Chapter 26
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
Haze
I wasn’t expecting to run into Cameron at the station, but here we are. The prospects just informed me Willo left Bella’s studio and was on her way back. Great. If I can get rid of her dad, maybe I can watch her shower.
Willow’s dad glares down at me, his face unimpressed. “When I said protective order, I didn’t mean in her bed.”
I steel my jaw. “Frankly, I don’t give a shit what you said. She’s my wife. If you think this has anythin’ to do with me protectin’ her, you’re wrong. We were always gettin’ back together.”
“Something my daughter didn’t disclose to me, which would’ve been helpful before I employed your services.”
I wanna punch this son of a bitch out, seriously. I get in his face. “She doesn’t have to disclose shit to you. She’s a grown adult. I’m not sure you’re aware of that fact, since you’re the one actin’ like a teenager.”
“You don’t intimidate me,” he says, standing his ground. Fuck man, if he weren’t Willow’s dad, he’d be flat on his back right now with a broken nose and two black eyes. As solid as he is, I can take him. “Imagine my surprise when I see the two of you leaving your place on your motorcycle.”
“What were you doing, a drive by?”
He pauses, realizing he’s been caught in the act. “And now Max is staying with you. Exactly what is it you’re up to?”
He gets closer and I push him back in the chest. “Don’t say one more word or I swear I’ll—”
“Gentlemen,” Max says, coming between us. “I think we can take this somewhere a little more private.”
Somehow, I got his shirt scrunched in my fist. As I let go, he straightens himself out.
“Dad,” Max says. “We need to talk. Now.”
He thumbs to a nearby unoccupied office, and I follow them both. I’m not turning my back on him, no matter what. I don’t trust him. If he thinks he can look down on me, that’s one thing, but to look down on me and Willow, that’s quite another.
“Unlike you, I don’t run away from problems,” Cameron says, earning a slight wince from Max.
He’s such a bastard. Even I can see the kid has been trying. He’s clean. He works hard. He’s a Hellion, and that’s the only reason his dickhead dad has a problem with him. “I face them head on.”
“Yeah, and tryin’ to rule Willow’s life won’t win you any brownie points,” Max says, standing firm, arms folded over his chest. It isn’t often I see him being this serious, but when he is, he’s a force to be reckoned with. “It’ll just make her run even farther away. You know it. I know it.”
“You’re not a parent, you don’t understand,” he says, his glare then shifts to me. “Look at what happened last time with the two of them. This son of a bitch left her brokenhearted. And if you think you’re gonna do that again to my daughter, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“Luckily, I don’t need your permission,” I throw back. “We went our separate ways, yes, and that is the biggest mistake of my life. But what we decide to do as a couple from here on in is our business.”
“Haze is right,” Max says. “Dad, you’ve gotta stay out of it.”
“Who asked you?” he throws at Max. “Is it not bad enough you’re now a goddamn Hellion, I have to put up with him as well?”
“You don’t have to put up with anyone,” Max says calmly. “You can just go home.”
“And leave you two clowns in charge of this operation? I don’t think so.”
“We’ve got this covered,” I say. “Maybe a little distance might help you find your manners. This isn’t your jurisdiction. If anythin’, you’re just in the way.”
“You speak to me as if anything you say has merit. So far, it doesn’t. What have you found out so far?”
I snort. “You’re the fuckin’ hotshot detective, you figure it out.”
“That’s not gonna get us anywhere,” Max interrupts. “Squabbling like schoolkids. We’re all here because we want to protect Willow.”
But of course, Sinclair can’t let it go. “Suddenly you care about your sister?” He smirks. “It took long enough for you to even get in contact, but I guess that is a little hard when you’re in jail.”
Max, to his credit, doesn’t get mad. Me, however? My hands curl up into fists. “That’s all behind me now—”
“You’re such a disappointment, do you know that?”
Max’s face falls, and he looks down at his shoes. The fucking bastard didn’t just say that.
“All this time I thought prison might straighten you out, but clearly you haven’t learned a damned thin—”
I don’t think, I just swing, clocking him on the side of the jaw. Not enough to break it, but enough for it to fucking hurt. He rears back, stumbling as he stares at me in shock. It only takes a few seconds for him to come charging at me when the door flies open.
“Dad!” Willow gasps, then seeing Max holding him back and me with my arm pulled back to my shoulder, ready to strike again, she puts both her hands over her mouth. “What is going on here?”
“This son of a bitch just hit me!” Cameron roars.
Her eyes widen as they fall on me. “Haze?”
“Dad deserved it,” Max says. “But since I’m such a disappointment to him, it won’t matter what I’ve achieved or done with my life, it’ll never be good enough.” He continues to hold the old boy back until all the fight leaves his father’s face.
I grip Max on the shoulder. “You’re a good guy,” I tell him. “I’m sorry this piece of shit doesn’t see it, but I’m proud of you. No matter what. You changed your life around, and that’s somethin’ to be celebrated.”
Max gives me a small smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I appreciate that, brother.”
I don’t know why Sinclair can’t just see what amazing kids he has and be damn proud of them. Why does he have to be such a soft cock, pushing his own son to the brink when he’s done nothing wrong? I wish I’d broken his fucking nose.
