Anna’s lips quivered. “I can’t be indebted to them.”
“I don’t know what you think you’ve heard, but don’t let it affect your decision when it comes to your son. Trust me. I won’t put you at risk. I promise.”
“I’m broke, Teri.”
“Trust me.”
She wasn’t going to let Anna or that little boy suffer. She didn’t know a whole lot about David, other than his son was a total ass to Ryan.
Glancing at the diner, she knew leaving near the dinner shift was asking for trouble, but Anna would cover for her for the time being.
“I’ll be back.” She removed her apron and threw it into the laundry basket. When she returned, she’d grab a new one. Leaving the diner, she made her way up toward the main clubhouse. It had been some time since she’d last been here.
Adonis and Grizzly were both out on the front lawn, soaking up the sun.
“Hello, beautiful,” Adonis said.
She’d turned him down flat when he arrived at the diner late one night looking for some food and a fuck.
“Is James in?”
“Yep. Back in his office. You want to have some fun later?”
“I’m busy,” she said. Her thoughts went straight to Damon.
The way they had woken up together that very morning, she knew a girl could get highly addicted to it. She certainly was. Damon was the only man she’d been attracted to in the past few months.
Entering the clubhouse, she spotted Beauty in the corner, giving a lap dance to one of the brothers.
“Teri, it’s about time you stepped foot in the club,” Pixie said, pocketing his cell phone and coming toward her, pulling her in for a hug.
She gave his back a slap, once, twice, and stepped back.
“How have you been?”
“Cloud nine. Got a woman, a kid, or two.” He winked at her. “Life is good. How about you?”
“Good.” She went to step around him.
“How is Damon?” he asked.
Teri stopped as she glanced over at him. “Huh?”
“You and Damon are a thing, right?”
“I’m not here to talk about that. I want to see James. Do you know if Richard can handle child custody cases?”
Pixie went from playful to serious within a second. “What do you need?”
“It’s not me. It’s Anna. David wants to start seeing her little boy.”
“Shit. Come on.” Pixie moved ahead of her, and they went to James’s office.
“Knock, knock,” Pixie said, opening the office door as he did.
Teri rolled her eyes as she stepped across the threshold, then froze in place as Cora sat straddling her man.
She and Cora used to be friends. They weren’t overly close, but they weren’t enemies either. That had changed when Dane and the truth about their past had spilled out. Since then, Cora used every opportunity to put her in her place. Not that she could blame Cora for it.
“What the hell is she doing here?”
This wasn’t about her.
“Do you know if Richard can handle child custody cases?” Teri asked.
Cora snorted, but Teri ignored her and told James the facts. With each word she spoke, Cora lost that sneer on her face and looked nearly human. She climbed off her husband, putting her hand on his shoulder.
“He might just want some time with his son,” James said. “Every man is entitled to know his kid.”
“I get that, but Anna is freaking out, and I don’t want her upset about this. Cole means everything to her. He’s a really good, sweet kid, James. I wouldn’t have come and asked if I wasn’t worried. I’ll pay.”
James waved his hand in the air. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll call Richard. Why didn’t you talk to Chloe?”
“It’s her day off, and I figured if I come to you, you’re close to him and know if there is a chance.”
“I’ll see what I can do and I’ll come by the diner.”
“Thank you.” She turned on her heel, about to leave.
“Skylar told me,” James said.
“Told you what?” Cora asked.
Teri glanced back at the president of the Dirty Fuckers MC. They had cost her a job at her last workplace for a fight they had gotten into. The diner in Greater Falls had been their way of apologizing for losing her a damn sweet job.
“Is it true?”
“I don’t know anything yet. When I do, you’ll be the first one I come to.”
“Teri, I don’t like this.”
She pushed some hair off her face and shrugged. “It’s my life, and I’m going to live it the way I want.”
Leaving the office, she made her way out of the clubhouse, heading toward the diner once again but coming to a stop when she saw Dane making his way up the path toward the clubhouse.
He appeared to be carrying a large container of gas. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey.”
There were no feelings there for him. She had thought for a long time she was in love with him, but there was nothing. The only feeling she had for Dane was immense guilt that she helped him to cheat on his wife.