CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Church should be fun today.
On the way home, I call Wrath and tell him to get everyone ready to meet. Not an unheard-of request in the middle of the day, but unusual enough that Wrath’s immediately suspicious.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to discuss it over the phone, but it’s important. Everyone needs to be there.”
He hesitates for a second. “You okay, Rock?”
“I’m fine.”
“All right. Well, Z’s at Crystal Ball.”
“I’m not far from there. I’ll stop and talk to him.”
After we hang up, I turn to Hope. “You mind making a quick stop?”
“Nope. I’d like to say hi to Willow anyway.”
“Thanks.”
Z’s busy supervising a bunch of contractors working to expand the stage.
“Didn’t you just finish a bunch of renovations?” Hope asks as he leans down to give her a peck on the cheek.
He winks at her. “I have some special events coming up.”
“I’m afraid to ask.”
Z glances my way. “What’s up? You never come visit anymore.”
“Let’s talk in your office.”
His expression hardens and he puts his hands on his hips. “What’s going on?”
“I’m calling everyone up to the club for church, but I need to speak to you now.”
“Rock, I’m in the middle of—”
The hard stare I give him stops him cold. “Yeah, all right.”
We follow him into the office, which has changed quite a bit since the last time I was here. “Things look good, Z.”
“Thanks. You didn’t come down here and you sure as fuck didn’t drag Hope here to give me a pat on the head, so what’s going on?”
I’m not quite sure how to say it and Hope’s waiting for me to speak first. The moment of hesitation makes Z frown.
“Is everything okay?” He glances at Hope and a more concerned expression darkens his face. “With the baby? Are you all right?”
“The baby’s fine,” she assures him. “It’s not about the baby. Well, not mine, anyway.”
Z starts shaking his head. “What are you—”
“Inga’s suing the club. For child support. She’s requested a paternity test from a bunch of us, including you.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” He jumps out of his chair and paces behind the desk a few times before stopping dead. “Oh fuck me.”
“What?” Hope asks.
“She called not that long ago.” He lifts his chin at me. “Looking for you.”
“Jesus Christ, why? What the fuck for?”
“I don’t know. But Willow ended up talking to her.”
“Get her down here,” I say.
Z picks up the phone and a few minutes later a there’s a hesitant knock on the door.
“What’s up, Z?”
She smiles when she sees us and closes the door behind her. “Hi, Hope!”
Hope gives her a patient smile and Willow’s happy expression falters. “What’s going on?”
“You talk to Inga when she called?” Z asks.
“Yeah, I told you I did.” She turns her head my way. “She wouldn’t stop asking about you. I told her you and Hope were really happy and having a baby, so she needed to get over it and move on.” He gaze skitters between the two of us. “Was that wrong?”
I open my mouth to say, “Yes” but Hope pats my hand and speaks first.
“No, Willow. That’s fine.”
“Is she causing trouble now? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start anything. It’s just been so long, you know?”
“It’s okay.”
Z lifts his chin. “Thanks, hon. Go on.”
After Willow shuts the door, Hope sits back and closes her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Z says. “I’ll talk to her about blabbing about personal shit.”
“It’s not her fault,” Hope says.
“I—”
“Rock,” Hope says, cutting me off. “Inga would’ve done this one way or another. She would’ve found out eventually. Yes, I would prefer that Willow leave me out of all future discussion with your exes, but it’s not her fault.”
Z seems relieved Hope doesn’t want Willow’s head on a stick. “Let me finish up with the contractors and I’ll be there for church.”
I stand and help Hope up. “Don’t take too long.”
He gives Hope a hug. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. You shouldn’t have to put up with this. Not now. Not ever.”
His words and body language are all brotherly affection, but it still pushes my buttons. A short growl bursts out of me.
“Easy, caveman.” He laughs. “I’ll see you guys in a few.”
“Was that necessary?” Hope teases on our way out.
“Yes.”
She squints at me. “Don’t take this out on the guys.”
“Why not? I swear to fuck if this kid belongs to one of them, I’m gonna straight up murder—”
In a swift move, she covers my mouth with her hand. “Please don’t tell me about future crimes you plan to commit.”
“How can you keep your sense of humor?”
“What do you want me to do, Rock? Cry? Get mad? She’s not worth it. She doesn’t deserve my energy. Or yours. Let’s just get this done, over with and move on.”
“That’s the problem, though. When do we get to finally move on? When is it enough and these things stop happening?”
She shrugs. “That’s life. We don’t get the one we want, we get the one we’re given. The only thing we can control is how we react to things out of our control.” She grabs a fistful of my shirt and yanks me closer. “I’m not letting anyone steal my joy. Or yours. We’ll get through this.”
I’m so stunned by her passionate words that I can’t find any of my own.
“Let’s get home so you can talk to the guys. Then when you’re done I’m going to call this quack and we’ll find a lab to get the tests done as soon as possible.”
“Jesus,” I breathe out, utterly awed by how calm and rational she’s being, when I’m feeling the exact opposite.
“It should be a simple cheek swab,” she continues. “Nothing too invasive. But I want a reliable place. Everyone needs to go in personally and have the lab take the sample so the chain of custody is clear and can’t be contested. That little bitch isn’t going to keep coming at us. I want to slap her down now. Hard and fast so she doesn’t know what hit her.”
“I don’t know what’s hotter, when you’re all sweet and soft or pissed and passionate.”
“Well good thing you’ve got all of me for the rest of your life to figure it out.” She takes my hand and leads me toward the car. “Come on. Let’s get this first part over with.”