“Why are we meeting at my house?” Cut asks as the last guy takes a seat in his living room. Lily, Cut’s wife, is already curled up on the couch. Sin’s here, of course, and Dyke. Everyone else is working recon on a big case and couldn’t come.
“Because there’s something that we need to discuss with you, and I thought it would be better to be here rather than the clubhouse.” Once we’d left Social Services, I got on the phone with Savannah and told her what was going on.
“Would that be because you wouldn’t be allowed in Jury?” he counters.
“Yes, but it really doesn’t have anything to do with the club.”
“Does it have something to with a member of my club?”
“Yes.”
His eyes find Lick who has been sitting quietly in more of the kitchen area then the living room with the rest of us. “Does this have something to do with that lady that showed up at my mom’s earlier?”
“Yes,” I answer for him.
“Have you lost the ability to speak, Lick.”
Lick’s head snaps to Cut. “No, I haven’t lost the ability to speak.” He pushes to his feet and makes his way into the living room. “But all this is a waste of fucking time.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “And I’m not about to indulge her.” He lifts his head in my direction.
“Heaven forbid you indulge me, Lick.”
“What the hell has gotten into the two of you?” Sin asks.
“I’m surprised you don’t already know.” Lick eyes Savannah.
“Don’t even look at me, Lick. It’s not happening,” Savannah responds.
“Cut the shit and tell me what’s going on.”
“My sister had some kids,” Lick says before I have the chance to explain. “And Jenni,” he says my name as if it’s a dang swear word, “thinks it’s a great idea for me to take them in. But she doesn’t think past her tits because if she did then we wouldn’t be standing here, bothering you and bringing shit to your door that you don’t need or care for.”
“They need to be with their family,” I defend my reasoning. “Their mom just died, and Tylan is the only one they have left.”
“What about the father?” Cut asks.
“Not in the picture. They don’t know who he, or they, are. No one is listed on the birth certificates,” I tell him.
“And you don’t want them?” Lily asks.
“Sure as fuck don’t.”
“He’s projecting. He doesn’t mean that. He’s mad at his sister, so he’s taking it out on the kids.”
“I’m sure as fuck not.”
I turn to him, not caring that others are in the room. “Yes, you are. You’re pissed off because she chose a path you didn’t want for her, and she’s not here for you to take it out on, so you’re doing the next best thing and making those kids suffer for their mother’s sins. That’s not right. No kid should have to suffer for their parents’ mistakes.”
His eyes widen at my last remark. He knows what I’m referring to, and I feel awful referencing it, but desperate times and all.
“When the fuck did you become an expert?”
“You guys need to calm it down,” Sin says.
“No offense, brother, but I really don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” He points at Savannah. “I know what your outlook is on things that need saving, and I’m not about to put myself through that shit.”
“What I did has nothing to do with you,” Sin counters. “I did what I felt was right.”
“And you feel that I should do what she wants?”
Sin shakes his head. “No, I feel that you should do what you want.”
“He doesn’t know what he wants,” I rebut.
“He might,” Savannah says. “He knows himself better than anyone else. And we know him well enough not to push him into doing anything he doesn’t want to do.”
I can’t believe she isn’t siding with me.
“I think you need to take some time to think about it,” Cut says.
“I don’t need time,” Lick disagrees.
Cut shakes his head. “I think you do, brother. All this is a lot to take in and a lot to deal with. This is huge, and there are two innocent kids you need to think about. As much as it sucks, you need to think about what’s best for them. Keeping them in the system is a huge risk. You don’t know what nut jobs are out there and what nightmares you’ll be introducing to them. Whatever you decide, the club will stand by you. And you’ll have a place to bring them. There’s always a house ready for you if you need it.” Cut take a few steps and pats Lick on the back.
“You need to think hard about this, Tylan,” I say.
His face is blank when he finally turns his attention to me. He’s struggling with this, but I know deep down in my gut that this is what needs to happen. For him and for those kids.
“I don’t need to do shit,” he spits.
I pad over to him, reaching out to place my hand on his arm. “You can guarantee that the cycle doesn’t continue. If you let them go, you’ll regret it.”
“I won’t regret shit.”
He pulls away from my touch and walks out the door.