“Yeah, it’s messed up. I’ve fallen for a woman who is the mother of a club member’s kid. It’s not going to be easy. Shit is going to happen in our lives.”
“I want to leave Fort Wills,” she said. Her cheeks were a rosy, red hue.
He shook his head. “We can’t leave.”
“I want nothing to do with Alex or for Matthew to get involved with the crew. I’ve heard all the gossip. I can’t have that for my son.”
“I’m not asking you to. I’m not going back to the club, but we can’t leave Fort Wills. Alex and all of them will come hunting for us. We’re best staying here, fighting our pitch. I’m not going anywhere, and you shouldn’t be running away either.” He kissed the top of her head. His c**k responded to the instant hit of lust.
Clearing his throat, he looked past her shoulder in order to gain some control over his rioting emotions. He wanted to take her away, but he knew the club wouldn’t allow that to happen. Matthew was part of The Skulls, whether Cheryl liked it or not.
“We’re going to have to talk to him at some time.”
“Who?”
“Alex. The bastard is his father. We can’t keep them apart.” He spoke the words out of gritted teeth. He hated giving Alex anything, least of all the boy.
Cheryl pulled away. “No, I’m not going to do that. I can’t let Matthew get his hopes up. Alex doesn’t stay in the same place, does he? I can’t let Matthew get too attached if he’s not going to stick around. Matthew deserves a father.”
“No, Alex doesn’t stay in one place. I’ll deal with him, and I’ll make sure we’ve got some kind of guarantee from him or something. I’ll fix this.”
Her son called out putting an end to the conversation.
“I’ll be back in a second.” She left him.
Butch admired the sway of her h*ps as she walked out of the room. Standing up, he made his way toward the back needing the fresh air. The moment he opened the door his cell phone rang. He was surprised he got to spend time with Cheryl and Matthew before someone called him.
“What the hell is going on?” Lash asked, the instant he accepted the call.
“Who phoned you?”
“Nash. My brother is keeping me up to date on everything. Is it true? Is Alex a father and he abandoned that woman?” Lash sounded angry.
“It’s all true.” The Skulls were a family. They took care of each other, but they’re loyalty was going to be tested when a member left a child behind. Tiny had some rules to keep everyone protected. Alex had f**ked up big time.
“Fuck, this is not going to go well. You want her for your own, don’t you?”
“There’s no question about it. Cheryl is my woman, and I’m not giving her up just because Alex has come out of the woodwork and demanded his rights.” He stopped as he started to yell. “This is all f**ked up.” Butch rubbed at his eyes feeling the beginning of the headache he was about to get.
“I’m going to come home. Shit is about to hit the fan, and I’m not in the mood to be kept in the dark.”
“No, you’re not coming back. Angel deserves this vacation. You’ve put it off for a long time. Enjoy being away from all the drama. There will be plenty of it when you get back.”
Lash sighed. “Why can’t you guys not find trouble for a few months?”
Butch laughed. “I’m not even part of the club, and there’s drama hitting me.”
“You’re part of the club, Butch. You’re never going to get out that easily. We’ve all got enemies. You know the danger.” Lash was serious.
“Not me. I’ve kept my nose clean.” Apart from the Gonzalez connection, Butch hadn’t caused any more trouble.
“You’re an idiot if you think that. The club is for life. You know that.”
Closing his eyes, he listened to the quiet of the night. “Don’t, Lash.”
“We’ve all caused problems in our time. The Skulls is a family, and we keep each other’s back. Leaving is not an option. Our enemies will hurt you, Butch. You’re a weak link. This is going to have to stop. You’re going to have to take the jacket and come back to the club.”
Butch hadn’t made the decision to leave easily. It had taken him weeks, even months before he made the final decision. Remembering the pain of his past, and thinking about Cheryl in that position had cleared everything in his mind. He couldn’t pursue Cheryl with the risk posed by the club.
“I’m not going back. Any danger I can take care of.”
“You’re being an ass**le on purpose. This is not your call. We do things as a f**king team, a family. You’re going to get yourself, your woman, and that innocent young boy killed. Do you want all of their deaths on your conscience?”
Pulling the phone away from his ear, he closed it up. He couldn’t listen to Lash berate him. Any danger his woman was in, Butch would take care of.
“Butch?”
He spun around to find her leaning against the kitchen doorway.
“What’s the matter, baby?”
“I heard the call. If it’s dangerous then I’m going to need to know, and I’m going to need to know now,” she said.
She looked petrified.
“There’s no danger. You’ve got to trust me. Lash was just being his usual, alarming self. His woman has been in the line of fire too often. It scared him.”
“You’re not lying to me, are you?” she asked.
“No, I’m not lying.”
You’re an ass**le. You don’t have the first clue what’s going on. Anything could happen, and you wouldn’t know it.
He wrapped his arms around her, inhaling her scent. Closing his eyes, he walked back in the house.
“Go on upstairs and get ready for bed. I’m going to lock up.”
She didn’t argue with him. Cheryl made her way upstairs as he closed up the house, locking the doors, checking the windows on his way upstairs. When he got to Matthew’s door, he checked on the boy before going into Cheryl’s room. She didn’t look shocked to see him.
“We’re not going to have sex. I simply want to hold you, baby. Is that okay?”
“I want to be held.” She pulled the blanket off one side of her bed. Butch had never been with a woman to hold her. When he got a bitch in bed, he f**ked her brains out, taking what he wanted before moving on to the next available cunt.