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“Brent,” he grunts.
Brent’s body jerks as he looks over to Byron. I watch as his eyes widen and then he swings his attention back over to me. “What the fuck?” he hisses. “What the fuck is happening here? Byron?”
Byron chuckles. “Been a while since I’ve seen you. I know that this looks like a bad place but trust me. She’s in good hands.”
Brent shakes his head. “She’s not,” he growls. “She’s not and now you’re fucked too. I’m going to take this whole goddamn place down.”
“Why?” I demand. “What is your actual problem? This goes beyond your duty to the badge or whatever.”
RIFF
I see them talking. Brent has his head bent slightly, but it’s Tanner that causes my feet to move faster. Her spine is straight, her body is tight, and it is very fucking clear that she is unhappy and uncomfortable.
“Brent,” I call out as I walk up behind Tanner.
She doesn’t say anything, her body is still stiff even when I slide my hand across her hips, gripping her there. She stays silent, but Brent doesn’t. He narrows his gaze on me, his eyes searching mine. He’s fucking pissed the fuck off. I can tell, but I don’t call him on it, instead, I ask him about Sinks.
“How is Sinks? What happened with him?”
Brent grunts, shaking his head once. “Doesn’t fucking matter. You’re not getting to him. I’m sure you have some kind of plans, but he’s not getting out of jail. Not anytime soon.”
I almost laugh in his face, but I decide against it. “You are pissed off, I get it. We fucked up. He was able to get to Tanner. He shouldn’t have been. I’m making sure it will never happen again.”
“Yeah?” he asks. “So, you’re going to break things off with her, then? Going to sign over all your rights to that baby?”
Shaking my head, I try really fucking hard to keep my shit together. I can hear Uno grunt from beside me. He’s been standing here the whole time. Honestly, he’s not a bad dude to have at my back at this point.
“Man, what the fuck is your deal? I get you don’t like me. You don’t like my affiliation with this club, but I’m here, and I’m with your sister. Why do you want this baby to not have a father? Why the fuck would you want us to fail? I’m here. I want to make this work. I want to keep her.”
“I don’t want my sister to be with a fucking criminal and I don’t want my niece or nephew to be raised by one either.”
My lips curve up into a smile and I stare straight ahead at him. Leaning forward slightly, I shake my head slowly before I speak. When I do, it’s with the intention that this motherfucker better hear me. I’m done with this shit.
“You will either accept us, or you won’t, but I won’t have this fucking conversation again. Tanner is not going anywhere, and neither am I. She’s free to have whatever relationship she wants with you. She’s free to finish her school and work. I don’t give a fuck. But you are not in control of her. She is a fucking woman, and she makes her own decisions. Now, if that’s all you came here to say, you can turn your ass right around and go away.”
Brent’s jaw clenches at the end of my speech and his attention flicks from mine to Tanner’s. He’s silent as he stares at her for a moment, then clears his throat and nods his head once.
“Same rules apply, Tanner. Don’t come to me when he’s fucked you over. I am done. You’re too much goddamn work. I didn’t sign up to raise a teenager. You end up in the crazy house like Mom. I’m not raising your fucking kid.”
He turns and walks away. I realize that blood family is fucking ridiculous. Picking your own family is where the fuck it’s at. Turning to Tanner, I lift my hand and cup her cheek. Touching my mouth to hers, I don’t deepen the kiss, instead, I whisper something to her.
“Fuck him, buttercup.Fuck him. You’re staying right here and I’m never letting you the fuck go.”
