Page 44 of Hope's Heartlands

I just laugh. “I’m Bulldog. I’m with the Heartlands MC and you’re on our payroll.”

He looks confused. “Payroll? I’m not on your payroll. What are you talking about?”

I shake my head and laugh again. “You’re right, not anymore. Not since we went on the straight and arrow. But before, when we did all the drug runs, the guns, all of it, you were right there with us. You were in our back pocket. We have more than enough evidence to take you down.”

He looks alarmed for a minute and then shakes his head. “No way. If you try to take me down, you’re going down with me.”

“We’re smarter than you give us credit for, Judge. We have everything tied to you. Nothing has our name on it.”

He sneers, showing me the man I know he is. “What do you want?”

“You’ll never talk to Kate like that again. And if I hear of you mistreating her or your daughter again, I’ll end you. And don’t even test me. You know I can do it.”

I expect him to argue. I expect something, but he really is a cowardly piece of shit by the way he just nods his head and walks away from me, down the steps, and to his car.

As soon as he pulls out, Kate comes out the door. “I don’t need a keeper. I can take care of myself…”

But I stop her and pull her into my arms, breathing her in. “I know. But if you think I’ll stand by and let anyone mistreat you and talk to you like that, you’re mistaken. That’s over.”

She wants to argue. I think she likes to argue with me, maybe because she likes the making up part too. I don’t know, but I’ll stand firm on this. I keep hold of her until she’s softening in my arms. We stand there for I don’t know how long, until I finally ask her, “So you have a daughter huh?”

She looks up into my face and I can see the guilt she has for not telling me. “Yep, she’s fourteen going on thirty.”

I nod my head in acceptance. I don’t know what she thought, but a kid is not going to run me off. At this point, nothing will.

I start to tell her that, but the door opens. Kate freezes in my arms and I know she wants to pull away, but I stop her. Emma looks between us and smiles. “It looks like you were starting breakfast when I got here so I finished it up. It will be ready in a minute.” She turns and goes inside.

Kate looks up at me. “So I guess you’ll stay for breakfast.”

I kiss her lips before pulling back. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

I don’t know what I expected, but sitting down with Emma and Kate is a whole new experience for me. They laugh and have a good time, making jokes. One of them being Emma’s cooking.

Emma laughs at her mother’s joke. “I’m sorry. I’m still working on the eggs.”

I jump in and take a bite, swallowing down the overdone egg. “I like mine done.”

And that wins her over. “See, Bull knows what he’s talking about.”

Kate sits back in her chair. “Okay, I know when I’m being ganged up on. Fine, the eggs are good.”

And as we all laugh, Emma asks, “So are you two seeing each other?”

Kate chokes on her food, and I reach for her, patting her on the back. When she’s finally able to breathe again, Emma holds her hands up. “I was just asking. But I like him, Mom. I think he’s good for you.” She gets up from her chair and sets her plate in the sink. “And since I cooked, I’ll leave the dishes for you all.”

We both watch her leave, and I wait for Kate to smile at me, to feel better knowing her daughter is okay with us, but it doesn’t happen. She does smile at me, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

I grab on to her hand and she looks almost sad as she looks at our intertwined fingers. She’s already trying to give up on us, but I’m not going to let her.

Chapter10

Kate

Iwake up to my alarm that I had set for six am on Monday morning so I can get ready for work. I go through my routine, drop Emma off at school, and go to work. I can’t help but think that being with Bull was like a dream now that I’m back in the real world.

My friends stop by my office and ask me if I ever called the hottie from Friday night, and I’m surprised by how quickly I lie and say I didn’t.

The morning flies by and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve thought of Bull. I’ve already accepted the fact that I’m going to break my own rule and call him as soon as I’m alone in my car on my lunch break. My friends would die of jealousy if they knew just how incredible my weekend truly was.

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