Atilla
What the hell had I been thinking? It was one thing to have a clubhouse quickie with one of the sluts who came to party. Sleeping with Solena had been something else entirely, which was why I’d held her afterward. I didn’t know what pain she’d been trying to chase away, and maybe I should have asked, but I hoped I’d given her what she needed. Although, I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t get her off my mind.
I hadn’t formed an attachment to a woman since Rebecca, and I didn’t plan to start now. Getting mixed up with a sweet young thing like Solena was all kinds of wrong. I knew it, and yet I’d done it anyway. I wondered what trauma she’d been repressing last night with alcohol and sex. She’d said she wasn’t a virgin, but she’d still been as tight as one. Made me think she didn’t sleep around. I’d thought she just didn’t party. Perhaps it was more than that.
“Morning, Dad,” Casey said as she wandered into the kitchen, still looking half asleep. I got up and poured her a glass of juice before making her some toast. I’d already learned she couldn’t handle more than that first thing. Anything else made her throw up.
“Morning. You sleep okay?” I asked, noting the dark circles under her eyes.
“Not really.”
I held out my hand, and she gave me her phone. If I didn’t have so much shit going on here, and a daughter who was going to pop at any moment, I’d have hauled my ass out of town to have a little chat with dear Aunt Su and Uncle Mark. I scrolled through the texts they’d sent her last night, getting more pissed off by the minute.
“Did these fuckers seriously call you a whore and demand you give your baby up?” I asked.
“Yeah. Said they had everything set for a private adoption.”
“You haven’t lived with them for months. What the fuck are they thinking?” I asked.
“They know I’m due now. Although, why they care about my baby is a mystery. Like you said, I don’t live with them anymore. Other than getting bombarded with their texts, I haven’t spoken with them since I left.”
I finished making her toast, handed it off to her, then poured myself another cup of coffee. At my age, I should cut back on caffeine, but you only got to enjoy life once. Of course, I now had two reasons to stick around for a while. I not only had my daughter back, but a grandbaby on the way.
“Anything else you need for the nursery?” I asked.
“Dad, you’ve done enough. She’ll have a bed, changing table, clothes, diapers, and any other necessities. Thanks to your club, she also has a baby seat and stroller.”
I kissed her on top of the head before I sat. “Can’t help but worry. I have a lot of years to make up for.”
“It’s not your fault. They lied and let you think I’d died with Mom. Since they never said much about you, I don’t know why they did that. If you’d been part of my life, then things might have turned out differently.”
“True, but would you really change anything if it meant your daughter wouldn’t exist?” I asked.
“No.” She didn’t even hesitate. “Her dad might be an asshole cheater, but I love my daughter.”
“Good girl.” I smiled. “Your mom would be really proud of you.”
“One day I’ll have a place of my own and will take care of my daughter without needing anyone’s help,” she said.
“Well, for now, keep saving your money.”
She nibbled on her toast and sighed. I knew what she was about to ask. It was the same thing every day. I wish I had better news for her.
“Do you think Meredith will want to go shopping with me?” she asked.
“Casey, you know it’s hard on her. She lost her baby. I promise she’s not keeping her distance because she doesn’t like you. Seeing you ready to give birth is painful for her. Lynx has her in therapy, and she’s improving. Just give her a little more time.”
Casey nodded. I knew she understood, even if she didn’t like it. My girl was smart, and more mature than most girls her age. Which made me think about Solena again. She’d said she was twenty-three, and yet, I’d never thought she acted like someone in their early twenties. What the hell had the woman been through?
And now I was thinking about her again.
“You have plans for today?” Casey asked.
“Not really. Why? Need help with something?”
She shook her head. “Thought maybe you could stop by the café and have lunch. I should be able to take my fifteen-minute break then, so I could sit with you for a little bit.”
“You should take time off. It’s getting so close to your due date.”
“I don’t want to risk losing my job, Dad. Besides, when it’s not busy, the manager gives me tasks I can do sitting down, like stuffing the napkin holders or refilling the salt and pepper shakers.”
“Just don’t overdo it.”
“I won’t.” She stood and carried her dishes to the sink. “I need to shower and study a little before I go to work.”
“Why don’t you let me drive you? What if you go into labor while you’re on the road between here and work?” I asked.
“Fine, but I think you’re worrying too much.”
