Page 35 of Break Out

I tilted my head back. A few stars twinkled in the twilight sky but they didn’t offer me any solace. I looked back at Dad. “Not yet, I’d rather not announce it to all of the Devil Lancers. I’m going to tell him tomorrow morning.”

“Better hope Jordan’s not there,” Aunt Abby muttered.

“The fuck?” Dad asked.

“Aw, hell,” Aunt Abby whispered.

I twisted a hand up and kept my eyes on Dad. “You and Jordan had something in common after all. He hated his dad, who turned out to be Steel.”

Dad closed his eyes for a long moment. “What?”

I explained about the conversation we overheard.

Blood glowered at Abby. “Woman, you didn’t tell me that part. You snuck around behind Steel’s camper! Do you know how fuckin’ dangerous that was?”

Dad stood and stalked away. Mom turned to follow him, but he quickly returned.

He put his phone on the table. “That’s the phone number I have for Steel. Call his ass, and get it over with.”

I grabbed my phone, but Uncle Blood put his hand on my wrist. “No, sweetheart. That asshole isn’t gonna answer an unknown number. You gotta use Volt’s phone.”

I stared at him, then glanced over my shoulder at Dad. “No disrespect, but this should be shared in person.”

Dad crossed his arms. “Why? You told me over the phone.”

I tapped Dad’s phone before the screen went dark. As fast as I could, I entered the number into my phone so I could save the contact.

I stood and faced Dad. “Believe it or not, I need to see his reaction. I’m planning to keep my baby, but I’m within the time frame where I could…terminate the pregnancy. If he suggests that, I want his sorry ass to look me dead in the eyes when he does. That shit isn’t the same in a video chat, and it damn sure doesn’t come across in a phone conversation.”

His body sagged, he reached out, and pulled me into a fierce hug. “Simone,” he whispered.

I returned his hug and willed myself not to cry. As usual, that failed, but I kept it to just three tears and wiped them away before anyone else could notice.

I backed away a touch. “It’ll be okay, Dad. Thanks for his number, though. It might come in handy if he won’t give me the time of day.”

“He doesn’t give you the time of day, you tell me,” Blood said.

I looked over my shoulder at him.

“Blood,” Dad muttered.

“Oh, no, man. This is part of my job as VP. I keep your ass from gettin’ in a sling, and if he gives her some shit, I’m gonna beat his ass, so you won’t get blamed when you really beat his ass.”

Dad’s body jerked with his chuckle. “You’re crazy as fuck.”

Uncle Blood grinned. “Life’s boring without me.”

Chapter 9

Good to Know

Steel

By the middle of Bike Week, I always felt my age. This year, I wondered if Bike Week was making me crazy.

Earlier that afternoon, my eyes had played a trick on me. I thought I had seen Simone milling around in the campsite crowds. She looked even more gorgeous than in December. Almost as though she were glowing, but the beach did that to some women. She also looked tired and I wondered if she were hungover from too much Jack Daniel’s Honey. Before I could break away from my brothers, a woman stepped in front of Simone, and that woman wore a Riot MC patch.

Of all the damned patches, it was the Riot MC.

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