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Stopping my bike in front of the clubhouse, I refused to feel guilty over what I was about to do.
River said she wanted nothing to do with her dad, but I knew my girl too well. At the moment, she was pissed and hurting. But in a week, or a month—fuck, maybe even in a year—she would wake up one morning and miss Colt so much, it would hurt her all over again. And as her man, I couldn’t just sit back and let that happen.
When her dad had called me that morning, asking for a face-to-face, I knew I had to straighten all of this out between the two of them.
Pocketing my keys, I adjusted my cut and walked into the clubhouse. The place was never empty. There was always a brother in residence and a few sheep to take care of their needs. When I walked in, Jack and Kingston were sitting on one of the couches, watching some sports talk show.
Seeing me, Kingston stood, his face dark with concern. “How is she?”
“Pissed. Hurting. Trying to tell me that she’s fine.” My jaw clenched. “She’s at graduation practice right now.”
Jack was slower to stand, turning off the television set as he nodded toward the stairs that led up to Uncle Bash’s office. “He’s up there. All the dads are. And they are pissed.”
I exhaled slowly. “Whatever happens, tell my girl I love her.”
Kingston slapped me on the back as the three of us started for the steps. “Bro, they aren’t pissed at you. I seriously thought your pops was going to take Uncle Colt’s head off last night at Church. He’s lucky my mom, Aunt Raven, and Aunt Kelli showed up, or he’d probably be dead right now.”
Cursing under my breath, I knocked on the closed office door and heard a barked, “Come in,” before opening it. Squaring my shoulders, I stepped into the room, my eyes automatically clocking everyone and where they were.
Uncle Bash was behind his desk, my dad standing behind him on his left, Uncle Hawk on his right. Uncle Jet and Uncle Raider were in seats in front of the desk, while Matt and Tanner Reid stood against the wall, their gazes following the man who was pacing in front of them.
After a few more steps, Colt finally turned to face me. His face was set in hard lines, but pale. His green eyes, so like his daughter’s, were just as bloodshot as hers had been that morning, with dark shadows beneath them that gave him a depraved, haunted vibe.
Kingston and Jack flanked me, and I was thankful for their support as they stood behind me. Colt’s gaze locked with mine, and I crossed my arms over my chest, staring him down as he seemed to struggle to find words.
He was the one who’d asked for this meeting. I’d come out of respect to him as a brother, but more than anything because I wanted to fix the rift between him and my girl.
“It’s two fucking words,” Dad barked. “Repeat after me—I’m sorry. Not hard to say, dickhead.”
Colt’s jaw worked for a moment before he finally unclenched it enough to mutter, “I’m sorry.”
“You know, your plan was pretty genius,” I complimented him. “You just didn’t take into consideration one important aspect. River has been the only female I’ve seen from the moment I hit puberty. She knows more than anyone that I would rather chop off my own cock than touch anyone else.”
He grunted. “Yeah, well, I thought this whole bullshit relationship between you two was just you trying to fuck with me. I didn’t like you using my little girl to prank me. I didn’t realize you two had been together for years.”
I stood up straighter. “Our relationship isn’t bullshit. I’ve loved her since before I even understood what that kind of love really meant.” I pulled my brows together as I considered what else he’d just said. “And why the hell would I prank you like that? If I wanted to fuck with you, I wouldn’t use River. Trust me, old man. I have better ways to jerk you around than using the woman I love as bait.”
“Yeah,” Kingston muttered behind me. “If I were you, Unc, I wouldn’t be going to Mav for ink anytime soon. He’s liable to give you a big hairy cock or something.”
Colt’s lips twitched in amusement. “Noted.”
“When I asked you for permission to date River on her birthday, what I really wanted to ask was for your blessing to marry her,” I told him, needing to lay it all on the table so he understood where I was coming from. Maybe I should have just asked him that day instead of easing into it like Jack and Kingston had suggested. “Even though she’s vowed to cut you out of her life, I would still like your blessing.”
His jaw tensed again, and I witnessed him having trouble swallowing for a moment before he blew out a harsh sigh. “Yeah, boy. You have my blessing.” He thrust his hands into his jeans pockets. “But I want to walk her down the aisle.”
“I can’t guarantee that, man.” I gave it to him straight. “She’s stubborn, and right now, she’s
pissed. You broke her heart.”
His shoulders slumped, his throat working again as he fought his emotions. “I know.”
“Well, don’t just stand there, dumbass!” Uncle Jet grumbled. “Figure out how to fix it. You found a way to get Kelli to forgive you for all the shit you put her through. I’m sure you can sort this out.”
Colt sighed. “Kelli suggested a few ways that might win River over, but I don’t know if she’ll accept anything I do. Or if it would even be enough. That girl is worse than her mother. She can hold a grudge.”
“You never know unless you at least try.” Uncle Bash spoke for the first time. “You shitheads take a seat. We’ll do what we can to help.”
“She’s going to think you’re trying to buy her forgiveness,” I growled at my future father-in-law as he suggested what he wanted to do to win River back.
