.” I glanced down at my arm. At my skin. My skin that had always been a touch lighter than that of my friends . . . than that of my father.
I knew what Tanner was going to say before he did. “She was American. A white American.” I closed my eyes.
“I’m Mexican. I’m a proud Mexican.” All my life, I knew who I was. I was Mexican. I knew my heritage, cherished it . . . That heritage was now up in flames.
“You’re still Mexican, princess,” Tanner reassured. “Your father was Mexican. But you have American in you too.” Tanner leaned forward and kissed my lips. He hovered close, so I opened my eyes. “Baby . . . this seems crazy, and I’m still wrapping my fucking head around it myself, but . . .”
“What, mi amor. What?” I didn’t know if I could take anymore.
“Your mama . . .” He braced himself for whatever he was about to divulge. “She was Styx’s mama too.” The world stopped. Everything in the room seemed to freeze as those words filtered into my brain. Styx . . . Styx . . . ? I thought back to him and Mae being in my room. To Mae holding my hand and kissing my head. Telling me we needed to talk . . . Y’all are family . . .
Was. Was Styx’s mama . . .
“She’s dead?” I asked, hopelessly.
“Styx’s papa—the old prez—killed her. He fucking killed her in front of Styx. He was still a kid at the time.” Tears immediately filled my eyes as I tried to imagine such a thing.
Looking at Tanner, I said, “I have a brother . . .” I thought back to Styx’s face. To how he stared like he couldn’t believe I was real. Like he’d never seen me before . . . and now I understood.
“Has he just found out about me too?”
“Yeah.” Tanner shifted so he could pull me close. “You need to talk to him, baby. Soon. When you’re better. I know he has something to show you.” I nodded, because I couldn’t find words. Then Tanner hit me with another bombshell. “You have another brother too. Your biological father’s son.” I tried to breathe, to take it all in. “Chavez. The Prez of the Diablos. They helped us.”
“Chavez . . .” I whispered.
I was silent for so long that Tanner lifted my chin. “You okay, princess?”
“Yes.” And I meant it. I was . . . My head was full to the brim with all the new events and information. But I was lying beside Tanner. And we were alive. After all that we had been through, that was enough. I didn’t need anything else in my life. “I am good, mi amor. I am more than good . . . I have you.”
Tanner smiled, and then raised my left hand to his lips and kissed my wedding ring. “My wife . . .” he murmured as his eyes began to close. Exhaustion was lulling him back to sleep.
“Mi esposo,” I whispered back. I laid my head back on Tanner’s chest and closed my eyes too. The world could wait. This was my wedding night. Our deserved night by each other’s side.
And even wounded and emotionally raw . . . it was a perfect kind of bliss.
*****
One week later . . .
“You want me to come with you?” I leaned down and kissed Tanner on the lips. We were in his room now at the clubhouse. Edge and Rider had allowed us to move from the medical room a few days ago. Tanner was still hurting. His injuries were more severe than my own and were taking more time to heal. He needed to rest.
“I will be fine, mi amor. Sleep and get stronger.”
“Come straight back. I’ll be waiting for you,” Tanner said, and I ran my fingers through his hair.
Leaving Tanner to sleep, I met Beauty in the hallway. “You ready, darlin’?”
“Yes.” Beauty led me to her truck. We didn’t say much as she drove us to Styx and Mae’s house. Nerves were smothering my senses. I didn’t know what to say to Styx. He didn’t even speak.
It was all so hard to comprehend. He was my brother . . .
I had always been alone. I didn’t know how to be a sister. I knew nothing of my mother—our mother—except she was dead.
“He’s a good guy,” Beauty said, clearly seeing my unease. I liked Beauty. She was turning into a good friend.