Mort guided Val’s woman into the house. “Bailey—”
“Why is she with you, Lucas?” Bailey demanded, stepping into the hallway from the kitchen and nodding to Chester. “I told her she couldn’t visit Harley right now. My daughter needs peace and quiet. Not an endless parade of people, gawking at her like she’s a freak show.”
“Your daughter, huh, Bailey?” Mortician wouldn’t touch that one. “Chester, go on up. Harley’s bedroom is the second door on the right side of the hallway.”
“Lucas, I saidno,” Bailey shrieked. “Zoann can’t see Harley!”
Chester paused. “Is Harley asleep?”
“That isn’t the point,” Bailey said tightly. “Seeing you will stress her out.”
“I won’t do her anything, Bailey,” Chester snapped in exasperation. “I won’t even stay long. I just want to see her.”
“No. Why don’t you go see your fucking devil of a son?”
Fuck. “Bailey—”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chester demanded, always ready to defend her husband and her boys.
But Mortician had made a conscious decision to keep Ryan’s fuckery from her. He didn’t want to hurt her. She’d been through so fucking much in her life–
“Answer me, Bailey!”
“Go and see Harley, Chester,” Mortician inserted, since Bailey smirked and paused for dramatic effect and sheer bitchery.
“You don’t care that her son—”
“Aunt Zoann?” Harley called, walking into the hallway and interrupting Bailey. At the sight of Chester, her entire bruised and swollen face lit up. “You’re here,” she murmured, running to her.
Zoann hugged her tightly. “Oh, baby. Look at your face.”
“You should be in bed, Harley,” Bailey said.
“Axel said he was bringing me a present, Mommie,” Harley explained, smiling at Zoann and clinging to her. “When I opened my door to come downstairs, I thought my imagination was playing tricks on me when I heard your voice.”
“Of course I came to check on you.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to perform in my play with my face all messed up.”
“Uh, well…” Zoann looked at Mort and he shrugged. He didn’t fucking know what would happen. “I’m sure…the school might be closed anyway.”
“I wanted everyone to hear me sing.”
“We’ll see, baby. For now, just rest.”
“Wewon’t see anything,” Bailey cut in, her putrid look concerning Mort. “She’s my daughter, not yours, Zoann, and I’ll thank you to remember that.”
To the surprise of no one, Zoann had reached her limit with Bailey’s bullshit. “Something you fucking forgot until yesterday.”
Ordinarily, Mort would understand her annoyance and merely monitor the situation in case she decided to throw hands.Thiswasn’t an ordinary situation. Bailey might lash out and tell Zoann what Ryan had done out of spite. She’d accuse him of failing Harley again, instead of understanding he was trying to protect a woman from devastation. A woman who was Outlaw’s sister and Val’s wife, and who’d helped Mortician and Bailey by taking Harley without a second thought.
“Harley has needed you for weeks.”
“Fuck you, bitch,” Bailey snapped. “Talk to your goddamn son. He took pictures of my naked,underageddaughter. I’m considering charges against him.”
Baileyknewfucking better than to bring the law into the clubhouse underanyfucking circumstances. No question aboutit. She’d lost her fucking mind and wanted them to fucking die with that type of threat
Ryan deserved retribution, but there were fucking channels to go through to protect his mama and serve club justice.
