Crossroads (Beautiful Biker MC Romance Series) - DD Prince Page 0,129

felt it physically. “Left us both, but got Jonny later. It was best for us to cut ties. I haven’t… I don’t talk to them.”

My eyebrows furrowed. I lifted my hand and rubbed his cheek.

“He might be back, too. I don’t know. He was hidin’ up in Saskatoon last I heard but then in that van, I got the idea from Kiddo ‘n Unc that he might be back. Though that could’ve been about Alec. Don’t fuckin’ know now.”

“You shot him? Your father?”

“Yeah,” he swallowed, and it looked like it hurt to do so. ”Knew it wouldn’t be lethal. He was gonna rape Ella, rape his fuckin’ niece. He woulda let the others too, and woulda watched. He wanted me to fuckin’ film it since I told ‘em I wouldn’t put my hands on her. Probably woulda let them kill her. Man spends 95% of the time blind drunk off his head. Gives no fucks about anything.”

I felt sick.

“Yeah. That’s where I come from. That’s what I grew up with as my influence of what a man should be.”

“That’s not who you are, though, baby,” I told him.

“I know,” he said. “Shoulda shot to kill.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“Naw, I fuckin’ do. Now I gotta worry about him surfacing again, what he’ll do if he does.”

“Call your mom.”

He got a faraway look in his eyes.

“Want me to call her?” I asked.

He frowned.

“I will,” I whispered.

“I’ll do it,” he said.

I passed him his phone and cuddled up with him.

“Need your phone. I don’t have that crackbook time-waster on mine.”

I opened my app and passed the phone to him. I saw him search for Jolene Forker.

“Her name is Jolene? Do they call her Jojo, too?”

“Not Jojo,” he said. “Though he called her Jo sometimes.”

“Hm.” I smiled. “She’s pretty.”

“She’s broken,” he muttered. “He fuckin’ broke her.”

Her profile was public and there was a phone number there.

He punched it into my phone and put it to his ear.

“You want privacy?” I gestured to the bathroom.

He shook his head and grabbed me, pulling me close.

I held his free hand tight as I nuzzled in, hearing the phone ringing through the speaker.

“Hello?”

“Ma?”

I was close enough to him that I could hear her voice as clearly as if the phone were to my ear.

“Chris? Oh...” Her voice trembled. “Is that you? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Hi.” She cleared her throat. “H-hi sweetie.”

“I’m getting married, Ma.”

“Oh. Oh! Congratulations.”

There was silence from them both for an awkward moment.

“About Gram’s rings…” Christian started.

“Oh, of course. They’re here. Do you… do you want me to bring them to you? Do you want to pick them up?”

I felt his body relax significantly in relief. It meant a lot to him for me to have his grandmother’s rings. I felt a burst of love for him. And I had hoped his mother wasn’t a bad person, more that she was stuck when things were bad. I couldn’t understand anyone leaving their child with their abuser, though.

“Me and Jojo are comin’ through tomorrow. We’re drivin’ to Vegas to get married, so can I come by?”

“Her name is Jojo?”

“Yeah it is.”

“I get to meet her?”

“Yeah, if you want…”

“I do. Her name… is it short for something?

“Joelle.”

“It’s close to mine.” I heard the smile in his mom’s voice. I felt a smile tug at my lips. Christian saw it and smiled, too.

That smile filled my heart up to nearly bursting.

“It is,” he agreed, eyes sparkling as he spoke.

I was a little perplexed. He seemed to be receptive to her. He didn’t seem like an abandoned child right now. It seemed like this was a complicated situation, so I decided to just be open to whatever his cues suggested.

“I’ll give you my address,” she said.

“Know where you live, Ma.”

“Oh…” The surprise in her voice was very evident.

“See you in the late morning, early afternoon.”

“Okay, Chris. I look forward to it, to seeing you. And meeting Jojo. Can I… tell your brother you’re getting married, or…”

“Don’t see why not.” He shrugged.

“Okay. See you tomorrow. I work the eleven to seven shift tonight but I’ll be home by seven twenty and I’ll stay awake until you come.”

“We’ll try to get there early,” he said.

“Okay. Whenever you can get… I’ll --- I’ll wait. Bye sweetie.”

“Yeah.” He ended the call.

He made a face at the phone for a minute before he set it down.

“That sounded like it went well,” I observed.

“Mm.” He thrust his hand through his hair and then blew out a breath. “I’m gonna go grab us some ice,” he