I stare at the message, my eyebrows knitting together as I read her words over and over. Willow rarely apologizes, and usually when she says what she thinks, she means it and there’s no going back.
I don’t know if to tap out a reply, or keep her on read, but my conscience gets the better of me.
Me
What’s goin’ on?
It takes another few minutes of radio silence.
Wife
Talk later. Busy. Dad’s in town
So the prick really is here, wonders will never cease. I’m half tempted to tell her about him calling me, but I don’t want to upset her further. She’ll be in a pickle already with him being in town.
I’m amazed he even gave enough of a shit to actually show. Maybe my instincts are getting rusty in my old age.
Me
Hand him a medal
Wife
I would but it would go to his head
I chuckle at our inside joke and get back to work.
A few moments later, my office intercom chimes. “Haze, it’s Mr. Sinclair again,” Erica says. “Should I put him through?”
Holy fuck.
I run both hands through my hair, then press the button. “Sure, Erica,” I say, steeling myself for a showdown.
The scumbag just doesn’t let up. Instead of concentrating on his daughter and her special day, he’s too busy hounding me. His audacity never ceases to amaze me.
I pick up the receiver, hitting line one. “Cameron,” I say, unable to call himMr. Sinclair.Using his first name only will annoy him more. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“You’re a hard man to track down, Austin.” Of course, I wouldn’t expect him to call me by my biker name. He probably doesn’t even know I’m part of the Rebels MC. His tone is gruff, like he’s got better things to be doing than making this phone call. “My daughter tells me you have a security business.”
“Good news travels fast.” I clear my throat. “Let’s cut to the chase. What do you want? If you’re callin’ me to tell me to stay away from your daughter, then you’re gonna lose that battle every single time?—”
“For once, that isn’t why I’m calling,” he says.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, waiting for the onslaught… but it never comes. I check the line to see if he’s hung up, but it’s still connected. “Spit it out.”
“My daughter’s in trouble,” Cameron says. A silence hangs between us and I’m dreading whatever he’s going to say next. “And I need your help.”
CHAPTER
SIX
Willow
I stare down at my phone, irritated. More with myself than anyone else. I let Haze get to me, and none of that was his fault. I was a bitch.
Should he have shown up to my ceremony in club colors? Probably not. I was more unnerved that my father would see us and he’d certainly have a lot to say about that. Avoiding a headache is just as much a priority as saving my sanity. And make no mistake, Haze knew what he was doing. He had that smug look on his face that I know only too well.
Of course, after he left, guilt inevitably followed. I know he means well, but showing up brings everything we’ve already been through back up again.
