wants it, she can go, but if she doesn’t want it, and let’s face it, she won’t because these fuckers don’t mind littering kids around the place like they’re trash, I’ll raise it.”
Wolfe reared back. “What?”
Her mouth tightened. “You know I want more.”
“Have more then,” Martin replied, bewildered. “Why take on a bastard?”
“Because it ain’t the kid’s fault, plus, I can’t have anymore. Not after Matty. He did—” She pulled a face. “His birth wasn’t easy, let’s just leave it at that.” She cut me and Wheels a look. “I’m really sorry about that conversation.”
“I’m family now,” I told her calmly, so calmly that she cocked a brow at me. When, after a good minute’s study, she just stared at me, I had to admit to fidgeting—I was not a man who was built for fidgeting, but Lucie Steeler, whether she was bright pink from crying or not, had that kind of effect on a person.
“You finally did it?”
Flame growled, “Lucie! ‘It?’ Jesus, that ain’t something a man wants to think about where his baby girl is concerned.”
“Grow up,” she grumbled. “And I meant claimed her.” Her eyes narrowed. “You’d better be wifing her.”
Her men shot glowers at me, but I raised my hands. “Will do.”
“Bet Saint or Keys have something to say about that,” Wheels replied with a laugh.
My jaw flexed. “Yeah, we ain’t had that conversation yet.”
Flame rubbed at his eyes. “Can we let this discussion get back on track, please? Before I grow a pussy?”
Lucie sniffed. “A real man can talk about his feelings.”
“We ain’t talking about feelings, though, are we? We’re talking about three guys boning my baby girl,” he snapped, and that had to be the first time I’d ever heard Flame raise his voice at Lucie.
She sniffed again. “I’m just fucking thankful that she ain’t too weird for all of them to handle.”
I scowled at that. “Now, wait a goddamn minute—”
She raised a hand. “Not many men would be willing to put up with all her idiosyncrasies, Ink. And she has many.”
“I know.”
Lucie shook her head. “You think you do, but you don’t.” She blew out a breath. “Just be patient, yeah?”
“Of course.” I felt affronted by her words, but it wasn’t like I could say shit.
“Let’s get things back on track,” Wolfe said, his tone calmer than it had been the whole meeting. And I knew that was because whatever had gone down with Bubbles had been fucking with his head as much as Lucie’s.
I cleared my throat and noted, “You obviously don’t think Kenzie is pregnant, Martin.”
The Knights’ Prez shook his head. “Know it sounds crazy, but I don’t. If she is, it ain’t no skin off my nose, but I think it’s a ruse. She’s tried to get a way in. She wanted to be an old lady because she knows they get protection—”
“Yeah, if their old man goes to jail. It doesn’t protect them from having their throats slit if they betray the club,” Axe inserted drily.
“Well, you don’t know how these cunts think.” Martin shrugged. “Either way, she made a calculated risk. Maybe my leaving the clubhouse wasn’t something she anticipated, and maybe it was just dumb luck for them—”
“Dumb luck for you, you old fool,” Lucie retorted. “We all know you’d have had a goddamn standoff before you’d let any pigs onto the compound, and I’d be seeing you in a coffin.”
Martin smirked. “Sounds like you’d miss me.”
She sniffed. “Maybe.”
His eyes softened as he looked at her. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t think me going anywhere was something that was planned, but it had to have helped the situation.”
“You guys do realize she’s Rodeo’s kid, don’t you?” Wheels threw in.
I shrugged. “Bad egg?”
“He ain’t going to be happy. You know how Luisa dying messed with his head.”
Wolfe winced. “It ain’t our fault his daughter betrayed us. Shit, he has to know that we’re not doling out punishments for fun—”
“We don’t know if she’s involved yet,” Lucie barked. “I think we’re jumping to conclusions. Let me investigate, yeah?”
Martin shook his head. “I think you need to do more than that. I think…” He grimaced. “A raid could be coming your way. Funny how she’s here now, yeah? I think you should move your stock and fast.”
Wolfe sat up which, because Lucie was on his knee, had her jostling in his lap. “You think the threat is imminent?”
“Gut feeling. Just like my gut is telling me she’s involved.”
“She always was a bitch,” I threw out. “Mean as fuck to Ama.”