Something deep inside me, a feeling of disappointment, churns, and I fucking hate it.
Joel nods. “Yeah, he’s rang a few times now, but for once he’s not begging me to talk to you, to convince you to return home because funnily enough, he’s actually listened to my daughter. That’s probably why you haven’t heard from anyone this week,” he admits.
“What’s he bitching about this time?” I ask as I quickly dip the needle again and begin to color in my girl's name, the urge to scribble it out fucking high.
He’s her father,I try to remind myself, but the devil on my shoulder is laughing at the voice.
I don’t care that he’s her dad, she’s my girl.
“He’s been reminding me that I’m still technically a brother,” he admits quietly, and I quickly lift the needle as I look at him in shock, and he half smiles.
“You’re a brother? How did I not know that?” I ask as I sit up straighter, giving the man my complete attention.
He shrugs and admits, “It wasn’t well known that I earned my rockers before leaving town for college. Your grandfather didn’t want me to become a target, so he kept it under wraps. When I decided to stay here for my wife, he said I’d always have a place in the club. As soon as I put that leather back on, I’d start earning from the club again, keeping my place open. Your dad continued that. Now, he wants me home, ready for him to step down, and for us to begin the brotherhood we were supposed to.”
I swallow hard and dip my needle again, but before I can touch his skin, he shocks me yet again and admits, “I’m going home, son,” and I look at him like he has two heads.
“Joel, you have family here, your wife, Drew, even that bitch – no offense – then you have the garage that you partially own…” I remind him.
“They named me Greasy because I love being under cars, and we both know I own a share in Carnage Motors. I didn’t sell all of my shares over to Bones when he took over,” he says. I shake my head and finish Drew's name, not knowing what to say right now and he keeps silent, allowing me to think for a moment.
Five minutes, we stay silent for five fucking minutes while I try not to let my mind go crazy. I finish the tat without messing up before I drop my tattoo gun and sit up to look at my future father-in-law.
“You didn’t mention your family, Joel,” I accuse, my stomach tightening, the memory of waking up alone this morning hitting me like a ton of fucking bricks.
Drew never brought up our conversation from last night, and she didn’t say anything before I left this morning.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Because where I go, my family goes,” he says fiercely as he sits up, and my heart hammers as he admits, “Now, if I had it my way, Elizabeth would stay here and grow the fuck up, but she’s adamant she needs to leave town, so she’s on probation.”
“Joel,” I state with warning, already seeing where he is going with this, already putting two and two together to make four.
My girl went to her dad for help.
“My daughter loves you like crazy,” he says, ignoring my warning, “She loves you that much. She knew if she spoke to you about this then you would have shut down on her, she knew that you won’t listen to anyone else, she knew exactly what you needed and that was me to tell you, go fucking home and take your rightful place asmypresident.”
I push away from him on my stool, breathing heavily, and try to process everything he just said.
“She’s not going to resent you for taking her with you or making her uproot her life. As she said this morning, she’s never seen this place as home. If her mother and I weren’t still here, she probably would never have opened her studio here. Even before she knew I was planning on relocating, to go back to my roots now that my kids are grown, she told her mother she’d only be three hours away. She told her mother she had never had a good experience here because of her.” He leans forward, locking eyes with me, “She told her mother, you are her home, and she can do ballet wherever you are.”
“It’s not that simple,” I choke, and the man smiles at me.
“But it is,” he states firmly, “my daughter is your rock, so let her shoulder some of your concern and worry. Let her help you get through seeing your sister's grave, let her help you grieve like you should have done all those years ago, let her help you return to your family.”
I squeeze my eyes tightly, feeling them tear up. Joel whispers, “Let my daughter help you heal and be the man you are slowly becoming. Be the man you should have been before grief took him away. Believe you won’t relapse. The love my daughter holds for you will keep you straight.”
I look at him as he slowly stands and grabs the gel for his tattoo. He says, “Go home, Bellamy. Take your rightful place and make my daughter your old lady, your wife. Build a family with her and make your sister proud of the man you’ve become. Celebrate her in your children and stop punishing yourself for something that wasn’t your fault,” my eyes tear again. He whispers, “I’ll stand behind you and help guide you if you ever lose your way, along with your dad and the brothers. My daughter will stand right beside you without resentment. As I said,youare her home, not a place. Son, to her,youcome before her passion, before ballet. Let that sink in.”
Giving me a head nod, he walks out, and I quickly choke, “The tat is on the house!” all while my head is scrambled to fuck.
I hear him laugh, and I know he’s about to pay like a fucker, and I swallow hard as I just stare ahead.
She went to her dad because she knew I wouldn’t listen to her. She really does fucking know me inside and out, just like she told my dad. She knows what I need, she knows I need to go home.
I sniff hard, my love for my woman fucking expands to the point it’s hard to breathe. I go to stand, to pace and try to get my head around what just happened, but my phone rings, gaining my attention. I roll over on my stool to the counter expecting it to be my girl, but instead I suck in a breath.
Bratty
