One Wild Ride (Lords of Mayhem 2)

“For your safety and his.”

“What?” She shook her head, fighting against the anger that crashed head on with confusion. She jerked away once more and stood.

“Please, let me explain.”

“Okay, okay. Just give me a minute and space.” Joey held out her hand, sucking down air as she battled the part of her brain that wanted to walk out. She closed her eyes tightly. Her mother had always been painfully honest. There had to be a good reason for this. Collected, she opened her eyes and nodded. “Okay, Mom, explain.”

“You know about my life with the club, but I left out a lot of details. My dad—he was a sick fuck. He bought into the macho bullshit. Women were only good for cleaning up his messes and sex.”

Joey’s eyes widened, and nausea struck.

“Oh, honey, no.” Her mom stood and rushed to her side.

“He wasn’t that fucked up. Abusive, demeaning and sexist, yes. I spent most of my life walking on eggshells to avoid his anger.”

“Why didn’t anyone do anything?”

Her mother shook her head. “He was a mean bastard and good at what he did. Eventually the old ladies here stepped in, had him bring me down to work. I was only fifteen, but they all took on the role of stand-in mother. It was better than I’d gotten in my whole life.” She shook her head. “Your grandmother was a broken woman who depended on alcohol and whatever else she could get her hands on to numb her enough to deal with her reality. Other than keeping me fed and clothed, she never did much.” Her mother shook her head. Lip curled up and nose wrinkled, her face showed her disgust.

“That means you were a member, not some random club…party girl.”

Her mother smiled. “I was a floating body with no one to stick up for me, and no real claim within the charter. It kept me from the off-limits category, but no one wanted to get serious and deal with the mess of a father I had.”

Joey’s heart bled for her mother. “That’s awful.”

Her mother nodded. “That’s the life though. So you understand why I’d never place you in the same situation.”

“I don’t understand, Mom.”

“Your father…” Her mother nibbled her bottom lip. “He was the only person I was with. I might have dated around, enjoyed the newly found freedom, but I wasn’t a whore.” She shook her head. “At the time, when I became pregnant it was just easier to let that rumor stand. It kept people from looking too deeply into the truth.”

“Why would you do that? Is he some kind of bastard?”

“Yes and no.” She shook her head. “His father was Prez, and he was shoo-in. He had that same gravity and the ability to get the job done, no matter what. He was barely twenty-one and had the members looking up to him, listening in his father’s stead. When the vice president stepped down due to illness, he was the logical replacement. Then his dad died out of the blue, and everything changed. He couldn’t take over the club, reveal he’d been lying to everyone about us and take on my dad. They needed stability.”

“So, you stayed silent for the greater good?”

Ellen nodded. “And he helped, paid the bills, got me set up and on my feet.” Her eyes grew glassy. “He was there when I had you.” Her mother released her hand and reached into the box, taking out a picture.

Joey’s hand shook as she reached out, grasped the square and brought it to her. He was big and broad-shouldered with a shock of chocolate-brown hair he kept pulled back off his face, and kind hazel eyes. He had an oval face full of angles and the full lips she’d inherited. His long thin nose matched the one saw in the mirror daily. There was no doubt this man was her father. Tears rolled down her face. This was where she came from.

“This is Joseph Trent, better known as Wanderer, president of the Crazy Eights.”

“The president?” Joey’s voice cracked and she shook her head. “He left you on your own this entire time?”

“No.” Her mother shook her head. “We get a monthly stipend and anything I’ve ever needed has been taken care of. They understood why I left. There were no hard feelings or excommunication. Technically, I’m still a member of the family, but they understood I didn’t want my father anywhere near you.”

“So, you didn’t just leave because of—Wanderer?”

Her mother nodded.

“Have you been in contact with him?” Joey asked.

Her mother glanced away.

“Are you kidding me?” Joey said. The betrayal hurt.

“He used to come around when you were younger,” her mother said.