Page 20 of Festive

SIX

Two Days Later

Neon was tasked with finding Bradley, and he has been hard at work. Amber gave us the address where they lived together, but he’s moved out with no forwarding information. With not much else to go on, Neon is having difficulty tracking him down. Eventually, he will get there, he always does.

However, right now, the club is having some shipping consignments packaged up in the yard, as there is an overflow from the Slavers’ compound. It’s not a huge amount, so I suggested we get it done fast here at the clubhouse. The kids are all inside, and Amber is looking after them while the club and the Slavers are in the lot dealing with the Snow White being crated into shipping containers. Then, it will be forklifted onto trucks to go to the cargo train.

Wraith and Zero are overseeing the process with me when Neon steps over. “Pres, I’ve managed to lock in an apartment for Amber, and I’ve located Bradley.”

My eyes light up. “You’re a fucking genius, Neon. Good work. First things first, I’m gonna talk to Amber about her apartment, then we deal with Bradley. Wraith, Zero, you good to stay here and keep an eye on shit?”

“Yeah, brother, we got this. You deal with Amber,” Zero states, giving me a head bob.

I walk into the room, my eyes immediately catching sight of Amber sitting with Kenna and Kinzley in the craft zone. The sight of my girls so happy tugs at something deep inside me, a warmth I don’t often let myself feel. Kinzley is giggling wildly when Amber tickles her, her little hands flailing in delight. AndI can’t deny it—Amber is the reason for their smiles. She’s been good to them. But the problem is, she’s been too good to them, and it’s starting to cloud my judgment. I need to push her out. She’s a goddamn thorn in my side, and it’s time to finally take action.

I step toward her, and she looks up, her face lighting up with that same damn smile she’s been throwing at me for weeks. That wide grin, the kind that could melt anyone, even me, but I can’t let myself be softened by it anymore. Not now. Not when the club’s future depends on cutting the ties that bind us to her.

“I’m loving my job at the center, Six,” she says, her voice light and bright, as if she hasn’t noticed the tension building in the air. “Thank you so much for getting me a position there. The staff is friendly, and the kids are great. And it’s even better that I get to come home to these two funbags,” she adds, tickling Kinzley, who giggles so hard she almost chokes on the air she’s gasping for.

It should make me smile—hell, it does. Seeing my daughter so happy makes me feel like I’m doing something right. But it’s overshadowed by the storm in my chest, the one that’s been brewing since I realized just how deep Amber’s roots have gotten in this clubhouse, in our lives.

It’s time.

I need to handle this now, or I’m sure I’ll regret it.

“That’s great,” I reply, trying to keep my tone neutral, even though inside, I’m steeling myself for what comes next. “Amber, I want to have a chat with you. Now that you’re working and enjoying the position, we also want you to have a taste of what your independence could look like.”

Her smile instantly falters, and the shift is so sudden I almost don’t catch it. Her face goes pale, and she stares at me as if I just dropped a bomb in front of her. She stands, her body stiff with unease, her breathing picking up as if she’s already anticipatingthe worst.

“What d-do you mean?” she asks, her voice wavering, but she’s trying to hold it together. I see it in the way her fingers tighten at her sides.

I exhale, knowing the next words out of my mouth are going to set everything into motion. “I asked Neon to rent an apartment for you so you can have your own place—”

“What?”she blurts, the shock in her voice clear as day. Her eyes widen, and I see the betrayal flash behind them—fucking hell, I’m doing what I have to, but it doesn’t make this shit any easier.

“Don’t worry,” I push on, my voice steady, even though my heart rate picks up. “We’re furnishing it for you and paying the first few months’ rent to get you started until you can cover it with the money you make from the center. But we feel like this is the right move for you to take back your life.”

Her arms fold across her chest, her expression hardening. “So that’s it?” she spits out, thick with emotion. “After everything we’ve shared, you’re justtossing me out?”

The words hit me like a slap to the face. It’s not that simple, but it feels like a goddamn punch. I fight the wave of guilt that tries to creep in, reminding myself of why I’m doing this.

But I can’t let that guilt cloud my judgment.

I won’t.

“We’renottossing you out,” I say, my voice softer but still firm. “The apartment isn’t ready yet, so of course, you can still stay here. But we want to see you become independent, Amber. Not be so… dependent.”

“On you, you mean?” Her eyes flash with something sharp, almost angry now. The walls are up, and she’s ready to throw down.

I tilt my head slightly, meeting her gaze without flinching. “You do rely on me.”

She folds her arms across her chest in defiance. “I-I thought we had a friendship, Six. Being a friendisrelying on s-someone,” she says, her voice cracking, and I feel the tug of emotion underneath.

She’s not just hurt.

She’s pissed.

And she has every right to be.

---