Copper in jail for murder.
For the rest of his life. So much for her not giving into the fear.
She was shaking now, unable to control her body’s reaction to his words.
“You saw nothing today. You hear me, bitch? Not a goddamn thing. And you don’t say a goddamn word about me to my brother. Not unless you want your man in a cell and your daughter splitting time with me.”
The world grew hazy and her chest constricted to the point she couldn’t drag in air. Over her dead body would Rusty spend ten seconds alone with her daughter. She was so fucked. Loyalty to the club was the most important thing in the men’s lives. Rusty’s betrayal, his thievery from the club, was an offense that would never be overlooked. If she kept it a secret, she was just as guilty as he was.
But the alternative? Jailtime for Copper and possible custody for Rusty?. That was a fate worse than anything the MC could dish out.
“Mommy! Mommy, look! Copper is here!” Beth dragged her feet through the dirt under the swing, slowing to a stop. She then took off at a dead run and threw herself into Copper’s waiting arms. He may have caught her daughter and now held her close to his chest, but his eyes were glued to where she and Rusty were talking.
And, yikes, he wasn’t pleased. Those huge booted feet gobbled up the distance across the park.
“Mouth shut,” Rusty said. “We’ll talk soon.” Then he threw a cheerful wave toward his brother, turned, and hightailed it out of there.
For all his bravado, the man was nothing more than a chicken.
Shell sucked in two shaky breaths and plastered a smile on her face before she went to meet her daughter and the man she wished with all her heart was that little girl’s father. Dangerous thinking, right there. Reality was so very different.
As she moved to be near the two people she loved above all else, she felt disconnected from the world. Her body advanced at a slow pace, but her mind raced with a thousand worries and doubts.
“What was he doing here?” Copper said without so much as a hello. His narrowed gaze tracked Rusty’s retreating form.
“Oh, uh, nothing. Just passing through, I guess. He said hi then took off.” Shit, did her voice crack? Was anything believable about her wooden smile and stiff posture? Try as she might, calm, cool, and collected wasn’t happening.
His assessing gaze downshifted. “He’s on a few of the brothers’ shit lists. I got into it with him earlier, and he rode off ahead of Zach and I. He giving you any shit?”
Shell swallowed. For the first time in her life, she was about to tell an outright lie to the man she loved. In the past, she always managed to avoid direct untruths with clever wording and omissions. Not this time. “N-nope, no trouble. He did seem a little off, but that’s all.”
“Hmm.” Copper still stared down at her, and she had the distinct impression he didn’t believe her, but thankfully, Beth took that moment to interrupt.
“Your face feels like Bobby’s dog,” Beth said, rubbing her hands across Copper’s cheeks. That girl was definitely a facial hair loving girl. Every time one of the bearded bikers held her, her hands assaulted their face.
“Oh yeah? Who’s Bobby? He a friend from preschool?” Copper asked in his best dad voice.
Beth giggled. “No, silly, he’s my boyfriend. And he has a puddle.”
Copper’s forehead wrinkled as he looked to Shell.
“Poodle,” she said around a chuckle. Beth comparing Copper’s beard to a poodle was pure gold.
“Boyfriend, huh? Well, I think I need to meet this dude. Make sure he’s treating my princess right. What do you say?”
“Yeah. He can come over with his puddle. You can meet them both.” As she spoke, she continued to pet Copper’s cheeks.
“Great. Set it up, Mommy,” Copper said as he tickled Beth’s tummy. She broke out in a fit of giggles. “You like my fur?” He rubbed his cheek against Beth’s, eliciting even more sweet little-girl giggles.
“Uh huh,” she said around her laughter.
Emotion clogged Shell’s throat and had her blinking back tears. This moment was everything she’d fantasized about her entire life. Happiness, love, and laughter with Copper and the little family they made up. It was perfection.
The dream.
And it was fake. A lie doomed to end in a pulverized heart and crushed future. Instead of filling her up, the moment nearly choked her with thoughts of the man threatening to take away everything.
She couldn’t let that happen. Somehow, she’d find a way to get them out from under Rusty’s thumb. With a forced grin, she shook off the desperation. Copper would pick up on her anxiety if she acted out of character.
“Your mommy likes it too.” Copper winked and her face heated. Yeah, she liked it. Only she preferred it between her legs rather than against her own face. Maybe she could get a reminder of exactly what that felt like in a few hours.