“Yes,” she barely whispered.
“Why didn’t you tell me?If you wanted to get married, I would have married you.”His voice was soft as he looked at his son.Taking in his chubby cheeks and full lips, Smokey noticed that the kid had started blowing spit bubbles and laughing when they popped.
“I didn’t tell anyone.By the time I found out, Daddy pushed me to marry Rod.If he found out, he would have just insisted I do it faster.There were already so many rumors flying.I couldn’t make it worse by dropping him and marrying someone else.”She dropped her head so she was looking at the floor.
“Does he know?”
“Daddy or Rod?”
“The shithead you married.”
“Tim—”
“I go by Smokey now.Mom’s the only one who gets to call me that anymore.”
She nodded slowly but didn’t look up or meet his gaze.“Smokey then.Yes.He knows.”
Smokey made sure Carter was secure in one arm then gently lifted her chin until she reluctantly met his gaze.
“Is that what this is?”Smokey smoothed the back of one finger gently along the side of her face, indicating her black eye.
Tears pooled in her eyes as she nodded.
“Do you love him?”It was something he had to know.He was about to change everyone’s lives, and he had to know how much fight he’d get from her.
Tania shook her head.
“Where is he now?”
“At work.”
“When do you expect him back?”
“He gets off at five thirty.He’s usually home by six.”
Smokey checked his watch.9:23 AM.They had plenty of time.
“Other than your father, is there a reason you stay with him?”
“I have nowhere to go.No job.No money to support us.I’m stuck.”A single tear trembled on the edge of her lashes trickled down her cheek.Smokey reached up and wiped it away, sucking the moisture from his thumb before pulling his phone from his cut.He dialed Raven and put the phone to his ear.
“This is Raven,” the club president said.
“Hey, it’s me.I’ve got a situation.I need someone to bring a vehicle we can put a car seat in to Jeff’s.I’m also going to need a room at the clubhouse for a few days and a few men willing to do some heavy work this afternoon.I’ll explain the whole thing to you when we get there.”He glanced up and caught Tania’s gaze.She stared at him wide eyed but remained silent.
“Well, don’t say hello or anything,” Raven grumped.“I take it someone’s in danger?”
“You got it.”
“I’ll have someone at Jeff’s in the next twenty minutes.Do you need bodies for back up or just for transport?”
“Just transport for now.”He’d go into detail about what was going on when he had a chance to sit down with the president and the rest of the officers.
“No problem.See you when you get here.”Raven disconnected without saying goodbye.Smokey shoved the phone back in his pocket and glanced down into the cart he’d lifted Carter out of.
“What do you need for you and him?”Smokey jerked his chin toward the cart.
“Just the formula and baby food for him.The rest was for dinner tonight and tomorrow.
