Page 95 of Protector

“Only one of us in this room has any motherfuckin’ sense when it comes to runnin’ a club,” I snarled. “And that sure as fuck ain’t you, boy. No, you’re too damn preoccupied with where your next lay and drink are coming from to see the big picture. Now, I’m shellin’ out a lot of cash to someone who isn’t putting the club first. You care to remind me why?”

There was no fear in his eyes, only lust for a fight, as he shoved me back. It was like looking into a mirror. I straightened my shirt and rubbed at my face, wondering why I was wasting my breath.

He was twenty-seven now.

The time for talking sense into him had come and gone years ago.

“You’re damn right I’m not putting the club first. Wanna know why? Because I work for the city, asshole. My loyalty lies with the police department, first and foremost. If your club goes against that; well, then guess what, fucker? You’re going against me too. You’re gonna need more than one detective to keep all that illegal shit buried. Damn, I don’t know that even an entire police force could help you now.”

I ran a hand over my face and cracked my knuckles, resisting the urge to lay hands on him. Whatever it was Celia had imagined happening between us, I was pretty damn sure this wasn’t it. “Is that right? So, as long as the club was keepin’ your illegal shit buried it was fine, but you’re not willing to return the favor?”

Mikey’s eyes narrowed in defiance before he grabbed another liquor bottle, taunting me as he tipped it back with a grin. “I’m out, Grey. I’ve got no interest in covering up for you anymore.”

He was my son.

I loved him.

I was gonna send him screaming to the Reaper.

I lowered myself into the chair and retrieved my cigar from the small table, popping it into the corner of my mouth like Kate had done with her pacifier as a baby. “You’re done? No talkin’ you into staying?”

He grinned down at me condescendingly. “Nope. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a redhead waiting for me downstairs. And I’d really like it if you weren’t here by the time we make it back upstairs.”

I wanted to jump up from the chair again and throttle the shit out of him, but I wasn’t my old man. I refused to lay a hand on my kid when I was angry.

Instead, I leaned back and pasted a fake smile onto my face. “Already found yourself another one. Well, it never takes long with you, does it? Imagine how good you could be if you didn’t think with your dick all the time.”

He preened in front of the mirror like a goddamn peacock before responding with a terse, “Fuck you, Grey.”

I laughed in spite of myself. “Yeah, that’s about what I expected. Just remember, I came here as a warning, and I’m not known for repeatin’ myself.”

The kid had some brass balls on him. I’d fucked with Wolverine on occasion, but never outright defied him, knowing it was a good way to end up on the wrong side of a bullet.

As if punctuating his complete disregard for the club and all that had been done for him, the motherfucker rolled his eyes and walked away. “Whatever you say, Grey. Whatever you say.”

The sound of the door slamming shut behind him had me jumping up, ready to lay into him again.

Fuck the consequences.

I no longer gave a fuck how long it took. I was going to beat sense into his thick skull.

The elevator doors closed just as I got to them, and I punched the metal with a low growl. “Fuck.”

“Sounds like that went well.”

I turned to see Celia leaned against the wall, fighting to keep a straight face.

“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him,” I snapped. “Don’t try to talk me out of it!”

She patted my arm softly, no longer fighting the grin that was stretching across her face. “Welcome to parenthood—”

“No,” I cut her off. “Don’t give me that welcome to parenthood bullshit. Kid outright defied me, Celia. Did it with a fuckin’ smile on his face too. Little shit suddenly thinks he knows more than me as if he’s been runnin’ the show this entire goddamn time!”

Biting the inside of her cheek, she led me into the elevator, deadpanning, “I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like for you.”

“Wait,” I said, just as the doors closed. “This shit is normal? They all act like assholes?”

She nodded. “I’m afraid so—”

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