Skid
Skid’s heart thundered at the news. How had this happened? He’d thought they were careful. Apparently, it hadn’t been enough. And now he was the idiot who had knocked up not just some young woman, but the president’s daughter. He was the one who had betrayed Park. He was the one who had let his urges take over and had risked his entire life for one night of passion.
He watched the rest of the men in the meeting, hoping to find someone who looked guilty. Mina had slept with him, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t slept with someone else. Maybe some other sucker had knocked her up. He could only hope.
Except that he didn’t really like the idea of Mina being with another man. He hadn’t laid claim to her, but there was some animalistic urge within him that made him want to own her. She was so sexy in her odd, quirky way, and now that he knew just what she could do to him, he didn’t want to let her go. But being with Mina wasn’t an easy or simple thing. It wasn’t as simple as stepping forward.
The meeting dispersed, but Skid knew he was needed. He headed down the hallways to Park’s office. “I’m really sorry to hear about this,” he said as he closed the door behind him and sat down across the battered oak desk.
“You and me both.” Park was leaning back with his boots up on the wood and his face tipped toward the ceiling. His blond hair flopped back over the seat. “I guess I should have seen it coming. You can’t bring up a girl among a group of bikers and expect her to be a Girl Scout her entire life.”
“I guess not.” And Mina was definitely no little girl. Skid didn’t know where she had learned the tricks she’d shown him, but he had certainly enjoyed them. His face grew hot, knowing what he knew about Mina. “Did you mean it?”
“What?”
“That you’re going to kill the father.”
Park sat up and let his feet fall to the old wooden floor with a thump. “What choice do I have? Each member of this club was told specifically not to touch her. Clearly, somebody has broken their promise. My little girl is pregnant, and I can’t let whatever beast did this to her get away with it.”
Skid nodded, considering his words carefully before he spoke. “I hate to say it, but she’s not really a little girl anymore.”
Park pounded his fist on the desk, leaning forward. His face was red, and there was fire behind his icy blue eyes. “That doesn’t make me feel any better, you asshole! Just because she thinks she’s an adult doesn’t mean she knows what the hell she’s doing. I’m sure you’ve seen her.” He shook his head. “Mina is impulsive. She never thinks anything through, and she doesn’t care what the consequences are. I swear, she’ll do anything just as long as I tell her not to.”
Skid felt a deep rumble of guilt throughout his body. Park was right about Mina; she defied authority at every turn, just for the sake of doing it. Skid wasn’t the same way. He knew why the rules had been set in place, and he was the type of person to follow them. It was his loyalty to Park that had made him rise so quickly through the ranks of the club. Park had originally brought him on with the idea that he could be a good enforcer. With his broad shoulders and tall stature, he was an intimidating man. He enjoyed being the one to make sure the members followed Park’s rules, and that hadn’t gone unnoticed. Skid no longer had to serve as a bouncer, but he’d never really left that role behind. He didn’t hesitate to step in and get his hands dirty when the situation warranted it.
“Have you talked to Mina about this? Does she know who the father is?” Skid racked his brain, trying to figure out what his next move should be. Mina hadn’t said anything about the pregnancy when he’d seen her in the garage, but there hadn’t really been much time.
“Are you kidding?” Park rolled his eyes. “I know Mina wouldn’t tell me anything. I haven’t even told her that I know yet, but I’m sure word will get back around to her quickly. She always seems to know what’s happening around here. And I sure as hell hope she does know who the father is, or else she’s in far more trouble than she ever imagined.” Park wasn’t a young man, but he suddenly looked much older.
Skid swallowed. He fought with himself, wanting to tell Park everything but not interested in the consequences. He had always thought of himself as being an honest person, but keeping this to himself was the biggest lie he’d ever told. It was a lie that was impacting people’s lives. The president was already hurt over what had happened to his daughter, and he would be even more hurt if he knew his most trusted associate was the one who had done it. Park didn’t deserve that. He was a good man, and he did everything he could to take care of the club.
“Is there anything I can do?”
Putting both forearms on the desk and leaning close, Park nodded. “I know I told everyone to keep their eyes open and report back to me if they think they know who did this to Mina, but I want you to be on the case even more. You move among these men like you’re one of them, even though you’re my VP. They respect you, but they still talk to you. Keep your ear to the ground and find the man who ruined Mina’s life.” His eyes narrowed, as though burning into Skid’s soul. “I know I can trust you.”
“Yes, sir. I will.” Skid left Park’s office and wound his way through the building until he was back in the garage. Mina was no longer there. She’d left her wrench lying on the floor next to her bike. He picked it up and put it back where it belonged in the big toolbox by the wall before swinging his leg over his own machine. As much as he’d thought he had needed a ride earlier in the morning, he definitely did now.
The Chicago wind blew through his hair, lifting it off his scalp and inviting him to ride a little faster. How could this have happened? He couldn’t get his mind off the situation. He was going to be a father. And Mina—irresponsible, impetuous Mina—was going to be a mother. Why hadn’t she said anything to him in the garage? Was that what she had been trying to tell him when she kept attempting to talk to him over the last month? How long had she known?
Skid had so many questions, but he knew he wouldn’t go talk to Mina about them anymore than Park would. There was no way of knowing if this was even his baby, and she hadn’t said anything when he’d found her in the garage. She’d had her opportunity, but she had treated him as though nothing had happened. No, this wasn’t going to be on him until he was sure of the situation. He twisted the throttle harder and zoomed off down the road.