I RUSH INTO Dagger’s room to find the bed is empty, and my stomach plummets.
“Mom?” I yell, concern and fear cutting through me like a sharp knife.
The door to the bathroom opens, and my mother appears with Princess holding her up.
“There you are.” Her voice is filled with pain. I would do anything to fix that for her.
I move quickly to her side.
“She had to pee while waiting for you, so I took her,” Princess says, sitting Mom down on the bed gently.
I help her get comfortable on the bed, moving the pillows and pulling up the blankets to cover her body.
“Thanks,” I tell Princess, so happy she was here to help my mom.
“Looks like you were busy.” Princess chuckles.
My eyes flash to hers, my hands moving to my lips. They feel full and puffy. I shake my head, hoping she understands me. My mother is lying here, hurt, and there is no reason to bring anything else on the table right now.
“How are you feeling?” I ask Mom, focusing on her. Her brows are tight, and with only slivers of her eyes available to see, I can’t read her fully.
“Like I got beaten up.” She gives a soft chuckle then immediately begins coughing from it.
I sit on the bed, instantly feeling like the adult to her as the child. I grab her hand. “Mom, breathe for me. Slow and steady. In and out.” I mimic what I want her to do, and she begins following. Just by holding her hand, I can feel her body begin to relax.
“Want me to give her something?” Princess asks, angling her head to her tackle box of meds.
I nod my head, not wanting my mom to feel any pain at all. Ever.
“Mom, what hurts the worst?” When the doctor came and checked her out while the boys were gone, he said that nothing was broken, but it would take her a while to heal. I’m also supposed to call him once she is lucid enough to answer questions. I need to remember to do that.
“My ribs and chest.” Her breath comes out a bit wheezy.
“Your ribs are bruised bad, but not broken. The doctor said it’ll take a while for it to feel better.”
My mother turns her head to Princess. “Are you the doctor?”
Princess smiles. “No. I’m Princess, Pops and Ma’s daughter.”
Mom tries to widen her eyes, but comes up short and moans in pain, instead. “Really?” she asks through her busted lip.
“Yep. Got a brother, GT. He’s around here somewhere.” Princess rifles through her box. “So, you and Dagger?” she asks.
My mother turns her head. “Yes,” is her only response, and this time, the ache in her voice is not from the physical pain she’s in. This is deeper. She sucks in a breath. “How’s Ma doing?” She changes the subject.
“Great. She’s with Cooper, my little boy, right now. She’s been by a couple of times while you were out.”
Mom gazes off. “She probably thinks the worst of me. Hell, I bet everyone in this club does at this point.” A lonely tear falls from the corner of her eye.
“Mom, they’ve all been great. You were right; I don’t know what they did, but Dagger took care of everything. We just need to get you better.” I brush the hair away from my mother’s face.
“But I need questions answered.” I jump at the deep voice of Dagger, who strides through the room and stops at the side of the bed.
My mother’s grip tightens on my hand, and I try to get a little bit of reprieve by pulling back, but it doesn’t help. It’s not fear, though. She’s not scared, but I can also tell she doesn’t want me to leave her, and I won’t.
“Here,” Princess says, breaking up the tension that has seemed to enter the air. She hands me a bottle with pills. “These will help her. Two every four hours, no more. They’re strong as hell, so they’ll keep her knocked out, but it’s the best thing for her while her body heals up.”
I take the bottle. “Thanks.” I set it on the bed next to me.
“I’m heading out. Call Doc,” Princess addresses me and I nod. “He’ll need to do whatever it is he does and make sure she’s good, but from the looks of it, she’ll be fine.”
“Thank you.” I feel like all I’ve done with Princess is thank her repeatedly, but she’s helped my mom out so much, so what else can I do?
Once she gives me a soft smile and leaves the room, Dagger pulls up a chair, moving it close to the bed and me. Is it unusual to feel this uneasy with your long-lost father? I hope so because it’s there, and it sucks.
“Mearna, tell me,” Dagger presses.
I would really like to hear this myself. What she told me in the car had to be the short version of it. So much more seems to have gone on here.
“I found out I was pregnant after I left, Cameron.” She closes her eyes and breathes out. “I mean Dagger.”
“And you’re sure she’s mine?” he asks, causing my back to stiffen.
