“I see that now.”
My smile was more sympathetic than anything as Iwatched him fidget and look around.
“I’m glad to hear it,” I said softly. “How are the war wounds?”
Sutton sighed, the tiredness pouring out of him as he scratched the back of his neck and shrugged awkwardly. “Nothing on the surface that won’t heal in time.” It was then he swallowed and the light caught the moisture that coated his eyes. Not wanting me to notice, he moved his hands to rub at them.
Giving my men one single look, they began to move around the room, distancing themselves from the private conversation that needed to take place. Once I was sure the chief had the personal space he needed, I leaned forward and ignored the pain that shot down my arm from my shoulder.
“I know you and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, and I know that me even speaking her name is something that’s always got your back up, but I need you to know that I am sorry about Maisey.”
Sutton swallowed again, not hiding the way he struggled to regain control of his voice before he spoke. “Are you?”
“Yes,” I answered firmly.
“Why?”
“Sutton, she was your wife.”
“Only on paper.”
“I doubt she ever intended to hurt you.”
“You sound so sure.”
“I only ever try to be honest.”
“I’m not sure how I feel.”
“That I can believe.” I nodded my head in understanding, not looking away from him as he dropped his arms down by his sides before shoving them in the pockets of the oversizedsweats he was wearing.
“I want to mourn her more than I do, but all I can see is her face when she spoke to you. All I can hear is the way she said that other man’s name. That kind of betrayal runs deep no matter how much you thought you loved a person.”
“She was in over her head, Howard. Doesn’t mean everything was false.”
“No?” he asked, lifting his head again.
“You’ve got your daughters. She can’t ever take them away from you.” As soon as I said it, my head spun around to the side and I looked for them. In the haze of everything that had happened, I hadn’t a clue where they were, but I distinctly remembered giving an instruction for them to be taken care of and kept safe.
“They’re in one of your rooms, Tucker,” he said, obviously sensing my question before I even had the time to formulate it in my mouth. “Another thing I’ve got to thank you for.”
My eyes closed briefly before I turned back to look at him and shook my head. “No need. You saved my life. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you.”
“Likewise.”
“Then I guess we’re even.”
He sucked in a small breath, the weight of what I’d just said showing in the way he creased his brows together and took a moment to stare his old enemy in the eye—an enemy who he would probably now have to call a friend.
“I know it ain’t easy,” I began to offer. “It’s never easy to change the way you’ve seen something or someone your whole life. I get that. But in order for us all to stay safe, for you to keep being the father to your girls you want to be, forme to be able to keep being the father to my club that I need to be, we have to work together now, Howard.”
“Together,” he repeated in a whisper.
“Together. All of us. My men will have your back and your girls’ backs for as long as you need us.”
“And what will I have to do in return, Drew? Be your bitch cop who gets paid a nice fee for letting you run things through my town that used to turn my blood cold?”
I didn’t snap at his attack. It was expected and it was understood. We were the devil’s sons in his eyes. We wore the reaper on our chests and had black in our hearts, or so he thought. His confusion was going to throw a million questions out before any kind of comfortable friendship was truly formed.
