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“Nah, just bringing him back so my VP can.” I don’t know why I’m telling him all this shit. Maybe so he can relay it to Kens, but I think it’s mostly because I just need to talk to someone and he’s here.
“Your club really kills people?” he whisper-shouts, and I laugh again.
“We do a lot of things, kid.” I rest my head against the doorframe, suddenly feeling how tired I really am. “You ever thought about getting a bike? Maybe joining a club when you’re older?” He bites his lips and drops his eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Mom doesn’t like it,” he mumbles. He steps his foot to the side, blocking Rasputin from running outside.
“She’ll come around,” I say as I crouch to pet the dog. “If you told her you murdered someone, she’d help you hide the body.” He snorts.
“Yeah, after she yelled at me for it.” I grin as I scratch behind Rasputin’s ear. It slowly falls as I remember her words. Sighing, I push myself up and wipe my hands on my jeans.
“I gotta go, but just let your mom know I won’t be around, okay?” His eyes meet mine, and a lot of that hatred he had is gone. “If she needs anything, tell her to call Bash. He’ll help her.”
“What happened between you?” he asks quietly, and I sigh again.
“We said some shit to each other we shouldn’t have. Even if I didn’t mean it all, I think she meant what she said.”
“Then why are you here?” he asks, not unkindly. “If you fought, and she said shit to make you think she doesn’t want you around, why did you come back?” I stare at him, at a complete loss for words.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I just–I wanted her to know she can still call me for anything. That goes for you, too, Ian.” His eyes widen, but I can’t stop the words. “I know I’m a…freak.” I bite the word out, feeling that sharp knife carving into my skin. “But I care about your mom. I care about you. So if you need anything, ever, no matter what’s going on with Kens and me, just call, yeah?”
“You mean that?” he asks quietly, and I nod.
“Of course,” I say. “When I claimed your mom, I claimed you, too.”
“Claimed…her?” His eyes narrow into a glare again and I laugh.
“I don’t think she knows that,” I say, grinning. “You can’t help who you fall for, and even if we’re pissed at each other, it doesn’t mean she’s not still mine.”
“You sound like a caveman,” he says, and I snort.
“Not the first time I’ve heard that.” I take a step back. “Just watch out for your mom for me?” He straightens to his full height and throws his shoulders back as he nods.
“I will.”
“And you’ll let me know if anyone fucks with her?” I take another step back and he nods again.
“What will you do to them?”
“Don’t worry about it, kid.” I smile as I step onto the first stair. “You’ll let me know if anyone fucks with you?” He nods again. “See you around.”
“See you around, Kiwi.”
As I walk back to my bike, I realize he said my name for the first time. I said his name for the first time, too.
If I can get through to him, maybe I can get through to Kennedy, too.
Kennedy
Someone knocks on the bar to get my attention, and I grit my teeth before turning toward them. Archer leans against it, his face uncharacteristically guarded.
“What?” I snarl, tightening my hold on the damp rag in my hand. His dark blond brows lift, but that’s the only shift of his features.
“What’s up with you?” He jerks his chin to me and I roll my eyes as I turn back toward the glasses on the other side of the bar.
“Nothing.”
“Something’s wrong,” he says. I ignore him, forcing my hands to move to the glass I’d been wiping down. “Kiwi left this morning.” My back stiffens, and I know he’s just prodding at me until he figures out what’s going on.
