Page 95

I hear my mother gasp, but I still can’t bring my head up to meet her stare. “What does that have to do with me?”

Not how can I help, or what do you need from me, but what does that have to do with me. I don’t know when my mother became so cruel, or maybe she always was.

“You know what it has to do with you.”

I finally lift my gaze to my mother and see her narrow her gaze towards Bianca. She shakes her head. “No. This has nothing to do with me.” She stands and turns her back on us, making her way towards the front door. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I remember what I went through the first time, but this has nothing to do with me.”

“Maldita sea, Gloria! Dile la Verdad. Dale la oportunidad de vivir porque no voy a ser yo quien lo haga. Ayuda a salvar a tu hija.” God damn it, Gloria! Tell her the truth. Give her a chance to live because I'm not going to be the one to do it. Help save your daughter.

“Maybe it’s time you get your hands dirty, Bianca. Maybe it’s time you atone for your husband’s actions. Now, if you’d please leave.”

When Bianca gets up, I follow with my head down. My heart aches. Never would I ever be so spiteful towards Sam. He’s a blessing. If I had more than one child, I would be thankful for each and every one of them.

Bianca stops in front of my mother, who is standing with the front door open. “Que Dios me apiade de tu alma.” May God have mercy on your soul.

Tessa

I watch the familiar streets of my childhood neighborhood pass as Bianca drives back to her house. I had stopped trying to fight the tears the moment I closed the car door. I couldn’t help but look back at my parents’ house when I was safely within the confines of the car.

I shouldn’t have.

My mother had stood on the porch, her arms folded with a scowl on her face. A scowl. What did I ever do to that woman? Was she ashamed of what happened to me? Did my attack put a mark on my family? Were there whispers of what happened to me? I’ve spent a long time trying to figure out what I did to make her hate me so much. I still don’t get it.

“Mija.” Bianca places her hand on my arm. “It has nothing to do with you.”

I wish I could believe her words, but I have too many memories to prove otherwise.

I sniff. “It sure feels like it,” I mumble as I continue to stare out the window. I wipe the tears from my face and turn my head towards Bianca. “Growing up, I always felt the resentment my mother held for me. She was cold, and I always thought she didn’t like another female vying for my father’s attention. I never understood what I did to her to deserve that. I guess it was just being born.”

“Mija, you’re innocent. That is all on her. Nothing to do with you.” She gives me a smile and pats the side of my face.

“I’m lucky to have had you in my life, Bianca. I saw how much you loved your kids and the kids of everyone in the club. It was always unconditional. You taught me that. You taught me how a parent should love their child. I’m thankful for you.”

“Aye, mija. Todos ustedes, los niños, siempre fueron fáciles de amar.” All you kids were always easy to love.

Hawk

The meeting is happening. Louie Jr. was more than happy to meet up. This is a prime example of how the face of the MC is changing. Not just with Fury, but with the Diablos as well.

I knock on the door of Cut’s office. “Come in,” he calls before I enter.

He’s the only one in the room. Lick and Sin are in the shop, and Dyke has taken off for a few days. The others are either in the clubhouse or out of town. “Louie will be here, soon.”

I drop down in the chair in front of his desk. “Do you have a game plan?”

“I’m going to recap what happened, then I’m going to ask for his location. Knowing that Louie has his daughter, he’ll take what happened to Tessa into consideration.”

“Yeah, let’s hope.”

“Let's forget to mention the reasons behind his club members’ untimely deaths, got it?”

“He’s not going to hear it from me.”

“How’s Tessa?”

“She’s home resting. She had the scans and spinal tap this morning. Between those and the shit that went down with her mother yesterday, she’s wiped.”

“I have half a mind to go over there and knock some sense into those people.”