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I roll my eyes.“Because you’re a biker and bikers are known to be a little ...aggressive.”
He snorts.“You’re bein’ dramatic, Jaybird.Come on, Eb, let’s go and get you ready for school.”
Passing Max to me, Muff leans in to kiss my lips softly before disappearing down the hall, Ebony’s hand in his, ready to take on the challenge of ensuring she is left alone.I can’t help but smile as I watch them go, because as a team, those two are unstoppable.Muff is going to give Ebony all the things her dad couldn’t.Love, affection, a shoulder to cry on, and someone who will take a bullet for her.Even though at times I feel bad that her dad is now gone, I know he was a cold, cruel man that she is better off without.
It was a scary time when this club was dealing with my ex-husband’s club, and when they took them down, I was certain there would be repercussions, but, somehow, they managed to do such a good job that so far, we have had no backlash other than a few people who wanted money that he owed them.Muff sorted that out for me, and since then, I’ve been free.
A life that I feel like I finally deserve.
Max reaches out, putting his chubby fingers on my cheek and gurgling as he smiles up at me.He looks just like Muff, and that only makes me love him more.I lean down, kissing his drool-filled cheek before carrying him into the living area and putting him in his rocker.I have just strapped him in when a knock sounds at the door.Frowning, I glance at the time.It’s early, like super early, so I don’t know who would be here.
Walking over, I open it to see two police officers.
My heart immediately sinks.
It seems like there is never an occasion where police officers would deliver good news.Holding my breath, I wait for them to speak.A woman steps forward first, her smile light as she asks if Muff, who she calls by his real name, Brian, is here.For a second, I feel relief.Surely, she wouldn’t be smiling if it were bad news, right?
“He is,” I say.“I’m his wife, Janine.”
The officer glances at her partner, and the look they exchange has me worried all over again.Why do people look at each other like that?It’s so damned obvious they know something I don’t, and they’re making sure I know it.Whatever they know can’t be good, as they’re police officers and it’s early in the morning.
Before I can ask any more questions, Muff is behind me, his stance strong and overpowering.I guess you could say bikers are generally not fans of cops, something to do with all the illegal crap they’re involved in.This means he’s immediately on guard, no doubt giving them a look that explains the sudden shift in their demeanor.
A low rumble sounds out.“Can I help you?”
“Are you Brian?”
He must nod because she straightens.“Can we have a word, in private?”
Muff glances at me, and I nod, letting him step out.I close the door, but curiosity gets the better of me, and I peer out the window as the officers speak to Muff, handing him an envelope.He stares down at it, his face blank, and then looks back up at them and the expression on his face scares me.It’s that of shock, hurt, anger.There is so much flashing across his face, I don’t know how to read it.
What the hell did they just say to him?
When they leave, I rush out, my eyes scanning over his face as I stop in front of him.He’s staring at nothing, and his expression is haunted.After calling his name for a few seconds, he finally snaps out of it and looks at me.He’s trying to cover whatever is going on in his mind, but he’s doing a really bad job.He looks like he’s seen a ghost.Panic grips my chest and I am terrified of what he just found out.
“Are you okay?”I ask.“Muff, what happened?You look like you’ve seen a ghost.Is everyone okay?No one is hurt, are they?”
I’m speaking quickly, probably too quickly, but I’m scared.
“It’s nothin’,” he murmurs, but his voice is low and croaky, “just a club situation.Nothin’ for you to worry about.I’ll take Eb to school, then I have to go see Jackson.”
I know better than anyone that club business is something that doesn’t involve me, but why would the police be involved in something that is club business?Usually, they’re trying to stop it.Unless that’s exactly what they’re doing, and they’ve given Muff information that could hurt him, or the club, in some way.Either way, something about the entire situation just feels ...off.
Like he isn’t being entirely honest.
“Are you sure?”I ask, narrowing my eyes.“You don’t seem okay.”
“I’m fine, Jaybird,” he murmurs, his voice low as he leans in and kisses my head before disappearing.“As I said, club business.Don’t worry yourself about it, yeah?”
Something is wrong.
I’ve been around bikers long enough to know that, I just don’t know what that something is.
I’ve never seen that look on Muff’s face before, the broken, empty one.It scares me, but mostly because he won’t share with me what’s going on.He tells me everything and even though he is saying it’s club business, I’m struggling to make sense of that considering they delivered it here and not to the club.
Following him back inside the house, I watch him get Ebony ready, without saying a single word to me.
“Muff,” I say as he is grabbing her backpack.“You’re scaring me.”
