Undaunted (The Kings of Retribution MC)

Blinking away the tears that are threatening to fall, I walk over to Logan and wrap my arms around him.

He places his finger underneath my chin, tilting it up, then kisses me. It’s not just a kiss, but a promise to take care of me. A promise to give me everything.

“Logan, I need to go to the diner to talk to my mom,” I tell him while sitting in his truck after leaving my house. “If she comes home and sees all of mine and Alba’s stuff gone, she’ll worry.”

“So, let her fuckin’ worry. It’s because of her husband that you’re leaving in the first place.”

“Logan, I understand what you’re saying, but she’s still my mother. Even though she has made some poor choices, I refuse to turn my back on her. She’s been a victim too.”

He lets out a sigh. “I get it. I don’t agree with you, but I get it.”

We pull up and park in front of the diner my mom works at.

“You go on in and talk to your mom, babe. I’ll wait out here for you. I got some calls to make.”

I walk in, spotting my mom behind the counter, filling drinks.

“Hey, Mom,” I say when I reach the counter.

“Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing here?” She smiles.

“I need to talk to you. Can you take a break?”

“Sure. Just go sit in the corner booth, and I’ll be over in a few minutes.”

I’m sitting in the booth when I look out the window. I see Logan on the phone, having what looks like a very intense conversation.

“So, what’s up, sweetie?”

“I wanted to let you know that Alba and I won’t be home for a while. In fact, we probably won’t be coming back.” I’m gauging her reaction, and she doesn’t look the least bit surprised. Why would she be? She knows how things have been, dealing with Lee.

“I think that’s for the best, Bella. I think Lee has gotten mixed up with some bad people.”

“Yeah, Mom, he has,” I tell her, confirming her suspicions.

“I kicked h

im out for good,” she tells me staring out the window.

I’m shocked. “What?”

“Yeah. I told him yesterday that my girls come first, that I wanted him to leave.”

I honestly can’t believe what I’m hearing right now.

“You did that for us? For me and Alba?” I ask her.

“Bella, believe it or not, I love you and your sister very much. I let you both down. I let myself down. I won’t make the same mistakes I did with your father. I did what I had to do to protect you then and I’m doing what I need to do to protect you both now. Never again, I promise.”

My dad? She did what she had to do to protect us then?

A knot forms in my stomach at the mention of our father. My mom seeing my discomfort, changes the subject.

“Is that your guy out there?” she asks pointing out the window at Logan.

Nodding I say, “Yeah, Mom. He’s mine.”

“Does he make you happy, sweetheart. Does he treat you right?”