“He’s my fuckin’ grandson.”
“He’s not.”
I stood and towered over Callum. “The fuck you just say?”
Callum stood up and let out a breath. “He’s Maxim’s nephew, Cian. Maddie made her choice. Sal backed it up.”
“I want to talk to Maxim.”
“Why?” Callum moved in front of me, blocking my view of Henry. “What will that do other than start a war you can’t win?”
“Fuck the war. Henry belongs with his mother.”
“His mother gave him up.”
I grabbed Callum by the lapels of his coat. “Because she was afraid. Not because she didn’t want him.”
“Afraid of what? Kelley? Someone else? Has she even told you everything? What if Henry still isn’t safe?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I stepped back, letting Callum go. “What the fuck did you find?”
“I haven’t found anything yet, but shit doesn’t add up, Cian. I found a reference to another office. One Kelley may have been sharing with someone else.”
“Where?” I asked, stepping around Callum to focus on Henry. As soon as my eyes landed on the boy, I felt my heart rate slow down.
“We haven’t found it yet. We need more time. It’s only been a few months. There is a lot of shit to go through. And we have to do it around regular business.”
“How did you know I was here?” I asked as I stared at the Russian fucker, who stared back, his arms crossed over his chest as if daring me to take a step in his direction.
I had to respect that he would protect my grandson, even from me. But I hated it all the same. Henry belonged to us. At worst, he was half Italian. But he wasn’t fucking Russian.
“Niall got a call.”
“From whom?” I asked, looking at Callum. His eyes were trained on something behind me, and I followed his gaze to the nanny.
“Why the fuck would she call him?”
“He’s made a friend. He swears nothing is happening, only that he’s seen her a few times on her days off and struck up a friendship. He asked her to call if she saw certain people here.”
“What the fuck, Cal? Why?”
“So we could head off the fuckin’ Bratva.” Cal shook his head and glared at me. “Sal put me in charge of this city. My goal is to make allies, not enemies, and you showing up here to stalk the Bloodletter’s nephew doesn’t help shit.”
“Cal—”
“Shut the fuck up, Ci. Everyone knows what’s happening in the Biker Federation. New York is in the line of fire, and if we are going to survive, it won’t be because Montana was watching out for us. But Fedorov might if I can stay on his good side. You spouting off about wanting to take his nephew from him is not how we stay on his good side.”
“Fucker doesn’t have a good side.”
“Be that as it may. I need you to work with me here. Go home, Cian. Trust me and my men to make sure Henry stays safe.”
“He’s my grandson.”
“And Maddie is your daughter. She needs you. Henry doesn’t. Not right now.”
“Fine. But if I decide I want to have eyes on my grandson, Fedorov can fuck himself because I will be right back in this park watching him.”
“Do me a favor and call me first.”
