Chris must have doped my beer. I’m tripping out. Nothing has made sense since I got up to hear Dad’s shit speech.
“Are you okay?” Rogue’s soft voice irks me. She leans over me with her hand out like I’m a frightened child.
“I’m fine,” I snap. “Just caught off guard,” I defend, smacking her hand away and getting to my feet, swiping dirt from my shorts. “I knew you were hiding something from me.” Pointing to the table and then Monster, I say, “Is this some freaky torture kink you two are into?”
She has the guile to look offended. “You really think I’d cheat on Callan? And with a brother, of all people?”
“I don’t know.” I throw my hands up, letting them collapse against my thighs. “I thought I knew you, but here you are with a massive knife and a man tied to a table in a weird horror house fifty feet from where we sleep.”
“It’s actually a hundred and seven feet from here to the clubhouse,” Monster points out, like I give a flying fuck about the facts right now. “I’m going to take his hands for not playing nice.”
Heat rises up Rogue’s neck and spreads to her cheeks. “I didn’t want to involve you in this.”
“What is this? Does Callan know this man is here? Does my dad?”
“No. And that’s another reason why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you put in a position where you had to hide my secrets.”
“You don’t trust me.” Folding my arms, my back straightens. I let the irritation and resentment speak through my glare.
“That’s not what I said. You’re twisting my words.” Blood from the knife drips down her leg to her sandal. I can’t stop staring at the crimson trail. She stabbed him effortlessly. She’s not rattled by it or scared. Spilling blood isn’t new to her.
My eyes close and open slowly as exhaustion bleeds into my bones. Burning aches my eyes. “This isn’t club business, is it?” I ask what I already know the answer to.
“No.” She hitches a shoulder and smiles sadly. “But there is a reason for it.”
“And what is that?” I demand. If she doesn’t tell me, I’m done. I need honesty. At least from her. I fucking want it from her.
Swiping at a falling tear on her cheek with the hand still gripping the blade, she says, “Harley.”
CHAPTER 31
BABY
CUTTER
“We’re pregnant.”
I stiffen, not sure I heard her correctly. A snap of nervous energy cracks up my spine like an iron whip. What the fuck is she doing? Blindsiding me in a last attempt to dig her nails in?
The floor drops out from underneath me as my heart slams into overdrive.
Darting my eyes to where I left Kitty seconds ago, fury and confusion burn through my bones, twisting my gut. Her face, even from a distance, appears ashen. Turning from me, she retreats, disappearing from view. My pounding heart gains momentum, churning the blood in my veins.
Fuck no.I’m not letting this happen. Yanking from Claire’s grip, I take a step forward to find Kit when Pres’s hand lands firmly on my shoulder, squeezing to the point of pain, making his feelings really fucking clear. “Well, that is big news.” He guffaws, steering me into the crowd of brothers and their ol’ ladies wanting to congratulate us. Claire rubs a hand over her stomach, putting on a damn show.
The sun must have gotten to her head. “She’s not pregnant,” I say loud enough to carry over the noise. “One’s enough. She’s kidding.” I try to play it off, but I must be fucking mute because no one is listening.
“Excuse us,” I say to Pres as I march toward Diamond, Claire’s heels click-clacking beside me, hurrying to keep up.
“Di, would you keep an eye on Rocco for me?”
“Sure.” She looks me up and down with disdain. “I’ll get him some food.”
“Nothing fried,” Claire interjects.
“Give him whatever the fuck he wants,” I snap. Grabbing Claire’s arm, I jerk her toward the clubhouse, ignoring the wide eyes of ol’ ladies whispering to each other. As soon as the door closes behind us, I ram her against the wall, stabbing my finger in her face. “You better be fucking drunk. What the hell was that?” I bark.
Holding her hands up in mock surrender, she breathes heavily, pushing her words past her lips with force. “It needed to be done. We’re a family, Liam. We’ve been through a lot, and I’m not giving that up. You know you can’t be with her but she has a hold on you. Now, she’ll let you go. It worked before.”