My mother opens her eyes and narrows them at Dagger. “What do you think? Think long and hard about your answer.” He takes a bit, and Mom doesn’t let it rest. “You want a paternity test to prove it? Fine, do it. But you know she’s yours. I never messed around on you, and after I had her, I wasn’t with anyone for over three years.” That piece of information surprises me, but when I think back, I don’t remember ever seeing my mother with anyone, not that I would remember at that age. It was just me and her, and we were happy with that.
Something flashes in Dagger’s eyes then dissipates. “You didn’t think to tell me?” Dagger presses, the gruffness in his voice changing from questioning to pissed, but his body stays pretty relaxed, given the topic of conversation.
“No,” my mother answers evenly. “I wasn’t going to tell you.”
“Why, because of the club?” Dagger’s voice rises.
“You didn’t love me, Cam—Dagger. I had already decided to leave. There was no need for you to know.” Mom shuts her eyes like the memories are too powerful to bear.
“You’re dead fucking wrong. I loved you, so don’t you dare throw that shit at me.”
I suddenly feel like I shouldn’t be here for this intimate conversation. I feel like the odd man out, but my mother’s steel grip on my hand tells me I’m not going anywhere.
“Second, you know, if I knew I had a kid, I’d want to be a part of her life.”
That statement hurts a bit, but I suck it down. I always wondered whether my father would have wanted to be a father to me or if he would have ignored me if he had known about me. I’m not sure how I feel about the answer he gave, though. Part of me aches for all the time I’ve missed getting to know him and the other part is so confused.
“What, Dagger? Going to bring her to club parties? Drink with your friends? Come on.” My mother’s annoyed voice catches me off guard. Hell, she doesn’t have enough strength to get to the bathroom by herself, let alone go toe to toe with Dagger.
“Bullshit. This isn’t on me, Mear. You did this shit. You fucking hid my kid from me.” Dagger’s fists clench, and I go into protective mode, immediately moving closer to my mother.
His eyes flash to mine in recognition of my stance. “I’d never lay a hand on her. Even though I’m pissed as shit that she kept you from me, I’d never hurt her.” He turns back to my mother who nods. I relax a little yet stay on guard.
“It was the best decision, Dagger. You have to admit it.”
“Bullshit. You didn’t tell me, because you didn’t want to come back. You wanted to stay away from me; that’s why you didn’t tell me. You knew that, if I knew about the baby, I’d have taken care of you, and you would have been stuck here with me. You wanted out, so don’t try this holier-than-thou bullshit on me. It doesn’t work.” Dagger’s tone is clipped, making my heart break for my mother. She still loves this man, and I have no doubt that what he says is one hundred percent true from the way my mother’s acting. How differently would my life have been?
My mother turns her head away from us, the sound of a sniffle entering the room.
“Okay,” I say, breaking this up. She’s been through too much, and this is not helping the situation. “I need to give Mom her medicine and check her bandages. Can you give her a break?” I ask him—well, more like demand, but he doesn’t seem like the type of guy who takes to demands very well.
“Mearna, this shit is not done.” Dagger stands from the chair just as the door to the room flies open, all of our eyes moving to the sound.
“Dagger!” a light-brown-haired woman shrieks. “Where in the hell have you been?” she says to him.
The woman is wearing a leather vest like the one Princess wears, but it’s her pissed off face that grabs my attention.
“Flash, get the fuck out of here.” Dagger’s tone is impassive.
My eyes widen as Rhys moves in the door behind the woman, his eyes intent on me then on the woman.
“You haven’t even checked in. You always check in so I know you’re not dead.” The woman puts her hand on her hip, jutting it out in a bitch stance.
My mother’s hand begins to tremble.
“I don’t gotta do nothing. Get the fuck out.”
“Who the fuck is this?” The woman’s eyes come to me and my mother, her anger radiating off her. “This your piece on the side?” I want to punch the fucking woman. Can she not see how badly my mother is beaten? What the hell is wrong with her? I rise from the bed, my mother still clutching me.
“I’m no piece of anything,” I say as her eyes pierce into mine.
“I didn’t ask you shit, you stupid bitch,” the woman growls, and my spine straightens.
“Enough!” Dagger barks out.
