Page 75 of Riding the Edge

Swiping a hand over my face, my lips quirk and I swear I see a flash of a smile.

“The doctor says you’re almost ready to bust out of here.”

“Thank God,” he mumbles. “Kelly came by earlier. She told me what happened with Yankovich,” he says, crossing his arms. “I’m glad he’s out of the picture but, I really wanted a shot at the fuck.”

Yeah, he’s definitely mine.

“You’ll also be happy to know the president of my club paid me a visit yesterday and the son of a bitch took back my cut.”

Leaning forward, I place my elbows on my knees and stare at him.

“He found out I was your son and decided I wasn’t a good fit for the club. Apparently, the Satan’s Knights still have a reputation and he didn’t want to compromise the Devil’s Cross.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this—”

“Then don’t say it,” he interrupts. “You’re not going to change my mind, pop. I was born to ride and if the Devil’s Cross won’t give me a place in their club, I will find one that will.”

“Nico, I don’t want you following in my footsteps,” I tell him on a sigh. “It’s not a glamorous life. It’s hard on your mind, body, and soul. You’re young now but the years go by quick and before you know it, you’re my age, grasping at straws, trying to fill all the gaps riding has left behind. It’s a lonely fucking world without a promising future. Is that what you want for yourself?”

“I want the choice,” he replies. “I want to make my own decisions and suffer my own consequences. If it turns out to be a mistake, then I got no one to blame but myself. At least I’ll be able to say I lived for me and without regret.”

“You still might find you have regrets, son.”

“I can deal with that,” he replies. “But I don’t think either of us can deal with me resenting you for holding me back.”

He’s got a point.

“Enzo told me about the bowling fiasco,” he adds. “I’m kind of sorry I missed family day at the circus.”

Chuckling slightly, I shake my head as he smirks.

“Those little shits love to poke fun at their old man,” I say, crossing my arms as I cock my head and study him. His smile falters, and he holds my gaze for a moment.

“Let me be my own man, Dad,” he says.

Digesting his request, I blow out a ragged breath and for a moment I let my mind wander back to when he was a baby. I was fucking terrified of becoming a father. The thought of being responsible for another life was unsettling until the moment I held him in my arms. In that instant, everything I thought I was meant to do in this life seemed insignificant. I wasn’t born to ride, I was born to be his father, and he was born to teach me life isn’t measured in years but rather in moments.

This is one of those moments.

The moment when a father realizes his son is all grown up and the job of raising him has come to an end.

“If this is what you truly want, I will talk to Jack,” I say hoarsely.

“Really?”

Nodding, I sit up and lean back against the chair. His mother is going to kill me but having Nico prospect for my club is the way to go. Looks like I’m going to need to convince Jack to give me back my patch sooner than planned.

“Really,” I confirm, pushing myself off the chair. “Now, get some rest.”

“You’re leaving?”

“I just agreed to have you prospect for my club,” I tell him, walking for the door. “Your mother is going to have both our asses. Yours when she finds out you played her with a shopping spree and mine when she finds out I gave you my blessing to become a hoodlum. I’m going home to down a bottle of Jack Daniels.”

“Shit,” he cringes.

“Yeah,” I mutter. “We’re fucked,” I say, pulling open the door.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he calls, causing me to look over my shoulder. “Enzo also mentioned you and Maria Bianci have been doing the nasty.”

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