Chapter 8

Remy

This morning I'm running later than normal. After taking Maddie home last night, I had to go work some protection for the Wet Wanda's girls, a strip club the MC has interest in, as they left. Now I'm helping Drew by working the morning hours of his shift at Walker's Wheels so he can go with his wife and kids to a doctor's appointment. Dragging ass doesn't even begin to describe how I'm feeling.

Today I'm planning on having a talk with Liam, ya know, to get the whole situation with Tatum out in the open, and I'm hoping I've made the right decision. Even tired as fuck, I hope I can articulate the words to explain to him how much his daughter means to me.

"You're running late today." Denise, Liam's wife, laughs as she's cleaning up the dishes from the early morning breakfast.

"I know." I run my hand over my tired eyes. "It was a long night, and I don't want to be late for Drew's shift."

"Since you're covering for his son, I would hope my husband gives you a few minutes. You want anything?" She nods toward what little food is left on the table. Her words remind me that Liam and Denise have a marriage where they share aspects of their lives with each other. Goals for Tatum and I if we can get this shit sorted out.

"Nah, just coffee."

I quickly make it, waving at her as I take a drink and grab my phone from my pocket, texting Harper as I walk out to the garage to let her know I won't be there this morning. As I'm about to straddle my bike, a black envelope with metallic pink writing on the front catches my attention. Propped on the handlebars, it stops me in my tracks.

I'd know that writing anywhere. Looks like Tatum's paid me a visit. The grin on my face is one of amazement knowing she got up early. Knowing her well means knowing she normally gets up twenty minutes before she has to be at work – I can count on one hand how many breakfasts I've seen her at – and the clubhouse is twenty minutes from her apartment. Which means she got up at least an hour early to get this out to me. This is important to her.

The physical reaction I have isn't one I expected. My stomach flips, my hands shake, and a rivulet of sweat (even in the cool air of winter) makes its way down my back under my thermal shirt. Grabbing the envelope and flipping it over takes forever. I run my finger under the seal and take a breath before I lean back against my bike to read the words she's written.

Bedroom eyes

Muscular thighs

Smooth lips

Kisses like sips

Remy, with you my heart flew

Fuckin' missed you too

Don't judge…sips rhymed.

The smile threatens to break my face apart. Happiness like I haven't felt, since I'm not sure when, maybe ever, gives me a light feeling. The tightness in my shoulders that's pressed down for so long isn't there as I take a breath.

The most cleansing, easiest, and deepest breath I can remember ever taking.

* * *

"You wanted to see me?"

That breath is coming a bit more labored now as I sit in front of Liam Walker, preparing to tell him I want to date his daughter. We have to do this right this time. We have to give it our attention and our respect if we want it to work. What we did last time? It was fucking stupid, and we both hurt each other in ways we're lucky are repairable.

"Yeah." I do my best not to appear nervous, but I am. I've never in my life met the dad in any kind of capacity like this. Which proves to me how important Tatum is to my life. How much Liam's approval means to me.

"Are you okay?" His blue eyes, so much like his daughter's, are worried as they rake over my body, seeming to look for injuries or something of that nature.

"Nervous," I admit, running my hands along my jean-clad thighs.

"Then go ahead and spit it out, son."

"I will, just hear me out. That's all I'm asking."

Liam shifts in his seat, and I worry that he's losing patience with me, so I go in with everything I have.

"Last year, Tatum and I had a flirtation. We ended up hurting each other in a bad way, and long story short, we haven't spoken in the last year up until a few days ago. We're working through what it was that caused the friction, and I want to do it right this time. I want to ask for your permission as her dad and my pres to date her. At my age, sneaking around holds zero appeal, and I respect both of you greatly."

"So if I say no, what does that mean to you?" Liam leans forward, folding his hands in front of him, forming a fist.

"It means I respect your decision, but I don't know if I can follow through with it. I want your permission and blessing, but my life has been a dark place since she and I had a falling out. I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel, Liam."

He's quiet for a few minutes, before he runs his hands through hair that's still long, thick, and black as night. "You're the reason she's not been herself in so long?"

I'll take the blame on that. If I hadn't pushed her away, she wouldn't have pushed me, and we wouldn't have ended up where we are now. "Yeah, I pushed her away, and she reacted badly."

Liam chuckles, a smile spreading across his face. "I can imagine. The traits that make her such a great person are the same traits that make me want to take her over my knee and spank her – even as an adult. I think maybe she didn't get in trouble enough as a kid. We weren't as hard on her as we should have been, and sometimes when she didn't get what she wanted, she acted like a brat."

I swallow roughly. Those were the words I used to describe her last year, when she didn't get what she wanted from me. "I may have said those same words to her – about being a brat." I'm quick to make that clarification, not wanting him to think I want to spank his daughter.

Not that I don't, but you get what I'm saying.

"She needs someone who's going to challenge her, Rem. She's young, younger than you, and she's got a lot of growing up to do. She's gonna have more moments when she's a brat. Are you going to be able to handle that?" He's earnestly asking me, truly wanting my answer.

"I'm willing to work at this, to figure out our issues before they have us not talking for over a year again."

Liam sighs. "More often than not, you may have to be the one to give in; you're the one with experience. She may think I don't know a lot about her life, but I know she keeps people at a distance so they don't hurt her. I know she's worried most people want to get close because of me, and I know as much as she acts like she does, she doesn't have much experience when it comes to relationships – physical or emotional. You're going to be her first at so many things. Can you take that responsibility?"

If only he knew. "I want the responsibility. It's not about whether or not I can take it on. I'd be honored to. This isn't some situation where I want to be the guy who teaches her everything, I don't want that feather in my cap. I wanna be the only guy, you feel me? I know how I deal with life with her in mine, and how I deal with it without her. She makes me a better man, Liam. She may be a little slip of a girl, one who isn't even old enough to drink yet, but she fuckin' gets me."

"And I can see you get her." He gets up, coming around so that he leans against the desk, eyeing me.

I don't back down, because I know that's what he's waiting on. He's testing to see if I will, but I won't. I let this slip through my hands once, I won't do it again.

"All I ask is you treat her with respect, you don't fuck around with her feelings, you don't fuck around on her, and you don't snuff out that personality. She's got a smart mouth on her, but she gets it honest. There's not many men I'd give my blessing for her date – only because I know none of them can handle her. You, I think can, and I know how she acted in those weeks where she was trying to impress you. She was alive and happy. The way she's been since then is a shadow of who she really is. I wanna see a true smile on her goddamn face, and I know you're the man to put that there." He holds out his hand to shake mine.

"Remy don't make me regret this, but you have my blessing to be with her," he cautions me. "Make her happy, make yourself happy, and keep relationship shit away from the club. The last thing I need is Drew being pissed because you've hurt his sister's feelings. You got me?"

"Got it." I reach out to grip his hand and shake it, not able to keep the smile from my face. "You won't regret this."

As I'm leaving, he speaks again.

"Make sure you don't. Because if I do, it could mean your patch and your ink. Remember something else kid, that's just your president talking. You hurt my daughter, and I'll have your balls in a vice and you'll be singing soprano for the rest of your life."

I nod knowing everything he says is true. I'm willing to leverage it all against the girl who tells me I make her heart fly.