Chapter 27 Skull
SKULL
“You look like shit,” Prez comments, taking the seat next to me. “Go home, shower, and sleep. Bones is here. I’m here. Nothing will happen to her.”
“I don’t want her out of my sight. Has Blade found anything else?” I ask, referring to our tech guy. I want him to find out where Daisy is. I should have known she wouldn’t stay gone. It has to be her. Blonde. Crazy.
What other women have we pissed off so much that they’d target my woman? My gut is telling me that it’s Daisy. Angel is hacking into camera footage to see what he can find, and Ghost is waiting for my orders on how I want to handle whoever did this to my little spitfire.
Will I be able to live if I get the mother of my daughter killed? I don’t know.
Do I want my daughter to be around a woman like that at all? No.
I want Natalia to be raised by Isla, just like the rest of our kids will be.
Daisy walked away without a backward glance for her own flesh and blood. Someone who can’t even have loyalty to their own children?
That’s not someone to be trusted.
I don’t want to play God, but it would be better for everyone if Daisy didn’t exist. She left, and I let her. But if she’s done this to Isla, I’m not going to let that slide.
She came here to hurt the woman I love.
She should have stayed away and lived her life.
Now she’s going to lose hers.
When I step back into the room, Bones is brushing Isla’s hair for her. “I’m going to need to learn how to do girls’ hair for Natalia,” he says, gently running the bristles through her long hair.
“I’ll teach both of you. As long as you can do a few basic styles, I can do the fancy ones for her,” she replies, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. “Now, are either of you going to tell me who you think did this?”
Bones’ fingers still, and he turns to look at me for guidance. “Brother?”
“We think it was Daisy,” I say, sitting on the edge of the bed, gripping my jaw and lifting my face to look at him. “The club is looking into it. We just need to keep you safe until we can fix this.”
“Why would she do this? She’s the one who left her daughter,” she replies, anger lacing her tone. “She walked away from the most perfect little girl, and now she what? Doesn’t want me to be there for her, either? She’s a selfish little bitch.”
Bones and I freeze at her angry rant, and he puts the brush down. “Ora is on her way here now with Natalia.”
“Really?” Isla sighs, relaxing. “I’d love to see her.”
“I’ll go wait for them at the front.”
“Scorp said you can leave tomorrow. I’ll have all your things moved to the clubhouse,” I say, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles.
“Okay,” she agrees without a fight, which I’m grateful for.
The night she was hurt was the night I was going to give Isla her property cut.
That’s why we were having a party that night. I wanted to make it official. I wanted my brothers to pledge their loyalty to her.
When she didn’t answer her phone, I rushed over, but she wasn’t home, and Layla was sitting in front of the house, going crazy. I knew right then and there that something terrible had happened. I called Scorp, who checked in with the hospital, and confirmed that she was there.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life.
My phone buzzes with a message.
Blade
It’s Daisy. We found her. She’s staying at a hotel. White BMW.
Skull
Need me to get her?
Blade
No, you stay with your old lady. Ghost and Angel are going in tonight.
Ghost
You decide? A or B?
Fuck.
My fingers hesitate over the keys, but deep down I know there’s only one answer.
Skull
B.
Ghost
I’ll be in touch.
“Everything okay?” Isla asks, reaching out and touching my arm.
“Yeah, it will be.”
Ora arrives with Natalia, and Isla lights up when she’s in her arms. “You’re the only mother that she will know,” I say quietly, clearing my throat.
“I mean, only if you want that role. I know she’s not your responsibility, and I don’t expect you to take that on if you don’t want to.
What I’m trying to say is that you’re here because I fucking love you, not that I need a mom for Natalia. ”
Her brown eyes soften. “I know, Skull. I’ve never felt like that’s why you needed me. And I’ll love her like she’s my own, you know this. But what will you do if Daisy decides she wants to have custody again?”
“We’ll deal with it, but no one is taking Natalia from us.
Daisy didn’t want to be a mother. She chose that, and now she can deal with the consequences.
But you don’t worry about that. You get better, I’ll take care of everything else,” I tell her.
She shouldn’t be dealing with this right now. It’s my fault she’s here.
And that’s a hard pill to swallow.
At least she hasn’t decided to walk away because of this. I don’t know what the fuck I’d do if she did.
Bones takes Natalia home when visiting hours are over, and I settle into my chair to stay the night. I had a quick shower here today and changed into some fresh clothes my brother brought me, but I can’t wait to get back into my bed.
I told Bones to hire a new mechanic at the garage because I’m going to need some time off while I’m taking care of her and Natalia. He said he’ll make sure he’s there every day and will spend time with Natalia in the evenings when he gets home.
“You can go home and get a good night’s sleep, Skull. I’ll be fine,” she whispers, turning on her side to face me, her hands under her cheek. She looks so young like this, so vulnerable.
“Never leaving you unprotected again, little spitfire,” I whisper, kissing her cheek. “Tomorrow we get to go home… just one more night here.”
She smiles before she falls asleep.
And I stay awake all night, watching over her.