Rhys comes up behind me, his hand resting on my shoulder, and I feel instant comfort.
“Bullshit, enough. That bitch talks to me, and I get the enough?” the woman—Flash is it?—doesn’t want to give up.
Dagger moves quickly, grabbing the woman and pushing her up against the wall of the room with his forearm.
I jump as fear takes me over. What the hell is he doing? He said he wouldn’t hurt my mother, but he’ll hurt this woman?
“See that girl standing there?”
Flash nods her head, her eyes wide as Dagger points to me.
“That’s my daughter.”
“What?” Flash says in a gasp of disbelief, but Dagger doesn’t answer.
“That woman in the bed is the mother of my child. Now you know what the fuck is going on.” Dagger steps away from Flash, but she stays by the wall, stunned. Dagger turns to me. “Give your mom the medicine.”
My shoulders jump, and I listen to what he says, helping my mother sit up and take the pills while the room stays silent.
“You have a kid?” Flash asks.
“Looks like it,” Dagger answers.
Rhys stands there, almost feeling like a bodyguard of some sort, but surely Flash wouldn’t come after my mother or myself, would she?
“But …”
“No more questions!” Dagger yells, and my mother moans.
“Cameron, stop yelling,” she says quietly.
Flash sucks in a breath so deep it takes all the oxygen from the room. Then her eyes widen and go to Dagger. “Cameron?” she whispers, shaking her head. “No one …” She trails off.
“No, and don’t fucking start.”
“What’s your name?” Flash asks my mother.
“None of your fucking business. Get out,” Dagger orders.
“Mearna,” my mom answers softly.
“Fucking shit,” Flash whispers, looks at Dagger, and then leaves the room in a rush. What the hell is that about?
I turn my attention back to Mom, whose eyes are starting to glaze over. “Mom, you okay?”
“Tired,” she answers, shutting her eyes. It takes seconds before her breathing evens out, and then she is completely out of it. Thank God.
“Let’s let her rest,” I tell Dagger and Rhys. Dagger looks at my mom, turns, and then leaves the room. “Go ahead, Rhys. I’m going to lie with her for a while.”
His eyes pierce mine, holding me in place. I don’t know what it is about this man, but something pulls me, and it’s scaring the shit out of me.
“An hour. Then I’m coming to get you.”
I try to refute his statement, but before I get one word out, he’s gone, shutting the door behind him.
I kick off my shoes and carefully lie on the queen-sized bed next to my mother, being extra careful not to touch her. I lie on my back and stare at the brown, stained ceiling.
What in the hell am I going to do? Mom and I need money. What she brought won’t sustain us for long. I need for Mom to get better first, though. That has to be the goal right now. Get Mom well, and then I’ll figure out where we can go and what we need to do. Everything is so up in the air right now, and I need to simply relax and let the cards lay, at least for now. In a couple of days, when Mom can stay awake for more than a few hours, we’ll talk and figure it out.
I can’t believe I have a father. Well, I’m not stupid. I knew I had one, but you get the point. Seeing him manhandle Flash was scary as hell. It reminded me of James and the way he treated my mother. I did see a difference, though, because Dagger told the woman to leave, and she wouldn’t listen, whereas James did it for the hell of it. It still scares me. Maybe that’s why my mom left him, but if that’s the reason, then why in the hell did she stay with James? That’s the part I just don’t get. Hopefully, she’ll be able to enlighten me when her body heals a bit since the questions keep piling up.
These past few days have worn on me. I haven’t slept much with trying to make sure my mom was all right and then worrying about when the boys were coming back and what they did.
I allow my body to relax as I roll to my side and stare at my mom, watching her chest rise and fall softly. I allow the sounds to lull me to sleep.
I WAKE WITH a jolt. I look around my surroundings, quickly putting together that I’m in Dagger’s room. My mother is passed out next to me as the soft hum of music beats through the door.
I wipe my face, get up, and use the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I wince at the purple and yellow marks on my face. Not that I’m trying to impress anyone, but why in the hell did Rhys kiss me when I look like this? I shake my head. Just the thought of his kiss has my head spinning. Was that just a kiss?
My mother’s moans pull me out of my thoughts as I move swiftly to the bed. She is tossing, no doubt hurting herself even more than needed. Reluctantly, I hold her shoulders so she can’t turn.
