Page 78 of Shame

I laugh, glancing at Kaison’s phone when it starts to ring. He answers it, putting it on speaker. Which, for some reason, has me relieved. It shows me he has nothing to hide.

“What’s up?”

“Just wanted to let you know the guys are dropping everything off at your place.”

“Not there right now, but Snapper knows where I keep the spare.”

“No problem. How’s everything? How’s your girl?”

I smile at those words, turning away to hide my pink cheeks. His girl, huh?

“As good as can be. On the way to see her father.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

“Will do. Thanks.”

He ends the call, putting his phone down.

“Your girl?” I ask, chewing on the side of my cheek.

He grins at me. “That okay?”

I take his hand. “More than okay. Who was that?”

“Coyote. He’s the Prez. Been acting fucking weird, too. Normally we’re at each other’s throats, but he’s been real fucking nice the past couple of days.”

I shrug. “Maybe he had a change of heart.”

Kaison barks out a laugh. “Nah, no way.”

“You never know.”

“I know him, and trust me, he ain’t having any changes of heart or epiphanies or anything else.”

“Whatever you say,” I answer with a smile.

Whatever you say.

Epilogue

Kaison

Three months later…

“Knock, knock,” Cora calls out before stepping into her father’s room. The door was already open. He’s on a locked floor for people with Alzheimers and Dementia, so even if he walks around, he won’t actually get out or into anything dangerous. May go into other people’s rooms and piss them off though. Actually, he does that often.

“Who the hell are you?” Calvin barks at her, then when he sees me, he grins.

“Hey, Jack! Long time no see. Who’s this? Your new girl?”

Cora raises a brow at me, huffing. I always feel bad when we come here, and he recognizes me as my father but doesn’t recognize his daughter at all. When he did this a few months back, I had to explain it to her because I never did it after that first time. She pouted, which was fucking adorable, but now it’sa joke. Hopefully it stays that way, and she doesn’t actually get upset over it. I’d feel awful if she did.

Seems her father knew mine back in the day, though Cora swears he had nothing to do with the club. Said he was just friends with some of the guys. Makes sense, though, since the club members knew just about everyone in town. Her father and mine are about the same age, so it’s possible they went to school together or something. Who knows?

“Yeah, that’s my girl,” I say.

“She’s a pretty one,” he answers.

---