I nodded. “Ruston said something similar to me. He said that I could take care of myself, but I shouldn’t have to.”
“One of the hardest things I’ll ever do,” he muttered to himself. “Letting another man take care of you.”
My eyes pricked with tears, understanding the meaning in his words. “I think…” I swallowed hard. “I think he’ll do a good job, Pop.”
“Hope so. He won’t like the consequences if he doesn’t.”
I rolled my eyes through tears as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, kissing my temple. “I figure there wouldn’t be much left of him for me after you were done with him if he did you wrong,” he chuckled, again proving he knew I could take care of myself.
“Damn straight. I learned from the best.” I laughed hoarsely.
“You got that right. Your mother is an absolute hell cat when she’s pissed.” He chuckled. “Knew from the first time I pissed her off, I had my hands full. Still do.”
I wiped at my eyes, pulling out of his embrace. “Did you talk about club business with mom when you two were starting out?”
He pondered my question. “Not at first, and when I did, it was in stages. Since she grew up in the life, I probably got into it even earlier than I would have.”
“Ruston was open at first, but ever since he left, he’s being pretty tight-lipped,” I admitted.
He looked over at me. “Can’t say for sure, but I know for me, I didn’t want to give your mom too much too soon and have her turn tail and run. I kept her at arm’s length enough to pull her closer.”
I wrinkled my brow. “Well, I’m not having that.”
He looked over at me, his expression somber. “If I were in his shoes, I’d want to make sure you were all in before I gave you everything.”
I looked down at my hands, letting that sink in. “He wanted me to go with him.”
He pulled me into his side once again, his deep sigh betraying the depth of his emotion. “Then honey, what are you still doing here?”
And there it was—his blessing. I never knew the very words I’d been longing to hear would be so hard to take.
Tears spilled over, cascading down my cheeks. “I just need to see what this is. I know I’ll regret it if I don’t. Hell, who knows? I might be running back to Hawthorne.”
“Baby, you’ll be back to Hawthorne,” he muttered. “But if that man has even half the intention that I saw in him, it’ll be just to visit.”
I pulled back, looking at him through tears. He offered a sad smile, wiping at my cheeks. “From the moment you were born, you loved the life. You took to the club like you’d lived a hundred lifetimes doin’ it. Seems only fitting you have your own.”
I bit my lip against more tears, leaning against him as we stared out at the lake.
When he dropped me off at home, he looked over at me. “You sure me or your brother can’t drive you down?”
It was an offer he’d made more than once on the drive over.
“Pop…”
He offered a resigned sigh. “Drive safe, honey.”
And with those simple words, he let me go.
Chapter 11
RUSTON
The wind whipped overhead as I sat astride my bike, my eyes glued to the dark road ahead.
“Should be approaching in five,” Cason reported in my ear from back at headquarters.
“Roger,” I clipped as I gave a nod to Tank, who was sitting at my side.
