Comp's Chance

“Sunny, I need you and Paisley to stay hidden in the clubhouse. I know it will be hard, but if he has the connections you say he does, he will have people looking for you. It would be safer if you guys just stayed here,” Swift says, and I turn to leave. I need to get my head on straight, and I can only do that by getting away from Sunny.

Somehow, I know this woman’s different, but I still can’t let myself hope. She’s going through a lot right now and just needs a friend to lean on or a protector. It’s probably just that hero syndrome, and I’m the furthest thing from a hero. I’m definitely more of the cold-hearted, damaged, and broken villain type. Still, she will eventually see that side of me. I’ve hidden my face from her today, keeping my hair over the scars and my head bent down. Hopefully, the shadows hid what my hair couldn’t. I figure I can just hide out in my damn room while they are here. Fuck, I sound like a pussy. I can’t handle the thought of her or Paisley fearing me, and my face inspires plenty of fear from people.

I get to my desk chair, checking the program I have running for my cousin Bash. His real name is Zane, but he’s a member of the Dirty Sinners MC, and his road name is Bash. He got put in jail for some pretty fucked up shit, but I know he didn’t do what they said. He’s covering for someone. My guess is one of his club members, or he’s being framed. Either way, I will find out, even if he’s told me a million times to leave it alone. I don’t fucking care. He’s family.

When I see there’s nothing new, I lean my head back in my chair before pulling out my lighter. This is the only thing that calms me, something not even my brothers know about. Those fucking demons in my head never take a day off, so I’ve found other ways to quiet them. Fire.

I pull the Zippo lighter back and watch the flame grow. Fuck, I’m not afraid of the heat or the blaze anymore, but somehow that little voice in the back of my head is, and the fucker runs. It’s finally quiet, and as I watch the flames dance, the mixture of colors flows from yellow to orange before finally getting to red. As I stare at the flame, something clicks in my mind, and I feel a sense of calm. I may not be the man she ends up with, but I will at least be the fucker who lights her demons up just to watch them burn.

Seven

SUNNY

Iwatch Nix stomp from the room. I really don’t understand him. He was there throughout this meeting, or whatever you want to call it, holding my hand and lending me his support and strength, but then a switch flipped. He couldn’t get away from me quickly enough. I stare after him until I hear someone clear their throat, and I turn back to the group.

“Give him time,” Hitter, I think they called him, tells me. I’m not really sure what he means, so I just shake my head and let it go.

“If you’ll excuse me, I kind of just want to go check on my daughter and then get some sleep, if that’s okay,” I tell the group before standing.

“I’ll show you the way to the playroom. Oh, that sounded dirty. I meant the kids’ playroom,” the bouncing petite blonde, Halle, I think, tells me, making her way toward the hall. I try to keep up with her, but she’s quick. She looks back, sees me struggling, and slows her pace a bit.

“So, you and Comp, huh?” she asks, looking over her shoulder at me, smiling widely.

“Umm… what? I just met him a couple of hours ago,” I tell her, confused.

“Took me two minutes to climb my man like a tree. It happens fast around here, but Loki and I hold the record so far,” she says with a satisfied smirk. I still feel like I’m missing half the details of this conversation.

“Umm… okay,” I say, deciding to just keep my mouth shut.

“The scars aren’t what’s stopping you, are they? Do they bother you?” she asks, turning and raising a brow at me. I think this woman going from all happy bouncy to deadpan serious in two-point-five seconds just gave me whiplash.

“What? NO!” I tell her adamantly. When she smiles again, I know I just got played.

“Good, I don’t have to kick your ass then,” she says, smiling widely once again.

“You could try, but I’m scrappy,” I say, smiling back, not knowing where that came from and not really caring at the moment. Surprisingly, Halle doesn’t take offense; she actually cackles.

“Oh, fuck me sideways. I’m going to love you,” she says before turning and walking into what can only be described as the most kick-ass indoor playground I have ever seen. Complete with a damn ball pit. Where the hell did Milani send me? I look around the room and see Rome helping Paisley up the jungle gym, and can’t help but smile. I can tell those three will be best friends before long. I wonder if Paisley will be ready to go back home when all this is over. Or better yet, will I?

“Oh, hey, mommy, did you see this place? Isn’t it magical?” Paisley asks, going down the slide before running up to me.

“I did, baby. It sure is something. I’m so happy you’re having fun, but I think we both need a little nap,” I tell her, pushing her blonde curls behind her ear. She pouts, but Rome and Rae come up to her.

“Don’t be upset. We can play after your nap,” Rae tells Paisley.

“If her mom says it’s okay and if you two can stay out of trouble long enough,” Halle says, smiling down at the kids.

“Mooommm… When do we ever get into trouble?” Rae asks her, trying to bat her eyelashes, but Rome elbows her in the side.

“Don’t make her start listing them out again. The last lecture we got took forever,” Rome tries to whisper softly to his sister, but it’s not a whisper at all.

“Okay, mommy, we can go take a nap now,” Paisley says, grabbing my hand before turning and waving to both kids. I waved as well before leaving the room and heading toward the room Comp assigned us.

“Do you want to take your bath before or after our nap?” I ask her, but already know the answer when I see her yawn.

“After, please,” she tells me as we walk into the room. I quickly help her into some comfortable clothes and put her in the middle of the enormous bed. She’s asleep before her head hits the pillow, and I stare down at her.

I can’t lose her. I can’t. If I have to run for the rest of my damn life, I will. At least until she turns eighteen, but without her, I’m nothing. I change into an oversized t-shirt and shorts short enough to be hidden by the shirt before lying down.