“This is really good.” I took a bite of the succulent pork and watched Marie chew. God her mouth, with those pretty little lips that were capable of giving so much pleasure. She must’ve noticed me looking because her cheeks blushed pink. Talon sat on the floor with her plate on the coffee table and her feet tucked under her butt. She seemed like she was in a mood, but I knew enough about teenage girls to know when one was bothered. I was grateful she seemed to be accepting me here, and not pushing her mom’s buttons as I’d witnessed before.

“I had an interesting day,” Marie said.

“How so?”

“Aubrey came over, and after that, Jenny came by.”

“I met Serenity. She was so cute!” Talon smiled huge bringing her out of her mood.

“Talon’s going to help Jenny out some. Aren’t ya, Tal?”

“I can’t wait. She said she'd pay me too and maybe I can get a real phone as opposed to this thing Mom got me at Walmart. You know you just pay as you go? This thing barely has any data.”

Marie shot Talon a dissatisfied look. I didn't blame Marie. “They’re good people, Talon. I think it will be good. Plus, Jenny has this enormous family. I guarantee as soon as Angie can, she’s going to be all over getting to know ye.”

“Who’s that?” Talon asked scooping another helping of vegetables onto her plate.

“Angie is Jenny’s mum. She’s got a ton of grandkids. She is pretty much a saint. Jenny’s oldest brother was killed, and Angie raised his son. Then, she took legal custody of Aubrey’s foster sister, too.”

“Oh, my gosh! What happened?” Talon wondered. I liked that she felt free enough to have an open conversation. I also noted the way Marie was taking us in. She was pleased with the exchange.

“I’m afraid that’s not my story to tell. But Ari and Gino recently flew the coop, and Angie is having a bit of Empty-Nest Syndrome.”

“I had some of her pastry today. Aubrey brought it.” Marie said between bites. “It was delicious.”

“Did Aubrey help ye with anything else?” I was careful how I worded my question, but was hopeful that Marie was taking steps to help her with her bad dreams.

“We talked. I think we’ll talk again soon. You have nice friends, Mickey.”

“They’re good people. I’m glad ye like them. Hoping they’ll be yer friends, too.”

“I think I’d like that.”

“So, Mickey,” Talon questioned. “You raised your daughter on your own?”

“I did.”

“What happened to her mom?”

“Talon,” Marie scolded.

“No, it’s okay,” I held up my hand letting Marie know I wasn't offended by Talon’s straightforwardness.

“Maura’s mum died, when Maura was a wee one.”

“Oh, I had no idea. I’m sorry.” Marie placed her hand on my shoulder. I shook my head as an image of Lacey, lifeless on the ground, flashed through my head.

“She wouldn’t have been much of a mum. She was an addict.”

Talon gasped, finally looked sheepish then asked, “Oh, Mickey. Were you a part of the club, then? What did you do with Maura?”

This was a more comfortable topic. I could talk easily about Maura. “For a while, we were at the clubhouse. Then, I got a place here. We stayed at the clubhouse a lot, but at some point, my girl couldn't be around a bunch of horny guys.” Talon gasped. “Sorry, not like that. They’re a good bunch, but it was just too much for a young girl. She could hold her own, though.”

“Do you sell drugs?” Talon asked.

“Talon,” Marie gritted out.

“What, Mom? He’s in a motorcycle club, and his baby momma OD'ed.” This was the first time I saw this side to Talon, and I didn’t quite like it.

“Do you kill people?” she kept on, “Not let ‘em leave your gang if they want to?”

“That’s enough, child. I understand ye being curious, but don’t disrespect your Mum or me.” Talon rolled her eyes. I wasn't sure how our conversation had turned the way it had.

“That’s not okay, Talon. I want you to go in your room and think about your behavior. I know you’re mad about Zeke, but that does not give you the right to speak to Mickey like that.”

Talon got up to leave, but not before trying to get the last word. “Dad would never have made me go to my room.”

“No, he...” I placed my hand on Marie’s arm. “Give her some time to think about her behavior. I’ll talk to her.”

“You don’t need to do that?” Marie puffed out her chest, and I could see how angry she was. “I’m sorry. I feel like she just ruined our meal.”

“Don’t be. She has a lot to work through. What happened with Zeke today? Do I need to get involved?”

“No. I think, you’re right. She does have a lot to work through.” Marie gradually seemed to calm down and stood to do the dishes.

“Let me help ye.” Marie did a double take and watched me as I followed her into the kitchen grabbing the plates on the way.

“You want to help me?”

“Of course! Who do ye think did the dishes when it was Maura and me?” I turned on the faucet and began scrubbing a plate. She didn't have a working dishwasher. In fact, I was surprised that the oven worked. I wanted to make this place nicer for her, but I had this sense that I couldn't do it all for her.

If I were honest, I would’ve liked to move Talon and Marie in with me, but since she wasn't ready to let me help her fix this place up, then she undoubtedly wasn't prepared to move in with me. I knew I needed to give her time, and I was beyond patient.

