not?” Mason grunts.
“Yeah, he’s here.”
“Myles, please, fucking talk to me. I don’t understand, I thought we were all good before you left Mercy?”
He thought fucking wrong.
“Mom tells me the kid is yours, I can’t wait to see you being a daddy.”
He’d have to be home to see it for himself. I remain quiet and stare off at Cas, wishing this deal would be done with.
“Myles!” he yells down the line. “Fucking talk to me!”
He’s losing his patience but oh fucking well.
“Son, try him again later.”
Dad ends the call and pins me with his glare that I’ve never particularly found intimidating.
“Sort your shit out, boy. You gave him your blessing, Myles, you don’t get to go back on it now.”
He’s wrong. Mason never got my blessing, it didn’t matter what came out of my mouth, Mason should have known better, he should have known what I was really thinking, like he used to.
The deal is done and we’re finally on our way before the sun sets. I ride aimlessly behind my grandfather making our way home when a rundown bar comes into view on the horizon.
Cas said we’d ride through the night and be home by sunrise, I had a set time when I knew I’d be home and could see Emma. Brothers riding up front begin to slow, and my gut tells me we’re stopping off for a breather.
My gut is proven right as Cas signals we’re stopping, and I bang my fist against my thigh. I want to be home, not drinking in some dive because the old timers are fucking tired.
I park up beside my dad and light a cigarette before climbing off my bike. I don’t want to be here, and I don’t give a fuck showing it. This is bullshit. A few trucks are parked along the street and with our motorcycle’s there’s nowhere else for others to park. I’m one of the last ones to walk inside and it’s nothing special. It looks like every other run-down dive bar I’ve been in. I sit at the bar and slap my money down and holler for a beer.
“Wait your turn.”
I swivel on my stool and narrow my eyes at the guy sat beside me. Who the fuck does he think he’s talking to?
“Do I look like the guy who waits?” I snarl.
“Myles,” Dad warns coming up behind me.
No, fuck this guy and my brothers for stopping. “I ordered a fucking drink and this asshole is on my back.”
JJ and Zach move closer behind me and I know they’ve got my back regardless of what happens.
“I only said to wait your turn,” the old guy says, and I feel a hand land on my shoulder.
I’m pulled back and Grumps is by my side. “Leave this one, he’s old enough to be your grandfather.”
My brows knit together for a moment. What the actual fuck? My grandfather, the one who raised me to never step down from anything, is the one now telling me to leave this prick alone.
“That’s right, listen to your friend, boy.”
Boy?
Turning to Grumps, I raise my eyebrows and silently question whether he still stands by his order.
He nods once but steps toward the guy before I can make a move. It takes five steps for him to be standing face to face with this guy and it takes five seconds for him to swing his arm back and launch it into the old guy’s face.
Grumps lets out a roar and a holler before turning back to us with the biggest manic grin on his face.
“That felt so fucking good, brothers,” he admits, and I peek around him to see the old guy cupping his nose with blood seeping through his fingers.
Laughing, I say, “One rule for me and another for you, is that how it is now?”
“I said you couldn’t hit a man this old, but I am this old and I’m more than capable of having my grandson’s back.”
Moving across the bar, I slap him on the shoulder as I pass and I take my seat back on the stool I was previously sitting on.
“I’ll take that fucking beer now, bartender,” I holler and slide my cash toward him.
The old guy shuffles off his stool and heads outside. Good. Meanwhile, I get my beer and dig out my phone.
I should check in on the kid but I scroll down to Emma’s number and press call. It’s getting late and I hope she’s at her place so she can talk freely. She answers and it sounds like I’ve woken her.
“Myles, do you know what time it is?”
“Sure, it’s time to talk to me.” I smile into the phone and listen to her laugh.
“You’re so sure of yourself.”
“I think you like that about me, babe.”
And after that, the call lasts over an hour and I realise the rest of the bar faded around me and all I could hear was her. My angel hasn’t just got to me, she’s consuming me.
Emma
Myles text, asking me to meet him at the club. He’s been gone for nearly four days and I ache to see him again. I didn’t know I was going to miss him, certainly not as much as I have.
I still have about an hour before he’s due back and I finish up with Victoria while Kyla cleans the kitchen at her new place. It’s perfect out here for her and I’m happy she is happier being out here. Apparently, when the guys are back they are going to be moving her greenhouse out here and then she will be completely moved out of her parents’ house. The difference in her has been breath-taking to witness and it’s impact is so significant, it makes me think she’ll be okay going forward.
Penelope whimpers from her crib and I hover over her, tucking her blankets over her feet, and put her pacifier back in her mouth. She settles but she doesn’t go back to sleep. Her wide brown eyes, just like her daddy’s, stare up at me and I wonder if she senses she’s going to see her father soon?
“We should get going if we want to make it to the club before the guys get back.”
