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“The MC went from massive, well more than this area could sustain, to a moderate size in less than ten years. Me? I grew up in it, married my high school sweetheart when she got pregnant, and got patched in as soon as I could. My ex and I had three kids in five years, and I can’t tell you how many times we had to shelter at the clubhouse due to shit going on. See, other groups were trying to move in on our business and things were getting bad.”
“Sorry to interrupt, where do your kids live?”
“They’re down in Arizona,” I answer, closing my eyes and resting my head against a steeple that I forms with my hands. “Things came to a head and Dad called in the other chapters. We road out andtook careof things. My dad was killed that night and I was shot up bad. Louise waited for me to heal, then informed me she was done. Her family had the kids already, we’d sent them away for safekeeping and she was going to join them. Without me.”
“She knew you’d never leave,” Molly inserts, and I nod, validating her words.
“I may not have been a great husband back then, but I absolutely loved my family. Not even Louise questioned that. I lost it, for a long time. It was Mack, Roy, and some other others who helped hold things together while I drank and partied my ass off. And it was somewhere in there that your mom found her way into the clubhouse.”
“You don’t ever have to sugar coat things, Flint. I understand how Mom was at my age,” she lets me know as she places the batter in the oven and sets a timer. “It’s understandable that you don’t remember her.”
“I do though, not at first, but I remember that she was one of those people who always seemed happy. Some of the Girlies, um, the girls that…” I shrug when she rolls her eyes and nods,letting me know she understands. “There would be fighting and shit, she’d always calm everyone down. Max knew damn well that none of the members wanted to deal with that stuff. It isn’t much, I know, but that’s what I remember about her.”
“Thank you,” she whispers. “Do you think you’ll tell your kids about me?”
“I told Louise about you and I’m giving her a minute to digest the news, but yes. I plan to tell them, also. Just so you know, you have three nephews and two nieces—plus another one on the way.” The way her face lights up when I tell her has me grinning right back at her. “And then there’s Joe, I think Bree told you we’re going to adopt him when he turns eighteen next year.”
“Yeah, she’s excited about that,” Molly says, wiping at her eyes. “Sorry, kind of overwhelming hearing about siblings and niblings!”
“Niblings?”
“Oh, it’s kind of the new collective word for nieces and nephews,” she answers. “Also, I had wanted to stop by and see Bree, but I felt really awkward about it since we didn’t get a chance to talk. If you need me for anything, please let me know.”
“You’ve asked about how everyone else has taken the news, but not me.”
With that statement, her cheeks flare red and her eyes dart between the oven and the floor.
“You also haven’t told me your thoughts on finding out that I fathered you,” I continue.
“When Mom was alive, I was younger and I never really thought about my father. She and Grandma were everything. After she died, I used to make up stories aboutyouin my head. I was too shy to talk to Grandma about it, I guess. To be honest, I kindof felt like Mack and Roy were excited about the possibility and you weren’t. That might not have been fair, but that’s how it seemed.”
“Hear me out with what I’m about to say.” I shoot her a warning glance with those words, because I don’t do soft and kind. “Iwasrooting for one of them to be your biological father. You’re right about that. In my mind, those two men are my brothers and as we’ve gotten older, I know they have regrets about things that have passed them by.
“That doesn’t make me any less proud to be your father, even though I have no right to be. When you needed a place to stay after the car bomb, Bree asked me what you meant about us butting heads, so she can back me up on what I’m about to say.”
I start to check my points off on my fingers. “I think you’re one hell of a person. You work hard and passionately. You moved to a place you didn’t know anyone and have formed solid friendships. Maybe I didn’t like having your anger aimed at me that day, but I sure as hell admired your fire. From what I’ve seen, you’re honest and have a good heart. Hell, I’ll never admit it to him, but I’m even starting to like who Royce has become since he started chasing you.”
The look on her face at my last comment confirms what Joe had let slip last night.
Standing up, I hold my arms out to her and before my second step forward, she’s wrapped in my arms. I smooth my hand down around her head, smiling as I kiss the top of it.
“Can we spend some time, getting to know each other?” she asks me.
“On one condition,” I tell her, trying not to grin when she looks up at me. “The loan is forgiven and I’m signing the building over to you.”
“That’s not how I was raised,” she insists, and I can’t say I don’t recognize the stubborn glint in her eye. “I took on the responsibility and I insist on paying it off.”
“While your mom and grandmother did an incredible job raising you, this is no more than I would have contributed over the years, if I had known about you. Besides finding a way to spend time with you,” I counter, hardening my own gaze so she’ll know I’m determined. “I supported my older children—to a point, and if Joe wants to go to college or trade school, I’ll pay for that. Don’t ask me to do less for you, Molly.”
When her eyes well up with tears, I know I’ve won so I tighten my arms around her again.
“Now, what do you want me to do about Royce?” I ask her, and that’s when she starts to cry in earnest.
Maybe I should have let Bree handle this part…
Chapter 16
Royce
