Her mom covered her mouth, tears spilling over."I didn't know how to come back."
Lydia stared at them both, feeling as if she was standing in the middle of someone else's dream she didn't understand."Mom, what is he talking about?"
Her mom looked at her then, really looked at her.Lydia grabbed her mom's arm in panic.She'd never seen her mom look so scared.
Not when she lived with Sonny.Nor with any of the other Cusclan members she hooked up with over the years.
At that moment, she didn't even recognize her mom and became scared herself.
"Jesus Christ."Baker swallowed hard, gaze flickering between Lydia and her mom."Why didn't you tell her?"
"What?"Lydia's pulse hammered."Tell me what?"
Her mom shook her head, tears falling faster."I couldn't.I wanted her away from this lifestyle, just like you did.I couldn't tell her."
"Know what?"Lydia demanded, voice rising.
Baddy stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her, forcing her back against his chest as if to protect her.Her heart raced, and she gasped for air.
Her mom opened her mouth, but no sound came out.What was going on?
"I should've known."Baker stepped forward, coming straight to Lydia."She didn't tell you because I scared her enough to keep her away.But over the years, I..."Baker shook his head."I regretted my decision my whole life.You deserved to know."
Lydia's heart pounded so hard it hurt."Know what?"
He looked at Lydia as if he was trying to memorize every detail of her face, afraid she might vanish if he blinked.
His breath hitched."My God..."
Lydia's heart pounded."What?"
"Baker, don't."Her mom sobbed."She'll never forgive us."
He stepped closer, voice trembling."I married Maureen.When your mom left...when I sent her away,I wanted to give you a better life than what you could get if you stayed here with me."
Lydia's pulse roared in her ears.She glanced at her mom.What was Baker saying?Was he one of the many bikers her mom hooked up with?
Baker swallowed hard, emotion choking him."Lydia...you look just like my mother.I should've seen it the second you walked into this clubhouse.I should've—"
He stopped, chest heaving, eyes locked on hers.Her pulse roared in her ears.
"I'm your father," he whispered brokenly.
The world tilted.She pressed against Baddy to escape what Baker was telling her.
Lydia stared at him—at Baker, the man who fed her when she wouldn't eat, who watched her with quiet concern, who always seemed to know what she needed to make her more comfortable at the club.
Her father?
She grabbed Baddy's hands, and he held her tighter.This couldn't be true.
Her mom cried."I'm sorry, baby.I'm so sorry.I thought keeping you away from his life was the only way to protect you, and then I couldn't escape Cusclan—"
"Fucking hell."Baker turned, grabbing his head."I'm going to kill them."
"I tried to escape, hoping I could come back and get you when Sonny was on a ride, but you'd left, and he caught me again."Her mom reached for her.
"No."She shook her head.
