“So you think I’ll shirk being a father?”
I was surprised by the venom in my own voice. I took more offense to it than I would have thought. But Mason’s face and my own reaction rang all the bells in my head.
“You actually think that I would abandon being a father,” I said, staring in disgust at Mason. “You think I have that little respect for Hannah and for her child that I would not be a good father.”
Now it was my turn to scoff in disappointment. Really? It was one thing to be averse to monogamy when there was so much pussy you could choke on it and run out of cum to dump off. But for a fucking child? What sort of club were we if we didn’t give a shit about kids, most especially our own?
Mason bit his lip, folded his arms, and gazed down. I saw the opening. I fucking drove the stake through it.
“I know I can be a bit of a ridiculous fuckup at the club, and to some extent, it’s just for fun. No one has done more to get the four prospects we have other than me with the women. Maybe Brock. But I would never fuck around with being a father. No fucking way, Mason. That shit matters too much.”
“And how am I supposed to believe you?”
What, my fucking tone and anger that I’m showing right now isn’t enough?
“I can’t fucking answer that, and I don’t really fucking care to,” I said. “You’re the kid’s uncle, but you’re not immediate family. I am. Hannah is. And so that’s where my focus is.”
Mason looked up at me, but I shook my head, cutting him off.
“I’m not going to apologize for being attracted to Hannah. I wish it hadn’t gone down like this, and sure, perhaps I could have said something sooner. But you know what? You gotta let off her, man. And if you’re worried about me being a terrible father or a terrible…whatever the fuck I am to Hannah, do not. I will take care of her. I will take care of the child. And I will make sure that I am the best father possible. No fucking question about it.”
Mason pursed his lips and put his elbows to his knees, folding his hands in his lap like he was praying. After a few seconds, he stood up, and I tensed. But then he started pacing.
And for a good couple minutes, it looked like Mason was having the hardest internal dialogue of his life. It was like he almost didn’t want to accept that I was telling the truth; it was like if he didn’t believe that, it would be that much easier for him to keep hating me and fighting me.
He’d have to admit that he was fucking wrong about me. He’d have to admit that I would be a good guy to Hannah. It would make him look like a dick for fighting.
Finally, standing against the far wall in the apartment, Mason groaned, turned to me, and shook his head.
“If you so much as miss that kid’s first words, I’m going to kick your fucking ass.”
That was fair. But so was what I was about to say.
“And if you don’t give me the space to be the father to my child, to be there to hear my kid’s first words, then I’ll kick your fucking ass.”
Mason nodded. He clearly hadn’t expected me to come back with such force. But this wasn’t even about me anymore. It was about the child to come within a month.
“This better not be a fucking game,” Mason said. “I’ve seen you at club parties. I’ve heard the things you’ve said to girls. I’ve ignored it because it’s not like I’ve never exaggerated for some hot chick to suck my cock. But fuck with Hannah and you’re dead. I mean it.”
“When’s the last time you saw me get wild, Mason?” I said, some of the anger in my voice slowly fading as I recognized Mason was starting to get it. “When’s the last time that you saw me try and get laid or get wasted? Not since Hannah got pregnant. You know it’s true.”
Mason nodded, eyes bouncing from the ground and back to me.
“It’s true,” he said.
It was, as far as I could tell, the first time he’d explicitly acknowledged to me that he was wrong about me.
“You don’t have to like me. You’re protective of Hannah, I get it. But I am too.”
You came here not just to change his mind. But to make the club whole again.
“And in any case, look, all I ask is that you and I co-exist at the club. We’ve been avoiding each other so much it’s fucking pathetic. So let’s fucking make it work. Let’s work on protecting this town and get rid of the Bandits.”
Mason grumbled something inaudible. I took a breath, exhaled slowly, and walked over to him, offering my hand. Mason looked at it for a long time, and I held it out as long as I needed for him to have a response. I had some trepidation the result wouldn’t be positive, but as long as it didn’t make things worse…
Mason looked at me finally and shook his head.
“You fucked my sister,” he said. “And I don’t care what sort of argument you make for why it’s fine or why it’s not really my concern or whatever the fuck you want. That’s not going to be something that I can just get over so easily.”
