Page 11 of Nines's Time

“You’re her daughter?”

“Yes,” I breathe, lying to give him the answer he’s looking for. Though in truth it’s me I’m deceiving. I’ve told myself for years that Libby wasn’t my mother. That the woman who had me ran away when I was seven and didn’t ever come back. But in truth, that’s when she died.

Sniper doesn’t need to know all of this; it’s why I keep it simple with a one-word answer and not go into detail about the past. It’s not like he doesn’t know for himself. There’s no hiding the fact I’m Libby’s daughter and I should have known it would be a bad idea to come to this town. Then again, I thought no one would have remembered the woman who gave birth to me or the vile man who impregnated her.

“Fuck,” Sniper rasps gruffly, shaking his head before walking out the door, having gotten the answer he was looking for.

Rain comes forward and places a hand on either side of my arms. “Don’t worry child, you’re within family now.”

“No, I’m not,” I whisper giving her a look of denial. “Families are known only to hurt those they’re supposed to cherish and protect. I’ll never be within a family again. I have only me and that’s all I need.”

“The thought you think that you don’t need anyone, Meadow, makes my heart ache for you,” Rain says gingerly, reaching up to place the palm of her hand against my cheek. “No one should be without having those around who care for them. And I’ll tell you now, if my Sniper knew you’d existed, then he would have made sure to be a part of your life. To make sure you knew Nerd, his son. I’ll give you a heads-up, though, he’s most likely on the phone with Nerd now, so be prepared for your cousin to be coming to meet you.”

Before I can protest, Rain spins on her heels and rushes after Sniper, leaving me with her words ringing in my head.

CHAPTEREIGHT

SNIPER

This is bullshit.

Complete and utter bullshit.

“Sniper,” Rain calls out, but I don’t have it in me to look back to my woman.

Never in my life have I loved a woman as much as I do her. I’d do anything for her, including dying. She’s my damn world, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t care for another. Not in the sense that I do for Rain. Nowhere near it, but I cared for Libby. She was my son’s aunt, and you could tell she adored my son. I want to think sometimes she loved Nerd more than even myself.

Libby and Nerd’s mom, Linda, were close, and we’d all grown up together. The two of them and several others, including a few members of the club. My family was somewhat dysfunctional, but mainly that had to do with my cousins, Adam, David, and Johnathan. They were a little out there, but still, they were a part of the group of friends we’d all been back then.

Of course, we all ended up going our separate ways for the most part. I’d been with Linda, and we ended up having Nerd. A few years later, Linda up and left and when she did Libby disappeared. No one knew where she’d gone. I was a part of the club, but I’d reached out to my cousins to ask if they’d heard anything about her.

Eventually, I gave up the search, figuring it was pointless. But now, I know the truth. She’s dead and something horrible had to have happened to her beforehand. There’s no other way to put it.

“Sniper, honey,” Rain murmurs soothingly.

Taking a deep breath, I glance down to the woman who holds my heart in her hands. “Rain,” I murmur, turning to pull her in my arms, feeling things for the girl who’s just entered all our lives. She’s scared out of her mind, that’s surely something anyone can see with their own two eyes. But more than that, the way she seems to be haunted by demons of her own makes it even harder. I don’t know what Meadow has been through. I don’t think anyone will until she decides to let someone into that part of her life and trust them unconditionally with the truth of what’s happened to her in the past.

“She’ll be okay.” Rain leans her head against my chest and holds me to her.

If not for this woman, I don’t know what I’d do without her.

“Yeah, she will be.” I nod, agreeing with my woman. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“She’s scared.”

“I know,” I rasp, closing my eyes. I’d heard what Meadow said to Rain as I walked away. She thinks she doesn’t need anyone, but she’ll find out soon enough what having a family really means. She’ll learn the difference between what she said when she gets to know the rest of us.

Meadow might not be my niece by blood, but I cared for her mother, and I’ll make sure she knows she has nothing to fear here.

“I think you need to have Keys and Nerd look into her past and see what they can find out.”

“Keys is already on it,” I grumble. “He’s coming up blank so far, but I’m sure he’ll have something for me soon.”

Nodding, Rain leans back and meets my gaze. “Then let’s go home and see if I can’t help you relax some,” she says, giving me a suggestive look. I grin, liking the way she thinks.

If there’s one thing about my woman, she’s always got a way of making me get my mind off the troubles causing turmoil in my head, and those ways always include her and her sweet body.

* * *

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