“That’s not why I’m here.” Now I’m face to face with him, I can’t bring myself to bring the killing of Nora’s ex into conversation.
Apparently, it only takes one long look at me for him to take a good guess.
He frowns as he asks, “You’re here about Nora’s ex.”
Apart from asking him to keep an eye on the chapter on my behalf, the only thing we have tying us together other than the patch, is the killing of Harry Stuart.
I shake my head. “Not her ex. Her.”
His frown deepens. “Why? We don’t even talk about it anymore. Are you worried she’s gonna say something?”
I won’t lie. “That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”
Grim pales before me and he glances toward the living room then back to me.
“Leo, I know how we deal with people we don’t trust. What the fuck, brother? She’s my old lady.”
A glimpse of role reversal hits me, and I can feel everything Grim is feeling, like someone was saying this to me about Holly.
There have been a few times I’ve seen genuine fear come from a man. This is one of those times. Grim is terrified for his old lady.
“Brother, I just needed to see for myself that we’re all moving on and shit is in the past.”
“Honestly, Leo. I can’t say it enough. Nora isn’t a risk to us. If we had stayed in Willow’s Peak you would’ve seen that for yourself, Nora has put it so far in the back of her mind, it’s like it never happened. She’s all about me and my kid. You have nothing to worry about. You have my word.”
My silence has him pulling out the chair opposite me and lowering his voice when he says, “Leo, tell me it’s enough for you cause I’m starting to think that you haven’t ridden all this way just for my word.” I take no pleasure in his fear, but my one mistake has cost the club and myself the ultimate price before. “Prez, say something. In my head, I’m out the door with my family cause while I’d never go against you or our patch, I will do what I need to in order to protect my family.”
The weight of my paranoia fills every inch of the kitchen, drawing us so close I can taste his fear laced with confusion.
For the sake of peace with a brother, I tell him, “I’ll take your word.”
I physically force myself to relax and in turn Grim’s shoulders sag with relief then he laughs.
“Fuck, Prez, you got me going there.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. Shit, brother, the last few months have been all over the place.”
Grim leans back in his chair and sinks his beer. I leave mine untouched.
“Come on, let’s go do the family thing. Nora’s made up you’re here. She doesn’t miss Willow’s Peak, but she bonded with your old lady.”
In the living room, Rayna and Seb have been dragged into having their photos done with the babies and my old lady and Nora are in their elements faffing with all the kids.
I hide out on the couch and pick up Rayna’s phone. Before I can bring it to life, it’s snatched from my hand.
“Dad! That’s private!”
I bark out a laugh.
“Oh baby girl, you have no privacy till you turn eighteen and even then, it won’t be much.”
Laughter fills the room, and I make a mental note to go through her phone later and see exactly what’s so private.
Holly drags her back into photo time, and this is what I needed. To see life moving on surrounded by family and the club. All safe and sound and no secrets being shared with the wrong people.
Chapter One
Shane
