Chapter 5
Ghost
My eyes were locked on Rae’s ass as I followed her up the steps into Payton’s room.
I was so fucked.
All night, I stood sentry at my baby girl’s crib after our standoff in the kitchen, and for hours I watched her sleeping peacefully while my mind warred with thoughts of how something as precious as Payton could come from a part of me, and then to images of the sexy little spitfire tasked with my daughter’s care.
Oh yeah, Rae was going to be trouble.
And my fucking Pop, he knew I thought he’d hired a man to care for my daughter and had done nothing to set me straight.
“Is she okay?” I watched carefully as Rae lifted Payton from her crib and carried her over to the changing table. My hands sweated every time I thought about how much I had to learn. I didn’t know the first thing about babies or how to keep one alive. I moved in closer behind Rae to watch her work.
“She’s perfect!” My daughter’s eyes widened at the sound of her nanny’s excited voice, and she cooed happily before turning her green eyes on me.
Beautiful.
“She likes you.”
My head twisted down at Rae. “What?”
“She likes you. She usually doesn’t acknowledge that anyone else exists but me.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“You think?” I looked back down at my girl and grinned. “I’m your daddy, princess.” Payton’s eyes lit up, a slobbery smile on her face.
“She’s smiling at me.” Pride hit me like a thunderbolt. I was a father. The idea and the reality were completely different.
Rae laughed, grinning up at me too. “She is. But we better get her a bottle before she starts screaming.” The morning had been a whirlwind of firsts, but seeing the look on Rae’s face, I was mesmerized by the way her lips curved up and her eyes sparkled.
Fucking hell, I knew next to nothing about the woman, and she was making me think things I had no business thinking.
I had to get my guard up.
The last thing I needed was another woman with the power to fuck me over. I’d trusted Jenny and she’d dropped my daughter on Banner’s doorstep and took off. Anyone could have taken my daughter if his wife hadn’t been there.
I wouldn’t let that shit happen again.
“Are you okay?” Rae’s southern drawl snapped me out of my thoughts, pulling my focus to the concerned look on her face.
“I’m—” The words died on my lips when a sharp knock from downstairs vibrated up the stairs. “Shit.”
I spun around and rushed down the steps, a little surprised when I opened it and found my pop standing on the other side with Haze and Kane flanking him.
My brothers’ eyes widened, and a frown pulled at my dad’s lips as they all looked me over. “You look like shit, boy.”
“Thanks.” Without waiting for an invitation, they pushed past me into the loft.
“It’s warm in here,” Kane said, going straight to the fire Rae built and sticking his hands out toward the flame. It was well below freezing outside but thanks to Rae the loft had already warmed.
“The girl did it.” I nodded behind me towards the steps.
A shit-eating grin took over Pop’s face as his eyes went past me. I turned following his gaze to see Rae standing at the top of the steps with Payton perched on her hip.
“How ya doing, darlin’?” My eyes bounced between my old man and Rae, something shifting in my chest when she smiled sweetly at him.
“Doing good, Pop. Little Miss woke up in a good mood, but she’ll be ready to eat soon.” My father was a hard man, but it seemed the little nanny had wormed her way into his affections.
“Grab what you need for a few days and let’s head out,” he gently demanded.
Her eyes jumped to me in question. I liked that she was looking to me for guidance when it came to my daughter. I nodded.
“Sure.” Her head bobbed as she shifted Payton against her hip and walked back into the nursery.
It took longer than I expected to gather Payton’s things. ”Got everything you need?” Pop asked, eyeing the bags by the door. Rae set down a dark green duffle and a backpack with Payton”s name on it.
”Everything that matters,” I said, grabbing the bags, slinging them over my shoulder, and taking them down to the truck. When I came back up, Rae had Payton buckled into her carrier.
“That it, babe?” I turned around and slowly lifted a brow at Kane. Babe? The fuck was he calling her babe for? Pop covered his mouth to hide his amusement while Kane’s eyes lit up. They were getting a kick out of fucking with me.
