“We have clothes at our apartment. Just take me home and I’ll have stuff to put on her there,” I protest.
“Not happening, lil mama,” he chuckles with a slight shake of his head.
“And why the hell not?” I demand.
“For several reasons, Parker. Last night your brother started a war with us by not only killing your sitter in that apartment but taking your daughter. Your apartment isn’t secure enough for you to live in. It wasn’t good enough before shit went down last night but I’d been trying to give you time to grow comfortable with me rather than me up and moving your ass out of there. You’re here at the clubhouse because it’s safer for the both of you to be here rather than in that slum that needs to be condemned,” Cane states.
Tears prick at my eyes, Cane might not understand this, but his words cut deep right then, making me feel as if I were a failure in keeping my daughter safe.
“Don’t cry, Parker. I’m not trying to upset you,” Cane sighs.
“Well, you’re doing a good job of it,” I mutter and pull myself out of his arms. “I mean do you know how hard it is to be a single parent? To work your butt off and the only thing you want to do is provide for your child? I work, as much as possible for Piper, to give her everything she needs. I go without so my daughter doesn’t. I can’t even get the medicine I need for myself because it’s an expense I can’t afford right now. I . . .”
“What medicine? The club provides insurance for all the dancers, you should be able to get your meds without issue,” Cane states, interrupting me.
Ugh, I hate being interrupted.
“Yeah, they do provide insurance but when it comes to not having money to go to the doctor, to cover the full bill of lab work and then having to cover the cost of the medicine itself they don’t do all of that. It takes money to get all of that done. Money, I don’t have and need for my daughter. She’s more important to me,” I state.
“What’s the medication for?”
“Not your concern,” I mutter.
“Parker, I won’t ask again. What’s the medicine for?” he growls irritably.
Good, get frustrated with me. Maybe then he’ll leave me alone.
“Like I said it’s not your concern what it’s for,” I snap and turn away from him. I need to get my daughter situated with something to wear and then get her some food.
“Mommy, hungee,” Piper pipes in. She’s always hungry and is like a bottomless pit.
“Alright, squirt, let’s get you fed then,” Cane announces. I turn around long enough to see him pull out a shirt from a drawer.
“Yay!” she squeals, throwing her arms up causing Cane to chuckle as I smile.
Cane stretches his arm out to hand me the shirt. “Don’t think this conversation is over, lil mama, we’re gonna talk later and when we do it will be alone. And after we talk you’re gettin’ your spankin’.”
Oh my.
Um.
The fire in his eyes send a shiver straight down my spine all the way to my core.
Cane could very well be my undoing.
I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not right about now. My body likes the thought of him spanking me. The little slut within craves it. Whereas the sensible part of me wants to run for the hills knowing he causes this reaction within me.
If he has his way, I’m screwed two ways to Sunday.
Sighing, I take the shirt from Cane and put it on Piper. Of course, it swallows her up and hangs off her tiny shoulders but at least now she’s in more than just a towel.
Piper giggles and looks from me to Cane. “Daddy?” she asks curiously as she doesn’t know who her father really is.
“Yeah, babygirl, that’s me,” Cane states as I open my mouth to tell her the truth.
My eyes wide I meet his. I swear if he doesn’t stop, I’m going to wring his neck.
“Lil mama, if she wants me to be her dad then so be it. Already told you I’ll be in both your lives and this just seals the deal,” he chuckles with the sexiest grin in place.
Damn him.
He’s making this so freaking hard to deny him and myself both.
Chapter Eight
Cane
There is something to be said about a woman wanting to protect her child. Parker has done everything in her power to keep Piper safe and happy. In doing so she’s neglected herself in the process.
Once Parker and Piper were seated at the table with a plate of food, Parker’s filled to the brim with as much as I could get on it, I sat with the both of them to make sure my woman ate enough to satisfy me. I’m not able to watch her starve herself. Not when I can stop her.
While the two of them finish eating, I send a text message to Aries one of the prospects. Cyprus and Fist just got their patches not too long ago and Aries will be getting his soon. I should give this job to one of the two new prospects but since Aries has been around the longest, I trust him not to screw up getting the things on the list.
“Hey, brother, you good?” Whip asks, coming to sit next to me.
Nodding, I glance to Parker to find her gawking at my brother. I’d be surprised if she hadn’t at nearly seven-foot tall and one massive fucker everyone looks to my brother. Since he got out of the military, he’s grown his hair out some on top while still keeping the sides cut close. “I’m good, Whip, what are you doing here? I thought you’d be at the garage or construction company.”
Venom and Whip opened the construction company and have the club as an investor. I gotta admit they keep those boys busy. Whip and Venom both know a thing or two about structures and making sure a building is solid. I’ve even gone out there to help out sometimes when they need it but I mainly help out with providing security at one of our bars.
“Naw, not today. I’m actually gonna be heading down to see my sister this afternoon.” He shrugs.
“What’s up with her?” I ask. I know Whip loves his sister but it’s not like him to up and go down there without a reason. Sure, they’ve grown closer since the truth came out about her life and I felt for my brother during that time. He’d nearly lost it and finding out his sister was under the hands of those assholes who we took out a while ago set him off.
If the man didn’t have the control he does, my brother would probably be in prison for murder.
“The twins’ birthday is coming up and I promised them I’d be there,” he says, giving me one of his wicked grins. Fucker’s gonna go down there and cause some trouble, I can see it now.
“Cool deal, did you hear about the shit that happened down there that they’re dealing with? They ever find what’s her name?”
“No, according to Ryder, they have a clue and a few of the members of the Inferno’s Clutch MC were heading out. From what I gather they believe she’s somewhere in Montana near the Canadian border,” Whip mutters.
Shaking my head, I let out a long whistle. That’s a long way away from Louisiana. “I hope they find her. How’s Fuse holding up?”
“Don’t know,” my brother mutters once more and gives me a grimace letting me know Fuse isn’t doing well at all.
Fuck. I wish I could help them find his woman. And she is his woman whether he wants to admit it or not. She means something to him.