“I don’t want an old lady,” I admit with a croak, and he half smiles.
He understands and that is why I can be so fucking open with my brother, my blood. After Cheryl and our mother, women just hurt you. If Holly hurt me, I wouldn't survive. I have my son to think about, yet all I want is to throw her over my shoulder and make her move in with me.Fuck.
How do the brothers deal with these controlling feelings?
I want to drag Holly home behind the clubhouse, claim her, and never let her out of my sight but I'm scared. So fucking scared.
“I know you don’t, Alex, but she’s here now,” Ace says softly. “Will you really let her walk away? Just teach Caleb and leave? Will you let Lyra grow up without a dad? We both know you see her as your own.”
I look away from him and back at the Indian.
"She isn't Cheryl, brother. She isn't a patch chaser—hell, I don't even think she knows what that is. She's sweet, kind, and an amazing mom. She'll fight you all the way until you claim her, because Alex, something tells me she's been through the wringer—not like Ash, Brit or Summer, fuck, even Jas with her whole mama ordeal, but you can see pain in her eyes. Fight for her, show her she's worth it, and I promise, she'll surprise you."
“Bet you won’t take your own advice though, huh?” I confirm, and he sighs.
“You know I’ll never settle down or have a family. It isn’t in the cards for me, especially after the truth about Mama—the one woman I thought could never hurt a man the way she did,” he reminds me. “I don’t have a connection with anyone, and I don’t want one. I definitely don’t want kids, I’d end up fucking up. I’d rather be the fun uncle. But you, big brother, you have so much love to give. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have thought Cheryl was the one.”
I look at him again and comment, “Since when did you become all knowledgeable, huh?”
“Since I saw your interaction with Holly and how she couldn’t help but keep looking at you,” he says, “I saw the look in her eyes, brother, she feels your connection but is scared.”
“She’s not the only one,” I mutter, and he smiles sadly back just as heels echo in the room and I roll my eyes.
Fuck’s sake.
“Since when did dogs get to come inside?” Ace mutters, and I smirk at the sneer Cheryl gives my brother as she retorts, “Since walking, talking diseases got to spread their nasty asses about.”
“Bitch,” Ace mutters and I snort, “Amen…” before I glare at the woman looking like she belonged more in a night club or street corner than inside my garage.
“You’re not due to see Caleb today, Cheryl, and he said no for tomorrow, so what in the fuck are you doing here?” I say, bored, fed up with her shit.
She knows not to just show up unannounced. If I tell her Caleb has said no, then she needs to walk a fucking away.
“I need some money to buy him some food,” she lies through her teeth, and Ace chuckles at her balls, but she ignores him and says, “I haven’t got stuff in he’d eat.”
My kid doesn’t even go to her shitty apartment, what fucking planet is she living on?
“More like you want cash for your little habit, knowing your drug test is done for the week,” I call her out, causing her nostrils to flare with anger. “You’re not getting a cent from me just like you haven’t since the day Caleb was born, so whatever delusional side of the bed you woke up on I suggest you get up on the other side because last time I checked, I pay for fucking everything for Caleb. Not once have I received a cent from you so even if he does one day say fuck it, I’ll have dinner with my egg donor, it will come out of your pocket,” I drop my legs from my desk and lean forward as a familiar knocking echoes making my heart race, my body hum and I state, “Expect a call from mylawyer regarding doing four drug tests a week for your blatant disrespect of me andmyson,” and her eyes widen as her cheeks redden with anger before I demand, “Now fuck off, I have a customer!”
I stand along with Ace, and she screeches before storming out of the garage, us hot on her heels just as my darling climbs out of her car, furrowing her brows as Cheryl stomps past her in stripper heels, a dress that barely covers her ass, and so much make-up, her face looks orange.
God knows what she thinks of her.
Holly’s icy blue eyes come my way, connecting with mine as Cheryl’s tires squeal as she drives off in anger, pissed her plan to use my love for my son to get money didn’t work for the hundredth time she’s tried it. I swear to fuck, my breath halts, my stomach tightens, and every single nerve in my body calls to gravitate towards the beauty before me.
Hair up in a bun, barely any make-up and a top and jeans, she’s fucking gorgeous and doesn’t even need to try.
“Did I interrupt?” Holly’s sweet voice washes over me, and I give her a small smile and deny, “No, darling, you didn’t, that was just Caleb’s mother.”
Holly scrunches her nose up, looking fucking adorable, before she mumbles, “Oh,” and I tilt my head at her.
I can’t tell if she’s jealous or not, but a big part of me wants her to be.
Fuck.
Shaking her head, Holly looks at her car, then at me. “You were right,” she admits and I raise a brow—it’s rare to be told that—and she sighs, “My car’s a shit box.”
I smirk but then wince at the steam under her hood.
