This kid has attitude I’ll give her that, but this isn’t the right place to be throwing that attitude around. Especially not with Nero staring at her.
“Well that’s funny,” she accentuates the f in a way I’m not sure I could replicate. “Because he just took one look at me, lost his shit, and ran away.”
“Wait… Are you saying you think the man who just left is your dad?”
“I don’t think it, I know it,” she drops her arms and reaches inside her coat.
Everyone reacts and for the first time the girl actually looks her age and she takes a few steps back like she is about to be attacked. That attitude disappeared faster than Beast did. I hold out my arm behind me for everyone to cool their shit.
“Be careful, kiddo, you’re in a room you really shouldn’t be in, where movements like that can cause a whole heap of trouble.”
“I was just getting this picture.” She holds out a polaroid. “When I showed it to him, he freaked, didn’t even say a word. Just ran away.”
Taking the photograph, I glance at Nero, who is watching us, letting me handle it. It’s a picture of Beast and the girl. No wait, it’s not her. It’s someone who looks like her. And Beast is probably about fifteen years younger in the picture. Definitely before I knew him.
“Who is this?” I point to the woman.
“My mom,” she says it like I’m stupid.
“I’m trying to help you here kid, drop the attitude.”
“I don’t understand why people don’t believe the words I’m saying. It’s not like I’m talking French or some shit.”
“Watch your mouth.”
Someone laughs behind me. And sure, maybe that did sound crazy and even a little hypocritical but she is young.
“That is my mom,” she points at the doppelgänger of her in the picture. “And that is my dad. And I came to find him, to tell him that I need help. And just like he did to my mom, he ran the fuck away.”
I ask her to take a seat. She eyes the couch then gives me a look that says I’m crazy if I think she is sitting there. Looking around, I spot Rookie, one of the prospects and call him over.
“Take… What’s your name?”
“Isabella. But everyone calls me Tink,” she looks at Rookie, her eyes holding a little too long.
Fucking hell. “Okay take Tink next door, get Raven to look after her, and stay with her.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Did you want our help with your dad?” I try not to show my amusement.
“Uh, fine.” She picks up the suitcase and thrusts it at Rookie. He almost falls over but follows her outside.
“What the fuck is going on?” Razer asks. “Another fucking kid we didn’t know about?” he laughs.
Nero gives him a dirty look, but Razer doesn’t lose the smirk just cos Nero is offended. I show them both the photograph as the other brothers who were in here talk and laugh about what just happened.
“Shit, they look like the same person,” Razer says, peering at the picture. “You think Beast’s her dad?”
“I think this girl might believe he’s her dad, doesn’t make it the truth,” Nero says.
“What are we supposed to do with her?”
“Raven can handle that for now,” Nero blows out a heavy breath. “Go find Beast. He wouldn’t have run out of here like his ass was on fire if there wasn’t something to this. Jesus fucking Christ, does the shit never end around here.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
I snatch the picture back out of Razer’s hand and head out to find the latest father of the year at the Blackhawk Disciples.
