“Our men are better,” I say, smiling widely, flashing teeth.
Anna and Lana wholeheartedly agree with me.
“Bailey!” I hear Rake yell, and something in his voice has me standing on my feet. Anna and Lana do the same, worried expressions on their faces. The door opens and Rake stands there, angry tension radiating from him. “Come here.”
I quickly step to him and he holds me in his arms, his chest rising against my cheek.
“We have a fuckin’ problem, baby,” he says, running his fingers through my hair.
“What?” I ask, dread settling in the pit of my stomach. “What happened?”
“Rake?” Anna asks, coming closer to stand next to her brother. “What’s going on?”
“Cara’s father is here,” he grits out, the word father leaving his lips like a curse word.
I lift my head. “Wh-what?”
Oh shit. He’s here? Does he have a death wish? How did he even know to come here? I’m definitely missing something here, because nothing makes sense.
And to make matters worse, I forgot to tell Rake that he showed up at the school that day. If I’d told him, all of this probably could have been avoided.
“Shit,” I whisper, flashing Rake an apologetic look.
“What is it?”
“He showed up at my school asking to see Cara, but then I didn’t hear from him again. I completely forgot to tell you about it.”
“Seriously? That’s kind of important information, Bailey,” Rake growls at me, scowling. “She’s mine too, and if this bastard thinks he’s taking her, he has another thing coming.”
“What am I going to do?” I ask hesitantly.
“Let’s hear him out, then tell him to fuck off,” Rake says, scrubbing a hand down his face.
“I want my daughter,” I tell him, needing to have her near me. “I want to go to her, now.”
“She’s with Faye and Sin at their house,” he says, running his hand down my back soothingly. “Trust me, no one is safer than her right now. We just need to deal with this asshole.”
“So he’s actually here right now? At the clubhouse?” I ask, my eyes wide.
I still don’t get it. He walked into a biker clubhouse demanding to see my Cara and me?
Rake nods, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, yeah he is. He wants to see you. I’ll take you there because he won’t negotiate otherwise, but you will not leave my side, do you understand?”
I nod, swallowing hard. “He’s not taking Cara.”
“No, he sure as fuck isn’t. I’ll explain everything to you later.”
Fuck.
Why does this shit happen to me?
Rake turns to his sister and Lana and says sternly, “Both of you stay here.”
“Rake—”
“Just listen this time, Anna,” he says, pushing me forward until I’m out the door, then closing it behind him.
“Whatever happens,” he says, staring down at me intently. “I will make sure it’s okay. All right? You have nothing to worry about. He wants to start shit; I’ll handle him.”
I nod, not sure what to say.
I didn’t really understand what was happening right now.
We keep walking until we reach the living area, where Arrow is standing, arms crossed, looking imposing as hell. Next to him is Wade. It’s hard to believe he’s Cara’s biological father, because she looks nothing like him. It’s unfair that he gets to be called that, since the only thing he did was not wear a condom, but apparently that qualifies for the title.
“Bailey,” he says, standing and facing me.
“Wade,” I say, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”
“Like I said before, I want to see my daughter,” he says, putting his hands in his pockets. “Just want to see my little girl.”
I tighten my lips. “How did you know where I was?”
First the school, now the clubhouse? This is getting a little scary.
He licks his lips and looks away. “I have my ways.”
Another bullshit answer.
Arrow steps closer to the man. “Answer the lady. Or I’ll ask her to leave and I’ll ask you the same question in a much less nicer way.”
Wade smirks, but I don’t miss the flash of fear in his eyes. “My brother is on his way here. You can’t touch me.”
His brother?
“Who’s your brother?” I ask him, looking to Arrow and Rake, who don’t give me an answer.
I don’t like the smugness on Wade’s face right now.
Not one bit.
“He’s a Wind Dragon,” Wade tells me, satisfaction etched all over his expression.
His brother is a Wind Dragon?
