“Yeah, Sugar. I know that,” he told me with a nod, moving forward to wrap his arms around my stiff body. “But those thoughts aren’t gonna help anyone. He fucked up, it’s over. Man’s gotta get his head in the game—that girl in there needs him to be a man, not some pussy that can’t get over the guilt he’s feeling. She needs him to take care of shit—and there wasn’t any way he was gonna be able to do that acting like he was last night.”

I let his words sink in, deciding that they made a weird sort of sense.

“But what was that shit about respect?” I asked incredulously. “You really believe that?”

He sighed and was quiet for a minute before meeting my eyes. “I have never in my life agreed with a man putting his hands on a woman. I stop that shit when I can, and it burns me when I can’t. But the club has a set of rules, Callie,” he told me while I rolled my eyes. “No, don’t do that shit. Let me finish. We have our own laws that we live by, that we choose to live by when we decide to become a part of this life. If we didn’t, shit would be anarchy—brothers ratting each other out, stabbing each other in the back—no loyalty. You understand what I’m telling you?”

“I understand the words coming out of your mouth, but it still sounds like bullshit,” I answered petulantly, crossing my arms over my chest.

He huffed in amusement. “It may sound like bullshit to you, but it’s the way we survive. Echo beating the shit outta Gator could have got him in deep shit. He’s got no claim on her.”

“But they’ve been together for like a year!”

“Yeah, Sugar, but he never claimed her. Farrah didn’t want that shit—told Echo that she didn’t want that life.” He shook his head. “His hands were tied.”

“Okay,” I replied softly, trying to process his words, “but what happens now?”

“I made some calls. Knew Farrah’s mom sounded familiar, couldn’t remember how. I remember now.” He raised his hand to my face. “Farrah’s dad is on his way here, Calliope. You need to brace because shit is gonna get worse before it gets better.”

My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my head at his revelation, and I opened my mouth and closed it again before I could find my tongue.

“What? She doesn’t even know who her dad is! Why would you do that?” I gasped, scared as hell at what Farrah’s reaction would be.

“Sugar, Echo’s hands are tied.” He leaned down and gave me a fierce kiss before raising his head again. “Slider’s hands are not.”

Chapter 46

Callie

The day passed slowly for everyone in the house, but especially for me as I worried about the imminent arrival of Farrah’s dad. Apparently he was the president of Asa’s club, the married president. The fact that he’d been married for over twenty-five years didn’t endear me to the man, but I made myself hold all judgment until I saw how he treated Farrah.

He’d been gone her entire life, contributing no more than a sleazy orgasm with Farrah’s disgusting mom, but the fact that he was coming to Sacramento for her gave me hope that he had some redeeming qualities. I just prayed that Farrah wouldn’t completely lose it when he introduced himself.

I heard them before I saw them.

The apartment was filled with a loud roar of bikes, to the point of rattling a mason jar sitting on the windowsill. It startled me until I looked at Asa who wore a satisfied smile on his face. He opened up the front door before anyone could knock, and suddenly my home was filled with at least ten very large men. They weren’t quiet in their greetings, and a sound from my bedroom had me rushing away from the group toward Farrah.

“What’s going on?” she asked me quietly, as Echo rose from his place next to her.

“Grease called in reinforcements,” I answered her with a grim smile.

“Why are you calling him Grease? You never call him Grease,” she replied, her nose scrunched in confusion for only a second before she was wincing and raising her hand to her face.

“He’s Asa to me,” I told her ruefully, climbing into Echo’s deserted spot. “But today, he’s definitely Grease.”

We sat on my bed as Echo wandered into the living room, and I grabbed her hand as my heart raced. It took them longer to make their way to my room than I thought it would, and by the time they did, Farrah was leaning heavily against my side with her head on my shoulder.

Asa led a man I’d never met into the room, and I braced, only to relax a little when I saw Poet come in behind them. It was nice to see a familiar face, and I couldn’t help but smile when he winked at me from behind the others.

“Farrah—” Asa rumbled, but his words were cut off by the girl at my side.

“Hey, Pop. What are you doing in my neck of the woods?” she called out cockily.

I watched in awe as three pairs of eyes opened wide and the man in front cleared his throat nervously.

“You know who I am?” he asked, tipping his head to the side as he studied her.

“Mom has a picture of you,” she answered flatly. “You look a lot older, your shit’s gone gray, but yeah, I know who you are.”

He looked at a loss for words as he stared at her, eventually taking steps closer to the bed. With every inch, Farrah’s hand tightened on mine beneath the blankets at our hips, but she showed no other display of nervousness.

“I’m gonna make this right for you,” he told her, his eyes intent on her face.