7. Hades #2
“Mia? What’s wrong, sweetie?”
She sniffled, and her voice went quiet, as if she was trying to hide.
“Can you…can you come get me?”
Instantly, I pushed out of my seat, gripping the bar’s counter to steady myself as the world pitched and spun around me.
“I’m on my way, baby. Are you hurt?”
“No, I just…” Mia trailed off.
I held my breath, waiting for her to continue while a thousand possibilities whirled through my mind.
“I just want my Daddy,” she sobbed.
My knees nearly buckled. I couldn’t bear to hear her cry like that.
“Hold on, Mia,” I said. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, all right?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
As I started toward the door, Ironside gripped my elbow, pulling me to a stop.
“You’re in no fit state to ride,” he said.
As my Vice President, he outranked me. I had to follow his orders, no objections and no questions asked. But if he put me in that position, I was going to be breaking rules left and right for my daughter, and damn the consequences.
“I’m not sitting here on my ass, doing nothing, while my baby girl is in fucking tears,” I said.
Ironside turned to the bar with a nod. Bruiser tossed him the keys to the club’s cage.
“I’ll drive. Let’s go.”
Thirty seconds later, Ironside, Bruiser, and I were in The Reckless Order’s van, heading to Jenny’s house as fast as the old wheezing engine would allow. I guzzled the protein shake Bruiser had given me, wrestling to gain some semblance of sobriety before we pulled into Jenny’s driveway.
I was barely out of the van when Mia came flying across the lawn toward me, tears streaming down her face. I gathered her into my arms, clutching her tightly against my chest.
“I’ve got you, sweetie. I’m here. Talk to me. Tell me what happened?”
Before Mia could reply, the front door opened, spilling a golden shaft of light through the shadows of late evening. I recognized Jenny’s figure right away. But the masculine silhouette standing next to her was new, unfamiliar.
This must be Greyson.
My gaze roved over him, taking in the expensive suit tailored to fit him like a glove. His neatly combed golden blonde hair. The possessive hand he placed at the small of Jenny’s back.
“It’s Mama’s new boyfriend,” Mia mumbled. “I don’t like him.”
My hackles went up and I gritted my teeth. Jenny said something to Greyson that I couldn’t make out. Then she stepped onto the porch.
“It’s just a misunderstanding, Simon,” she said. “Mia needs to come back inside. Everything is fine.”
Mia whimpered and tightened her arms around my neck.
“No! I don’t want to.”
Behind me, I heard Ironside and Bruiser emerge from the van. But they didn’t come any closer, waiting for my signal in case I needed their help. I couldn’t help noticing the tricky position I was currently in, caught between my family in front of me and my club at my back.
Jenny sighed and marched closer, lowering her voice.
“I told her not to call you. There was a…slight confrontation. That’s all. We’re working it out.”
“A slight confrontation?” I echoed. “Bullshit. Don’t sugarcoat it, Jenny. What the hell is going on?”
She hesitated and rubbed her forehead.
“I called Greyson to thank him for the flowers. He asked to meet the kids, so I invited him over for dinner. Mia showed up to the table wearing the cut you made for her.”
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, adjusting Mia in my arms.
Traditionally, Old Ladies of club members wore cuts with their man’s name on the back to show they were taken. No one was allowed to lay a finger on them.
Mia begged for a cut of her own, but it didn’t feel right for her to display Property of Hades when that term belonged to wives and girlfriends.
Instead, I settled on Protected by Hades, indicating that my little girl was still safeguarded by a club member.
And she got to wear her Daddy’s road name with pride.
“Greyson expressed concern that it wasn’t appropriate for a young girl,” Jenny added.
“It’s none of his business what Mia decides to wear,” I bristled. “It’s her choice, and it’s not indecent.”
“Simon,” she groaned. “You’re making this harder than it has to be. Greyson is just…”
I raised my eyebrows, waiting for Jenny to continue.
“He’s just…what?”
Jenny chewed her lower lip, shifting nervously in place. A shout emanated from inside the house. Then Casey barged into view, wielding a foam sword.
“You bastard! You made my sister cry!”
He lunged at Greyson, beating him around the knees with the foam sword. Greyson flinched, attempting to hold Casey at bay.
Jenny gasped in dismay, but I was already sprinting across the lawn, pulling Casey away from Greyson.
“Hey, hey! That’s enough.”
I stripped the foam sword out of Casey’s grip. Casey curled his hands into fists, glaring at Greyson as every muscle in his body strained for a fight. Fuck, this was a disaster.
I crouched down to Casey’s level.
“Look at me. Both of you.”
Mia swiped at her eyes, pulling back to meet my gaze. Casey continued to glare at Greyson until I cupped his chin and forced his attention to me.
“Your mother wants to have a nice, peaceful dinner with her guest. And she needs you to be on your best behavior.”
Casey jabbed a finger in Greyson’s direction.
“But he—”
“I’m not finished,” I growled.
Casey snapped his mouth shut with an indignant huff. Gently, I stripped Mia’s cut off her shoulders and folded it.
“Mia, you can wear your cut on weekends with me, okay?”
She nodded, even though her eyes still watered.
“Casey, you have to calm down, kiddo,” I said. “I know you’re angry, and I know you don’t like seeing your sister upset. You did a good job protecting her, but no hitting next time. Got it?”
Casey jutted his chin out with defiance.
“Do you hear me?” I demanded.
“Yes,” he said, sullen.
I sighed and gathered them close in a hug, kissing the top of their heads.
“I want you to be good for your mother tonight. I want you to show Greyson what amazing kids you are. Can you do that for me?”
Mia and Casey nodded. I directed them back to the house and they trudged inside. Jenny herded them through the door and out of sight. Greyson remained standing on the threshold, while I lingered in the near-dark.
A tense moment of silence stretched between us. What did Jenny see in this guy? Was it his money? Was it the promise of a completely different life than the one she had been living with me?
“Don’t you fucking dare make my kids ashamed of who they are,” I warned in a low voice.
“Mia and Casey aren’t the problem here,” Greyson replied coolly. “It’s you.”
I seethed, grinding my teeth.
“A motorcycle club is no place for a little girl to associate with,” he continued.
“Drugs, alcohol, promiscuous sex, criminal activity—it’s not a good look.
Ivy League schools want students with an outstanding record of achievements, not kids tainted by affiliations with bottom-dwelling rabble like you.
The sooner Mia and Casey are removed from your influence, the better it will be for them in the long run. ”
My temples throbbed and bile burned in the back of my throat.
“You can’t keep me from seeing my kids. I have shared custody—”
“For now,” Greyson cut in. “But I own a law firm with a team of lawyers who answer to me. I’m sure I can find a loophole that will remedy the situation.
I can’t have Mia calling her Daddy to come save her every time we have a disagreement.
Oh, and if you show up at Jenny’s doorstep again smelling like a brewery, I will call the cops and have you arrested. ”
With that, he shut the door.
I swayed on my feet. Ironside and Bruiser appeared on either side of me, keeping me upright as they led me back to the van.