So Wade thinks he’s untouchable.
I look to Rake.
Was he untouchable?
Rake gives me nothing, his expression never changing.
Was there a rule about this? Could Rake do nothing to Wade because he was family to one of his club brothers? Did Wade truly just want to see Cara? Why now, after all this time? There is more to this, I just know it. Wade wants something, but it isn’t just to see the daughter he never once gave a shit about.
When Pill storms into the clubhouse, wearing black leather pants, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and his MC cut, I don’t take my eyes away from him.
So this was Wade’s brother.
No wonder Faye didn’t like the man.
If he’s anything like his brother . . .
Bad blood.
The air fills with tension so thick I find it hard to breathe.
“My bro just wants to see his kid, Rake,” Pill says, putting his hand on Wade’s shoulder. “Not asking too much, I don’t think.”
“So you told him I was here then,” I say to Pill. “What, you were gossiping about Rake’s woman to your brother and he pieced together that it was me?” I look to Wade. “Stop with all the bullshit. What do you really want? You don’t care about my daughter. Do you even know her name!?”
“Looks like someone doesn’t know her place,” Pill snaps, looking as if he wants to come at me.
“Even look in my woman’s direction and I will fuckin’ end you,” Rake says to Pill, in a deceptively calm tone. “Trust me, you don’t want to fuck with me.”
“Club comes first,” Pill says, but takes a step back. “You want to start shit with the Channon chapter? What, a civil war? Over this bullshit?”
Rake smirks, his eyes narrowed in anger. “You prospected here Pill, but you have no fuckin’ clue about me or my brothers. Bailey is my old lady, and your brother has shit to do with the MC. No one will take your side in this. No one. I will fuckin’ call Zach right now, see what he thinks. No one is going near Angel. She’s mine. I claim her. Don’t even think of her as your blood, because she has nothing of you in her. She’s all ours.”
“Zach doesn’t speak for all the men,” Pill says, lifting up his chin.
Arrow looks at Rake. “Your call, brother.”
Rake looks down at me, then back up at Wade. “Leave, go back to Channon. You’re not seeing my daughter. This is the last time I will warn you about this. Let it go, or no one will be able to save you. I don’t give a fuck who your brother is.”
“I’ll get a lawyer then,” Wade says, fists clenching. “You can’t beat the justice system with your threats. Say what you will, but I am her father, something a simple DNA test will prove.”
“Why now?” I ask him, steel lacing my tone. “You didn’t give a shit about her for the past six years, so why now?”
“I don’t need to explain anything,” he says arrogantly. “She’s my blood, end of story.”
Such a dickhead.
How did I ever sleep with this man?
“Can’t get a lawyer if you’re fuckin’ dead,” Arrow says casually, nodding his head like he thinks it’s a good idea.
Jesus.
“What do you want?” Rake asks him, looking him straig
ht in the eye. “Cut to the fuckin’ chase.”
Wade looks down then up again. “I want a hundred thousand.”
So that’s why he’s here? For money? I didn’t think my opinion of him could get any lower, but he’s proved me wrong. Wow. So he’s threatening to try to take Cara if we don’t give him a hundred thousand dollars? I shake my head, unable to believe the audacity of the worthless man standing in front of me.
“And how do we know you won’t be back again? You’re clearly a shit cunt, so your word won’t mean shit,” Arrow snarls, shifting on his feet, as if trying to stop himself from losing control.
“He won’t ask for anything else,” Pill says.
He obviously knew his brother wanted money.
And is supporting it.
Fuck.
Yeah, Faye was right about that one.
THIRTY-TWO
THE men all have a meeting.
The women and the kids are sitting outside; Rake said he wanted everyone together until they knew how they were going to handle this situation. I don’t know what to think. Giving Wade money was only going to solve the problem for now, and a hundred grand was a huge amount. According to Anna, the MC had a shitload of money, but that wasn’t the point. I couldn’t ask Rake to pay that no matter how much money he had.
