Dark Guardian (Black Hoods MC #3) - Avelyn Paige Page 0,44

air around us. “Tell us about you.”

“There’s really not much to tell, to be honest.”

“Bullshit. My uncle wouldn’t be that interested if you weren’t something special.”

“I really don’t know why he’s interested in me,” I admit.

Blair takes a long look at me. “For one, you’re stacked, and you’ve got this innocent librarian look going for you.”

“I what?” I practically shriek, pulling my cardigan tight across my chest. Blair’s bluntness is shocking. Do all women talk to each other like that? I’ve never really had close girlfriends to know if it is, or if it’s just a biker chick thing. Whatever it is, I’m not sure I’m comfortable talking about my body like this.

“Can I ask you about your job?”

“What would you like to know?”

“How do you handle it? It has to be hard, ya know, being in the middle of the fray of broken families. While I deal with the aftermath in my line of work, you’re there when the split happens.”

“It’s not easy. I used to be able to shut off my emotions and do my job, but I’ve realized recently that not every case calls for a removal.”

“You mean Kevin and Natalie?”

“I do. A few days ago, if you would’ve told me I’d be here in this position, I’d have said you were off your rocker. But talking with Eugene and the kids, learning about everything they’ve been through from their own perspectives has changed mine.”

“So why did you come here to remove them?”

“It was a court order. I’m bound by the law to do it, but I can’t take them away from Eugene. Not after finding out the real truth of why they’re with him.”

“What will you do now?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. The legal ways take too long, and the illegal ones are too dangerous. It’s like a coin flip with no good options on either side. I’m not sure if your uncle told you, but I filed to be a foster parent. If my friend in the inspection office can get it pushed through, I can file to take legal custody of the kids while the issues with their father get worked out in court.”

Lindsey’s face falls. “My uncle wouldn’t have custody if you did that. You could take them away any time you felt like it.”

“I couldn’t do that. Kevin and Natalie trust your uncle. They need him, yet he’d never get approved to be a foster parent with his record. But I can. It’s the best option we have while the club deals with their father.”

“You’re risking your job, aren’t you? Pushing through that application with your internal connections can’t be legal.”

I almost laugh. Nothing this club does errs on the side of legality, but here sits their president’s own niece, questioning mine. Irony at its finest.

“I am, but if that’s the price I have to pay, so be it. They can’t go with their father, and putting my trust in the legal system is too much of a chance. This is the only way.” Even as the words slip past my lips, my candor shocks me. I know I’ve had my doubts about my job, but saying them out loud seems so foreign. I love my job, or I used to love it. But this case has given me an entirely new perspective on it all. Right now, Kevin and Natalie’s safety is all that matters, with or without the law on my side.

“Well, if you’re thinking about a career change, I could use someone with your dedication at the women’s shelter I’m building. The non-profit paperwork was just approved last month, and I’m working on sourcing extra capital outside of what the club has agreed to pitch in to get me started,” Blair mentions casually. “It’s not much, but I hope to build on it in the future.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Working without a paycheck would be hard, but it gives me an alternative to consider later. With so few things to spend my money on over the years, I have a decent nest egg. I could survive if something happened with my job, at least for a little while.

“I hope you do.”

The door swings wide, and the three of us shift our focus to the men filing out in a line. Seeing me, Eugene makes his way over.

“The club’s in, but I’m going to need you to stay with me for a few days. I don’t want you going anywhere alone.”

“I don’t need protection,” I counter. “I’m a big girl.”

His