“At least they have their dad,” I suggested.
She scoffed. “Having their dad doesn’t make up for losing their mom.”
I stared at the night sky. “I didn’t have a mom. Or a dad. One is better than none.”
“What happened to them?”
I shrugged. “No idea. I was dropped at a fire station with my birth certificate and a stuffed whale when I was two months old.”
“Do you know why?”
I sighed. “A few years ago, I asked Linc to dig a bit. He got hold of my medical records and hers. My mother was an alcoholic.”
Merci hummed. “Explains a few things.”
I glanced at her, brows raised. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”
She shoved my shoulder playfully. “Medically speaking, prenatal alcohol exposure explains your poor impulse control. Your daredeviltry. Why you have the focus of a squirrel.”
“Daredeviltry? Is that a medical term?”
“It could be. Let me do some research on you, and when I make a discovery, I’ll name it after us when I get published. Morris-Perry Daredeviltry Syndrome. Unless we discover a new STI. In that case, I’m dropping my name.”
I flipped her off before softening. “I’m sorry about your friend. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a parent. I don’t even know what it’s like to have a family.”
Merci tilted her head and gazed into my eyes. “You have a family.Merrick, Reaper, and the rest of the club. The old ladies who fill your fridge so you don’t starve.”
I narrowed my eyes at her in question.
Merci laughed, the sound echoing off the rock. “Kenna told me that she and Eva see you as a stray puppy. They make sure to leave just enough food out to keep you around, but not too much that you follow them home.”
I snorted. “As if I’d want to follow them home. Feel like a fifth wheel every time.”
She nodded. “It’s nice seeing Merrick in love, though. Kenna’s changed him. He’s lighter. Happier. I never thought I’d see that again.”
“Me neither.”
“I need to find my own place.” She grimaced. “Their bedsprings will probably scar me for life.”
I broke into a loud laugh, my entire body shaking. “Shit. You want me to move you back into the clubhouse?”
“Yeah, kind of.”
I bumped her arm. “Just say the word. I’ve gotten pretty good at moving you in and out of places.”
A bullfrog splashed into the still pond, and the water rippled in tiny waves.
“This is nice. Peaceful. Is this where you bring your dates?”
I shook my head. “I’ve never brought anyone here. I come here by myself when I need to clear my head. Thought it might help you.”
She rested her head on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
We listened to the sounds of the Texas night. An owl hooted in the distance. She let out a long sigh, as she’d finally let some of the weight she carried slip away into the water below.
The moment of peace was shattered by her phone. She glanced at it and quickly tried to turn the screen away when she saw the message.
“What the fuck was that?” I growled, snatching the phone fromher hand. Another love-bombing message from her ex-fiancé from an unknown number filled the screen. “He’s still texting you?”