Kyla becomes a blur of action as she packs Penelope’s baby bag while I scoop the baby up into my arms and share her excitement to see her dad. With every step I take bringing me closer to seeing Myles, my stomach knots with a mixture of nerves and anticipation. Once we’re in the car, Penelope buckled in her seat, Kyla’s excitement too grows with every mile we drive.
“Do you get used to the guys leaving like this?” I ask her once Penelope has fallen asleep.
She side-eyes me, keeping her attention on the road and asks, “Are you planning on sticking around for the long haul?”
I don’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Her mouth stretches in a wide grin and she says, “Yes, you get used to it. It’s usually once a month, sometimes more, it depends what’s going on at the time.”
I daren’t ask what they do on these ‘runs’, Myles wasn’t too forthright when I asked him, and I doubt Kyla will be either.
“Do you want me to come by tomorrow and help you some more with signing.”
For some reason, Kyla isn’t getting the hang of it as easily as Ricky and Pope, definitely not a quick as Victoria.
“Maybe the day after, the guy are always tired when they get home and I’ve missed my husband.”
Chuckling at her implying she does not want to be interrupted, I get the hint and look out the window. We drive the rest of the way in silence and when she drives through their gates, she parks and cuts the engine.
She twists in her seat and waits till I look at her.
“Before they guys get back, I just want to say, thank you.”
“For what?”
“For helping Victoria, you’ve do
ne much more than teach her how to sign. She comes out of her room a lot more, she’s agreed to see a therapist too.”
I don’t know what to say.
“It’s nothing.”
“I bet your mom was real proud of you before she passed, you’re good people, Emma.”
My mom was proud of me, she told me all the time. Our moment is interrupted by thunder rolling through the gates behind us and Kyla grins her infectious grin.
“My man is home.”
She throws open her door and I take my time climbing out. “You good getting the baby out?”
I nod and make my way around to the back door on the driver’s side. I thought she had fallen asleep by how quiet she was, but when I lean in the car to unbuckle her, her eyes are wide open and her little lips form an O as she stares up at me.
“You’re going to see Daddy, little one.”
Of course she doesn’t reply and I scoop her out her car seat. Grabbing her fleecy blanket, I hold her against my chest and wrap the blanket over her.
I run my eyes through the guys still riding in and when I see Myles already parked and stretching his arms above his head, my heart flutters a little faster, and butterflies swarm around in my stomach at the sight of him.
I’m magnetically pulled toward him and seeing him back, I’ve missed him much more than I originally thought.
Making my way through the masses of motorcycles and brothers, he sees me and breaks out a panty-melting smile.
“It’s a damn fine sight watching you and my kid coming to me.”
“She’s missed you,” I tell him, passing her over to his open arms.
“Did you miss me?” he asks, casting his eyes from the baby to me.
“I guess,” I murmur. “I mean, I’ve been pretty busy.”
He laughs so loud people around us begin to stare. He holds Penelope up in the air and smiles at her. “She definitely missed me, ay, Penny.”
I swear the kid smiles at him and then it’s gone as he holds her back to his chest for a hug before passing her back to me.
He climbs off his bike once his arms are free and closes the distance between us. At one side is his daughter and at my other, he steps so close I can feel the heat transferring from him to me.
His hand works its way up my back and rests at the bottom of my neck. “Do you think I can get a kiss?”
It’s my turn to grin stupidly and I tilt my head to meet his lips. He’s warm all over and he squeezes my neck as he deepens the kiss.
Fuck, I need so much more from him and I ache for him to touch me everywhere. The other night was everything I wanted from him and I need more.
A piercing scream filters through our moment and stepping back, looking around to see what’s going on, Myles is quick to step forward and try to nudge me behind him.
I catch a blonde-haired, quite beautiful woman storming our way as she shrieks Myles’ name.
“Who the fuck are you screeching at? I know it shouldn’t be me.”
Looking around, I see Kyla getting angry and Ricky holding her arm, holding her back from coming over.
“I leave our baby with you, and you’ve already got some bitch of a whore playing mommy?”
Bitch of a whore? Oh hell no. Stepping up beside Myles, the woman scathes in my direction, but fuck her, I’m just as angry now.
“She’s holding the kid, not playing mommy, and what do you know about being a mom, you fucking abandoned her!” Myles roars. “You stood there crying because she wouldn’t stop screaming and she had a fucking ear infection. Maybe if you had taken her to the doctor, you would’ve have known that.”
She blanches but comes back at him real fast. “I don’t want some stranger around her.”
“Fuck off out of here, Hailee. I’ve only just got back and I’m fucking tired. Come by the house tomorrow and we can talk. Got it?”
I notice she hasn’t tried taking the baby back from me, and I hate her for not even looking her way.
“I want to talk now,” she says, and I swear she stomps her foot like a child. “Alone,” she adds.
“Leave, Hailee. You heard him, he doesn’t want to talk today and if I have to tell you a second time, I won’t be held accountable for what happens,” Cas threatens, and she swallows thickly. Not once does she look at Penelope, causing me to wonder what her actual problem is? Why shout at Myles over the baby when she’s acting like the baby isn’t right in front of her.