I washed. She dried. I kissed her neck once as I leaned over her to hand her a glass. Another time, I grabbed her around her waist. I kept touching her, and her mood from dealing with Talon had considerably changed. There was one thing I didn't want to wait any longer to do for her though, and I was hoping she would be okay with it.

“Marie, I need to talk to ye about something.” She reached up to put the last glass in the cupboard. Her shirt drifted up exposing the smallest amount of her bareback. Damn, her porcelain skin begged to be licked.

“Ye know I want ye to tell me who Talon’s dad is. I get that yer afraid, and I hope as we build what we’re building that ye’ll tell me, but I want to make sure yer safe. Please let me. I’m going to have Jared come by and put in a security system.” I waited to see if she would object or if she would oppose the help, but I didn't get that reaction. What I got surprised me even more.

“Okay. Thanks.”

“That easy?”

“I’m not always difficult, am I?”

“No, yer not difficult, when I’m taking yer clothes off.” I grinned, and she surprised me by pressing herself against me and coming in for a deep kiss.

She began to pull away.

I gripped her hip pulling her closer to me. I needed her to feel what she did to me. She leaned into me, pressing her breasts against my chest. I could feel her hardened nipples. I wanted to strip her bare and ravage her right there. Marie looked up at me. Her eyelashes fluttered. Her mouth parted. She was as affected as I was. “You unravel me,” I whispered and pulled my fingers through her hair.

“If Talon...”

“I know,” she groaned.

“Let me get myself under control, and I’ll go talk to her.”

“I should probably be the one to talk to her.”

“I got it, Marie,” I reassured her.

She looked at me skeptically, then said, “Okay.”

I waited a few minutes and went to speak with Talon. Knocking, I asked, “Can I come in?”

“Whatever,” Talon called through the door.

“It looks nice.” It was cool to see Maura’s furniture being put to use.

“Mind if I sit?” Talon was curled up at the top of her bed holding a pillow to her chest. She gave me a look that said, ‘do what you want,’ so I sat at the end of the bed.

“Yer mom’s been through a lot. Hasn't she?”

“What do you think?”

“I think that maybe ye been through a lot, too. I’m betting that if yer Mum was afraid of yer dad like I suspect she was, seeing that she was hiding in her own skin, where that left ye was probably pretty lost.”

Her lip slightly quivered, “He wasn't all bad, you know?”

“I bet. It’s okay to love him, even if ye hate him a little, too.”

She paused and thought about that. “I only ever saw him hit her the one time, but I kind of knew things weren’t right. Now, we’re here, and she seems happy, but I miss my friends. And Zeke? I thought he was different. I don’t know. I guess it just feels like she’s moving on and everything's happening so easily for her, but everything is hard for me. It’s not fair.”

“So yer having a hard time, and yer taking it out on her? Don't ye think she’s had enough taken out on her?”

“I... what... no.” I gave her a pointed look followed by a slight nod. She put her hand over her mouth understanding finally dawning on her what she was doing.

“I'm... I’m sorry.”

“Not the one who needs an apology, honey.”

She put her head down in shame, and I reached forward tilted her chin up and said, “None of that. She’ll accept the apology with little thought. She loves ye. Want to talk to ye about something else ye brought up in there. My club. Know ye been around bikers. Not sure what ye’ve seen, but what ye need to know is my club will never touch ye. If something bad happens, ye’ll never feel it. When I say we’re a family, I mean it. I think ye get that I like yer Mum. I’ll never disrespect her. I’ll never disrespect ye. So in return, I need ye to know that it’s not okay to disrespect my club or me. Okay?”

“Alright, Mickey.”

“I have it on good authority that there’s ice cream in the freezer.” I stood and put out my hand to her to help her up. She paused for a moment deciding on what to do. It didn't take her long to reach out and place her hand in mine. I liked her. She had a ways to go, and I hoped I could be the man to help her heal, as well.

***

THE AIR IN THE CAB of the truck was stale. I cracked the window as The Stones' Wild Horses played softly. Talon was in the backseat with headphones in. I pointed out to Marie Daws and Aubrey’s place, and then Jules and Jenny’s.

“They live close to the clubhouse. How come you’re so far away?”

“Actually, we were in the clubhouse for a long time while Maura was a child. One day, I noticed Daws staring at my girl, and I knew it was only a matter of time until she was a woman, and I’d be fighting my bruders off. I still have a room there. I don’t use it much. Maura uses it sometimes, if she has a wee bit much to drink. Was Talon not around a lot of bikers?”

I waited to see what she would give to me; if she’d open up.

“We had a small house that we got not long after I found out I was pregnant. I tried to make a life for Talon as normal as I could.”

“Was it hard to leave yer house?”

She laughed, “Do you mean do I miss my house?”

“Well, do ye?”

