Thirty-Four
Shark
“A fter watching you today, I definitely think you’re ready, kid,” I tell Miles, as I lean across the bar to grab the cold bottle of Corona he’s holding out for me. “I’ll talk to Ray later tonight and let him know,” I add.
This kid is chomping at the fucking bit to finally get patched in. I twist the top off the bottle, but just as I get ready to tip it back, the clubhouse door slams loudly behind me causing me to pause.
“Oh shit. Looks like Ray is on the fucking warpath,” Miles mutters under his breath and his gaze drops to the floor. I set my bottle down on the bar and turn slightly, and Ray’s dark eyes focus in on me.
“You!” he growls, pointing a finger at me. “I just had a real eye-opening chat with Scarlett. She’s informed me that she wants to move. She thinks she’d be better off in South Carolina – with YOU!” he announces loudly.
God damn.
We’ve only been back for a week. Scarlett and I were supposed to talk to him together, but I guess she went rogue and dropped the fucking bomb without me.
“Yeah…well…” I try to start, but he’s already inches from my face.
“Don’t even try to talk your way out of it, you sneaky motherfucker. I gave you permission, asked you to stay and be a part of my family, and this is how you repay my fucking kindness. You make moves behind my back and steal my only daughter. You try to take what’s MINE!” he spits.
My fists clench at my sides and I feel every muscle in my neck straining. As much as I would love to argue the fact that Scarlett is actually mine, I bite my tongue. I hold back, knowing that any anger fueled shit that spews from my mouth at this point is only going to make it worse. Better to let him rage and have it be finished.
“How about we do this somewhere a little more private, without the audience,” I suggest, knowing that all eyes and ears are focused directly on us.
“No. We’ll do it right here and right fucking now. Listen, boy, I could give a shit about your rank or your fucking legacy. This is my Goddamned house and I won’t let you take her away,” he growls through clenched teeth.
“I’m not taking her. It’s her choice,” I reply simply, not wanting to fan the flames any more.
“Don’t give me that shit. She never would’ve had this idea if you hadn’t taken her there. You fucked with her head –” he starts, but this time I can’t let him keep going.
“Fuck you!” I roar.
He finally pushed the wrong fucking button. I take offense to the implication that I would ever try to mess with her like that.
“I told you why I wanted to take her there. I wanted her to meet MY family and see this club in a different light. She deserved to see what this life can really be, when it’s not filled with strippers or watching the men around her fuck anything that walks. She deserves better than this shit show you’re running. Trust me, if she had wanted to stay in Vegas, I was ready. I would have left my home and stayed here permanently, but this was her choice, not mine. She saw another option and she wants it. Wake up and stop being such a selfish prick. I’m trying to make her happy, not steal her away,” I fume.
And as my last words fall out, Ray’s shoulders hunch. He finally gets it. This isn’t about him or me, it’s about Scarlett finally getting a choice.
He releases a deep sigh and slowly trudges from the room without another word. I finally got my point across, but I think I managed to break him in the process. Shit.
As I let my gaze focus back on the room, I find every set of eyes staring back at me. I stop when I meet a set of pale blue eyes watching me from across the room. She moves forward, holding my complete attention. She stops inches from me, lifting her hands to touch my chest.
“Well, that was interesting,” she tips her head and her eyes sparkle back at me with clear amusement.
“I thought we were going to have that conversation together?” I remind her of our previous plan.
“I know… It’s just, we were in the office, alone together, and it just seemed like the right time. I guess maybe I should’ve waited, but he needed to know,” she tells me.
“You’re right. He did need to know, but it would’ve been really nice to avoid that scene,” I smile back at her.
“Damn, sis, I take it from that fuckin’ blow out that you’ve decided to ditch this place and shack up with this fucker in South Carolina,” Sonny steps up with a broad grin filling his face.
“Yeah,” Scarlett responds, hesitant to offer any details.
“Well, good for you. Don’t let Ray’s pissing and moaning change your mind. You know he’ll be fine. Trust me,” he offers her a little reassurance before turning to me.
“And you, settling down. Congrats, brother. Better you than me,” he offers an easy chuckle as he holds out a hand for me to shake.
“Thanks, man. Nice to know I have at least one person around here who still likes me,” I laugh in return.
“They’ll all get over it. You’re right, it’s her life and her choice. She’s been stuck in this shit long enough, so if being with you in South Carolina is what she wants, then she should fuckin’ do it. I mean, she can always come back, right?” he adds with a deeper laugh.
“Why don’t you two grab a drink,” Scarlett suggests before I can come up with a quick insulting response. “I’m going to call Roxy and tell her now that Dad knows.”
“Alright, darlin’,” I say before dropping a kiss to her cheek.
“C’mon, asshole. Let’s go find a decent bottle of whiskey, because I definitely need something stronger than that bottle of Corona,” I grin, curling my arm around Sonny’s shoulder and giving a squeeze.