Hawk (Reckless Kings MC #2) - Harley Wylde Page 0,14

over my shoulder one last time, holding her gaze before the door shut.

At least I now knew there would never be anything between us. She’d have done something other than sit there, right? There was a chance she was in shock because of all that had been going on in her life, but I didn’t think that was it.

No, whatever I felt for Hayley was obviously one-sided. I just had to figure out how I was going to move on. Even now, I wanted her.

The chief pulled off in his car and I climbed onto my bike, following Grimm and the others back to the Dixie Reapers’ compound. Now that the guy had been caught, I’d be heading home. Probably first thing in the morning. There was nothing here, no reason to stay. If Hayley had given me any hint she wanted me here, then I’d have stuck around another day or two. But she hadn’t.

Chapter Three

Hayley

I’d lasted two months. Or maybe my dad had lasted that long. Either way, I’d known this day would come. I hadn’t expected it to hurt as much, though. I’d thought I’d prepared myself, but I’d been wrong.

“Give me a name, Hayley,” my dad said, his voice getting harsher every time he asked.

“No, Dad. I can do this without him. He didn’t ask for a baby.”

Dad clenched his fists. “And you did?”

I hesitated. “Well, no. But… I lied to him. By omission. I implied I was on birth control. I’m not showing up on his doorstep, pregnant, because I wasn’t honest with him. It wouldn’t be right.”

My dad’s face turned purple and he looked like a cartoon character about to explode. I took a step back. It wasn’t that I thought he’d hit me. I just wasn’t sure if he’d end up doing something extreme like flipping the table over. I couldn’t remember ever seeing him this mad, not even the day I’d confessed I was pregnant.

“You will tell me who knocked you up, or you can get the fuck out. Maybe I’ve coddled you too much, been too lenient. You have a life growing inside you, Hayley. It’s time to grow up. The adult thing to do is tell the guy you’re pregnant and make him take responsibility.”

My eyes went wide. “You’re kicking me out?”

“Yes, unless you tell me who the father is. I don’t know why you’re protecting him! He sure the hell didn’t protect you! If he had, you wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

My mother hovered behind my dad, reaching out to place her hand on his shoulder. I saw some of the tension drain from him. She always had a calming influence on him. The look she gave me didn’t bode well. It made me think she’d already tried to talk him out of this and had failed, which meant I was about to be on my own.

“Then I guess I’m leaving,” I said.

I turned and walked out, heading down to my little apartment. I packed as much as I could, made sure I had Cuddles’ things, and loaded it all into my car. My dad stood in the living room window watching me. If he thought I wouldn’t go through with this, he was wrong. I wouldn’t let him bully me, even if he did think it was for my own good. He was being unreasonable, and I refused to cave and give him what he wanted.

He thought he was stubborn? Well, I’d inherited it from him and a bit from my mom too, which meant we were at a stalemate and it wouldn’t be changing anytime soon. I had no idea where I would go, or how I’d pay for anything. My mom rushed out to hug me.

“I’m so sorry, Hayley. I’ll keep talking to him.” I felt her shove something into my pocket, out of the view of my dad. “Call me and let me know you’re okay.”

I hugged her tighter, then got into my car. My dad didn’t budge, didn’t wave. For a brief moment, I thought I saw him waver, but it happened so quick I could have imagined it. Where the hell was I going to go? It wasn’t like I had a ton of friends.

With no direction in mind, I drove aimlessly, only stopping when I pulled up to the gates at the Dixie Reapers. I didn’t know why I was here, except it was where all this started. Will was on duty at the gate and he approached my window. I rolled