“We can come back if we forgot something,” I offered. Rae glanced around the room again and nodded her head. She wasn’t happy about getting Payton out in the cold. She thought it was a bad idea, and maybe she was right, but with the power out we would be safer with the club. She hadn’t pushed back about the change in plans and for that I was grateful.
“You’re right.” Her eyes went to the fireplace where the coals were still hot. My lips twitched. I had a feeling she was worried about the loft burning down.
“I’ll send a prospect back to make sure it’s all the way out.”
Her shoulders deflated. “Thanks.” She was genuinely relieved, and I got the feeling there was a story there.
“You ready?” I asked, lifting the car seat in one hand and grabbing onto Rae’s hand with the other. I knew I was making a statement, but I couldn’t be bothered to care.
“Um,” her eyes dropped to her hand in mine, then shot back up, “Yeah.”
Good.
The sooner we got to the clubhouse, the sooner I would start planning how to take down the guards who’d made my life hell while I was locked up.
It took almost fifteen minutes to make it across the lot and into the building.
Out of nowhere, Daisy came barreling across the room. Her bleached blonde hair a matted mess and red lipstick smeared across her mouth like she”d been rode hard and put up wet. “You’re here!” she cried out, her arms going around my neck and her tits bouncing up and down against my chest as she jumped around excitedly.
“Fuck.” White-hot pain shot across my ribs.
“Ghosty! I missed you so much,” Daisy cooed.
My focus snapped to Rae whose eyes were narrowed on the club whore.
She was jealous.
“What”s wrong, baby? You don”t wanna say hi?” Daisy’s bottom lip started to quiver, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
“I just got here, calm the fuck down.”
Daisy’s eyes flashed with hurt. “Calm the fuck down? What the hell, Ghost? You used to love coming home to me.”
“Easy, D,” I warned, setting her aside. “Don’t start being a bitch like you’ve got some claim on my dick.”
She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she shot Rae a dirty look. Daisy was a bimbo, sure, but the bitch could scrap.
Unflinching, Rae lifted a brow in challenge. She wasn’t impressed and looked Daisy over like she was no better than shit on her boot.
Watching the woman stand her ground was hot.
“Ghost,” Daisy whined, pouting out her lip.
“Knock it off, Daisy,” I snapped. Enough was enough.
As shitty as it was, she was nothing but a warm hole when I had an itch that needed scratching.
I wasn’t her man, and she wasn’t my girl. All the bunnies knew the score.
Rae snorted as her gaze slid from Daisy to me like she was weighing the situation.
“Rae,” I started, unsure why I cared what she thought about me.
She didn”t say a word, just stared at me, her silence louder than any bitch-fit Daisy might”ve thrown.
Payton chose that moment to cry out, grabbing Rae’s attention. In a flash, she dropped to her haunches, unfastened Payton from her seat, and scooped my daughter up with a practiced ease that did funny things to my insides.
“I need to feed and change her,” she said, jumping straight into nanny mode as she snuggled Payton into her chest.
“I can take her,” Pop offered, jerking his chin toward the hall.
“Thanks, Pop,” she glanced at me with a look of disgust on her face, “but I can handle it.” Rae was all business as she shifted Payton against her chest.
I stood there, feet stuck to the concrete floor, as I watched them go. Emotions I’d not expected reared up inside me as I fought the urge to follow Rae down the hall and explain that Daisy wasn’t a threat.
“Fuck.” I sighed.
“You’re fucked.” Kane laughed.
“Don’t I fucking know it,” I growled.
One by one, my brothers came over and slapped me on the back as shouts rang out in celebration of my release.
“Glad you’re out, Bro,” Banner said, the last to come over. He looked me over, no doubt cataloging every scrape, cut, and bruise. “Gonna tell me about that?”
“Later. I need to get my girls settled first.”
Banner’s eyes shot open. “Your girls?”
“Don’t fucking start,” I clipped, storming off. His chuckle trailed behind me as I prowled down the hall Rae and Payton had disappeared down.
