Page 58 of Steal

I sigh and admit, “Cherry decided to fuck up at Huntsman Angels.” The brothers look at me with a frown. “She offered a customer a ride in the back room for $1,000, and he happened to be a Fed.” The brothers curse. “I managed to prove, with footage, that we don’t condone shit like that, and she has never done it before, but I had to shut the place down for a few days while they investigated. The bitch is lucky she didn’t get arrested.”

“How come we’re only just finding out?” Pitbull asks, curiosity lacing his tone.

I groan, “Because my woman is a pain in the fucking ass.”

Pitbull furrows his brows before his eyes widen as he puts two and two together, then suddenly grins, already realizing she had something to do with it.

Cannon, not putting two and two together questions, “What does Cass have to do with us not being informed?”

I glare his way and snap, “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because she’s the one who called the Feds to begin with, and somehow convinced Cherry to offer the man sexual favors for money, so I’ve been spending my days trying not to kill her or fuck her, while cleaning her mess up because of her little tricks lately.”

Acid spits out his water over the table in shock while the brothers look at me like she’s lost the plot, and Cannon stutters, “She-she’s trying to get you to kick her out again?”

I nod. “The woman is doing everything she can to drive me away, but she’s fucking failing because I’ll never let her go. I just didn’t have time to fill you brothers in. The woman is pushing my buttons, and honestly, she’s giving Annalise a run for her fucking money. Yesterday, she allowed our daughter to paintmy home office pink and purple; the floor, the walls, my desk covered, with added glitter for effect.”

Everyone looks at me in utter amazement that she’s not willing to give me a second chance yet. Even though I’ve ensured all my time is spent with her and our daughter, they have to realize that I deserve this treatment. I have to ride it out.

Piston laughs and then asks, “Oh God, was she the one who set off glitter cannons at the club yesterday and filled the pantry with foam?”

I groan again. “Yes, she was, and we all blamed Annalise until I got home to see her smirking, and when I went to my side of the closet was covered in glitter, and let’s not forget the coffee she made me with salt instead of sugar, and the phones calls I’ve been receiving from men and women asking for a good time, and the gay porn magazines that have been coming to the club every day.”

The brothers are quiet for a moment before they burst out in laughter, but I shake my head. “It’s something I need to put up with, something I know I deserve,” I admit. “And I still have a long road ahead to grovel, to show her that she will always be my priority, her and our daughter. It’ll just take time.”

And time is something I must give.

Having her back in my sights, and knowing we have a daughter, fuck me, is it gut-wrenching to realize I failed them over the years.

“Haven’t you told her why you did what you did? Why you put the club, put Faith first?” Anchor questions with confusion.

These men are fucking clueless when it comes to women.

I nod. “I have, and she understands it; she’s just deciding to put herself first as she should. She’s made a life for herself outside of this club. She’s raised our daughter alone. It doesn’t matter why I chose Faith or the club. I took her for granted. I missed her graduation, her dad’s death anniversaries, our anniversaries, our dates I fucking planned, all because I was scared about failing the club, scared about failing my dad.”

“You expected her to always be there because you made it clear she was the one having your cut,” Piston adds, and I nod.

“Yeah,” I admit, “and I was an idiot. Now, if she wants to make life hell for a little while, then fine, I’ll take it. I won’t lose her or my daughter.”

“What more is it going to take for her to forgive you, forgive us? We’re there for her every day; a different brother goes to the hospital with her and tries to talk to her, but she’s closed off.” Cannon remarks.

I shrug. “I don’t know. The Cassidy from four years ago is different than the Cassidy now. She’s not a pushover, and is unwilling to accept ‘I’m sorry’; she’s still hurt, and I don’t blame her, but I think she’ll forgive you brothers before she even considers forgiving me.”

“Doesn’t help that you’re holding her hostage,” Acid mumbles with a smirk, and I narrow my eyes at him, making him chuckle.

“Also, it doesn’t help that you won’t allow her to spend one-on-one time with ‘Uncle Tanner,’ as Moira calls him, according to Nat, anyway…” Piston adds, and I roll my eyes as the men chuckle.

“When do we get to meet her?” Anchor adds.

I shrug. “When Cassidy feels comfortable allowing the brothers near her. While Cass is working, I’ll stay at home with her and work from home in my newly painted pink and purple office, but I’m not going to push my luck by bringing Moira to the club; we need to go at Cassy’s pace right now.”

The brothers all nod, and I sigh. Looking at the paperwork, I state, “Right, The Huntsmen Angels is back in business; Cherry has been demoted to bartender instead of dancer, though apparently, my lovely woman withdrew nearly three grand out of my account so, by the time she goes back to a dancing, it’ll be like she was never demoted.” The brothers snort. “We should easily make the money back within the month. And as for Katie,” I look at Pitbull who’s taking over management for the place, “give her a warning. She fucks up one more time she’s gone.” He nods. I look at Acid. He gives me a smile.

“She’s good,” he confirms, and I nod with relief, and he gives me a smile.

I know Perrie’s struggling with being pregnant; she’s scared she’ll lose this baby as karma for getting revenge on her rapists, but she won’t.

That baby will be one lucky child.

“Alright, if that is it, Piston, you need to get back to your wife before she strangles you for being gone for too long. She messaged me before church that you need to be back at your house within the hour.” I look at him, and he grins and admits, “She’s tired….”

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