Chapter 14 #2
“Howya doin’, Ledger? I’m your Gr—” Zak’s chin jerked into his neck and he suddenly looked like he was about to puke.
After taking a few deep breaths he tried to stand again but, on a groan, failed. He lifted his hand and his eyes toward Zeke.
His old man couldn’t get the fuck up. Holy fuck, his old man was actually getting…old.
Zeke didn’t need to smother his grin because seeing signs of his father aging made it die on its own. But now was not the time to fuck with Zak, so he clasped hands with him and pulled him to his feet.
Under his breath, his old man said, “Guess you got some ‘splainin to do.”
Zeke kept his answer under his breath, too. “Figured by now you’d know how crotch critters are made. You had two.”
Zak shot a forced smile toward Kyra, who clearly heard that exchange, then grabbed Zeke’s arm and dragged him a few yards away from her and Ledger. They turned their backs to them and kept their voices low. “Thinkin’ we shoulda stuck to one.”
“Wouldn’t miss Zane?”
“Ain’t Zane I’m talkin’ ‘bout.” His old man shook his head. “Your mom’s gonna shit a fuckin’ brick.”
“Sounds like that’d hurt.”
Zak’s expression was deadly as he sucked on his teeth.
“Z…Dad,” he quickly corrected to get on the man’s good side for what he was about to ask next. “Askin’ you not to say anythin’ yet. Shit ain’t solid between me and Ky. Gotta keep shit on her timeline or gonna have to fight to see my own kid.”
Zak’s nostrils flared. “Not lyin’ to your mother. Never fuckin’ have. Never fuckin’ will.”
“Ain’t askin’ you to lie. Just give it a fuckin’ minute.”
“No. ‘Cause that means I’m gonna know somethin’ important, somethin’ she’d care a fuckuva lot about, and if she finds out I kept that shit from her…
” He shook his head. “Me and your mother are fuckin’ solid.
Shoulda took notes growin’ up. Mighta helped you in this situation. ” He shook his head. “So woulda wraps.”
Yeah, no shit. “Used wraps.” He had no idea how Kyra got pregnant, unless one of the wraps failed. They needed to have a discussion about that, but not until it was just the two of them.
Not that the discussion would do any good now. But again, if one was going to fail, thank fuck it was with Ky and not someone like Shimmer. Or Honey. Or Bubbles.
Or any of the rest of them.
Fuck, that would’ve been a huge nightmare.
One requirement to be a sweet butt was they were on birth control in addition to having to use wraps. If they were caught trying to trap one of his brothers, it would not turn out the way she’d want.
“If you always wore a wrap, I’d normally suggest gettin’ a DNA test, but, for fuck’s sake, son, the kid’s a goddamn spittin’ image of you. You looked exactly like that at his age.”
“Ain’t tellin’ me somethin’ I don’t already fuckin’ know.”
“What’s he? ‘Bout three?”
“Think so.”
“Been hidin’ him for three fuckin’ years?”
“No, wasn’t me hidin’ him. Only found out ‘bout him the other day.”
Zak glanced over his shoulder to where Kyra still stood. Surprisingly, she hadn’t rushed out the door.
Taking his kid along with her.
Goddamn it. Why did everything have to be such a clusterfuck?
“Dad, can you wait ’til tonight to tell Mom? Tryin’ to establish a relationship with my boy before anybody else is involved.”
Zak pursed his lips as he considered that. “You wanna be a father?”
“I got a choice?”
“No. Don’t mean a sperm donor. Mean an actual father. Like a real one who’s involved and helpin’ to raise the kid.”
Zeke stared at the man who sired him. On purpose. “I got a choice?”
Zak’s lips thinned. “As a Jamison, no, you fuckin’ don’t. You don’t step up, the rest of us will. But that’ll make you a piece of shit. And since I was there when you were born, didn’t see you comin’ outta your mother’s asshole. Though, sometimes you sure as fuck act like it.”
“Plan on bein’ there for him. For Ky, too.”
Zak grimaced at the mention of Kyra. “Why the fuck would she hide your kid if she wanted you in her life? She split for a reason. And it wasn’t a good one.”
Unfortunately, just about everyone witnessed that major fuck-up. Including his old man.
“Wanna make it up to her.”
Zak sighed. “Good luck with that shit.” He paused, then asked, “Know this is gonna cost you, right? Havin’ a kid ain’t free.
Ask me how I fuckin’ know.” Before Zeke could respond, he continued.
“That means you’re gonna have to do somethin’ with your life.
Actually fuckin’ work, ‘cause prison don’t pay and neither does bein’ the club president.
” He leaned in closer. “Ask me how the fuck I know.”
Zeke didn’t need to. He knew all about his father spending ten years in prison after being framed by one of his own brothers. Zak was also president for Zeke’s whole life until he decided to step down when Zeke was old enough to be voted into that spot.
Zeke didn’t kid himself. He only got the votes because of who his father was. Despite being nothing but “trouble.”
The members thought he’d get his shit together. That stepping into his father’s boots would make him more responsible and get his head on fucking straight. For a long time, he proved them wrong.
But shit had changed and life going forward would be different. He had a son who’d eventually look up to him. Or at least he hoped Ledger would.
He needed to be a good example of a club president because he sure as fuck hoped his own kid would be next in line to sit at the head of the table with the gavel in hand. The same one used when the club was established back in 1974 by his great-grandfather.
The Dirty Angels had a long history.
And his son was the future.
“Gotta go spend some time with Ky and my kid. She wants me to prove I’m worthy of bein’ his dad.”
Zak shook his head. “That’s gonna be an uphill battle.”
“Gonna do my fuckin’ best.”
“Shoulda been doin’ your best as prez, too. Guess this whacked you upside the head and opened your eyes.”
“So, you leavin’ and gonna let us spend this time together without you interferin’?”
“Ain’t gonna interfere. Gonna eat my fuckin’ breakfast and drink some coffee.”
“Dad...”
“Will keep my mouth shut ‘cause I’ll be chewin’.”
“Dad…”
The kitchen door swung open and Larry came out carrying a huge tray full of pancakes and all the rest. He set it down on the bar and said to Zak, “Making your breakfast next.”
“Scrap my order. Guess I’m eatin’ pancakes with my…” His old man’s head twitched. “With them.”