“Don’t stress, honey,” Faye says to me, placing her hand on the inside of my arm. “They’ll handle it.”
“I don’t want to start shit,” I tell Faye, puffing out a breath. “But I don’t want Wade to win either. So I don’t know how to make both of those things happen.”
I watch Cara and Clover playing on the grass with some Superman and Batman toys. Cara laughs, the sound settling in my soul.
I’d do anything to protect her.
Anything.
In a way I feel guilty, because it was my bad judgment that gave her such a father.
She’s going to have to pay for my decision for the rest of her life.
“It’s not that big of an issue,” Faye says, tapping her burgundy fingers on her chin. “I don’t think so. The biggest problem is Pill, not Wade. Wade is easy. Pill however . . . I think Rake should head up to Channon and talk to the men there, sort shit out before Pill twists things and starts something.”
“Do you think that’s what he’ll do?” I ask, not really liking the idea of Rake leaving. “He will take some of the men with him, right? I don’t want him to go up there alone.”
“I’m sure he’ll take someone. Zach’s up there, and he’s a good man. It will all be good in the end,” Faye says, pushing my hair back behind my ear. “We’ll probably never hear from Wade again.”
I don’t even want to touch that comment.
“Why did he make everyone come to the clubhouse then?” I ask, scrubbing my hands down my face. “And he’s not even going to tell me the plan, is he? I’m going to be kept in the dark about everything because I have a vagina.”
Faye spits out her water at my comment. “Fuck.” She laughs, wiping her mouth. “Oh, come on, that was funny! Look, we’re all here so no one has to worry. Everyone is safe. We always come here when shit’s going down, just in case. We all like to keep each other safe. It’s a precaution; it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re dodging bullets.”
I exhale deeply and sink down in my chair. “I didn’t even know Wade had a brother.”
“Is Wade as ugly as Pill?” Faye asks, cringing.
I shake my head. “No. Why is Pill even having his back for this? Surely Pill has money if Wade is that desperate for some.”
Faye glances around, then leans closer to me, her auburn hair falling around her like a curtain. “I heard Sin saying that he heard rumors about Pill taking drugs. Ice. That shit isn’t cheap. Maybe Wade’s taking drugs with him, and the two of them need cash. Good thing is, if we can prove this, maybe Pill will lose his cut.”
I sit up straight and think that over. “Interesting.”
“See, us vaginas do find out some information,” she teases, nudging me playfully.
“Good to know.” I grin. “Even if we have to resort to eavesdropping.”
She shrugs, completely unashamed. “Girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. As the club lawyer I end up finding everything out anyway. But I have to keep most of that shit to myself, unfortunately. I can help with the legal side of things for you though: we can file for sole custody. The courts won’t give him Cara. If anything, they’ll make him back pay a shit load of child support.”
I smile and thank Faye for her legal help. I don’t want any money from him though. I don’t want anything from him.
Anna lifts her legs up on my lap. “We should put a pool in here. There’s plenty of room.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”
She just smiles. “The perks of being with a controlling alpha male. I have no doubt in my mind that everything will be taken care of. Rake isn’t going to let anything happen to you or Cara. He won’t let that man even breathe in her direction.”
Irish walks out at that moment and flashes us a smile. “Ladies.”
“Dude, where have you been?” Faye asks, standing up and pulling him in a hug. “Who is she? Where is she? Is she here?”
Irish lets go of her, but Faye still holds on to him, dangling there. “Bros over hos, man. We’ve missed you around here.”
“I haven’t been gone that much,” he replies gruffly, gently extracting Faye from his person. “I’ve had a few things I needed to take care of, darlin’.”
Faye finally lets him go and plops back down in her seat. Irish sits next to her and stretches his arms above his head, showing off his biceps.
“If you’re out here, why are they still in there?” she asks, looking back toward the door.
