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They stayed silent as Prez handed the bag to Hollywood who would do his own count. Money in a bag can easily be made to look more than it is. Nole’s eyes flashed to and fro over them, too nervous to make eye contact and he jerked at every small sound. This wasn’t the cocky, confident crook they’d dealt with six months ago. Duke couldn’t help but be suspicious when Nole started scanning the area as if he was about to be a victim of an ambush. Hollywood finished the count and gave a single nod to Prez. It was all there. Thank fuck, he didn’t want to deal with this asshat again.
“Okay, Fletcher, it’s all here. Our business is done. Don’t contact Fallen again, you won’t like the reception you’ll get.” Prez warned.
He quickly nodded. “Nicole?”
Duke stepped forward. “What about her? We were led to believe you didn’t give a fuck being that we’ve been in this deal for six months and that’s the first time you’ve asked,” he said through gritted teeth.
“I know but we’re done now. The deal’s done. When can I come get her?” His voice was small and pathetic sounding.
“You won’t. She belongs to me now.”
Nole’s spine straightened and panic registered on his face. “No. No. You can’t do that. She’s my daughter. You have to give her back to me. I don’t believe she’d want to stay with you.”
Razor sprang forward and planted his fist straight in Nole’s face, knocking him to the ground. “You’re no father! You’re a pathetic piece of shit that sells his daughter to every one in the state, not caring what happens to her.” He spat on him before walking away. Nole got himself up and his lip curled up in a snarl. Well, wasn’t this a turn around. His outward behaviour had completely transformed.
“I want to see her. I don’t believe any of you MC fuckers. No way would Nicole want to stay with you. She deserves better. I want to hear it from her. Face to face. I don’t trust you to not be holding a gun to her head on the phone. I know how you bikers keep your sluts.”
Duke had heard enough, bad enough to insult the club and call them fuckers but worse, he’d actually referred to Nicole as a slut! He was about to deliver a well aimed blow when Prez beat him to it. He was held back by Hollywood and Razor, if he wasn’t he would have joined in. Prez tugged Nole up from the floor by his greasy hair and stood nose to nose with him.
“You dare insult us when you happily throw your daughter to the wolves to keep them off your back? You’re nothing, you’re a piece of shit and if I had my way you’d be buried in the ground somewhere with me pissing on your grave.” Prez let go and pushed him into the wall and stepped back. “Unfortunately for me, Nicole wants to see you, come by the club gates at eleven o’clock tomorrow morning. If you’re one minute late you’ll be standing there alone. There are no second chances.”
He watched Nole sag against the wall in relief. They turned their backs and went to their bikes. Riding back, Duke couldn’t get a read on the meeting they’d just had. He played it on a continual loop in his mind. Nole had gone from weak and pathetic to angry, then to relief. It made no sense for him to act that way. He was acting manic. Duke had a gut feeling something wasn’t right, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. He could have been reading too much into it. He wasn’t very rational with anything regarding Nicole. Maybe Nole was just being a crazy bastard, but there was no way Nicole would be standing at the gates alone tomorrow.
Chapter thirteen
Nicole
The baby shower was awesome. They’d been given so many presents for the boys that she was completely overwhelmed and spent the majority of the party in happy tears. Nicole didn’t know what was left for her and Duke to buy. Jewel showed her the room next to their apartment that they had emptied for her and Duke to use as storage. She’d shown them all the bands Duke had given her and they begged her to tell them the names that go with them. She wouldn’t, that was just between her and Duke until the babies were born. The ladies continued to beg and guess throughout the night but she wouldn’t relent and none of their guesses were anywhere near. Shel had been great and organised games and quizzes that had them all in hysterics, laughing. She lost count of how many times she had rushed to the bathroom to keep from peeing herself. Every old lady was there and Nicole felt she’d been accepted into their sisterhood.
She woke to Duke wrapped around her like always. She never wanted to wake up any other way. He told her the meeting with her Dad had gone okay and that his debt was payed in full. She was relieved and for some reason nervous and apprehensive to see him this morning. She had a ball of guilt in her stomach from what she was going to say to him. He was her Dad and more than likely she would never see him again after today. In fact, that was the plan. She knew it was for the best, she had a family to think of, yet, a part of her despised herself for what she was about to do. She was all he had and she worried over what he would do when he didn’t have her any longer.
She’d recited what she was going to say to him time and time again in her mind. Each time it changed, none of it seemed right or good enough. She wanted to use the time to thank him for what he did do, not reprimand him for what he didn’t. Duke didn’t understand this and thought she should be totally honest and clear the air. That wasn’t her though. She didn’t hold grudges and why end their relationship on a low note when it didn’t have to? She wanted her Dad to know that she loved him and would think of him often but that she didn’t want to risk her family with his lifestyle and his enemies. Over time he’d made a lot of enemies through bad deals and dodgy trades and her sons weren’t going to pay the price for it like she had. She prayed he’d understand and want what was the best for her. And the best for her was Duke. He was her other half.
