My pulse leaped when he crossed to the small closet by the door, opened the hidden safe, and pulled out a gun. He kept the weapon down at his side as he opened the door just enough to see who was there.
The breath I was holding puffed past my lips when I saw it was the club’s lawyer, who I’d met earlier in the week.
Ash’s brows arched at the sight of the gun. “Easy, brother. If I wanted to cause trouble, I’d have brought better snacks.”
Griffin didn’t smile, but he relaxed a fraction and put the gun away. “Get in here.”
He locked the door behind Ash, then crossed straight to me on the couch. Without another word, he sat and pulled me into his lap, one strong arm banding around my waist, the other resting possessively on my thigh. I liked how he kept us connected, eliminating every inch of distance.
Ash dropped onto the chair across from us. “You remember Rea had a brother?”
I nodded, my stomach already tightening. “Yeah. She was terrified of him getting anywhere near Isa.”
Ash gave Griffin a meaningful look I didn’t understand before continuing. “Isa’s uncle is the sergeant at arms for an Atlanta chapter of the Division Nine MC.”
Griffin’s body tensed beneath me. It was subtle, but I noticed because I knew him so well now.
Ash leaned forward. “These guys are nothing like the Hounds, Hannah. They don’t have a code and are into a lot of heavy shit.”
I swallowed down the sudden lump in my throat. “No wonder Rea called CPS and made sure we knew she didn’t want Isa with her brother. She very specifically mentioned the name on the birth certificate so we’d have to look for Griffin. Family courts heavily favor biological parents over extended family members.”
Ash nodded. “Exactly. Problem is, the uncle filed for custody. Pushed it through someone dirty in the system that his club has in their pocket.”
I gasped, horror flooding through me. “He what?”
“I handled it,” Ash quickly assured us. “Got the case transferred to a local judge here in Riverstone who can’t be pressured. DNA test is in, so everything’s on track. The uncle can’t win. I’m drawing up the last of the paperwork now. We should have a court date to finalize the adoption soon.”
Relief crashed over me so hard my eyes stung. “Thank goodness you have strings to pull. Normally, this would drag on forever.”
Ash answered every question I threw at him with calm confidence, making me wish he represented the kids on my caseload. He was just that good.
When he finally stood to leave, I asked, “Do you think there’s any chance something could go wrong and we lose her?”
Ash met my gaze, not a hint of worry in his eyes. “Not a chance in hell. But if the impossible happened, we’ve got that covered too. The Hounds would make sure the three of you disappeared together. New names, new life. No trace left behind.”
Griffin sighed heavily.
Ash quirked a brow. “You haven’t told her?”
Griffin stood, gently setting me on my feet before he shoved Ash toward the door. “I’ll walk you out.”
They were outside for a few minutes. When Griffin came back in, he locked up and set the alarm, still looking like something heavy was weighing on him.
Worst-case scenarios flashed through my head. Dark things I’d only seen in movies, like Griffin being some kind of assassin.
“What did he mean about disappearing? Are you guys hit men or something?”
Griffin shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his mouth. “Get that look off your face, baby. We’re not killers for hire.”
A little giggle slipped out before I could stop it, and the tension in my shoulders eased a fraction.
He sat on the couch and tugged me down beside him, tucking me into his side. “I wasn’t hiding anything from you. It just hadn’t come up yet. We’ve been so focused on Isa and settling inas a family that we hadn’t talked much about the club or my part in it.”
I leaned into him, hope surging through me at how easily he called the three of us a family. This moment felt important, like he was about to share something that only people he truly trusted would hear. And I was one of them now.
“Before I patched with the Hounds, I had a highly successful custom shop in Atlanta. I built a reputation as one of the best at rebuilding engines, fabricating parts, redesigning entire systems, and stripping vehicles down to the frame to rebuild them from scratch. Collectors, racers, and wealthy clients all came to me.” He shook his head with a sigh, his thumb stroking against my side. “Some didn’t want questions asked about their cars. I never crossed a line that violated my code, but I didn’t ask unnecessary questions either. That gave me a reputation in the right circles for discretion…and for knowing exactly how to erase a vehicle’s identity when needed.”
I knew he was good at what he did, but I hadn’t considered the potential for a dark side to his business.
