Page 113 of Stella
Calli growls, and while I wouldn’t object to Cash’s throat being ripped out right now for what he did, I tell her to stay.
“I got a DNA test today after I received some startling news about my father’s origins. At first, I didn’t believe it, but then I cast my mind back.” I try not to spit the words, but who really cares at this point? “My mom was your ol’ lady. She had a baby?—”
“That baby died!” Cash thumps his fist on the table. “And she took off with my brother. Turns out, she’d been seein’ him all along behind my back. The baby was his, not mine. She ran off before I even got the chance to find out if she was okay!”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I pull the test out from inside my jacket pocket and fling it at him. “I tested myself after I got another anonymous tip, and what do you know? You’re my biological dad, Cash, not Razor, not some other asshole.You.”
His eyes go wide as he stares at the papers, then at me. “No, that can’t be…”
“You don’t wanna believe it because you’re a bad fuckin’ liar.” I shake my head.
“I’m not a liar, Cale. Lauren told me she had lost the baby, and I believed her. Then I found out she was cheatin’ on me and I ended things. If I had known there was a slight possibility that she was still pregnant, I would’ve?—”
“Would’ve what? Come to rescue me?”
He’s shocked, I’ll give him that, but that doesn’t excuse any of this. “I didn’t know, and that’s the truth!”
Behind me, I feel Stella’s hands on my back. “Cale, hear him out.”
“No.” I shake my head. “He’s done enough damage.”
“I’ve done enough damage?” He points at himself. “What about your junkie mom? I cared about her. I loved her! She was the first ol’ lady I had, but she went over to the dark side. You may not wanna hear that, but it’s the truth. After her, I thought I’d never find love ever again. She took everythin’ from me, includin’ you, and somehow that’s my fault?”
Harlem and Tag suddenly barge through the doors, Ryder and Hawk on their tails.
“Step away,” Harlem orders. Then he does a double take. “Stella? Why do you have your hands on him?”
Stella turns to her dad and simply says; “We’ve been sneaking around. It’s only been a few weeks, and I know you’re gonna be disappointed in me, but I love him, Daddy. I’m sorry.”
Harlem stares at her like she’s grown another head and then blinks as he shifts his gaze to me.Wait, she loves me?
“What the fuck?” Harlem moves toward me. “Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me?”
“H, you can punch me all you like, but while Calli is here, she will protect me even without my command,” I tell him, moving in front of my dog, who’s growling and baring her teeth. “So back off, because I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Meget hurt?” He stops in his tracks. “How long has this been goin’ on?”
“Like I said, a few weeks.” Stella tugs the back of my jacket, ducking under my arm.
I pull her in front of me, my arm around her shoulders. “I love her too, and nobody is gonna stop us being together,” I say. “Not you. Not this club. Nobody.”
Harlem gapes, literally lost for words as he turns a new shade of purple with rage.
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” Tag mutters. “I knew somethin’ was up with the two of you.”
Harlem turns to his friend. “You did and you didn’t say shit?”
“I’ve been watchin’ her like a hawk, but she’s sneaky,” Tag goes on.
“Enough!” Cash shouts. “All of you out, I need to get my head around this.”
“Hey, it’s my kid!” Harlem shouts back. “If I’d been in charge of her prospectin’ this wouldn’t have happened.”
Tag raises an eyebrow. “You sayin’ I did a bad job?”
“Not about that, about Cale Callaghan bein’ my kid!” Cash blurts.
The entire room goes silent.
