8. Earl

Chapter eight

Earl

I left her office only because I could see the fear in her eyes. This has to do with why she came here all those years ago. We handled the situation for her and helped her get a new identity, but it seems as if she didn't give us all the details. I'm going to need Bash to delve a little deeper than he did then, especially with all the new skills he's learned and Colin helping him now.

AJ flashes a smile as I walk out of the kitchen, and I shake my head, seeing Jake parked at the counter right in front of her.

"Jakey-Poo, stop the flirtin' and get to work at the club!" I shout, causing him to startle and almost fall off the barstool. I hold my laugh until I get outside and then I let it rip.

I walk to the garage, smiling when I hear the guys' laughter echoing out of the bay. All but two of the men who work there are members of the MC.

"Hey there Gramps," Colin calls as he steps out of the bay with Jacey in his arms.

"I like that you're teachin' our boy early about cars, but ain't he a little young to be hangin' out here?"

"My boy's gonna know how to take a car apart and put it back together by the time he's three. No, fuck that, right after he takes his first steps. Ash and Mack are on their way here to get him. What are you doin' here?" He steps closer and I already have my arms open for my grandson.

"I'm meeting the fry cook to talk about his actions last night." I take Jacey from him, cradling him in my arms as I kiss his forehead. "Speakin' of action, when's the next grandbaby comin'? You are the next in line, aren't ya?"

"We're workin' on it, Dad," he replies and I head inside to the office. As much as I want a new grandbaby, I don't want to talk about my daughter's sex life.

Colin doesn't follow me, knowing I want the time alone with my boy. I take a seat at my desk, turn on the computer, and look at the schedule and what parts we need to order. Might as well do a little work. While I don't have to do it, I like to stick my feet into everything so I know what's going on. It's when you don't keep tabs on that shady shit it has an opportunity to happen right under your nose.

"One day Jacey, this MC will be yours. Unlike your Grumps, you'll follow in the footsteps of your Chief, and run this club with an iron, but forgiving fist. With each new prospect, the Hellions will grow stronger, a force for anyone to reckon with." I kiss his forehead before putting him over my shoulder and rubbing his back. He lets out a toot and I can't help but laugh. Yep, just like his Grandpa Sam.

My mind starts wondering about what it would've been like to hold Ashlynn in my arms like this. What it would feel like to watch the belly of the woman I love grow round as our daughter grew inside of her. To witness her birth and cut the cord. All things I lost out on because of betrayal within my own club.

I begin singing softly, a song Kate used to sing to Ryker after they first got him. It stuck in my head and I never knew why until now.

"I sing it to him too." Ryker's voice jars me out of my thoughts.

"As you should to all your children, and when you do, make sure to tell them about their grandma. Both of them should be here to see him." I can feel the slight tremble of my lips and fight to hold back the tears welling in my eyes. I'm the prez. I can't break down and cry. Pulling the emotion back in, I ask, "What are you doing here?"

"I've come for my boy."

I raise my eyebrows, puzzled since Colin said Mack and Ashlynn were on their way to get him.

"Where's my daughter?" Not that it matters who came to get my grandson, but I was hoping to see her this morning. Knowing I'm about to meet with the grease head shortly, seeing her would help soothe my anger. I guess my time with Jacey will have to keep my temper contained.

"She was on her way, but Vee called." I just nod, knowing she's checking on her friend. My daughter truly has a heart of gold, just like her mother.

"Say no more." Something's been going on with that girl for months and it's affecting my men, well, three of them anyway.

Ryker makes his way over and I reluctantly give Jacey another kiss before handing him over to his father. "Y'all need to take my daughter away for the weekend and work on that next grandbaby. I got Jacey. Just make sure she pumps and leaves enough milk for him."

Ryker chuckles and smirks as he takes the bundle from my arms. If he thinks I'm joking, the fucker has another thing coming. This weekend Jacey's mine. He opens his mouth, but I cut him off before he can say anything.

"You heard me. I'm tellin' you as your father-in-law and your Prez. I'll be at your house to watch him on Friday night."

He knows better than to argue. Whether he likes it or not, my word is the law.

"I'll be sure to let the others know," he tells me as he steps out of the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again.

Sighing, I pick up my phone and call Bash.

"What's up? Ain't you supposed to be meetin' someone? Are we needin' to do a clean-up?"

"It's not time, so nothing to clean, but that's not to say there won't be, so keep the prospects on call."

I can hear his laughter through the phone, and I let out my own snort.

