lost without you, but I’m not him. I’m not looking to settle down just yet, especially not with her…”
“Oh?” Her brow jumps. “And what’s wrong with this woman you’re seeing?”
“Fucking, Mom, we’re fucking.” Not that the crass language dissuades her. She’s used to worse from her ol’ man. “And to answer your question, nothing is wrong with her. We’re just different people, she doesn’t even live around here.”
She tsks. “Your father and I didn’t live near each other either. We never let distance stop us from being happy together.”
I nod because there’s no way I can win this with her. She doesn’t need to know the details of Alice, her wild sister, or her senator father. If I’m being a realist, her father would never allow us to be together anyhow. He’d bring down the law, no doubt, if he thought I was defiling his daughter. The club’s investments can’t handle that close of a look. We have multiple kilos of cocaine here for fuck’s sake, and we’d be doing some serious time if we were raided. Alice’s pussy is sweet and all, but I’m not putting my brothers and club through that sort of struggle.
“I’m sure you have another bitch in mind for me, Ma. Maybe one who’s in the life?” I can at least try to distract her, and this has to be the way to do it.
“Oh, heavens no. The young girls in your father’s club are little whores. None of them are good enough for my son.”
Her reply brings a wide smile to my face. Now she’s sounding like my ma when it comes to females. “Who says I want a young chick?” I ask, aiming to ruffle her feathers.
“Now, now…don’t be looking at any of my friends like that.” She sends me a serious glance, and I burst out laughing.
“It’ll happen when it’s supposed to, Ma. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Her hand pats my scruffy cheek. “You’ll understand one day when you have a kid of your own. You’ll want them to have that commitment and happiness too.”
“If I have a son, I’ll be lining up the club whores for him.”
She rolls her eyes, not replying. She sighs and stands. “I’ve got to be getting back. I only stopped in to bring you boys a snack. Without me around, the phone at the garage will be ringing off the hook. Lord knows your father never answers the damn thing.”
I chuckle. They’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. My mom likes to stop over and check in on us. I think she uses the cookies as an excuse. Whiskey sure eats up the attention, and Ma treats us like we’re a bunch of kids and he enjoys the fuck out of it. If he hadn’t been good friends with my father for so long, I’d be worried he has the hots for my Ma, but I know his type, and she’s not it. I press a kiss to the top of her head, and she tucks in under my arm for another hug.
Whiskey pauses in his munch to walk her to her car. One of the brothers always walks her out. It’s for her safety and to show her the respect she deserves. Not only as my mom but as a longtime, committed ol’ lady. My father doesn’t belong to the Royal Bastards, but his club has never been an enemy to us either. They’re treated like friends, and as long as I’m around, they always will be.
Her words did get me thinking, though. If there was a way to keep Alice around, I’d do it. I enjoy her company, and with the security detail missing, we could have some real fun together. Alice brought up the possibility of her staying back longer, but I don’t know whether it’ll happen or not. I’m going to play it by ear and see if she can get free from her father’s hold. With the search party he sent out for Maddy, I don’t see him letting up the reigns on his other daughter that easily.
One thing’s for sure, I have to be at that meeting with Senator Compton.
Chapter 11
Breathe, darling. This is just a chapter.
It’s not your whole story.
- S.C. Lourie
I’m standing in the wind on the thick, black tarmac of the private airport when the first sounds of pipes greet my ears. My father landed thirty minutes ago, and he’s already wanting to get back in the air and out of