Chapter 5
CHAPTER
FIVE
“ D ad?”
Rock heard Atlas calling him as he passed his son’s office in the clubhouse. He stopped and spun around to lean into the room, hand on the doorframe. “Sup?”
Atlas frowned. “You okay?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Atlas shrugged. “I don’t know. You look more tired than usual. Are you sleeping okay? When do you next see your cardiologist?”
Rock stepped fully into the room, straightening his spine. He didn’t need both his kids on his back about food and health. “I’m fine. Right as rain.”
“Okay. You’ll tell us if anything changes, right? Remi and I?”
“Of course.” He waved a hand through the air. “Don’t you worry.”
As Rock turned to step back into the hallway, Atlas spoke again. “Oh, hey. I almost forgot to tell you. I ran into a woman at the grocery store this morning. I didn’t get her name, but she thought I was you.” Atlas chuckled. “It looked like she was seeing a ghost until I told her I was your son. She must have known you in high school. Did you have an old girlfriend you never told us about?”
Rock grabbed the doorframe again. This time, he thought he might collapse. His legs felt unsteady, and his chest was tight. The room started spinning.
He was aware of Atlas jumping up and rushing toward him, and then his son was helping him into an armchair in the office. “Shit. Fuck. Are you okay?”
Rock’s hands shook as he brought them to his thighs. He couldn’t speak yet.
“I’ll get Doc.”
Rock reached out and snagged his son’s forearm, stopping him. “No need.”
Atlas squatted in front of him. “Dad, you look like you’re going to faint. I thought you would pass out on me. Something could be wrong with your heart.”
Rock shook his head. “Nothing is wrong with my heart.” He smirked. “Not from a ticking standpoint anyway.”
Atlas’s brows shot up. “Pardon?”
Rock gripped his son’s arm tighter. He stared into his face. “How did she look?”
Atlas frowned. “Do you mean what did she look like? Brown hair, dark eyes. Mid-fifties. Though I probably would have said younger until I got it into my head that she knew you from a long time ago.”
Rock shook his head. “I know what she looks like.”
“Ohhh. Are you asking me if she was thin and sexy?” He laughed. “Dad, you old dog. Do you know who this woman is? I didn’t even get her name.”
“I know who she is.”
Atlas’s face sobered. He grabbed a chair, pulled it over, and sat knee-to-knee with his father. “Talk to me.”
Rock sighed and ran a hand over his face. He stared past his son, uncertain he was ready for this discussion. If he was going to open this can of worms, he’d rather confront Lyla first. “Not yet.”
“What’s going on? How the hell did you know who I ran into at the grocery store before I even told you a thing about her?”
“Because Ink and Breaker saw her yesterday. I knew she was in town.”
“Who is she?”
“A woman I…knew many years ago.”
“Before Mom,” Atlas said, not wording it as a question.
“Yes, way before your mom.” Rock rose and stepped around his son. “I’m not ready to discuss this right now.” He set a hand on Atlas’s shoulder as he passed him. “Please don’t say anything to Remi yet. Let me absorb this and deal with it in my own time.”
Atlas tipped his head back to look up at Rock. “She’s important to you.”
Rock drew in a breath and nodded. “She was once, yes.”
“Maybe you could ask around and find out where she is.”
“I know where she is.” Rock squeezed Atlas’s shoulder and strode from the office.
It was obvious he was not going to be able to ignore the fact that Lyla was in town. It shook him to the core that she saw him in Atlas. Did she really remember him so well? Did it mean anything?
“Rock?”
As he wandered down the hall, heading for his apartment, Rock lifted his head. Feeling slumped and withdrawn, he forced himself to stand taller yet again as he faced King. “Yes?”
King frowned, much like Atlas had. The entire damn MC was always hyper-aware of Rock’s health. He was surprised Doc hadn’t come running down the hallway. The man had Spidey senses when it came to Rock’s health. Hell, Doc had Spidey senses when it came to everyone’s health.
“You look pale.”
“I’m fine.” How many people were going to ask him about his damn heart today? He needed to get out of here.
Luckily, he was saved from further discussion when King’s Little girl, Ella, came running down the hallway and jumped into her Daddy’s arms.
King braced himself, steadied her with a hand under her bottom, and scolded her, “What have I said about running in the compound?”
Ella pushed out her bottom lip and batted her eyes at him. “Sorry, Daddy.”
Rock chuckled and took the opportunity to continue toward his apartment. He needed to think. He’d done very little but think since he’d first learned about Lyla being in town last night; he needed more time.
He needed to man up and drive to her house. Her presence was consuming him. He would never be able to get her out of his mind now. Especially since she’d spoken to Atlas.
Rock shut himself in his apartment and paced the small space. At least his kids couldn’t harass him about not exercising.
He needed to see her more than he needed his next breath. Even if all he accomplished was a brief interaction, he felt compelled to do so. He had to know that she was okay. He had to know why she was in town. He had to know why she’d left.
Rock might not get all the answers. He might not ask all the questions. But he would at least see her, even if seeing her caused him to wake up in a cold sweat every night for the rest of his life. Letting her sell that house and drive away without getting closure wasn’t an option.