Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Legs
We drive to the diner in relative silence.
I’m not in the mood to make conversation and Midas is still pissed about how things played out.
My main concern at the moment is how Del will react.
I wasn’t joking when I said she would flip out.
I know she cares about me, and I’ve come to rely on our friendship.
It’s going to hurt like hell if she thinks I’m more hassle than I’m worth.
“Why do you look like you’re going to cry? I didn’t even open my mouth,” Midas asks, sounding confused. I almost snort at that. Sometimes, I swear men were emotionally stunted at birth.
“Not everything is about you, Midas. I’m worried that I’m going to damage a friendship that’s come to mean a lot to me.”
“If it means that much, it will all work out.”
“I’m not sure I share your enthusiasm. I’m too used to feeling like I’m too much trouble.”
“It’s not you, Legs—”
I glare at him. “I’m the common denominator. So don’t tell me that being made to feel alone and worthless is a reflection on the person leaving and not me. Because that’s a load of horseshit. I’m the one being abandoned repeatedly.”
He snaps his mouth shut, and I silently curse myself for spewing that at him.
I have a right to be hurt and pissed, but the last thing I need is to turn into a bitter shrew.
I take a deep breath and remind myself that this might all feel shitty right now, but it’s only temporary.
And hell, if everything falls apart again, I already know how to pull myself out of the gutter.
“You can park around back. Just please stay in the car. I’ve not asked you for much, Midas, but I need you to do this.”
He grits his teeth but nods. This is the first test, and if he fails it, we’ll be over before we’ve started.
I wait for him to park before I look over at him.
“I’ll be right here.” He hands me my cell phone out of his pocket. “Call me if you have any issues.”
I nod and climb out, closing the door behind me. I take a deep, steadying breath, wishing I looked a little more put together than I do because that will already set Del’s hackles up.
I walk around the front of the diner and push the door open. Susie sees me, her eyes going wide before she hurries over and hugs me.
“Del’s been going out of her mind. Where have you been?”
“Long story. Where is she?”
“Upstairs. I think she was planning on heading down to the police station.”
“I’ll go on up and talk to her.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re okay, Hazel. Del told us what happened to your place. That must have been scary.”
“Yeah, I won’t lie. It’s not something I’ll forget for a while. I better go.”
“No worries.” She gives me another squeeze before walking back to the counter.
I head out the back and up the staircase leading to the apartment. When I get there, I knock on the door and wait for a second or two before it’s yanked open. A harried-looking Del pulls me into a tight hug before she pushes me back and looks me over.
“What the actual fuck, Hazel?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I don’t give a fuck how long it is. You better sit your ass down and explain to me what the hell is going on.” And so I do, because underneath her bluster, I can hear just how scared she was for me.
I start with arriving at the police station and end with me coming here, leaving out the part about Midas fucking me or asking me to date him.
She looks at me in shock before she wipes her hand down her face. “Nothing is ever fucking simple with an MC, is it?”
“To be fair, we don’t know if it is the MC. It’s just one working theory, and only because so far the targets have been Lil—another club girl—and me. We don’t know about others yet. Midas is going to ask.”
“Is your friend okay?”
“Lil? She’s fine. Spooked, but the MC has her covered.”
She takes me in. I’m not sure what my expression says, but she’s by no means dumb. “You’re going back, aren’t you?”
I nod. “If I’m a target, then so is my baby. Being here paints a target on you, Del, and the rest of the staff, too. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you.”
“Shouldn’t that be my choice to make?”
“If the roles were reversed, would you let it be mine?” I return, already knowing the answer.
“Dammit, Hazel. I don’t like this.”
“Can’t say I’m jumping for joy myself.”
“What about the baby daddy? Is he going to be a problem?”
I shake my head. “I’m not going back to the clubhouse. I’m staying with Midas.”
Before she can say anything, I continue, “I’m not a club girl anymore, and I’m not an old lady, so the MC’s hands are tied.”
