Thayer’s hands tightened on me. “Your mother’s pregnancy records are fake. There are payments traced to a shell company tied to people who traffic in babies. We think you were taken as an infant and sold on the black market to your parents so they could have the perfect political family prop.”
I shook my head, his explanation making no sense. My entire life was built on a lie so my parents could look like the ideal family?
“They bought me?” My voice cracked.
Thayer’s hold on me was the only thing keeping me upright. “Yeah. And they went to a lot of trouble to bury it. That’s why I don’t trust them with your safety. I don’t know how far they’d go to keep the secret quiet. I’m not risking you.”
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I blinked them back. “I kept telling myself they loved me in their own way. That the conditional stuff was just how they showed it. But if they bought me for optics…” My throat closed. “I don’t know who I am anymore. Everything I thought was real was built on lies.”
Thayer’s hand came up to cup my cheek, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Your past shapes you, Hadley, but it sure as hell doesn’t define who you are. The woman sitting on my lap right now—the one who laughs too easily, talks too much when she’s nervous, and sneaks off to underground races because she’s got fire in her—that’s you. Not some carefully manufactured politician’s daughter. No one and nothing else gets to decide who you are except you.”
The fierce conviction in his words was exactly what I needed. I leaned forward, pressing my forehead to his. “I don’t want to go back to them. Not after this. But it still hurts.”
“I know.” His arms slid around me, pulling me flush against his chest. “But you’re not alone in this.”
The last of the tension drained out of me as I melted into him. His hands stroked up and down my back, grounding me when everything else felt like it was spinning.
Thayer tilted my chin up. “You’re staying, baby. With me. Where you belong.”
I didn’t argue this time. I just kissed him and let the rest of the world fade away as I lost myself in the only thing that made sense to me right now—him.
14
CAGE
The shrill ringtone jerked me out of a sleep so deep, my body felt carved from stone. I squinted briefly at the clock and groaned when I realized it was almost noon. I knew I’d worn Hadley the fuck out the night before, but it seemed I’d been equally drained from all the exertion.
I grabbed the phone off the nightstand and sat up, then swung my legs out of bed as I glanced at the number flashing on the screen. It was coming straight from my clinic on the compound.
“Shit,” I muttered, already bracing for whatever was coming. Calls like this never brought good news.
“What happened?” I answered roughly, my voice still edged with sleep but sharpened by instinct.
“It’s Tyre.” Kane’s voice was clipped. “Rolled into the compound about two minutes ago. Run went sideways. Took a fucking bullet to the shoulder. They’re bringing him to the clinic right now.”
“On my way.”
I ended the call and glanced back at Hadley, her face soft and peaceful in sleep. Her tousled hair was spread across the pillow,her lips parted slightly, making my dick twitch. But I couldn’t linger, not with a club brother bleeding in my clinic. I dressed swiftly, pulling on jeans, boots, and my cut before leaning down and pressing my mouth to Hadley’s temple.
Her eyes fluttered open, her lips curving up until she clocked my expression. “Thayer? Is something wrong?”
“Club business, baby. Tyre got himself banged up,” I murmured, brushing a thumb across her cheek. “Want you to come with me to the compound. You’ll be safe there until I’m done. Besides, now that you’re here to stay, I figure it’s a good time for you to meet some of my family.”
She nodded and quickly dressed in denim shorts and a racer-backed tank before slipping on a pair of strappy, flat sandals. I escorted her outside to my motorcycle, got our helmets on our heads, and mounted it. Then I helped her onto the seat behind me and gave her a few instructions. When she was ready, her arms around me and body snug against mine, I pulled out.
My mind had already gone into doctor mode, but I was present enough in the moment to enjoy the feeling of having my woman on my bike for the first time. The reassuring heat of her presence filtered in and settled inside me with something that felt a fuck of a lot like contentment.
By the time we pulled up at the compound and rode through the gated entry, Nitro was already waiting near the clubhouse entrance, his expression tight.
He gave Hadley a nod as we approached the clubhouse, his dark eyes darting briefly to mine before settling warmly back on her. “Nice to see you again, Hadley. Some of the old ladies are inside, they’ll keep you company. As long as you don’t mind diapers and drool.”
“Thanks, Nitro,” she replied, chuckling softly and offering a smile that only wobbled slightly at the edges. But I could feel her hesitation in the way her body leaned slightly into mine, seekingreassurance she probably didn’t even realize she needed. This was a big step, but I had no doubt she’d fit seamlessly into every facet of my life. Hadley was fucking made for me. But the truth was, if by some chance she couldn’t find her feet in this world, I’d leave everything and take her wherever she wanted to go, as long as it made her happy.
I flicked my chin up at my brother in greeting and thanks, then kept my hand firmly at the small of Hadley’s back and guided her toward the clubhouse entrance. She glanced up at me and something soft flickered across her face, hitting me square in the chest. Damn, I loved how she looked at me, even in these tiny moments, like I was the only person she wanted at her side.
Loved.Yeah, I fucking loved the hell outta this woman. But I didn’t have time to linger over the realization right now.
We stepped inside together, and voices drifted from the lounge, soft laughter mixing with the happy shrieks of kids at play.
