My eyes lock with probably the biggest guy I have ever seen in my life before. He has a scar across his cheek, it's long and white. He also looks like one of his eyes are no longer in working order. But I could be mistaken. It might just be the light. Razor. That's the name on his cut anyway. He smirks at me. I don't get an ill feeling from him, but he'd sure like to fuck me right now. You can't mistake that look in a man’s eyes. He wishes!
I'm used to men wolf-whistling at me, not that I claim to be anything special. But I've found men like these are not at all fussy. Women to them are nothing but a pussy to stick their dicks in. I know full well that's all they see me as right now. Not that one of them would get a chance with me. Ever. Maybe Tank...
“You claimin' her, Prez?” Calls one of the less bulked up guys.
“No, Gunner, you know very well I'm married to my old lady, the love of my life, and I do not cheat on her. Ever.” Well, that was final. I had no idea he was married.
I do wonder where in the hell they get these nicknames, though. Some of them are seriously ridiculous.
“This young lady is my daughter.” Every mouth is hanging open. I swallow hard. I feel a little claustrophobic being the only girl in a room full of bikers. Last time that happened... Don't go there, Nova.
My eyes lock with Tank's. Man, he's handsome. He winks at me and I smile. There's something about the way he's looking at me that tells me nothing will happen to me here. He'd never let anything happen to me.
“I'd like for y'all to meet Nova. Nova?” My father holds his hand out to me and I take it and walk closer to him.
“Shit, Prez. This is your daughter?”
“Yes, Ripper.” Ripper? Christ, I wonder how in the world he earned that nickname. No, I don't want to know. “Nova has recently come back into my life.”
“You found her.” It wasn't a question. But the kind smile on the older biker’s face is genuine. As if he'd been searching for me all these years along with my father. There's a sense of relief in his tone. I don't remember him at all, I don't remember any of them. But this guy has a kind face. His cut reads Blackjack. Road Captain. Strange name.
I notice my father smiling at him in return. They must be close friends.
“She's hot, Prez.” The handsome, Hulk looking guy shoots me a wink, but it doesn't have the same effect as when Tank winked at me.
“Eyes back in your fuckin' head, Roman!” Hand to my mouth, I try to stifle the laughter trying to get out. I've longed for this for so damn long, a father who threatens every man that show’s interest in his little girl.
That's crazy, right? Most girls hate that shit, but I have never felt safe since the day my mother took me from my father. He's making up for lost time and I am not going to stop him.
“I know how beautiful she is, but I want y'all to know right now that she is off limits. I want y'all to treat her as your sister, your niece, whatever. But the first one to so much as look at her with lust, I will end. And no, that is not a joke.”
“Does that go for Tank, too?” The one my father called Gunner points out. All eyes turn to Tank, he's still looking at me, not even caring that they're talking about him. “Seems he's got the hots for your little girl.” There's humour in Gunner's voice.
“It goes for each and every one of you. No matter your rank. Cross me and I'll end you. Do we all know where we stand?” There's a collective Aye, a couple of groans. And I'm standing here wondering if I'll ever get to see that man naked.
No, dumbass, your father will kill him.
Total shame.
* * *
Meeting his wife. I didn't think this would happen so soon. Tank explained – because it seems my brother can't bring himself to talk to me – that my dad married Lynette, an old friend of our mother’s. She brought a daughter to the marriage, Willow. Dad adopted her the second they got married.
Willow is twenty-four, two years older than me, three years younger than Tate – Jett. I really need to get used to that. Jett calls Lynette Mom and has since she married my dad.
Dad and Lynette then have three children together. VJ – Vincent Junior – who is twelve, Max, who's ten, and Sophie, who's five. I'm about to meet them all, my new siblings. I wasn't expecting this when I came looking for my dad and brother.
I must admit, my dad was quite impressed when he saw my bike and the fact I'm a fast rider like him. Told me he'd dreamt about it for years, me on a bike. I just smiled and told him, “It's in my blood.”
I'm really nervous walking into my dad’s house. I remember the place, it's the house I lived in when I was a little girl. I say lived, we'd just moved into the place, I only lived here for a couple days before Celia took me. Or at least, I think that's true.
“Don't be nervous, baby girl.” I smile at my dad, his arm is around my shoulder, holding me close to him as Jett parks his bike. He's here with us, but I can tell he doesn't want to be. He fucking hates me! But I don't understand why. “Lynette loves you, you have nothing to worry about.” Apart from the fact it seems my father can read my mind.
“She doesn't even know me.”
“She raised you from a baby, Nova.” I narrow my eyes at him. “I'm not speaking ill of your mother, but she wasn't much of one to you and Jett when you were small. Lynette was the one who took care of you when you were ill. She was the one you ran to when you hurt yourself. When you needed anything actually.”
“She's a brilliant mom, you'll love her,” Jett tells me but without even looking at me. I've been back in his life a couple hours and this shit is already getting old!
Lynette sounds too good to be true. But there she is on the doorstep looking excited to see me. I think I remember her but I'm not sure. She's beautiful. Like stunningly so. Long dark hair, bright green eyes, a slim waist with curves in all the right places. She could pass for my mother. But at the same time, she doesn't even look forty.
She seems a little more than just excited to see me, she has her hands pressed against her mouth in a fist. Her eyes are shining with tears, but they're not sad ones. I jump when she rushes down the steps that lead to her front door toward me. I've never seen anyone so excited to see me. I'm not that important, jeezus.
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She screeches while wrapping her arms around my neck. I'm taken aback a little, I'm not used to this kind of affection. She pulls away and kisses my cheek. “I'm so happy you're finally home! Look at you, you're so beautiful. And just like your brothers, you look just like your father.” She chuckles, but my mind is still stuck on the fact I have brothers!
“It's nice to finally meet you,” I tell her honestly.
She rubs my arm and winks at me. She's then pulled away from me so my brother can kiss her cheek. Hearing him call her mom is a little strange to me, we have the same parents, this woman isn't my mother, but she's now Tate's. Not that I would ever take away from what she's done for him, the way she's been there and loved him all these years. It just feels a little weird.
The inside of the house is nice, really nice. The hallway isn't too long and to the right is a huge living room. It's not what I thought it would be. I thought it would be dirty, scruffy, beer cans everywhere, take away food boxes, etc. I know that's stereotypical but that's how Butch lived, that's how most of his club lived.
But this house is nothing like that, it's clean and homey, perfect.
“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” A huge smile spreads across my face at the little girl running toward us chanting Daddy over and over again. My little sister. She has hair as dark as her mother’s, eyes just as green, but I can so see she's my father’s daughter.
I watch my father lift her into his arms, kissing her cheek and holding her close like she's the most important thing in his life. That's how he used to hold me. That's how he used to love me.
She's a shy little thing. Dad introduces me, and even though Tank told me – because Jett hasn't said much to me – that Dad and Lynette have always told the younger kids about me and that I'd one day be home, she's shy and doesn't want to talk to me, doesn't even want to look at me.
I don't let it get to me, she's a little girl who doesn't know me at all. But there's plenty of time for all of that.