Hiding behind her closed eyes, she shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. I can’t be with a biker.”
“You just asked me to marry you two minutes ago.”
“That was purely selfish.” She gave me a weak smile. I knew why, too. I wasn’t blind. I knew the woman loved my daughter. Who wouldn’t? My little girl was beautiful, sweet, and innocent. But I also understood her trepidation. Danny hadn’t been very nice to her since we arrived. Okay, he’d been downright antagonistic toward her. But even I could see she loved Danika and only wanted the best for her. As a genuine mother should.
“I won’t take Dani away from you.”
“Dante, you’re her father.”
“And you’re her mother. She’s never had one. She never even had a chance until you. Danny and I haven’t talked about it yet, but we’ll find a way to make it work. Dani needs you in her life.”
Her eyes burned with tears as she tried to smile. I put my arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into me just as I heard a grumpy bastard say, “Not a great idea to make a beautiful woman cry, Intern. Especially when her brother is a giant son of a bitch.”
“Fuck off, Bane.”
Sitting at the other end of the bar was the Soulless Sinner club doctor and the bane of the club.
Literally.
I couldn’t remember a fucking time since I’d joined the club that Montana or one of the club brothers didn’t bitch or complain about the staunch drunk doctor. Oh, don’t get me wrong. The man was clearly good at what he did. It was his bedside manner that needed work.
That and the man was clearly a drunkard.
“You didn’t hear? I’m not an intern anymore. Got my own fucking brand, thanks to Kansas and Storm.”
Bane barked out a laugh. “I bet Montana is fucking pissed. Serves the bastard right.” Downing the rest of his drink, he motioned for the prospect to refill his glass.
“Are you part of the club?” Missy asked him.
“Not this one, no. Dante here and I are brothers now, I guess.” The drunk fucker tipped his glass toward me and it sloshed over his hand before he downed the liquid again.
Great. He was on another bender.
When the prospect returned with the bottle, Bane snapped, “Just fucking leave it.”
Shaking my head, I ignored the angry drunk when Amber walked over with my daughter, who saw the grumpy man, smiled and reached for him. Bane took her from Amber’s arms, placing her on the bar in front of him.
“This is your daughter, Intern?”
I sighed. “Yea,” I confirmed, then leaned toward Missy. “The drunk bastard will never stop calling me Intern.”
“How old is she?”
“Just turned two in December.”
“She’s small.”
“She was neglected the first two years of her life. She was malnourished. But she’s actually put on a lot of weight, thanks to Melissa.”
“It’s the cookies and pancakes.” Missy smiled as Danika slapped Bane’s cheeks before he bopped her nose. Just then, the church doors opened, and Danny walked over and sat next to me at the bar.
“Is there a lawyer in this town?” Missy asked the prospect out of the blue.
“Uh, Matlock’s a lawyer. He ain’t here right now, though.”
“What do you need a lawyer for?” Amber asked.
“Their divorce,” she said, her head clicking toward me and Danny.