“No,” she said simply and then stared out the window, shutting down the conversation. We pulled into the clubhouse parking lot. I wanted to show them what our club was like.

Talon popped her earbuds out. “If your club isn't into seedy stuff, how come there's a guard at the gate?” She was so observant, and it was apparent that she would make one hell of a strong woman one day.

“We have a lot of valuable equipment. Remember what I said about nothing ever touching ye. I meant nothing will ever touch ye.” I said it slowly.

I hadn’t filled Marie in on the conversation with Talon, so I received a raised brow from her. We exited the truck. There were a few boys playing basketball. Josh was a junior in high school, and Danny a sophomore. The kids were Tiny’s nephews that he took custody of, not that long ago. They were good kids. I had no doubt that when the time came, they’d be patched in.

I noticed Talon gawking at them. Where they got their looks from, I had no idea.

“Josh, Danny, this is Talon and Marie,” I called out, and they waved then continued their game.

“This is the shop.”

I walked them through the open bay doors and saw Daws welding a fender that would go on a custom bike he was building for a client. A few of the other guys had a car up on the lift and were fixing a muffler.

Aubrey waved from the shop, hung up the phone, and then headed our way. Marie and Aubrey greeted each other and Marie introduced Talon, then I showed them the clubhouse. In the bar area, a few guys sat drinking a beer. Little Titty Rhonda was behind the bar, and she leaned forward laughing at the guys. I introduced them to everyone.

“Ye want something to drink?” I asked.

“Coke,” Talon shrugged.

“It’s pretty early. What about a Bloody Mary?” Marie asked biting her lip. I nodded to Little Titty Rhonda and said, “Get my girls a coke and a Bloody Mary”

“Your girls, huh? No, problem, Mickey.”

“Hey, I’m Rhonda.” Marie said hello, and I handed Talon her coke and a bunch of singles for the jukebox.

“Ye can play pool if ye want, and then we can finish the tour.”

“Awesome,” Talon moved to the jukebox and flipped through the selections.

“It’s nice.” Marie’s eyes moved around the bar and then took a sip of her drink, and grinned. “Nice and spicy!” She nodded to Rhonda, and they shared silent appreciation for a great drink.

“Wait until ye see the kitchen.” I smiled, and I couldn't help it. I was proud of what we had here and proud to be showing Marie. I cared what she thought, and I’d never given two shits what a woman thought about this place before. Not that I brought tons of women here. I liked to keep it outside of the club. I didn’t want the lasses to get the wrong impression, but Marie was different.

Tiny, who was still not tiny – at all, came through the front door of the clubhouse. I’d heard his pipes as he rolled up and expected to see him. “You seen my boys? he bellowed, “They were supposed to cut the grass this morning.”

“They were playing ball when we got here,” I told him and watched as he moved as fast as he could to go yell at the boys. I shook my head. Those nephews were going to give him a coronary.

“You’ve been with these guys a long time?” Marie asked, even though I knew she knew I had.

“Most of my life, it seems. Ireland was a long time ago.”

“Do you ever miss it? Ireland that is.”

“I miss my country. I miss the green. It’s green here, but it’s not the same. I guess that’s why I like the lake. I don’t miss the shite that was happening there. It’s calmed down a lot since I left, but it was bad, and my home life was nothing to sneeze at either. My sister is there. Sometimes, I wonder what she’s like, but it’s not my place any longer.”

“Would you ever go back home?”

“Dis, right here. Dis is my home. Maybe one day I’ll return to see the sea, with the right person dat is.” I stroked her hand and thought about how beautiful she would look against that emerald country with her blazing red locks. I couldn’t see myself with anyone else there; riding around the hillside with Marie behind me, now that was a daydream I could get behind.

“I’ve always wanted to go.” Marie bit her lip and looked shy.

“Maybe one day, then.” I bent forward and kissed the corner of her mouth. Her face turned a bright red, and I wondered what she was thinking. Talon had picked out a few songs on the jukebox, and I was glad that it wasn’t some old-school rap shit that my daughter would’ve chosen.

“Avenged Sevenfold,” Lou who was drinking at the bar called out, “Now, that's music I can get behind.” Talon beamed at the old man’s approval, then moved to the pool table and racked up some balls.

“Why don’t you play with her?” I suggested to Marie.

“Really?”

“Yeah, when’s the last time ye just played together?”

Marie thought about this for a quick second, and once she realized she couldn't answer me, she joined her daughter. I watched them play two games, and God dammit. The way Marie looked as she bent over the damn table to make a shot was driving me fecking mad. I’d had half a mind to drag her back to my room, but I couldn’t, not with Talon here, but damned if I didn't want to. I finished the tour.

Rhonda made a few sandwiches for us, and we sat and ate. Talon, I learned, had her mother's wit. The two were more alike than they realized. Not once the entire time that Marie was in the clubhouse did it seem like she had any nerves. In fact, she seemed to fit in, and it was odd, but I knew she would. She looked like she was in her element here, and I liked it.