I winked. “That’s my job. Soon as that baby gets here, you’ll understand.”
Casey rolled her eyes and walked out of the kitchen. I finished my coffee and read the news on my phone. Since Casey had left hers behind, I unlocked it and read through the messages from Su and Mark again. What were these fuckers up to?
Sure, I got it on some level. They must have felt like Casey’s parents since they took her in after her grandparents were gone. But they’d thrown her out, and she hadn’t lived with them for the last three months. What did it matter to them if she kept her baby or not? If I didn’t know better, it was almost like…
“Son of a bitch,” I muttered. They wouldn’t have, would they?
I called Outlaw, hoping he could find some information for me, or at least ask one of his hacker friends to do it. I knew he wasn’t able to do as much as he once could. Not since some asshole nearly crushed his hands.
“What’s up, Atilla?” he asked the moment the call connected.
“I’m hoping like fuck I’m wrong, but I need you to look into some people for me. They lived down the street from my daughter’s grandparents and took her in. I just know them as Aunt Su and Uncle Mark. Casey never gave me their last name. I know they aren’t her actual aunt and uncle.”
“And I’m looking into them because why?” he asked.
“They’re pushing for Casey to give the baby up for adoption. Since she hasn’t lived there for about three months, and they have no claim on the child, it made me wonder what was in it for them.”
“Shit,” he muttered. “All right. Text me any info you have, like an address, phone number, or something, and I’ll narrow things down a bit. I’ll most likely hand this off to Wire and Lavender once I have more details. I hope you’re wrong, though.”
“Me too, brother. Me too.”
As soon as the call ended, I sent them the last known address I had for Rebecca’s parents, as well as their names and the number they texted from. I didn’t know if he’d be able to find Su and Mark or not, but I hoped so. I didn’t like the fact they were messaging Casey. In fact, I needed to get her a new phone with a number those assholes didn’t have. She didn’t enjoy speaking to them, so there was no reason she couldn’t cut them out of her life.
I got up and stuck my head in Casey’s room, catching her attention. “I’m going to head out for a bit. I’ll be back before you go to work.”
“All right. If I need anything, I’ll find Spade,” she said.
“Just don’t go to the clubhouse. If he’s not at his house, then look for Rebel or one of the Prospects.”
“Got it, Dad. I’ll be fine.”
I went to my room to get my cut, as well as my wallet and keys. I got on my bike and headed for the front gate. Ben waved as I went through, and I drove to the nearest phone store. Once I had a new one, along with a new number, for Casey, I picked out a sturdy case for it and paid for everything. I’d brought her old one with me, and they were able to transfer everything to the new device.
I stored it in the saddlebag on my bike and scanned the street. I felt someone’s eyes on me. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence. People around town noticed the men in my club. The curvy woman trying to hide behind a potted tree caught my attention. I nearly smiled when I realized it was Solena. What was she doing? Did she really think I couldn’t see her?
Clearly, she didn’t want my attention, so I didn’t wave or call out to her. Instead, I got on my bike and drove home. When I walked in the door, I found my daughter frantically tearing apart the house.
“Whoa! What’s missing?” I asked.
“My phone. I know I had it in the kitchen with you. Now I can’t find it.”
I winced. “Sorry. That’s my fault. I took it with me.”
I pulled out both phones and handed her the new one first. Her brow furrowed as she checked it over, then I gave her the old one.
“Why do I have two?” she asked.
“New phone and new number. Everything should have transferred. Once you’ve checked the new one to make sure there isn’t anything missing, I’m going to have the old one wiped and send it somewhere to be refurbished.” I folded my arms. “I don’t want to chance those fuckers having a way to track your every move.”
I knew I should tell her my concerns about Su and Mark, but I didn’t want her to worry. The stress would be bad for the baby. Right now, she just needed to get her GED, have a healthy baby, and get her life on track. I’d give her whatever support she needed in the meantime. With some luck, Outlaw could tell me I’d been completely wrong about the assholes who wanted to hand my grandbaby over to someone else. My gut was telling me that wasn’t the case.
“What time do you go to work today?” I asked, glancing at my watch.
“In about…” Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. Right about that time, I noticed a puddle at her feet.
“Shit. Hold tight. I’ll get your bag.” And something to put down on the seat of the SUV. After I picked up her hospital bag, I snatched a trash bag from the pantry and a towel from the laundry room. I shoved the bag into the back seat, tucked the trash bag and towel into the seat, and helped my daughter to the vehicle.
