She began to turn and expected Dodge stop her but it was Autumn calling out that stopped her instead. “No, wait! This is important, Syn. We can see how important getting Maya back is to you. That means it’s important to us. We want to help in any way we can. Maybe,” she glanced around, “the guys could leave us ladies alone for a little bit.”
“Fuck that!” Sig snarled.
Reese rolled her eyes. “That might be best until I get all the details and figure out what we can do to help. You guys aren’t helping by,” she scratched her forehead, “well, being you. Is the situation bad? Yes. Are you helping make it easier? No. Deke, can you take Sig and Dodge next door with Dane. There’s a bottle in the fridge if you need it.”
Deacon stared at his ol’ lady for a few seconds, then finally nodded. “Yeah. Let’s give them some privacy.”
“No.” Sig and Dodge said at the same time.
“Yes,” Reese insisted. “That’s what’s going to happen. Deke, take them next door.”
Deacon grimaced at that order. “You heard her. Let’s go.”
“But I need to know—” Sig started.
“You will, just not right now,” Reese assured him. “Let me try to wrap my head around what happened and what has to happen, then we’ll get you up to speed. Okay? It’s either that or she walks out because of the pressure you’re putting on her and then we find out nothing and Maya won’t get the help she needs. You get that?” She raised both eyebrows.
“Fuck,” Sig muttered, scraping his fingers through his hair.
Dodge stepped in front of her and tipped his head down so she could only focus on his face. It was unreadable, but his body was tense. “Gonna be right next door, got it?”
Syn nodded.
“Wanna know everythin’,” Dodge said.
“That will be up to her,” Reese stated firmly. “Not you. Not Sig.”
Sig opened his mouth and Autumn pleaded, “Sig.”
Her brother’s mouth snapped shut and he stared at his ol’ lady for a second. He seemed to deflate a little before he nodded. “Not sure if I want you hearin’ the details.”
Syn wondered why he had that concern. Maybe it had to do with that look Syn had seen behind Autumn’s eyes. That he worried whatever Syn might say could be a trigger for her.
“This shit starts botherin’ you, come next door.” Sig turned to Reese. “You see it, you send her next door, you got me?”
Reese nodded. “Yes.”
“Don’t make me fuckin’ regret this,” Sig said over his shoulder as he followed Dodge and Deacon out the front door of the apartment.
“Oh God,” Reese whispered. “These men. They love us so intensely that sometimes their emotions get in the way of clear-headed thinking. They overreact before they think.”
“I’m not sure if they’re overreacting in this case,” Autumn murmured.
Syn sighed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any of this by asking for help.”
“No. You’re doing the right thing. I’m just glad Trip wasn’t here. This would have turned into a war-time type of interrogation.” She released a single dry, stilted laugh. “Okay, let’s sit down. Red, can you grab Syn a glass of water?”
Autumn nodded and headed around the counter and into the kitchenette while Syn and Reese got settled on the sectional.
“So… First thing first. I don’t do family law, but since you can’t afford one, I’ll do what I can. If I have to reach out to a colleague, I will.”
“I can’t afford—”
“At no cost to you. We’ll figure it out. Money isn’t important here, getting your daughter back is. And you’re family. I have no doubt that Trip will get the club to help fund whatever is needed since he’s big on family. But hopefully it doesn’t have to get to that. If we can handle this on our own, that’s what we’ll do. But we will be getting your daughter back. As a mother, I promise you that.”
Autumn stepped up to the couch and handed Syn a glass of ice water, then took a seat across from them. “If we can’t get this solved legally, I’m afraid these guys will take drastic measures. We want to avoid that if possible.”
“Agreed,” Reese said. “However, I need more details so we know what steps we need to take.”
Syn’s fingers clutched the glass but she couldn’t drink yet. Even taking a small sip might feel like drowning.
“First off, this family that has Maya, do they have legal custody?”
“They told me they have guardianship, so I’m not sure what that means in terms of actual custody.”
“You didn’t sign anything right?” Reese asked. “You didn’t sign over your rights as her mother?”
“No.”
“The father… I’m sorry but we need to know this if we get into some sort of legal battle. How old was he?”
“I don’t know exactly.”
“Did you know him?”
Syn nodded. “Yes, his brother.”