“Fucking club politics,” she snarls.
“I might want to cut off his dick in his sleep, but I know Midas will keep me safe until they catch this guy.”
She bites her lip, and I know she has more to say.
Thankfully, she refrains. Truth is, I don’t have any more answers to give her.
I might be making the biggest mistake of my life by moving back in with Midas, but if there is even a single chance that something might happen to my baby, then I’ll take every precaution I can.
“I’ll help you pack up your things,” she finally settles on.
I give her a shaky smile, which makes her curse.
She stomps over to me in that way she does when she means business and wraps her arms around me.
“I made this all about me, didn’t I? I knew I’d suck at this friend thing.
I just don’t want to lose you, and I sure as fuck don’t want anything to happen to you and my niece or nephew. ”
I lean back and look up at her.
“What? I’m calling dibs now before you go back. I’m going to be the best aunt in the world.”
“You’ll spoil them rotten, won’t you?”
“Every chance I get,” she admits proudly.
I wipe my eyes and grin at her. “The way I see it, my kid would be lucky to have such a protective aunt looking out for them.”
She narrows her eyes and points her finger at me. “What have I said about making me cry?”
“To do it often?”
“Ha-fucking-ha.”
“I’m going to miss you, Del,” I admit, and this time she gives in and lets a tear fall.
“Why does it feel like I’m not going to see you again?”
I laugh. “Once this is all cleared up, I’ll be—”
“A mom. You’ll have a little human to raise, and working in a diner will be the last thing on your mind.”
“In other people’s lives, maybe. But as I like to eat and I want to feed my kid, I’ll be back, if you’ll have me.
I can’t work while this is going on for obvious reasons, so I’ll be at Au temporarily, but after that…
” my voice trails off as I get a look at her face.
It’s not that she doesn’t want me to come back. She just doesn’t believe I will.
“Del?”
“Yeah.”
“I have no family outside of the MC. And as you know, with them, the club will always come first. If you think I’m walking away from my kid’s favorite aunt, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“You’ll come visit?”
“As soon as I can. And you can come visit me too.”
Her face falls at that, and though she doesn’t say it, we both know she won’t.
“Come on, let’s grab your shit. What are you gonna do about your old apartment?”
I blow out a frustrated breath, not wanting to think about going back there. “I paid six months’ rent in advance, so I’m not sure where I stand on that. At the very least, I need to go back and clean up, or I can kiss goodbye to my deposit.”
“You want help, you call me, and I’ll be there.”
“Thanks, but I know my leaving will put you in a bind.”
“Don’t stress about it. Susie asked me for extra hours last week, so I can offer her yours and put an ad out for part-time work, aiming at students like you suggested. We’ll be fine. Seriously, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“Need to, maybe not, but I’ll do it anyway.”
She rolls her eyes as she starts gathering up things to pack while I move past her to my room.
I haven’t had time to unpack anything, so most of it’s still in the bag.
I grab my toothbrush, toiletries, bunny, and a hoodie hanging half off the bed.
I shove it all in my bag along with everything Del hands me.
Once I’m done, I turn around to give her another hug and see a roll of cash in her hand.
“Take it.”
“What? No, I’m not taking your money. Are you crazy?”
” The jury is still out on that one, but you’ll take it anyway or I’ll never get a wink of sleep. Consider it your emergency escape fund.”
“What are you—”
She cuts me off with a look. “I want this to work out for you, whatever that looks like, Hazel. But I’ve been through enough to know that every woman should have a backup plan.
You take this money and you use it if everything goes tits up and you need to escape fast. You get somewhere safe using this, and then you call me and I’ll come get you.
If you never need it, great, you can give it back to me later down the line.
But with everything being the way it is right now…
and with the baby coming, I need to know that you’ll have an escape route, just in case. This is your escape route.”
“Del…” I whisper, feeling overwhelmed. She puts the money in my hand and curls her fingers around mine.