And now I’ve started by fucking it up. As I stare into the mirror, lines appear on my face. I hate that Piero Alongi is still alive, hate that he’s still got power over her life. Despise that she’s still legally tied to him, and will never be able to wear my ring and be my wife while he’s still breathing. She’ll never bear my name… unless I do something about it. But I can’t involve the club, I can’t ask them to go up against the Mafia. But as I look forward, my visage changes and begins to resemble the man who, for a decade and a half, rarely comes out, but who has appeared twice over the last few days. The man who’s Delta.My skills might be rusty, but they’re dormant, not lost. To free Trixie, I’ll take on Alongi.
My plotting for vengeance has to stop when I hear voices in the hallway. The dulcet tones of the woman who, one day, I’m determined to legally marry, and the deeper voice of my son. Sighing, knowing I have to face them, I open the door and step out.
“You’re awake.” Trixie beams at me. Her complete lack of ire catches me off guard.
Still, I offer my prepared apology. “I’m so fuckin’ sorry.”
Her brow creases. “What for?”
“For fuckin’ up? Getting drunk? Passing out on you? Take your pick.”
She laughs, and links her arm with mine as we walk back to her room, Ace following. “You think I haven’t seen bikers letting their hair down before? You needed a release from the tension you were carrying earlier.”
Ace taps my shoulder, and I turn to face him. “She’s perfect, Dad.”
He couldn’t be more fucking right.
We enter her bedroom. While I love my son, I could do without his company right now. I’ve got a yearning to check that my dick still works. Though I might have to be inventive since her ribs are still sore, I really want to claim my old lady.
But Ace has got other ideas. He saunters in, sits on the bed as if he belongs there, and asks, “So, where are you, Mom and I going to live?”
Mom?My eyes flick to Trixie.
“Not my idea.” She gives a little embarrassed shrug. “But I’m happy for the title if you are?”
Ace has never had anyone to call Mom in his life. Now I’ve made my choice, I’m all in on this relationship. And my son wanting to claim Trix too? Well, that just cements us as a familyunit. It’s no different from Trip calling Short, Dad. In fact that was probably where Ace got the idea from.
I open my arms, gently pull Trixie to me, and indicate for Ace to join us. Despite the headache that’s still lingering, I feel a sense of completeness I’ve never experienced.
Ace, as I’m well used to, has a one-track mind. “For now, I could move out of your room, Dad, perhaps take over Trixie’s. I know you two will want some time for yourselves.” He gives me an all-too-adult knowing wink. “But I was thinking, while we’re building a house here, in the meantime, we could maybe get somewhere to rent?”
“Or you could go back and live with your nana,” I growl. Slightly ashamed it’s my kid who’s coming up with the sensible ideas. I blame my hangover.
Ace’s eyes gleam. “I’ll still stay sometimes with Nana. But, I’ve got a mom now.” To make his point, he places a kiss on her cheek.
Trixie’s giggling. “I’m starting to wonder which one of you claimed me.”
“Both.” Ace and I answer together, then laugh.
And, showing his brain isn’t just for computing, Ace pulls away. “I’ll give you two some space. I’m going to look at some websites and see if I can find us a rental.”
Opening my mouth, I’m just about to tell him he should leave that to us, when Trixie gets in first. “That would be great, Ace, thanks.”
After he leaves us, I ask, “You really want to live off compound?”
“I don’t want to disappoint him, Freak. He’s so damn happy that we’ve got together. I think he’s got this dream of something he never had, a house, a white picket fence, his dad and a mom making a real home for him.”
“Not any woman, Trix. He wants you.”
She, too, moves away from me, and wraps her arms around herself. “But it’s all a pipe dream. I can’t leave the compound, not permanently. I have to believe Piero is still looking for me. And there are cameras everywhere and facial recognition.”
She sounds so distraught, I try to comfort her. “I know, Trix.”
“It’s been years, but he’s the type of man who never wants to lose at anything.”
“Trix,” I say firmly, “I know. And just like you can’t get married because you’re still tied to him, neither can he legally move on. It’s only been five years, not long enough to have you declared dead legally. You don’t need to persuade me, he’ll keep looking.”
“So, what do we do?”
