“I said no, Dec.”
Declan lifted his hands up beside his head in surrender. He turned around and opened the front door, holding it for me as I passed through.
Maureen sat in the corner of the couch, a blanket over her legs. When she turned my way, her eyes were red and puffy, the remnants of tears streaked down her face. I sat down beside her and pulled her against me as she sobbed into my chest.
My aunt. She was the only worthy link I had to the woman who gave birth to me. And that was only by marriage. I’d known her for less than a year, but she was the only family from Boston I acknowledged. She and her daughter Colleen.
Technically, she was my sister now. Being married to my brother and all. But she took the role of my aunt seriously, and so did I.
We didn’t speak. I held her until she had nothing left. I felt the weight of her body slump into my side, and I thought she’d fallen asleep until she looked up at me.
“I want to come to the clubhouse and cook for the guys.”
“Maureen, no, you’re gonna have that baby any day now.”
“Nonsense, I have weeks to go. I did it when I was pregnant with Colleen.”
“Baby, you’re not the same age you were when you had Colleen,” Declan said, and I gaped at my brother. Stupid fucker should know better.
“Are you saying I’m old, Declan O’Rourke?” Maureen snarked, sitting up straight and glaring at her husband.
“No, just older.” He shrugged.
“You’re so stupid,” Colleen said, coming down the stairs, shaking her head.
“What did I say?” my brother asked, as if he really didn’t know.
I shook my head and focused on Maureen, hoping she would forget wanting to kill her husband if I changed the subject back to her. I loved my brother and didn’t want to lose him too.
“If you think you’re up for it, we’d love to have you,” I told her. “But let the girls do most of the work.”
“Beck, Sam, and Ellie just had babies of their own. They need their rest.”
“I’ll come with her, King. Make sure she isn’t overdoing it.” I smiled at Colleen.
“Declan, you need to go outside. I want to talk to my nephew.”
I closed my eyes, knowing exactly what she wanted to talk to me about. Declan rolled his eyes at his wife. He really was taking his life in his hands tonight. But he went outside and sat on the porch, Colleen following him.
“You need you call your father.”
“No,” I said, standing up and walking over to the fireplace. It was the middle of summer, so there wasn’t a fire burning. It didn’t stop me from staring into where the fire should be.
“King, let him help.”
“There is nothing he can do. This is biker shit. He’s not a biker.”
“This is warfare. And your father knows more than anyone should about warfare. If you don’t call him, I will.”
“Maureen, do not call him,” I snapped, turning to face her. “This has nothing to do with him.”
“He’s your father,” she reasoned.
“He’s my sperm donor.”
“What does that make your mother? An egg donor?”
I didn’t answer her. Darcy was a sore subject with Maureen. She may have only been ten years old when Darcy left town, but their families were close, and Darcy was like an older sister to Maureen.
