“That we’re going to have a baby, which means since she said yes to marrying me, even before we knew, we’re having a wedding before the baby gets here!” I told them excitedly and in a rush. They were all frozen for a moment, like they were processing what I told them. I took her hand and held it up. She’d been keeping it hidden since we walked in the door. Her engagement ring winked and shone bright.
This triggered them all to react. They laughed, gave us their congratulations, and offered us help and gave advice. After they were done, I turned to Tarin. She’d been very quiet. I saw her leaving the common room out the front door. I was about to go after her when I saw Outlaw hurrying toward the door. He saw me and shook his head and mouthed, I got her. I wondered what the hell that meant.
I tried not to let her leaving dampen our happiness. Ilara had noticed her leaving too. She was looking sad. Once I made sure she was settled, I’d go talk to my daughter. I’d debated telling her before the others, but then I decided to surprise her. I’d made the wrong decision.
After about ten minutes, Ilara whispered to me, “Go find her and talk to her. She might have killed Outlaw by now. I’m fine. Love you.” She gave me a kiss.
“Thank you, baby, I love you too. I’ll be right back.” I rushed to the door and out into the cold winter air. I looked around, trying to figure out which way she went. I was about to go toward our house when I heard raised voices coming from the other side of the clubhouse. I slipped in that direction. When I got closer, I could hear what was being said.
“I don’t need you to tell me that I’m not welcome here, Outlaw. It’s been apparent since the moment I stepped in the door that I have no place here. I’d hoped I might build a relationship with my real dad if he wanted it, however, seeing as he’s got Hope and now another baby coming, he’s not going to need his adult daughter hanging around. So see, you got your wish. I’m gone. You can kiss my ass. It’s none of your business why I left home,” she yelled. I peeked around the corner.
They were faced off, and she was standing toe-to-toe with him. He had a scowl on his face. “Quit being a damn brat! You should be happy for your dad. He’s waited more than half his life for this. Yeah, it sucks he didn’t know about you or you about him, but life isn’t fair. You running off because you’re pissed, you’re not daddy’s little princess is juvenile. I guess your other dad raised you to be a spoiled brat, the center of the universe.”
In a blink, she hauled off and slapped him. Her face was fierce, and she was pissed. I needed to stop this. I didn’t want her to go. I stepped around the corner. Outlaw saw me. “Tarin, honey, we need to talk. Let’s go to the house.”
She whipped around and looked at me. There were tears in her eyes. She shook her head. “There’s nothing to say. I’m leaving tomorrow. It was a mistake to come here. I’m happy for you, Bear. You’re going to make a great dad. I know that already. I need to go and figure some things out. You know, we spoiled princesses do actually think and have feelings for other people.” She sneered at Outlaw when she said it.
He reached out to grab her arm, but she jerked away. “Don’t touch me. You don’t know shit about me, other than what you read in those precious reports you love. Fuck you, Outlaw.” She turned and ran. Both Outlaw and I took off after her, but she was like a damn deer. She beat us to her car and jumped inside. She had it started and moved toward the gate before we could move closer. It was opening fast! I ran toward the guard shack, but she got out before I could get to the button to close it. I swore, “Son of a bitch.”
“Fuck! That woman is going to drive me to drink,” Outlaw growled.
“From the sounds of it, she had reason to be upset. Why the hell do you hate my daughter? She hasn’t done a damn thing to you, Outlaw. Every time she’s here, you never let her out of your sight. You called her juvenile and spoiled. Now I might not get to know or have my daughter in my life! Jesus Christ, she’s not the enemy, you know!” I shouted. I wanted to punch him in the face.
“I know she isn’t the enemy! I don’t hate Tarin, Bear. She’s hiding something and I’m going to find out what. There’s stuff she isn’t telling about growing up. I did call her juvenile and spoiled, but it was to shock her to realize she was wrong. She was out here talking about needing someone to actually love her and be their number one. She’s worried that there’s no room for her in your life.”
“If you don’t hate her, why all the watching? It can’t be just because you think she’s hiding something.”
He looked at the ground and then back up at me. “I don’t know how you’re going to take this, but here goes. I watch her not because I don’t trust her, but because I want her. I don’t want one of my brothers or someone from the other clubs going after her. I’ve never met anyone like her. She’s got me going crazy. I need to figure her out. Find out what she needs and protect her. My outburst just now wasn’t the way to do it. Let me go talk to her. Then when I’m done, I’ll call you and you can talk to her. I need to apologize.”
I was stunned. My club brother was attracted to my daughter. He was in his early thirties, so he was seven or eight years older than her. I didn’t know how to feel about it.
“I’ll admit, I don’t know what to say to that. Shit, I just met her and you tell me this. She’s not going to be used for fun and games, Outlaw. I won’t let any man do that to her, not even a brother. You need to forget that shit,” I snapped, as I thought of him using her like a bunny or hang around—have sex for a little while then move on to the next. I watched him stiffen. A look of outrage came over his face.
“I’m not talking about having fun and games. I’m talking about a commitment. Tarin isn’t someone who spreads her legs for any guy who wants her. I wouldn’t be telling you any of this if I wasn’t serious.”
I looked at him in amazement and shock. I didn’t know what to do. Finally, all I said was, “Give her an hour to cool down, or she might kill you. You talk then call me. I want to settle everything tonight because I don’t want her to go. Got it?”
He nodded and strolled toward the clubhouse. “I got it. I’ll give her an hour then I’m going. I’ll call you as soon as I can.” We walked inside and I went straight to Ilara. She’d be able to help me sort this all out in my head. I hoped I wasn’t making a mistake in allowing Outlaw to talk to her first. Today had been one for the record books.