21. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Tripp

It didn't take long for Scout to gain access to the security footage and back it up on her own server. Then, she started pouring through the footage until she found where June entered my daughter's room and when she all but ran out of it about ten minutes later.

"Ten minutes." I growled into the phone. "That bitch had ten whole fucking minutes in this room with my daughter and my woman asleep and not knowing it. If she wasn't slow and sloppy for whatever reason, she could have taken them both out before anyone could do anything about it."

"They won't be left alone again," Scout asserted.

"Damn right they won't. If I'm not here, I want Breakneck or one of the other brothers not directly related to me by blood, marriage, or serious relationship."

"I will pass that along to Mack, so he can be the one to give the order to everyone."

"It's a direct order from their President, Scout. If anyone hears it from you and doesn't fucking listen, I want to know about it."

"Sure thing, Prez."

We hung up after that. It seemed some of the club members had been giving Scout a hard time since she was the only female member. I wasn't going to have that shit on my watch as president. Mack would need to sort some shit and crack some skulls along with Breakneck if they were disrespecting one of the most productive and important members of our club. Scout did more with her computer and resources on any given day than most of the members combined contributed in a year. If they thought they were more important than her because they had a dick swinging between their legs, they had another thing coming.

"You okay?"

I turned just as Davina reached out and smoothed a finger across my furrowed brow, in an attempt to ease the tension.

"I'm so far from okay that I don't even know what it looks like anymore." The admission must have shocked her as much as it did me. "Sorry. Don't want to add any weight to your shoulders. I feel like every bit of this is my fault and I'm fucking out of my mind that no one has seen this bitch until today and she still managed to slip through our fingers again. She's not a fucking criminal mastermind. She's a spoiled ass rich cunt who is having a fucking more than two-decade long tantrum because she didn't get what she wanted."

"Well," Davina huffed in a teasing tone. "If any man was worth a two-decade long tantrum, it is definitely you."

"Fuck, woman," I growled as I pulled her, so our bodies were flush. "Are you okay?"

"I'm freaked out, but trying to deal because our girl can feel it when we're tense and afraid. I don't want her to think that has anything to do with her."

"You're right. From now on, June's bullshit doesn't cross the threshold of that door. Anything that needs to be discussed will happen out there." I pointed toward the hallway beyond where an armed security guard stood vigil.

After spending the night on the most uncomfortable hospital cot known to man, I was still elated to be there because my woman was wrapped up in my arms and my little girl had a decent night, for once.

Just as I was waking fully, a soft knock on the door, followed by my oldest daughter entering the room brought another smile to my face.

"What are you doing here?"

Star smiled down at me as her eyes drifted to the sleeping woman in my arms. "I like this for you," my daughter told me.

"This?" I asked, shocked that she seemed so happy about me cozied up to Vina.

"Yeah, this." She swirled a finger around indicating me, Vina, and our little girl. "It will be good for Coral to grow up in a happy home with both her parents the way Kip and I did. You were always an amazing dad to us, and I have no doubt that Vina is just as good a mom as ours was. My little sister deserves to have the same experience, especially after everything she's been through. The two of you together could make that happen." Star grinned at me. "Well, the three of you together as a family."

"There's more than three of us in this family," I reminded my oldest daughter.

"I know that, Dad. Kip and I will be around too, and Knox." Star's bright smile lit up the room as she spoke. "Mom would approve," she said as she nodded her head toward Vina.

"Yeah? You think so?"

"I know so."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because for the first time in years, I saw you at peace," she nodded toward Vina. "When you were wrapped around her, you were at peace. That is what Mom would have wanted for you to have. It's what I want for you too. So, if Vina brings you peace, you have our blessing."

"Thank you," I whispered huskily to my oldest daughter as my heart got stuck somewhere in my throat at the thought of her speaking for both herself and her mother's ghost. A feeling of complete contentment washed over me and bathed me in warmth, as if Kim was delivering her blessing along with my daughter's words.

"I was just stopping by to see if either of you needed anything. Bagger is waiting for me in the hall, trying to put his ear to the ground and see if someone says something that might be useful." When I told her that we were all good for now, Star leaned down and kissed my forehead and then went to do the same to her sister before she scooted right back out of the room just as quietly as she had come. My daughter didn't realize she'd already brought me the best gift possible that morning – her acceptance. What more could I possibly need?