“Home,” he breathed, opening his eyes. “Yeah.” He went on to explain the conversation he had with Jude about Shade acting as his father and also the conversation he had with Trip.
“Did Trip believe you?”
“Don’t think so.”
“Will that be a problem for us?”
The corners of his lips curled slightly, and he didn’t hide his relief as he repeated, “Us. No, ain’t gonna be a problem for us. What about your girls?”
“You tell me.” Shade knew them well enough now, knew what they were like. And they loved him. Chelle had made up an excuse on why he’d disappeared but promised them he’d be back. At the time, she only hoped that was true.
“Knowin’ your girls, ain’t gonna be a problem for them, either.”
“They always teased me about giving them a little brother. After getting my tubes tied, I never thought I’d become a mother again.”
“Might not be easy. He’s a twelve-year-old kid who’s gonna go through some shit.”
“We all go through stuff. And who would understand those things better than you? Are you sure his mother’s not out there somewhere?”
Shade blew a breath through his nostrils. “No. Hope to fuck I’m wrong. Hope she escaped or they took pity on her. Somethin’. But from the info I got, not lookin’ likely.”
“If it happened the way you think it happened, does he know those details?”
Shade’s jaws flexed. “No. Gonna try to shield him from that as long as possible.”
“What did you tell him instead?”
“That she accidentally died when she was fightin’ them. She slipped tryin’ to escape and hit her head on the concrete. Died instantly.”
“What really happened to her?”
“Chelle...”
“She didn’t die instantly.”
His lips pressed into a flat line.
What happened to Jude’s mother must be bad, since Shade wasn’t sharing those details with her, either. Chelle closed her eyes as her stomach turned. Jude’s mother was most likely tortured.
Tortured.
Why was the Earth so full of sick people? What ever happened to humanity? Or had she been living in a bubble? She couldn’t wrap her head around all the evil in the world.
Not that she wanted to.
It was bad enough she lost her husband to it.
Shade lost his mother to it. Lost himself for a long time to it, too.
Now Jude was motherless because of it.
No, she didn’t want to understand it. She only wished things like that, people like them, didn’t exist.
Most likely that wish would never come true.
“Gonna keep lookin’, just in case. But thinkin’ he’s now an orphan.”
“Like you were.”
“Yeah, Chelle, just like me.”
She slapped a hand over her mouth when what he just said and how he said it hit her. “Oh no,” she breathed.
Shade shook his head. “Found him before that happened. He got lucky, in a way. Lost his mom but didn’t lose anythin’ else.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” she whispered. “I’m still heartbroken that he lost his mother. That has to be devastating for him. But I’m so thankful you found him.”
“He’s tryin’ to be tough about it. But every night I hear him cryin’, usin’ his pillow to smother the sound.”
“I don’t even know him yet and I want to hug away his pain.”
“Gonna meet him. And then you can hug him. He’s gonna need it. From you and from the girls. So, here’s the deal... Askin’ you to accept us both. A package deal.”
He felt the need to ask? “That’s not even a question, Shade.”
“’Kay then. Next problem...”
She groaned. “There’s more?”
“Yeah, this is a big one. Jude can’t live in the bunkhouse with me.”
How was that a problem? “Were you planning on remaining in the bunkhouse?”
“We either live here with you or I get us a house on the farm. Trip prefers the second choice.”
“And if I don’t prefer that choice?” she asked. That was a decision for her and Shade to make, not the Blood Fury’s president.
“Want what you want.”
That was too easy. “I want you.”
“Want you, too, beautiful. Nothin’ I want more. Leavin’ the decision up to you. Want you and the girls to be happy. Don’t wanna disrupt their lives. Also, wasn’t expectin’ to dump a surprise kid on you in addition to you dealin’ with my problems.”
“I can deal with a surprise kid. I can deal with your problems now that I know what causes them. My concern about living on the farm comes down to my girls. And honestly, the fact your club has sweet butts and who those women are.”
If he was surprised at that last part, he didn’t show it. “Know my family ain’t typical, Chelle, I get it. Includin’ the sweet butts and why they’re a part of the club. But my brotherhood’s tight and it’s all I got.”
“No, you now have me.”
“Your daughters...”
“Love you. They already accept you for who you are. They’re smart and level-headed and old enough to see what’s in front of them. As much as I wouldn’t want them to be in Angel or Crystal’s shoes, I also don’t want my girls judging them. Angel and Crystal chose to be who they are, what they are, to do what they do. I understand they’re not forced. You made it clear that they could walk away at any time, but choose to remain. Too many of us women cut each other down instead of lifting each other up. I don’t want my daughters to ever be like that. I want every woman to feel empowered enough to be who they are without fear or judgement. Maybe it’ll never happen because it’s against human nature.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. But my hope is for my girls to live in a more accepting and inclusive world. Or at least do their part to make that closer to reality.” She lifted a palm when he opened his mouth to speak. “That being said... The problem is, Maddie used to be friends with Angel. My daughters know Crystal, too. I don’t want there to be issues between them or for my girls to get any ideas about doing what they do. Maybe once they’re out on their own, we can consider moving out to the farm. But for now... I want to keep this house as our home.”