“They’re coming,” he says, just as Sin, Arrow, Tracker, Rake, Trace, Ronan, and Vinnie walk out one by one. Rake offers me his hand, and I take it. He then calls Cara, who runs over to us, and takes her hand in his other one.
“We leave tomorrow then?” Rake asks Sin, who nods his head once, his blue eyes homing in on me.
“Rake is going away for a few days; Irish and Vinnie are going to take turns staying with you until he’s back, all right?” Sin says.
I nod.
Rake’s hand tightens on mine.
We say our ’byes, and Rake takes us home.
Rake tells me he’s moving in permanently as soon as he returns. Faye was right; he’s heading to Channon to sort shit out and will be back in three days. The lack of information annoys the hell out of me, but feeling tired after a stressful day, I fall asleep wrapped in his arms.
And even after everything, I still feel safe there.
* * *
The next day, I’m watching Rhett and Cara ride their bicycles in the front yard, and sipping on some fresh orange juice, Anna, Lana, and Vinnie next to me. The sun is shining and we all decided to enjoy it. Vinnie and Anna put some gin in their OJ, while Lana and I are going alcohol-free and silently judging them for drinking at one in the afternoon.
“Did you hear about that guy, Dom someone from school? I think he was in your grade,” Anna says casually, her eyes covered by her big black sunglasses.
“Dom who?” I ask, my eyes darting between her and the kids.
I try to keep myself calm.
She didn’t know what happened.
Only Rake did.
And Christa.
And . . . him.
Dom Rogers.
“Dom Rogers, I think,” she says, taking a sip from her straw. “I saw in the paper that he died. A car crash, I think. They mentioned he went to our high school.”
“Yeah, I remember him,” I say in an empty voice.
I’ll never forget him.
I’ll see flashes of his face for the rest of my life.
But now he was dead.
And I felt . . . not happy, not sad.
I felt . . . peaceful.
It was years ago, I know. B
ut time doesn’t always heal wounds. Not a wound like that.
Nothing would heal it.
I look down at my hands, my clean hands, and somehow I just know that Rake’s aren’t as clean.
No, they’re bloody.
They are dripping.
They were dirty before I was reunited with him, and they’re even bloodier now. Feeling a little numb, as if I’m looking at my life from the outside in, I think over everything that’s happened.
Dom is dead. I can’t explain the liberating feeling that comes with knowing that. It might make me evil or whatever, but I don’t feel any guilt that he’s dead. I don’t feel any remorse. I feel like it’s finally over.
And now Rake’s taking care of Wade, the man who gave me Cara but tried to take her back for his own selfish reasons. A man who doesn’t give one fuck about my daughter, only what he could get out of her.
It’s twisted, I know.
But I smile.
Because Rake is my guardian angel.
Or maybe my personal grim reaper.
THIRTY-THREE
SO . . .” I say, wringing my hands. “How’s things with you, Irish?”
He flashes me a sardonic smile. “No need to make small talk, Bails. Silence is perfectly fine.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I’d hate to make the night easy on you, then.”
He laughs and changes the channel on the TV. “Things are fine. Is this your way of prying? I hear the women have been speculating about me.”
I shrug my shoulder and risk a glance at him. His dark eyes are already on me. “We thought maybe you had someone special in your . . .”
“Bed?”
“I was going to say life, but bed works,” I say in a dry tone, crossing my legs on the couch. “You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?”
“Nope.”
“Fine,” I give in, staring at the screen. “Rake hasn’t called today.”
“Probably busy,” Irish says, looking at his phone distractedly. “Sorting shit out. Possibly trying to kill Pill.”
My head snaps to him. “They want to kill Pill?”
He looks up from his phone and starts laughing. “Kill Pill.”
“Irish.” I sigh, giving up on him and watching the movie.
“So how come Vinnie got his favorite meal made but I didn’t get shit?” he asks after a few moments.
Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club) Page 22