“Damn, who”s the new piece?” Tank slurred, as I walked by.
Heads swiveled, staring at the closed door Rae must have disappeared behind.
“Easy,” I barked, my hands clenching. “That”s my daughter’s nanny.”
Seemed Rae wasn’t the only one who was acting jealous. I didn’t have a right to lay down a claim but fuck it. I wasn’t about to let one of my brothers get in there.
“Shit, Ghost, didn”t realize you were out.”
“Keep your fuckin” eyes to yourself.” It came out harsher than I intended, but shit, I didn”t want them looking at her.
“Ghost”s got himself a little crush,” Kane teased, elbow nudging my side.
”Fuck off,” I spat, stepping away from the crew.
I was a grown fucking man. I didn’t have a crush. It was... hell, I didn”t know what the fuck it was.
I scrubbed a hand down my face. Goddamn, whatever it was had me fucked up.
Quit being a bitch about the fucking girl, asshole, and stick to the plan.
I needed to keep my head on straight.
“Church!” Banner shouted.
Game time.
“Ghost, you coming?” Banner”s voice jerked me back.
“Right behind you,” I grunted, tearing my gaze from the closed door. “Let”s get this shit done,” I muttered, trying to relax my shoulders as I stepped into the room.
The door closed and Banner brought down the gavel, suddenly all eyes were on me. The evidence of the last few months visible on my face.
“What the fuck happened to you in there, Ghost?”
Eyes narrowed around the room.
We”re a family, and when one of us bled, we all bled.
Brothers. For life.
I blew out a breath and stared at my hands clasped on top of the table. “I was targeted.”
Brothers hunched in, waiting to hear more.
“The guards got to me. They didn”t just wanna rough me up. They wanted to send a message.” My knuckles whitened as I remembered the last beating I took.
“From who?” The question cut through the tension, and I exhaled again.
“Same fucker from that photo,” I said, looking up at my brother.
His head jerked back. “The cop?”
“That’s the one.” A low rumble of anger vibrated through the room, a storm brewing in the hearts of my brothers. Revenge was a language we spoke fluently.
“Plan?”Haze grunted.
“I want them fucking dead. All of them,” I spat the words like venom.
“Gonna make him regret the day he fucked with us,” Banner growled, sending the room into silence. Since my brother took over as president, he’d done his best to be the diplomat my father wanted, but I saw it in his eyes—The Butcher was in the driver’s seat.
“Ghost, you need to sit this one out. You”re—” Pop started, but I cut him off with a glare that could freeze hell over.
“Like hell I will. Link, where we at with information?”
“Dragon”s on it.”
I paused. “You know, after they fucked me up, they sent me to the infirmary. As if by some miracle, the warden cleared me to come home. Fuckin” funny, ain”t it? Anyway, there were two guards: Davidson and Marshall. They were the one’s always fucking with me, and Marshall threatened me on my way out.”
“What do you wanna do? It’s your call.” Banner’s eyes narrowed.
“I wanna dig into them, too.” Everyone in the city knew it was suicide to fuck with the Devils Creed, and yet. I shook my head. “Like I said, I want them all dead.”
“Dragon, start digging,” Banner instructed.
Haze grinned and Kane laughed. With those two crazy fuckers, I’d have my revenge.
“Anyone have anything else?” Link asked.
“I got a question.” Kane cocked his head and smiled. “The nanny? She fair game?” Jesus, I’d just gotten home and already these assholes wanted to fuck with me.
“Not on your fucking life,” I growled, planting my hand on the table and leaning in his direction. I’d kick his ass if he touched one hair on her pretty little blonde head. I had just met the woman, but after the sexy little bitch pulled a gun on me wearing nothing but a see-through nightie, if anyone was going to have her, it would be me.
Kane threw back his head and laughed. “That’s what I thought.”
“Take note, boys. Rae’s mine.” I flipped him off, making him laugh harder.
Asshole.