Spinning on her heels, she struts off like the world is hers and I hold Penelope closer, hoping she can’t tell her birth mother was so close to her and didn’t notice her.
“So, that’s Penelope’s mom?”
He turns, remembering I’m here and his shoulders fall with fatigue.
“Yeah, but I feel nothing for her, you have to believe me,” he urges taking Penelope from me.
His insecurities surprise me and I place my hand on his arm. “I believe you, you can’t go from liking someone like me to her.”
I don’t mean to come across as arrogant, but it’s crystal clear we’re nothing alike.
“Damn right, babe.”
“I’m going to spend some time with Penny, and then probably crash. You want to stay or do you have somewhere you need to be?”
I could laugh. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here with him.
A lone biker rides through the gate, I don’t pay much attention at first until he parks and takes his helmet off.
“Isn’t that your brother?”
Myles
I follow Emma’s line of sight and sure as shit, Mason is strutting towards me. As I can read him like a book, I hand the baby over to Emma and prepare myself.
“Decided to drag your ass home, brother,” I call out, noting he’s alone. No Aspen.
“Now you’re talking to me?” he roars and when he’s five feet from me, he swings his fist back. I brace myself and welcome the impending contact. Taking a step away from Emma and Penny, I get ready.
Three.
Two.
One.
I stumble back and shake my bottom jaw after he lands his mean right hook. Pussy doesn’t break it, but it fucking aches. I swing my own right hook without missing a beat and connect with his eye. The next minute or so becomes a blur of punches and shoves.
“Myles!”
I hear her but I can’t focus on her right now. Mason comes at me again but I’m ready and swing my fist into his ribs. A hand lands on my forearm as I’m about to swing again and I’m not that far gone I can’t tell it belongs to Emma. Spinning on my boot heels, I try reigning in my temper and growl, “Take Pen to your place.”
“Shouldn’t your mom take her?” she asks.
I need to know they’re together. “No, you take her.”
Thank fuck I don’t need to tell her twice, she walks off and I focus on my brother, trying not to let the fucker see he got me real good in the ribs.
“You going to talk to me now I have your fucking attention?” he spits out at me.
“What the fuck is going on?” Grumps yells and everything stops.
He doesn’t seem surprised to see Mason back and I guess everyone knew but me. Great.
Neither Mase nor me say a word. Grumps assess my busted lip and Mason’s swelling eye.
“You wanna fight? Then fight.”
He knows we need this. First we fight, then we talk. Not that I have much to say to him, but I sure do want to land another right hook to his face.
“If you need this, brother, then come at me but I warn you, I’m going to make you work for it.”
“Fine by me,” I grunt and launch myself at him.
The impact sends us both to the ground and as his arms and legs try to hold me down, he uses his advantage and knees me in the thigh. I dig my fist into his throat as hard as I can until he gathers his strength and pushes me off him, using his legs to roll me away from him. He’s faster than me getting to our feet and he’s rushing me before I can get my breath back. His fist conne
cts with my ribs first and then black spots fill my vision when he lands his next punch to my cheekbone, just ender my eye. Fuck this, kicking my legs out, I swing one around him and sit up as he goes down and no matter how hard I try to keep a hold of his leg, he gets away and climbs to his feet. I jump up and raise my fists.
“You had enough, brother?”
“Not nearly enough,” I reply, not considering what will be enough.
“Well, I’ve had enough,” Grumps barks and because I know each of my brothers like I know my own family, I don’t have to look over my shoulder to know it’s JJ pulling me back from the fight.
Zach is currently holding Mason back and Grumps stands in the middle of us.
Neither JJ or Zach let us go and it’s a good thing, I’m ready to go again.
“I came back for you, brother,” he calls over, spitting a glob of blood on the ground. “I couldn’t bear you ignoring me any longer.”
“It took you three fucking months, brother,” I point out, sarcastically. We’ve fought and now we should talk, but I’m not having it. “Fuck this, I’m out. Do what you like.”
I shrug out of Jay’s hold easily enough and I’m at my bike, ignoring Grumps’ calls for me to get my ass back.
I know exactly where I want to be and knowing I’ll be there soon enough, helps me calm down.
I ride straight to Emma’s place and she’s sitting on the doorstep, it feels fucking good knowing she’s waiting on me.
I barely register parking on her drive and walking across the front lawn. Her gasp hits me like a truck when she gets a closer look at my face, and how I’m holding my ribs. If the fucker has broken one of my ribs, I’ll fuck his up worse.
“Where’s Penelope?”
“Your mom took her home after she dropped me off.”
She pulls me inside and closes the door. “What the hell happened after I left?”
“My brother says hello.”
Heading for the kitchen, I fall onto a chair at the table and she holds a towel under the faucet. She wrings it out and brings it over, sitting beside me. Pressing the towel to my lip, I wait for her to bombard me with her questions and sigh when the silence hangs over us.
Their Fractured Souls: Sons Of Lost Soul MC Book Six Page 22