INDIGO

Places like the Play Hut seem to bring out the worst in parents. However, the noise doesn’t bother me. I don’t care about the terrible food. I ignore kids who aren’t mine. Maybe that’s why I’d be fine staying all afternoon.

While Siobhan watches the girls, I hang out with Glen. I can understand why Caveman named him Vanilla. Glen doesn’t like rocking the boat or drawing attention to himself. He mostly wants to be as normal as possible.

No matter how unfrazzled Glen wants to be, he’s just a kid. He gets overwhelmed by crowds and noise. His clothes might be new and slick, but he can never forget he grew up poor. Once he shrinks next to me at the sight of bigger boys, I know he’ll want to leave soon.

When Glen needs to use the restroom, he never asks me to come with him. Yet, I see in his expression how he’s intimidated by the rowdy kids around us. That’s why I tell him I need to wash my hands, so we can go together.

The restroom is loud as fuck. Two boys are yelling about something. Their dad yells for them to shut up. Another kid starts crying. His dad comes in and yells at the first dad. At some point in all this chaos, Glen manages to lose control of his stream and pisses a little on the front of his jeans.

He comes out of the stall looking like his life is over. Tugging his shirt out over his wet spot, I give him a paper towel to clean himself up. I stand in the way so the other people in the restroom—who are still yelling at each other and crying in reaction to the yelling—can’t see.

“Don’t feed the bad thoughts in your head,” I whisper to Glen. “Guys leak wrong. It’s no big deal. We’ll go home and change your clothes. Siobhan and Nora can make us something better to eat. We’ll play outside with the dogs. Nothing that happens now matters, okay?”

The worry fades in Glen’s pale blue eyes. He tugs his shirt down as far as it’ll go to cover his wet spot and forces a little smile for me. We’re just about to leave when the door opens and two cops enter. I spot more outside and assume someone complained about the arguing dads.

Yet, as soon as I recognize Tommy Brennan as one of the cops, I realize we’re in danger .

“Is this him?” Tommy asks an arguing father. “Is this the pervert?”

The two yelling men are now very quiet. The crying kid still sniffles, clearly not in on the setup.

“We have CPS on the way here to take the victim to the hospital,” Tommy says, smirking at me. “Your days of abusing this child are over.”

I squat next to Glen and whisper in his ear, “Go to Siobhan. Tell her to get out of here fast. She can’t wait for me.”

Glen looks at the men and then at the door. Tommy steps in the way as I stand up.

“Is Zoot aware our kids are fair game?” I ask, hoping my president’s reputation will act as a shield.

“This brat isn’t even yours,” Tommy sneers.

“No, technically, Caveman Callaghan has guardianship of him.”

If Zoot’s name didn’t scare them—and I saw in their eyes how it did—mentioning Caveman does the trick.

Tommy glares down at Glen as I nudge the boy toward the door. “Fine. Go run to the fat bitch. Tell her CPS is coming to take you away.”

Glen looks back at me, panicked at the idea of someone stealing him away. I hold his gaze and offer a small smile.

“I’ll see you at home.”

“You shouldn’t lie to the boy,” Tommy mocks as Glen hurries out of the restroom.

The arguing dads take their kids and leave me alone with the cops.

“The only question now,” Tommy says as he smiles at the other pigs, “is how difficult will you make this on yourself?”

I turn around and lift my arms to reveal my gun holster strapped on my belt. “No reason for me to make a fuss while you make your play here.”

Tommy yanks my gun free and hands it to his fellow pig. “Well, aren’t you a submissive bitch?” he sneers in my ear as he shoves me against the wall and pats me down. “When we were picking the right target, we chose you on account of your lack of a spine. Why else would you be willing to share a bed with your club brother’s discarded whore? ”

I don’t react to his comments about Siobhan. Tommy knows exactly who she is and why her safety matters. Whatever the Brennan family’s play is today, they’re taking a risk. Zoot goes crazy enough when a club member is harmed. He’s about to lose his fucking mind when he finds out about Siobhan’s involvement.

As Tommy drags me from the restrooms, I’m relieved not to see Siobhan or the kids. However, her SUV still idles in the parking lot when I’m brought outside.

The cops notice people following us to watch my arrest. Maybe that’s why they start yelling, “Stop resisting,” when they shove me against a cruiser.

“Why did you let O’Malley leave?” Tommy demands of a few officers. “Go round up the fat-ass and her bastards. They’re all going to the hospital to be checked for signs of abuse. Tell CPS to meet us there.”

Tommy nearly yells the last words to ensure the looky-loos hear. As several cops walk toward Siobhan’s SUV, a baton makes contact with my arm.

Despite the pain, I calmly stare at Siobhan and beg for her to leave. As if hearing my pleas, she peels out of her spot and speeds through a yellow light. The men run to their cars to give chase. I hear another one putting out an all-points bulletin for her vehicle.

“Your bitch is going to wish she had been more obedient,” Tommy says and hits me again.

This strike is against my knee, taking me to the ground. The cops yank me back to my feet and then act as if they’re patting me down.

They keep yelling for me to stop fighting and demand I tell them about any weapons. Then, the baton strikes me again.

The cops want me to throw a punch. That’s why they haven’t cuffed me yet. They know we’re being recorded. When a cop tries to take someone’s phone away, other bystanders start arguing about their rights.

I sense Tommy knows the situation has gotten messy. Rather than shove me into the cruiser and take off, he loses his temper and swings wildly.

I struggle not to fight back. Taking a beating isn’t something I ever learned to do, but throwing a punch would give Tommy what he wants .

At first, I distract myself by imagining what Zoot will do to these fuckers. But that doesn’t calm my bloodlust enough.

Instead, I remember the first night at Caveman’s house. Dot got Bubby and me pajamas with feet on them. Lorrie was dressed in a long flannel nightgown. I don’t remember her ever looking as beautiful as she did that night. Even though I was in terrible pain and could barely see through my swollen eyes, I felt hopeful and loved.

With Siobhan, I feel that way every day. As Tommy brings the baton down on my body again, I imagine her before me. Siobhan smiles in that goofy excited way she gets. I’m the man she loves. She sees me and doesn’t look away.

My current pain is temporary. The love in Siobhan’s eyes will keep me warm for the rest of my life.