“Mom, wake up,” I tell her, feeling her muscles bunch under me. “Mom!” I say a little more loudly, and her eyes flutter open.
“What?” she groans, her eyes half-lidded. Her body settles down, and I remove my hands.
“Are you awake?” I ask, needing to know if I’m talking to her or if she’s sleep talking. When I was younger, my mother talked in her sleep all the time. I used to think it was hilarious. Now, not so much.
“Yes.” Her voice is scratchy and hoarse. “I need something to drink.” She pauses. “Something warm.”
I brush her hair away from her beautiful face, noting it looks so much worse than mine does. “I’ll get you something. Maybe they have some soup or something. You really need to eat.” I’ve been forcing her to drink, keeping fluids down her since she refused to eat in the small bouts that she’s awake, but it’s time. She needs to try something.
“ ’Kay,” she says, her eyes fluttering shut. I’ll have to wake her when I get back.
Since being here, Princess has showed me around the kitchen and pantry. This place keeps enough food on hand to feed an army. I still feel leery of just helping myself to whatever we need, but Princess has been nothing but kind to me, and she’s definitely a straight talker. If it was a problem that we ate here, I’m sure she would be one of the first people to say something.
I follow the hallway lined with pictures and different plaques. With each step, the music gets a little louder. Entering the main room of the clubhouse, I see people are scattered everywhere. Some of the brothers I met before are among some others I have not. Rhys sits with his back to me, arm extended over the empty chair next to him, the cord of his muscles flexing and bunching. In the other hand, he has a beer, and he’s talking to Cruz, who sits next to him.
I gaze over to the corner of the room where the back of my father is to me. He’s standing in front of a couch, and a woman’s hands are wrapped around his thighs. His hips are moving back and forth, and I pause in step. Holy shit is he ...? Shock fills me at the sight. Please tell me that I’m not seeing my father, the father I just met, get his penis sucked by one of those club mommas Princess told me about. This is seriously not happening.
I force my feet to move toward the kitchen, my eyes glued to my father. However, once I see the confirmation of what I thought is happening, I jerk my head straight ahead. He is, right in the middle of the club, with people around him. I … My thoughts skip as I force myself into the large pantry where the food is stacked and search for some type of soup.
I suck in deeply and bow my head. I can’t believe I just saw that. No child should ever have to see that, new father or not.
Hands grip my shoulders so I can’t move, and I scream loudly enough to wake the dead.
“Shh …” Rhys’s deep voice trembles in my ear, but my breathing doesn’t slow. This time, it is amped up by his baritone voice and light breath. His hands release me and move up and down my arm. “You all right?”
I nod my head, trying to get myself under control.
He pulls me flush to his hard body, and I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of him. Each sweep of his fingers on my flesh sends my body into a state of arousal that is so over the top I’m not sure how to come down or even if I want to. Not only that, but it’s comforting and secure. How this man can pull off these feelings inside me is insane. I should be running for the hills, but I can’t, don’t want to.
“Saw a show out there?” The fizzle I felt starts to fade as the images that I don’t want to see come back. I shiver.
He chuckles, which seems so strange for him that I turn around, seeing a small smirk on his face. I’m taken aback by it because that small change in his face completely transforms him, almost creating a whole different person. How is that possible? How can one expression turn him totally around from mean, scary, and sexy to sinful, amused, and drop-dead gorgeous? It’s like he’s two different people.
He doesn’t allow me to process these thoughts. Instead, the smirk disappears, and heat sparks in his gaze as he crashes his lips to mine, taking my breath away for the second time tonight.
The cut on my lip has healed enough that there is no pain, but with each movement of his lips, I feel him snag a piece of the skin. It only heightens the pleasure in the kiss.
Rhys shifts, wrapping his steel-banded arms around me, not leaving an inch between our bodies. I’m so lost in the kiss it’s the only thing I can focus on.
“Dammit.” Dagger’s voice from the doorway echoes through the small space.
I pull away, feeling like a teenager getting caught by her father. Oh, wait, everything in that scenario is right except for the teenager part.
Rhys growls, obviously pissed for the second interruption from Dagger. I’m not sure if I am or not, but one thing is for sure, father or not, he’s going to see the real Tanner O’Ryan.