I paused only long enough to text Spade. Casey’s in labor.
I didn’t wait to see if he’d respond. Instead, I got behind the wheel and backed down the driveway. The Prospect at the gate barely got it open before I was barreling through it. Thankfully, St. Mary’s wasn’t very far.
“How far apart are your contractions?” I asked.
She stared at me blankly. “What?”
“Are you feeling any pain? Maybe it feels like cramps, or does your lower back hurt?” I tried to think of things I’d heard about over the years. Since I hadn’t been through this before, it was all new to me.
“Oh. Well, I get a sharp pain across my stomach, but it’s not anything I can’t handle. I didn’t want to whine about it.”
I tried to process her words and just shook my head. If there was ever a time to bitch and moan, this was it. I pulled up to the ER and helped her from the car. A nurse came out with a wheelchair.
“We’ve been expecting you. A Mr. Spade called,” she said.
Looked like my VP had gotten my text. Good. I handed my daughter off to her and parked the SUV before hurrying inside. It looked like I’d be meeting my granddaughter soon. I couldn’t wait.
Since we’d pre-registered, there wasn’t much to be done. I double-checked with the front desk to make sure they had my credit card on file, as well as the insurance I’d purchased for Casey. Once that was done, all I could do was sit and wait. My ass barely hit the chair before the same nurse came over to me.
“Your daughter is asking for you,” she said. “Usually the baby’s father would be the one to go back with her, or perhaps her mother, but she said neither is in the picture.”
“Her mom is dead, and the baby’s father…” I shrugged. I wasn’t about to go down that road right now. I’d left the little punk alone so far, only because it’s what Casey wanted. The moment she changed her mind, I’d be teaching the little fucker a lesson he’d never forget.
“Come on. I’ll walk you through everything. I’m sure a few things have changed since your daughter was born.”
No way was I going to admit I hadn’t been there for her birth. It hadn’t been my choice. I followed the nurse and washed up before pulling on sterile scrubs. Once I was ready, she led me into the delivery room, where my daughter looked far too chill for someone about to give birth.
“You doing okay, Casey?” I asked.
She held out her hand. “I’m good. Ready to meet your granddaughter?”
“Yep.”
I wrapped my fingers around hers, thinking she’d likely break my hand once it came time to push the baby out. Fuck if that little kid didn’t pop out almost immediately. The doctor told her to push three times, and we had a baby.
“Congratulations! We’ll get your little girl cleaned up, and then you can visit with her.”
I focused on Casey’s face while they delivered the afterbirth and got her cleaned up. By the time they handed the baby to her, she looked ready to take a nap.
“Is this normal?” I asked the nurse in a low voice, not wanting Casey to hear me. “It just seemed too easy.”
The nurse shook her head. “Not the least bit normal. It happens from time to time, but first babies usually take longer to deliver. Your daughter had to have been in labor for hours, if not for the last few days. She never said anything?”
“Not one word.”
“That one is a trooper.” The nurse patted my shoulder. “You’ve raised a good one.”
I liked how she said nothing about Casey being only seventeen and now a mom. No one had made her feel bad for having a kid when she was still one herself. Everyone we’d met during this process had been supportive, and always had a smile on their faces.
“Dad,” Casey called out.
“What is it?” I went back over and looked down at the pink wrapped bundle in her arms. My granddaughter was a beauty with thick, dark hair. It curled a bit on the ends. I reached out my hand and she curled her little fingers around my pinky. And just like that, the little girl owned me heart and soul.
“I want to name her after Mom. I thought we could call her Becca for short,” she said. “Rebecca Ivy Cutler.”
That had been the first thing we’d done when my daughter showed up. I’d had a paternity test done to prove she was mine, then we’d had her last name changed. Thanks to a local judge, I’d also become her official guardian. Which meant no one was going to take my daughter from me.
“I think your mom would have really liked that,” I said. I leaned down to kiss Casey on the forehead, then did the same to little Becca.
My family was expanding, and I couldn’t have been happier. I knew having a baby in the house would mean sleepless nights. Didn’t matter. Little Becca could scream or cry as much as she wanted. I only wished I could have done all this with my own child. I hope Rebecca’s parents were rotting in hell for what they’d done.