Hawk (Reckless Kings MC #2) - Harley Wylde Page 0,20

went to open it, hoping it wasn’t James with a stack of boxes. Although, it seemed I would need them. I seldom received visitors here. Sometimes Mariah would stop by. We both liked a lot of the same things and would talk while we sipped hot chocolate or tea. We’d bonded a little the last few months, especially after her dad’s club helped with my stalker issue. I wasn’t expecting her, though, so my anxiety shot through the roof as I pulled open the door.

Delilah, James’s baby sister, smiled at me. I didn’t know her well, so I doubted this was a social call. So why was she here?

“I heard you could use some help packing.”

Shit. I rubbed at my temples and nodded. “So it would seem. I just got your brother’s message about a half hour ago.”

Delilah frowned. “Seriously? He told me a week ago he needed to let you go. It’s part of why Titan and I came to visit right now. I thought you could use some help. I figured with a baby, you wouldn’t have a lot of time to box stuff up.”

I sagged against the wall, sinking down until my knees pressed to my chest. “He called today. I had no idea, and now…”

Freya started crying again, making me wince. I loved my daughter, more than anything, but lately she’d been a difficult baby. I let her cry another moment before forcing myself up off the floor and I went to get her out of the crib against the far wall. I cradled her close, wishing I knew why she wouldn’t stop crying all the time.

The doctor at the free clinic had assured me she was perfectly healthy, but I couldn’t help feeling they were wrong. Something was the matter with my beautiful girl, and it broke my heart when she cried like this. Without insurance, or money, my options were limited. My parents would probably help if they knew, but at what cost?

“Hayley, where’s her father?” Delilah asked softly. “Why are you doing this alone?”

Not her too! Why did everyone want to know who Freya’s father was? There were plenty of single moms in the world. Single dads too. Was I doing such a bad job they didn’t think I could handle raising my daughter?

“We were only together the one time. I’d assured him he didn’t need to worry about there being a baby. I can’t… I can’t just show up on his doorstep with an infant in my arms.” I swallowed the knot in my throat. “He’ll hate me.”

And that was my greatest fear. I cherished the night we’d had together. The last thing I wanted was to taint the memory with whatever hateful things he’d spew when he found out I’d lied, and we had a baby. I just couldn’t do it. Besides, it was better for Freya to not have a dad at all than to have one who didn’t want her.

Delilah’s expression softened. We hadn’t been close in school, since she was a little older than me, but she’d always been kind to everyone.

“He won’t hate you,” Delilah said. “Tell me who it is. I can go with you, if you want? We can tell him together.”

I shook my head. “He doesn’t even live around here. I have no idea how to find him.”

She sighed and folded her arms, drawing my attention to the leather vest covering her shoulders. Hades Abyss MC was stitched on the front and I knew the back would say Property of Titan. I’d been surprised the first time she’d come back to town as a biker’s old lady. She hadn’t seemed the type. Although, anyone could see the man clearly adored her, and she was head over heels in love with him. I envied them.

“Where did you meet?” she asked. “Let’s start there, and before you shake your head at me, you’re out of options, Hayley. You need help, and he has a responsibility to the two of you whether he likes it or not. Your dad was right about that. It’s bullshit you’re doing this alone, and I could kick your family’s asses for not helping more.”

My mom snuck money to me when she could and visited when she didn’t think my dad or brother would notice. She knew this town spread rumors like wildfire, and I had no doubt my dad knew she came to see me. My mom wasn’t as sneaky as she thought, but Chief Daniels didn’t like the fact his