Chapter 6

CHAPTER

SIX

Rebel

“I’m Jonah Sherman, sir, but most folks call me Rebel,” I tell him, holding out my hand. “As far as who I am, I’m a former police officer and when I retired, several of my other first responder friends and I started the Steel Raiders Motorcycle Club. I’m the club president. I met Holly back in October at the grocery store, saw she had two little girls and invited her to the Halloween festival that our club puts on every year, then found out she’s bartending part-time at the bar the club owns.”

“Paul Atchison,” her grandfather says in introduction, shaking my hand with a firm grip. He then looks at Holly and says, “If you’d let me pay that hellhound heifer, you wouldn’t be burning the candle at both ends, Holly.”

“Pappy, you know why I feel I need to do it,” she replies. “It’s not forever, it’s just for a minute.”

He chuckles then says, “Gonna use my own teachings against me, I see.”

She grins while nodding. “Absolutely. And I can see you have questions, Rebel, about why I didn’t leave then and there. Grammy and Pappy wanted me to, but I didn’t want to invade their lives with a newborn and a toddler.”

“Wouldn’t have been an invasion, sweetheart, and you know it,” Paul retorts.

“Pappy,” she drawls out, “you took me in as a toddler and you guys had to raise me. How could I ask either of you to do that again? You deserve to have your own lives after all you’ve done for me.”

“And like I told you back then, it’s what family does when they love you,” he rebuts. “But I suspect you’ve got more than a little of your grandmother’s stubbornness, and things have a way of working out the way they’re supposed to.” His amendment has me snickering.

“Well, in the interest of being above board about things, I’ve told Holly I’d like to get to know her better. I know her ex hasn’t been gone all that long, but I learned a long time ago not to pass up something good,” I tell him. “With her having two little ones, we aren’t gonna be rushing into anything by any means, and even though I don’t know you well, I suspect you’re not going to let Holly and the girls ever be hurt again.”

“Got that straight,” Paul growls out. “Wish my Esther woulda let me take my shotgun to that asshole when he damn near killed our Holly. But she reminded me that prison food isn’t all that tolerable, and to let the law handle things.”

My interest now piqued, I ask, “What happened?”

Paul snorts in disgust. “It was thrown out for lack of evidence. The family has money and I think his mother paid someone off. Samuel, his father knew, and he was horrified that the man he helped raise would ever put his hands on a woman in anger. But that bitch, Myra, made Devin into a mama’s boy, and she bulldozed shit until she got her way. Trust me, we had the pictures and documentation on Holly’s injuries, but he ended up with a slap on the wrist. He had to pay a fine and do some community service. Stupid bastard should’ve been locked up for assault.”

“Yeah, I can’t say I disagree with you there,” I reply. Looking at Holly, I ask, “Sweetheart, why did you stay? I get what you’re saying but from just these few minutes, I can tell your grandpa doesn’t consider you to be a burden in any way, shape, or form, so I’m betting your grandma is the same. If he was gone for two weeks, that would have been the perfect opportunity.”

My stomach is still roiling from the description her grandfather gave of her injuries. I could’ve lost her before I even knew she existed and if that fucker wasn’t already dead, I’d be figuring out how to execute the perfect crime. It goes against my background and oath to serve and protect, but there are some people who don’t deserve to breathe the same air as decent human beings.

She drops her head, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. “I didn’t work back then. I only had a high school diploma, plus a toddler and a newborn. Devin had said in the past if I ever left him, I wouldn’t see a dime of support. I know now that he wouldn’t have had a choice, but back then, I was naive as hell. When he finally came back, all repentant and apologetic, I told him I wanted to do an online college program so I could get a degree, and that until he got tested, he wasn’t sleeping in my bed again.”

I want to know, but maybe I should wait to ask until her grandfather leaves, since he probably doesn’t wanna hear about his granddaughter’s sex life.

“And he didn’t, did he, baby girl?” Paul asks, his voice soft and gentle.

“No, Pappy, he didn’t. While he was running around all over town and spending his check on the drugs and booze, it was me paying the bills from what I was making. I was saving some, which I gave to Grammy for safekeeping since Paul had no problem going through my purse. That night… that night was the last time he put his hands on me, because I told him not to go due to the weather. We all know what happened then,” she states.

I put my arm around her shoulder and give her a side hug before kissing her temple. “You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met,” I tell her. “It was a shitty situation, but you were working to get out of it, and regardless of that, you’ve built what appears to be a successful business, have two well-behaved little girls, and a phenomenal work ethic.”

“Her grandmother and I, as well as Devin’s own father, offered that wench the money she’s demanding for the renovations on the house, but Myra outright refused. We could’ve given Holly the money to pay her off, but my girl’s got a bit of an independent streak in her. Instead of taking any of us up on the offer, she got herself a part-time job,” Paul says. “Anyhow, I’ll get out of your hair now, just didn’t recognize the bike. Holly, you be sure to invite him to Thanksgiving. You know your grandma is gonna want to meet him herself.”

Holly starts to giggle before she looks up at me and confides, “The girls had asked me to see if you’d like to come to Thanksgiving.”

“They did?” I ask. I’m a little surprised because in the scheme of things, I think I’ve spent maybe fifteen or twenty minutes tops with them.

You made an impression on two little girls who are desperate for a father’s love, my mind whispers. So don’t fuck this up, it’s your chance to grab the brass ring and get your happily ever after. You deserve one of those as much as Holly and her girls do.

This may be my in with Holly. It’ll prove to her that I put family above all else. The club is my life, but it isn’t the only thing I value. “Well, normally, we have dinner at the clubhouse, but I’d love to come out and eat with you guys,” I reply.

“Then that’s settled, I’ll go let Esther know she’ll need to set an extra plate at the dinner table,” Paul states. “Holly, come give me some sugar.”

She leaves my arms and walks into his open ones. Looking up, she kisses his cheek and says, “If I haven’t told you lately, you’re my favorite pappy and I love you.”

He grins in such a way that I know this is a regular thing between the two of them. I watch with amusement, filing away her mannerisms, as well as what they both shared today.

“I’m your only pappy, and I love you more,” he teases, kissing her forehead. The love he has for his granddaughter is palpable, infinite, and I instinctively know when it’s time for him and her grandmother to go on to their next destination, Holly will shatter.

But you’ll be there by her side to keep her put together, that little voice in my head says.

After Paul leaves, I realize that I’m keeping her from her work. “I should probably go as well,” I murmur, wanting nothing more than to spend the day with her.

She’s quick to apologize for something she should never have to do. “I’m sorry about Pappy barging in, but he obviously has strong opinions where Devin’s concerned, plus, he doesn’t know anyone who rides a motorcycle.”

“Nothing wrong with him being protective, babe. He almost lost you to that fucker, so he’s going to be cautious as hell, I’m sure,” I reply.

She quickly picks up our lunch trash and tosses it, then we walk to her front door.

“I do have one question,” I say. “Well, maybe two.”

“And what are they?”

“First, do you have any time this week during the day that we can catch a meal? Breakfast or lunch, maybe? And second, can I kiss you?”