"Look, I need you to go back and look into Mel's past."

"You mean the shit we handled? Why? We took care of that."

"I know we did. But someone called her that got her really upset. Don't know who it was and she ain't been generous with the information."

"I'll get right on it. Arizona's gone over to Vee's, so I got nothin' better to do. " Shit must be really hitting the fan if she's there, too. Lord, help these men falling in love with women who have so many fucking issues.

"Also, check on that fry cook while you're at it. I want to know every fuckin' detail there is to know about him. If he has a pimple on his dick, I wanna know." The line goes quiet, but I don't care.

I hear Bash clear his throat. "On it."

I end the call, needing to finish this paperwork before the short order cook gets here. There's not a doubt in my mind when we're done I'm going to need a fucking drink.

I'm so engrossed in what I'm doing I almost miss the knock on the door, having to contemplate if it was just my imagination. It only takes a moment for questions to be answered when there's another knock, louder this time.

"Who is it?" I bark.

"Jett. You got someone here to see ya," he says loudly from the other side.

"Send him in."

I drop the pen and lean back in the chair. With my arms crossed over my chest, I wait for the fucker to enter.

If he wasn't after my woman, I might actually like the man. Might, being the key word.

Hell, he could almost pass for my brother because we resemble each other so much, not that I'd ever tell the dickhead that. I smirk as he enters, wondering how he'd enjoy knowing that Mel picked him as a consolation prize for that very reason.

Eh, maybe I'll hold on to that little nugget a little longer. Some things are better told at a more opportune time.

He steps inside the office, shutting the door behind him before dropping down in a chair in front of the desk, his body taking a position similar to mine. He tilts his head slightly, his lips curling at the corners with a self-satisfied smirk as he narrows his eyes on me.

Neither of us speaks as we dare the other to be the first to break the silence. We stare at each other with narrowed eyes and clenched jaws as we engage in a wordless battle of will.

"I don't have all day, biker boy. You wanted to meet, not me."

Fucker seems to think his pathetic name calling is going to affect me. I've been called far worse in my life and I'm sure that ignorant assholes will have more flavorful words to call me in the future. But I need information and right now he has it.

"What happened yesterday after I left?" Then, to add on for good measure, "Burger flipper."

He chuckles and I can't help but respond with one of my own. "Like I told you last night; you left, I heard something fall, and when I opened the door to her office, she was on the floor. Some fucking guy was on the phone. Mels was a hysterical mess and just kept saying no repeatedly, then after about thirty minutes, she left. I tried to call her after I left you, but it went straight to voicemail. I assume she turned off her phone."

I keep my composure even though I want to slice that smirk off his face. But nothing he's told me helps me figure out what the hell is going on with my woman.

"What did the guy sound like?" I lean forward in the seat, resting my arms on the desk as I tap my fingers on it.

"What do you mean?" the fool asks as I shake my head in disbelief. I didn't believe it was a hard fucking question.

"Was he older? Did he have an accent? A name? Anything to give me a clue who the fuck he is?"

He sits there a moment. His eyes shift around the room as he bites on his lip. Finally, after what feels like an eternity. "His voice was deep, but it sounded younger, well younger than us, with a bit of a northern accent. He didn't give a name, just asked about Melissa, and since he wouldn't tell me who he was, I hung up. She was more important to me."

Fuck, there's nothing for me to go on. It couldn't be the fucker's father, hell that's if he's even alive. Who could upset Mel like that just by calling? She's definitely not told me everything there is to know about her. I'm just going to have to be patient and wait to see what Bash can find out.

But there's something else I need to know from the jackass.

"What's your intentions with Mel?"

"She's the endgame for me. If she'll have me, I plan to make her my wife."

I gulp. I knew he wanted her, but I wasn't expecting marriage.

"You know I want her too?" I ask.

"I do, but it doesn't change anything for me. Unlike you, I didn't fuck up my chances, not once, but twice," he says matter-of-factly.

It takes everything in me not to jump across the desk, wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze until he doesn't have an ounce of life left inside of him.

"And if she wants us both? What will you do then?" I pull myself together, my eyes piercing his as I wait for his answer. What he says will determine where we go from here.

"If she wants us both, then I'll give her whatever she wants. Even if I have to share her with you."

I smile widely. "Then I guess we need to learn to play together nicely. She can be your wife by law, but she'll be my ol' lady in all the ways that truly matter."

"Guess we need to learn to share." With those words, he stands and walks out.