18. Pez
Pez
“The club is not going to try and buy the building back. It’s already mine and I’ve started the paperwork to put it in Daphne’s name.
I’m just waiting for her divorce to be final before it’s done,” I tell Sabre once we pull out onto the main road to go home.
I hate that I’m leaving her here. I want her with me.
I almost asked her to come tonight. I live at the clubhouse, though.
I don’t have a good place for her or Cammie.
That’s something else I need to add to my to-do list.
I shake my head at my train of thought. Here I am, planning to find a place that Daphne and her daughter might like, and I don’t even know where I stand with her.
There’s also the fact that I have no idea what I’m going to do.
I need to have a serious conversation with Daphne and go from there.
If she still wants me in her life after learning everything about my past, then I’m all in.
I’ll find a way to make Drew understand, and I’ll buy a nice house with a big bedroom for Cammie and a huge yard.
“I figure that would be your take. Would you at least allow me to buy new ovens and shit for her kitchen.”
“I’m not sure Daphne would want you to do that,” I warn him.
“She’ll get over it. I have a lot to make up for with her and Cammie. Besides, I want to do this. I have a shit-ton of money from the club that I’ve not been spending because I was lost in a bottle. The way I figure it, I owe Daphne and Cammie much more than just a new kitchen.”
“You know, if you need a partner to go with you for AA or something. I’m available.”
“This is different,” Sabre laughs.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Getting a son-in-law that I don’t dislike,” he laughs.
“I’m not your son-in-law,” I respond.
“You will be,” Sabre announces, with no worry at all.
“Daphne may not want a convicted felon around her child, Sabre.”
“If you think that about my daughter, then you don’t know Daphne at all,” he scoffs.
“Okay, then Dane the dick won’t like having a felon around Cammie.
You know as well as I do, he’s already investigating me.
If he goes to court and uses my past to take Cammie from her mom, or at the very least get rid of me, there’s no way Daphne will want me in her life then,” I practically snarl out.
I grip the steering wheel so tight that it’s a wonder it doesn’t break.
“First of all, I don’t see a judge using your past against you. You were a kid, Pez.”
“A felony is a felony, Sabre. I have blood on my hands.”
“The army took you in, asshole. You do know they screen like crazy. It’s not as bad as you’ve made it in your head because of your own misplaced guilt.”
“Sabre—”
“Save your breath,” He tells me while holding up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it. The only thing you’ve said that makes sense is Dane.”
“See? This is hopeless. Even if by some miracle Daphne was okay with my past, Dane never will be.”
“Then, I think we need to find shit on him to keep his ass in line,” Sabre says, making my heart stutter in my chest.
“Find shit on a squeaky-clean lawyer?” I huff.
“Bullshit. I’ve already got a file started on him.
Admittedly, I found petty shit, but I called off the search when Daphne seemed happy.
I didn’t want to hurt her. At the time, the asshole was spoiling her and Daphne was blissfully happy.
There were signs though that he had shit buried.
I think it’s time we find out what that is. ”
“You really think there’s a chance?” I ask him, terrified to get my hopes up.
“I’d almost guarantee it.”
“When can we start?” I ask, feeling hope stir in my chest.
“Already started, son. I called the club while you were playing kissy face with my daughter earlier, while Cammie was engrossed in some weird movie about emotions being people or some shit like that. You’re younger than me, but damn when did movies and cartoons get so fucking weird?”
I laugh despite the tightness in my chest. “You’ll let me know what the club finds, even if there’s nothing I can use, right?” I ask him.
“I will. In the meantime, you spend time with my daughter and tell her what’s holding you back.”
Fear builds up inside of me. Fuck, I can’t remember the last time I felt fear, but it’s threatening to consume me right now. I could lose any shot I have at being with Daphne. “Maybe we should see if there’s anything we can use to stop Dane first. It might affect her decision …” I respond lamely.
Sabre shakes his head. “You can’t start anything with Daph without being completely honest. After the bullshit Dane and Serena put her through, if my girl found out you were hiding shit from her …”
“She’d never forgive me,” I murmur, staring at the road.
“Exactly. It’s time to man-up, Pez. Just be honest with her and tell her exactly what happened. It’ll be okay. Daph has a heart as big as Texas. She won’t let you down.”
“Okay. There is something that keeps gnawing at me,” I finally confess as I take the turn to get us on the interstate.
“What’s that?” Sabre questions quickly, giving me all of his attention.
“Serena.”
“Well, she’s a lying whore. So?—”
“Not that. Okay, well, it’s partly that. Still, she was pressing her tits in my face and all but inviting me to sleep with her. I get the feeling she’s as big of a cheater as Dane.”
“So? What’s it matter to us if she’s fucking around on that asshole? He deserves it.”
“You’ll get no argument here, but what if the skeletons in her closet are big enough that Dane would cover those up, just to make sure his child didn’t spend time in his or her mother’s stomach while she was in jail?”
“Maybe, but if she is that good of a liar, there’s a chance Dane isn’t the father. I’ll tell you right now, if he’s not, he’s going to try and put the full-court press on Daphne then.”
“Let him, Daphne won’t take him back,” I snap.
“True, but if we can’t find anything to use on him, he’ll be desperate to keep you away from her,” he points out.
“Let’s dig at this bastard anyway we can. Then, we’ll decide what to choose and what to bury,” I suggest.
“I’m all for that. I asked the guys to call in favors to get any information pronto. I don’t like this hanging over your head or my Daphne’s. My girls deserve a happy ending and damn it, they’re going to get it.”
“Sabre, you asshole. You’re making me like you. I mean, when you’re not drunk that is.”
“Fuck you, Pez. You liked me anyway. You’ve been spending half your time since you got here looking after me.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t try to help my future father-in-law,” I point out, making the bastard laugh.
“I’ve been living without hope for so long, Pez. I forgot how it feels.”
“How does it feel?” I can’t help but ask.
He’s silent as he looks out the passenger side window of my truck.
The silence drags on long enough that I figure he’s not going to answer.
Then all at once, I hear it. “Not bad, Pez. Not bad at all. Latch would have loved to have seen how happy our Daphne and Cammie are. He would have liked you, too.”
The words are so quiet, so soft, that I’m not sure Sabre knows he said them out loud.
They grab hold of me—because the words sound almost haunted.
They’re also so full of emotion that it’s truly painful to listen to.
I don’t know who this Latch is, but I do know grief when I hear it.
I thought maybe Sabre was grieving the end of his marriage and his woman moving on.
Maybe he is to some extent—although he didn’t seem sad when he was around Annie earlier today.
Now, I think the problem is whoever Latch is and whatever happened to him.
I’m also curious about the way he referred to Daphne and Cammie as belonging to both of them.
I need to talk to Cap. Maybe the key to truly helping Sabre lies with this Latch.
I’ll have to seek Cap out later, though.
For now, I need to make sure I try to find every secret that bastard Dane may be hiding.
I can’t leave a stone unturned. My future with Daphne may hinge on it.
That’s if she doesn’t end it with me after hearing about my past.