Shooter shrugged her off, shoving her away from him until she stumbled backwards into me. He pulled his Harley keys from his cut, ready to bolt out of there, and then he threw his bottle of beer across the clubhouse and it smashed as it hit the far wall. Igrabbed Laney and turned her to me as Shooter stormed away. Iwasn’tsure what she’dexpected, given the way she’dbeen with him for weeks. Wasn’tsure why she’dgiven him asecond chance if this was how she was going to be. She was clearly miserable; they both were.
She was breaking him.
Tearing him apart piece by piece.
Destroying the love they’donce had.
No,he’dfucked up. He’ddestroyed what they’dhad; she was just burning the remnants into ashes.
That was why Inever wanted an old lady. Why Inever got serious with anyone. Because that bullshit right there, it wasn’tworth it. They were both miserable and in pain; why would anyone choose that?
Sure, Shooter had fucked up. Royally fucked up. There was no arguing or denying that. But the man had done everything she had asked him to do since she’dgiven him asupposed second chance. He had been ready to lay down and die for her to prove his love. And she had shot him down again and again and again… She hadn’tgiven him asecond chance, merely dangled acarrot in front of him the whole time with the promise of what could be but never would.
She was stubborn, just like her damn mother had been. Beautiful and fucking stubborn.
Iheld Laney tight against me as she fought to go to Shooter. “Just leave him be,” Isaid to her.
Laney looked up into my face, tears now falling freely. Iwrapped my arms around her and pressed her face against my chest. “It’sall right, I’ve got you,” Isaid against her hair. Because no matter how hurt Shooter was, she was still my little girl.
“Ask me,” she implored me. “Ask me where I’ve been, Daddy. Ask me where I’ve just been.”
Daddy…aname she had never used when it came to me. Ihadn’tearned that right. Ihadn’tbeen there for her when she was growing up. Iwas her daddy by blood but not by right, yet right now she saw me as just that.
Irubbed aheavy hand down her back as Ipulled her even closer, and then Ipaused in my movements, feelingsomething elseas Iheld her close to me, my huge body wrapping around her tiny one easily. Ipulled back and looked down into her heartbroken, tear-stained face, already knowing what she was going to say. Shock hit me, fear igniting in me, and something else…something else clawed its way to the surface.
“Where have you been, Laney baby?” Iasked, my worried gaze on hers. Holding her there with me, giving her some of my strength.
“Iwas at the doctor’s,” she said before pulling herself together like the goddamned strong woman she was. She spun in my arms to face Shooter.
He’dstopped walking away when he’dheard her words, and now he turned to face her, alook of pure dread filling his face.
“Ask me why Iwas there, Jesse,” she said, swiping away her tears and straightening her back. “If you’re man enough to.”
“Why…why were you there?” he asked, eyes wide, terrified of what she might say next.
Istill had ahand on her arm but she shrugged it off now so she could storm toward him, her finger pointed right into his sorry fucking face.
“Not that you care because you’re so busy playing the big bad biker, but I’mpregnant. I’mpregnant withyourbaby.” Laney reached into the back pocket of her jean shorts and pulled out asmall black-and-white photo. She held it up for Shooter to see. “You’re going to be adaddy, for what it’sworth,” she said, her words filled with venom.
Shooter stared at her open-mouthed before he reached over and grabbed her, dragging her to him. She fought him and Imoved to go to her, but Casa put ahand on my arm and halted me.
“Leave ‘em be, brother,” he said, and Igruntedokayand shrugged out of his grip.
“Get off me!” Laney cried as he held on to her tighter, his face buried in her neck. “Ihate you! Ihate you so much, Shooter. Ifucking hate you!”
“I’msorry, I’mso fucking sorry!”
“You don’teven care!” she screamed, her fists hitting his back.
“Icare, Laney! Iswear to Christ, Icare. And it’sworth fucking everything! You’re worth everything. Stop, please, before you hurt our baby,” he begged her, his words filled with more emotion than I’dheard from him since finding out Butch had been killed all that time ago.
Laney pushed Shooter off her and she stepped out of his reach.
“Please, let me show you. Let me prove it to you… Ilove you, Laney, Christ, you have no idea how much. Ithought we were done. Ithought you hated me. Ithought…Ithought I’dfucked it up too much and there was no coming back from it, but Iput up with it because Ifucking deserved it, but this…our baby. Goddamn it, Laney… Please, I’mfucking begging you.”
Hands on her hips, she glared at him, her features twisted in anger and sadness.
Shooter dropped to his knees in front of her. “Ilove you, Laney. Let me spend my life proving it to you both,” he begged before reaching for her again. He gripped her around the waist and placed his head against her belly, his eyes widening when he felt what I’dfelt only afew moments ago: the small bump of ababy.
