Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
“Yes I am. We both are.”
He jams his hands in his pockets and stares at the ground. Like something’s percolating behind his angry facade but he’s not ready to say it out loud.
“Forget our roles as president/vice president, club protocol, bylaws, or any other bullshit. Say what you need to say,” I encourage.
“You two have been having little secret meetings for months.”
“That’s not true.”
He rubs his knuckles over his chest. “I know get lost vibes when I feel ’em.”
Some of that was probably me trying to get Marcel to come clean but the instinct to protect my son keeps that thought in my head. “It wasn’t intentional.” At least that’s the truth.
“Okay, setting this family tree issue aside.” He waves his hands toward Teller’s house. “I can’t seem to do anything right in your eyes lately. And the personal stuff isn’t the only thing you kept from me.”
“Give me an example.”
“The fucking funeral home. Isn’t that something we should’ve discussed before you sprung it on me at the table? Z knew before I did. And he’s not even your VP anymore.”
His words hit me like the high beams of a car racing along a dark, country road. And I’m the dumbass standing in the middle of the highway squinting into the glare. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
The apology seems to take the wind from his anger. “Huh. Didn’t expect you to actually apologize.”
“I don’t do it often.”
“No shit,” he mutters.
“What else?” We’re making progress. I think.
“I don’t know.” He drops his gaze. “You’ve always been hard on us. But it’s just been different. I thought it was the new role I took on…but now…”
“That’s probably part of it. Don’t forget, it took Z and me a long time to work out a balance.”
He seems to consider that. “You’re sure you trust me?”
“To represent the club? To have my back? Yes, without question.” I run my hand over the back of my neck. “It’s not your abilities I’m questioning.”
“Whose are you questioning?” He snorts. “Yours?”
“Well, I fucked this up.”
“Now I see it,” he says slowly.
“What’s that?”
He waves his hands at me. “That martyr bullshit Wrath’s always saying you pull. I get it now.”
“You realize I’m responsible for all of you? If I don’t question myself from time to time, I’ve got no business at the head of that table.”
“I know,” he says quietly. After a few beats of silence, he squints at me. “Was it weird?”
“What?”
“Well, you’ve caught him in some…embarrassing positions and vice versa over the years. Finding out he’s your son after the shit you’ve seen…” He lets out a long, low whistle.
I snort, then full-on laugh. “Yeah, fucker. It shed a whole new light on the last few decades. Your buddy also accused me of child abuse for all those times I choked his disrespectful ass.”
He bursts out laughing. “What a baby.”
“Besides the weirdness, I felt guilty I didn’t know.” I clasp my hands behind my neck and stare at the sky for a moment. “I wasn’t there for him the way a father should have been. All the stupid shit and fucking around I did, seems so ridiculous when I had a son who needed me.”
“Weren’t you a kid yourself?” He frowns. “Besides, you were there for him…for both of us.”
“Not out of the kindness of my heart,” I admit, tired of them acting like I had altruistic reasons for looking after them when they were kids. “You realize that, don’t you? I knew you’d be good for the club and wanted to eventually recruit you.”
He shrugs. “So? I had a crackhead for a mother, Rock. You imposed some order in my otherwise chaotic life. Made me finish school. Helped me earn money to support myself. Stop trying to turn your good deeds into something ugly.”
Fuck me. “You spend too much time around Wrath.”
One corner of his mouth lifts. “Who knew we’d end up so tight? Always thought he hated my ass.”
“Nah, it takes him a few decades to warm up to people.” We stare at each other for a few beats. “Are we good?”
“You tell me.” Caution colors his words.
“It’s been a rough year.”
“Yeah.” He scoffs. “You became a new dad two times over.”
What an absurd truth. “I guess so.”
“You lost Z to Downstate. Grinder finally got out of prison.”
“You almost died on me,” I remind him.
He rubs his hand over his scalp. “Shit, yeah.”
“Seems like we crammed in ten years of drama.” I stare at him for a minute. “You know I’m proud of you, right?”
“You’ve mentioned it.” He flashes a tight half-smile.
“First time I met you—”
“I was a scared little boy, worried you were gonna kill my best friend.”
I nod to acknowledge his memory, then share my version of the story. “You put yourself in front of Heidi. Trying to protect her from me.”
“Kinda pointless.”
“Yeah, but brave.” I press my fist against my chest. “Things were rough at home for you. But you rose above it and turned into a good man.”