Page 57 of Golden Atonement

“Honey, I don’t know where home is or where we will be safe.”

“Yes, you do,” Emma snarled. “You just don’t want to fucking admit it.”

Shocked at her anger, I never got the chance to respond as she turned and stormed off. Jax followed closely behind her.

“Mom?” Jesse said tugging on my pants to get my attention.

Kneeling down, I smiled. “Yeah?”

“Uncle Bullseye and Aunt Phantom are home in California.”

Frowning, I looked at Red who looked at my son.

“How do you know that, Jesse?” he asked.

“Because I heard a lady telling Dakota. He told her to keep her mouth shut and not say anything.”

Standing back up, I pinned Red with a questioning stare.

“Let me make a call,” the man said before walking off.

“Remi,” Vladmir sighed. “That was Maxim. We need to talk.”

“Unless it has to deal with Layla, I don’t give a shit.”

“Remi,” Red said walking back over. “Jesse’s right. Just got off the phone with Wraith. The California Chapter of the Golden Skulls has returned to Purgatory. Wraith said they are not alone either. The wives are there, and so are the kids. Apparently, Sandman’s adoptive father and his club, Disturbed, are there also. They have started rebuilding the clubhouse, while they wait for Sandman and Reaper to return.”

“Can we go too?” Jesse shouted happily.

“Me too!” Soliel giggled as she reached out to Red.

Letting him take her, I looked at Vladmir for advice.

“The question you need to ask is, do you trust Bullseye and Phantom with your kids?”

Looking at Jax and Emma, who stood off to the side glaring at me, then at Jesse and Soliel, I nodded. “Yes. I trust Dylan and Lena. They would die before letting anything happen to the kids.”

“I can make the arrangements. I can have you and the kids back home by morning,” Red offered.

“No,” I stood my ground, shaking my head. “I’m not going. Only the kids. You take them. Make sure they get there safely.”

Red said nothing while he nodded and walked off with Soliel and Jesse as Vladmir stood in front of me. Reaching for my shoulders, he asked, “Are you sure about this? I can protect you and the kids.”

“I’m sure. You heard Red. The club is getting ready for Sandman and Reaper to return. Bullseye must know something or he wouldn’t stay. I have to trust he knows what he’s doing.”

“What about you?”

“I will go home when I’m damn good and ready. Right now, I’m not. Anyway, what did you need to talk to me about?”

Taking a deep breath, he replied. “We can talk about that later, once the kids are in the air. Too many ears in this place.”

Nodding, I looked around and saw what he meant.

Standing on the tarmac, I watched the private jet with the kids and Red take off for Northern California. Red assured me that brothers from the Wraith Warriors would be there waiting to help him escort the kids safely to the clubhouse. While some part of me was still scared, not having Jesse or Emma close, I knew they would be safe with the others. They didn’t need me right now. What they needed was stability and I couldn’t give them that. Not with my head all over the place.

Plus, if the club was gearing up and expecting Reaper to return, he could take over their protection. It was time he stepped up and participated in being an active father. Not that he didn’t in the past, because he did. He was a good father. A loving father, and right now, our kids needed him more than they did me.

With my head still a jumbled mess, I wasn’t good to anyone.

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