Page 60 of Fletch

“Stay the fuck away from me. Both of you.” He gets out the car and slams the door.

I watch him stalk across the carpark as tears slip down my face. And then a rush of anger rips through me, and I dive from the car and rush after him, shoving him hard in the back and causing him to stumble a few steps.

“How fucking dare you dismiss me like I’m a piece of shit?” I scream. “Our daughter found out the truth and begged me to tell you because she wants to get to know you. Fuck knows why because you’re a complete prick.” He stares down at the ground with his hands on his hips. “She didn’t know about either of us, but the truth came out and now she knows. She thought you deserved to know. I told her it would be pointless because you’re not good enough to be in her life.”

He gives a slight nod. “Glad you got that off your chest. Go home, Gemma, and don’t come back here again.”

I sigh heavily. “Whatever, Fletch. Good fucking riddance.”

Ruby looks at me eagerly when I walk in. I shake my head slightly, and her smile fades. I hate I’m breaking her heart all over again. “I always wanted you,” I tell her, shrugging out of my coat and laying it over the back of the couch. “My father was so angry because he thought I’d thrown my life away. He would have had me get rid of you completely, only I didn’t find out until quite late on, so the pregnancy was too far gone for the procedure.”

Sadness fills me when I think back to those days, and I lower onto the couch beside her. “I didn’t have my mum around when I was small, so it was just me and him. He was already so full of anger and hate, and then he met Sarah. She couldn’t have children but so badly wanted them. I don’t know why because she’s spent most of her time being unhappy, even when I gave her what she wanted.”

“Did you have a good upbringing?” she asks, and I notice a trail of tears on her cheeks. I shake my head. “So, why would you think they’d give me a nice childhood?”

“Because he made me think they would,” I explain. “He listed all the things I was shit at,” I whisper. “Told me how I’d be a terrible parent because I couldn’t support you. And he was right, I had nothing.”

“You had me,” she screams.

A sob escapes me. “He made it sound so believable. And then he offered to raise you and said it would be better that way because I’d still get to see you. The alternative was to put you up for adoption and then I’d never get to see you again. I couldn’t handle that.”

“There was another option. You could’ve just raised me.”

“How?” I ask. “I was eighteen and terrified. I’d left college and my father sent me away for the duration of the pregnancy. I lived with his sister, my disapproving aunt, and she only added to the doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t cope. And when I returned, I threw myself into a career in the police force. I couldn’t stand to be around Sarah while she showed you off to her friends. She even wore a fake bump.” I scoff. “God, it all sounds so mad now.”

“Tell me about my father,” she whispers.

I stare into my lap, where my fingers are knotting together with nerves. “It’s Fletch,” I mutter. “You met him here that night.”

She pushes to stand. “He’s my father?”

I nod, and she starts to pace. “Holy shit. You’ve been dating him?”

“Not dating,” I snap. “We met up again and we’ve been catching up.”

“But you failed to mention me. No wonder he’s pissed. I bet he’s in shock.”

I slowly shake my head, not wanting to give her any hope. “Fletch doesn’t want kids. He never wanted them. He’s a biker. He lives for his club and nothing else.”

Fourteen

Fletch

Akid. I have a kid. I groan and knock a fourth whiskey back. “Enforcer, there’s a visitor,” Grizz shouts from the doorway.

“I ain’t taking visitors,” I snap.

“Do I look like your fucking secretary?” he barks. “Deal with it yourself.”

I sigh heavily and step out the clubhouse. As I get closer to the gates, I see Gemma’s sister and I groan. “If you’ve come to talk on her behalf, I’m not interested,” I snap.

“I haven’t,” she rushes to say. “Gemma doesn’t know I’m here.”

I roll my eyes. I can’t be mean to a kid. “Open the gate,” I tell Smoke as I pull out my phone and send a text to Gemma.

Me: Your kid sister is at the clubhouse. Come and get her now.

“Where’s Gemma?” I ask her as we head inside.

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