Page 126 of Stone

His face blanked.

My heart skipped a beat. “What?”

I studied him as he closed his eyes, and I fucking knew there was more heartache to come. I could feel it in the ice filling my veins.

“Tell me,” I demanded. “Fuckin’ tell me,” I leaned toward Dad and snarled, “now!”

He sighed. “Your ol’ lady married Robert Henderson last month, then a few weeks back, she gave birth to his son.”

The words didn’t penetrate; they were too damned ludicrous. “Jesus, Dad. I know you’ve been messed up about Mom and my supposed death, but that shit ain’t true, and you know it. Stop fuckin’ with me.”

His eyes bored into mine. “Not fuckin’ with ya, Son. Every word’s true.”

“No,” I told him, my tone final. “If she married him, there’s a good reason. If my Leesy’s had a baby, it’s mine, not his.” A thread of excitement weaved through my chest as something hit me. “Jesus, I’m a dad.”

“John—” Dad began, but I cut him off, my mind working overtime, trying to sense Dad’s words. “I need to get home and sort this mess out. I bet she married him ‘cause she didn’t know what else to do. She thought I was dead, and she was pregnant.” My forehead suddenly furrowed. “Why did you let her do it? Why didn’t you help her instead of lettin’ her go to him? You could’ve sent her away somewhere to have the baby, let things die down a bit, and give her some space.”

“John,” Dad said, softer that time. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

“You dunno what you’re talkin’ about,” I retorted. “You don’t know her like I do, Dad. Leesy would never sleep with somebody else, not so soon after I…” I took a breath and carried on, “I know it as well as you know Mom wouldn’t. My Elise hasn’t got it in her. I’ll come back, and she can get a divorce or an annulment. I’ll sort it.” I scraped a hand down my face. “Fuck! What a mess.”Shaking my head, I turned back to Dad. “Will you tell me about Mom? What happened?”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “But not tonight. You’ve got surgery tomorrow on that arm, and I want your head right, ‘cause, Son, can’t fuckin’ lose you again. Couldn’t survive any more loss.”

“Mom would kick your ass,” I murmured, a heavy weight settling on my chest. “She’d have said, Don Stone, pull yourself together. You’re a big, tough biker. Start acting like it.”

For the first time in six months, I watched as my dad’s familiar broad smile spread across his face, bringing a little comfort with it.

“Yeah, she would.” His eyes took on a faraway look. “My Queenie would’ve told me straight up.” His hand reached out and settled on mine. “Gettin’ you back’s given me somethin’ to live for again, John. I'm not proud of the way I fell apart. Should’ve known my stubborn boy would dance to his own tune. You’re a chip off the old block, and one day, you’ll make a fine president. She would’ve been proud of ya.”

Something hit me in the solar plexus so hard that I flinched.

Mom was gone.

I’d never see her again.

A wave of emotion hit me like a tsunami, and tears welled in my eyes again. “Fuck!”

Dad smiled sadly. “She’s left a hole in my life that I’ll never plug. No woman will take her place, ‘cause, as far as I’m concerned, she’ll always be queen of my castle.”

My ribs grew tight across my lungs, and I rubbed at the ache in my heart. “I’m gonna miss her.”

Dad’s hand tagged my neck again and pulled me to him. “Cry it out. Get rid of it. You’ve got a battle ahead, John. Get the sorrow out so there’s only the love left behind. It’s what she would’ve wanted.”

So, I did. For the first time in all my years, me and my dad cried together. Then we reminisced and swapped stories about Mom for hours before crying some more.

It was crazy because I hardly gave Elise’s situation a second thought while I blubbered and reminisced with Dad. I was so secure in our love and commitment to each other that it didn’t occur to me that there was more at play.

Her situation was messed up, but she’d thought I was dead. It sickened me that Henderson had taken advantage of her in her grief. But once she discovered the truth, we’d be together again.

I had no doubt.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Stone ~ One Month Later

Somewhere in New Mexico

The first thing I noticed about her was her scent.

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