Chapter Eleven
Smokey watched Tanialeave the room to take care of the baby and scrubbed one hand over his face.Talking about her in-laws reminded him that he still needed to tell his folks about Carter.Mom would be over the moon.She’d been hounding him to find a woman, settle down and start a family for about a year now.
Actually, the more he thought about it, Mom had likely started pushing for grandbabies of her own about the time it would have become obvious that Tania was pregnant.He wondered if maybe that had been at least part of the cause.
“Now that’s she’s not here to object, what do you think of her in-laws?”Raven said, his gaze locked on Smokey.
“I’ve met them once, at the wedding.If you’ll remember, I didn’t even want to go to that, but my dad insisted.”
Raven nodded.“I remember.”
“I don’t remember if I said anything then.There would have been no point and it would have come across as sour grapes but I didn’t think much of him.He comes across as oily, slick like a TV used car dealer from the nineties, but not nearly as observant.”He shook his head and gave a single dry chuckle.“I watched her for ten minutes at the wedding and suspected she was pregnant, and knew it.He was marrying her.Stood beside her most of the night, and didn’t have a clue.”He shook his head again.“If I’d had any indication that it was mine, I would have stopped it.We wouldn’t be here now because if I’d know she was carrying my kid, I would have stepped up then.”Not being there from the beginning with Carter would haunt him but he also had to let it go because it hadn’t been his decision.He didn’t blame Tania, she thought she was doing the best thing at the time.But still.Instead of dwelling on what he’d lost, Smokey forced himself to focus on what needed to happen now.They needed to make sure Tania and Carter were safe.
Once the threat was gone, then he would focus on making sure Tania didn’t want to leave again.Now that he knew about Carter, he didn’t think she would keep him from Smokey but one never knew.It would be better for everyone involved if he could convince Tania of what he’d always felt for her.
But that was the rub.He’d never told her before, would she believe him now or think it was only so he didn’t lose his son?He didn’t even know where to start.Maybe Mom could give him suggestions?He wasn’t sure, but he knew he’d have to tell her the whole sordid tale, or at least a carefully edited version, before he could ask her.It had been a while since he’d talked to her, more than the usual day-to-day bullshit.He meant to really talk to her.
“We can’t do much until we know more.”Raven said from the front of the room.“We’re going to assume they know the boys they shot earlier are ours.We’re going to have to beef up security for a while.”Raven scanned the room, as if waiting for someone to protest.When no one said anything, he continued, “No one goes out on their own.Every brother needs to find someone to ride with him if he’s going out, even if he’s just running to the corner store for cigarettes.If one of the women goes out, I want at least two, preferably three of you with her, and that includes Smokey’s woman.He might not have claimed her, yet, but her son is an Angel patchling and they will both be treated with respect, got me?”Raven scowled as he scanned the room again.When no one spoke up or protested, he picked up the gavel and smacked it against the table with a hard thump.“Dismissed.”
Smokey stayed put for a few minutes.He let everyone else rush for the door while he thought about his options.
“You waiting for something?”Raven asked when only the two of them were left.
“Just the crowd to leave, then I started thinking.”
“That’s always dangerous.”
Smokey shot his president an unimpressed look, then continued.“I’m trying to decide what to do next.I want to ask Mom how to convince Tania to stay, without making her think I’m only interested because I want to spend time with my son.But in order to do that, I have to tell her about Carter.When I tell her, if he’s not there, she’ll have a fit and refuse to tell me what I want to know without seeing him.”
“I’m failing to see what the issue is,” Raven leaned back in his chair, watching Smokey.
“I’m not sure if it’s safe to take either Carter or Tania out.I don’t want that fucker to chase her down and to have another shoot out at my parents.I can’t put them in danger if I don’t have to.”
“No worries.Take Rene, Chain, and Tiny and take both of them to see your parents.Your mom’s gonna be over the moon.”
“Yeah, I know.The question is Dad.I can never tell where he’s going to land on any given issue.”Smokey sighed and pushed himself to his feet.He needed to give Tania they’d be leaving in case she wanted to change or needed to do anything to get Carter ready, then he’d go talk to the guys so they could get ready.With the five of them he should grab one of the club’s SUV’s.Either that or they’d have to take two vehicles.That would be awkward.He didn’t want to do that unless he had to.