Cameron storms past, shoving me in the shoulder as he passes. Willow calls for him, but he waves a hand at her.
“It really wasn’t Haze’s fault,” Max begins, but Willow silences him with a glare.
“You hit my dad?” She folds her arms across her chest. “I know what an asshole he can be, but Haze, you can’t go around throwing punches!”
“I can if he deserves it,” I fire back. “And I’m not gonna stand there and listen to him dissin’ your brother like that and bein’ a dick about us. If you think I’m gonna put up with that kinda shit, then maybe you really don’t know me at all.”
I storm out, leaving the two of them behind.
I’m mad, really fucking raging. It’s one thing to be told by this man I don’t even respect how worthless I am in his eyes, but it’s another to have a go at his son who is trying to turn his life around.
If Willow can’t see that, then maybe I was wrong about her, too.
I rub my chin, hoping Cameron left the building so I don’t have to see him again.
The phone rings and I half expect it to be Willow, but it isn’t, it’s Star.
“Hey, Haze,” she says when I pick up.
“Star, what’s goin’ down?” I try to leave the snark out of my voice. It isn’t her fault I’m pissed off.
“I had Sawyer call me and I’ve been working on that case for you the last few hours.”
“Don’t tell me you have something already.”
“Well, I got a hit on family members for this Bolt guy, do you wanna come by the office?”
I glance at the time on my phone, then put it back to my ear. “Sure thing, I’ll head right over.”
“See you soon.”
I need to cool off, and the only place I can do that is at the gym. But that’ll have to wait.
A few seconds later, my phone chimes again. It’s Willow. I end the call without answering. She can wait. I don’t wanna have a fight, so it’s best to cool off before any more words get thrown.
I shove my phone into my cut inside pocket and walk to the curb where my motorcycle is parked. I look up the street and see the unmarked van: the club’s van containing the prospects.
I let them know earlier to be less fucking conspicuous.
Luckily, it was Bella’s studio, and they used that as a backstory.
If it weren’t for that, I’m fairly certain Willow would never have fallen for it.
I flip them the bird, then mount my motorcycle, revving it louder than is necessary.
It earns me a few sideways glances from pedestrians, but I don’t care.
I don’t give a fuck. I need to let it go, but I’m also pissed Willow jumped straight on the defense of her dad, without really even giving it a second thought.
To prove to her that I’m worthy? What do I have to do?
It isn’t as if I wanted to hit her dad. I didn’t think through the repercussions until now, and that isn’t like me. But I stand by what I did. He was being a dick, and I don’t give a fuck what he thinks about me, or Willow, and if that’s a problem for her, she’ll have to deal with it.
I’m not gonna let him rule my life ever again. I sat on my hands for so many years, taking the hits because I loved Willow. I’m a different person than I was back then. His approval was never what I wanted, and it never will be, though allowing us to live would be a good start.
I shake my head, gripping the handlebars as I take off down the street, screeching my tires as I go.
I smile. Straight pipes for the win.
When I get to Star’s office, it’s almost eleven.
I’ve had three more missed calls, and a text from Willow.
Wife
I’m sorry, Haze. Don’t leave mad. I wasn’t taking his side. You know how he is
Wife
Don’t ignore me
Wife
Fine, if you want to act like a child, do that. But I would do the same if someone had punched you. I just wanted to know what happened
I don’t want to text her back. What I want is to let her sweat it out, but then I realize Max’s words about nothing getting solved from acting like little kids.
Me
I’m fine. I’m busy. Talk later, I’ve got business to take care of
When I get upstairs to Star’s swanky office, Laurel, Hawk and Jas’s kid, looks up from the desk. I didn’t know she was working here. She’s probably eighteen by now, but she looks much younger.
“Hey, kiddo,” I said. “How long have you been workin’ here?”
She smiles. “Hey, Haze. I’m filling in three days a week in between classes until Halo is back full-time.”
I grin. Halo and Riot have a toddler, and she keeps the pair of them on their toes day and night.
“Good for you. If anyone isn’t polite, you come see me, okay?”
She nods. “Okay.”
“Star here?”
“Yep, I’ll let her know you’re here.”
“Appreciate it.”
She calls through the intercom and a few seconds later, Star opens her office door. She and Nevada have twins who are terrorizing the world. “Haze,” she says. “How you doing?”
I give her a chin lift. “I’m good. How’s life with those little devils?”
“They’re growing up fast, so is Nevada.”
I snort a laugh as she lets me into her office.
I’ve no fucking clue what she’s going to say, but it has to be significant since we’re here and all.
I understand better than anyone that we must at least try every angle, even though some roads can lead nowhere.
It’s a long shot. In the back of my mind, we don’t know for sure Bolt is dead, and that’s troubling considering his family lineage.
“So, tell me you have some good news.” I take a seat when she gestures to the chair opposite her desk.
“I do, but probably not in the way you may be thinking.”
I pique a brow. “Now you’ve got me intrigued.”
She slides a pair of reading glasses onto her nose, then passes me a piece of paper. “Aaron Bolt, right?”
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“Well, there’s his death certificate,” she says, as I take it from her hands.
“He died a year ago in a house fire in Alabama.”
Well, I’ll be damned.