“I… Harley…” I start coughing, my voice trying to seize.
“Your daddy didn’t want you, so you’re trying to steal mine!”
“Har… ley,” I cough out.
“You’re going to get my daddy killed! I hate you! I wish you had never come here! We don’t need you! We have Cherry and Daddy was happier when she was here!”
“Harley…”
“I hate you! I wish you’d die!” Harley screams and he takes off running from the room. I turn to go to him and Cherry grabs hold of my arm.
“I think you’ve done enough here. I’ll see to Harley; he trusts me.”
“He doesn’t know,” I get out before I start coughing, “what a fucking liar you are,” I finally finish.
“Really, you should watch your language around Desi and Harley. They’re good kids.”
“What was Harley talking about?”
“Oh… you don’t know. Isn’t it just like Marcum to try and keep the truth from you?” she responds, as another cough breaks free.
“What truth?”
“Your father sold you to the Garcias.”
“The Garcias?” I question. I’ve heard of them—vaguely, but I don’t completely understand.
“Exactly. And if Marcum doesn’t hand you over, he might as well sign his own death warrant. No one goes against the Garcias around here and lives.”
“I…”
“If you don’t mind, I really need to see to Harley. He’s more important than a woman who is putting the entire club at risk and all because she spread her legs for the right man.”
I want to respond, but I feel like I’ve been sucker punched and I’m hurting so deeply I can’t seem to catch my breath.
All I can do is watch her leave while I’m coughing and feeling completely alone.
Is Cherry right? Am I going to get Marcum and his men killed? Is that why he’s keeping all this from me?64MarcumI stare at the phone and I can’t deny there’s a sour feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’m now on Kuzma’s payroll—provided he gets the Garcias off my back—which is a formality at this point. He gave me his assurance that Alvaro would back down relatively easy. Apparently Toi killing someone and being mine will have tainted her. Bastard paid for an innocent and that’s what he wants. Fuckers like that need to stop breathing.
“How long you going to be beholden to the man?” Ride asks, bringing it down to what’s important.
“You know how this shit works, Ride.”
“Jesus. Marcum, man…”
“I’m good with it.”
“Bullshit.”
“For Toi, I’m good with it,” I tell him and I’m not lying one fucking bit. If I have to be Kuzma’s hitman for the next five years, and probably stay under his thumb for the rest of my life, big fucking deal. I’ve made worse bargains and gained a lot less. If this keeps Toi safe, then I do not give a damn.
“So, lockdown is over?”
“Kuzma got word this morning. Start moving people up top today around noon.”
“Noon?”
“Better safe than sorry. Can’t hurt to give it a few hours and be cautious.”
“You worried, man?”
I look at Ride. I have this unsettled feeling in my gut, though I can’t put name to it.
“Let’s just say that it seems too easy.”
Ride agrees right away, nodding his head.
“Does seem mighty anti-climactic.”
“If it’s indeed over, I’ll take that any day,” I laugh as Ride gets up and walks to the door.
“That’s because you’re getting old,” he says with a laugh and I give him the one-finger salute. Bastard’s not that much younger than me. “Whoa!” he says once the door opens and Toi is there. He catches her before she falls, because she was trying to wrench the door open.
She’s crying and I get up immediately and go to her, lifting her in my arms and carrying her over to the couch. Ride quietly shuts the door as I settle Toi in my lap.
“What’s going on, Dragonfly?” I ask as her almost silent sobs shake her body. I can’t stand to see her like this. She was fine this morning and my woman should never know the kind of sadness which is bothering her right now.
“Harley,” she cries, the word becoming muffled until it’s so quiet I have to strain to hear it, but once I do, I breathe a little easier. Harley is having growing pains where Toi is involved and it hurts her, but it will get better. It’s just going to take time.
“I told you, honey. This will get better. Bub just has to get used to us being together. Once he sees that you being here is permanent, it will be fine. You just keep loving him, it will get through to him,” I try reassuring her, combing through her hair with my fingers.
“You don’t understand.”
“Tell me.” I kiss the side of her head, unable to stop my smile. She cares about my kids so deeply. Toi has so many things about her that I love, but her heart might be my favorite.