Hyde's Absolution (Sydney Storm MC 4)

“I thought you two were close when you were younger?”

“Why would you think that?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. He talks about you a lot. He’s always reminding Mum of things you guys did with his son.”

Tenille had said something similar. It made no sense to me. I’d always thought Gibson cared about me, but he’d shown his true colours the day he threatened to kill my family and me. “When was the last time you saw him?”

“Not for a couple of weeks. I think he’s been overseas.” She huffed out a breath. “God, can we stop talking about this and start talking about my hair? You need to talk Mum around.”

“I’ll talk to her when she’s calmed down, but I’m gonna need to see some respect coming from you towards her.”

She slumped against the wall. “I’ll try. I just hope she tries too. I’m sick of her making me feel like shit.”

I decided it might be a good idea to keep them apart for the day, to give each a chance at getting their head together. “You ever been on a motorbike?”

Her eyes sparked with interest and she sat forward. “No.”

“You wanna go for a ride?”

She was off the bed in a flash. “Hell yes!”

If I’d realised she’d be this excited about something that meant we’d be spending time together, I would have suggested it sooner. Jerking my head towards the front of the house, I said, “Get your ass outside. And Charlie?”

“Yeah?” She was already halfway across her bedroom.

“No more talk of hair today. I take you out on my bike, we’re gonna discuss everything else that has been happening in your life.”

Slowing, she met my gaze. She understood my meaning. I could tell by the way she looked at me with a little hesitation. Today would mark a change in our relationship. I’d be asking for more from her from here on out.

“Okay.”

With one word, she made my fucking day. The headache pounding in my head cleared, and hope stirred deep in my gut. My kid and I were finding our way back to each other.

Chapter 22

Hyde

Holding my phone to my ear, I watched Monroe in her front yard from where I’d parked my bike outside her house. Sully was on the other end, but I had trouble focusing on what he said as Monroe proved again what a distraction she’d become in my life.

“Are you listening to what I’m saying, Aiden?”

I wasn’t listening to a damn word he said because the only thing I could focus on was the fact another man had his arm around Monroe. And I didn’t fucking like it.

“No, I missed it.”

Monroe laughed as the guy standing next to her with his arm around her shoulders said something to her. The smile on his face irritated the fuck out of me. Fox was with them, laughing too.

Who was the motherfucker with Monroe?

Sully’s voice boomed from my phone. “I said I’m heading down to Melbourne today to check on Craig like you asked. He’s been in Perth but is back now. I’m not sure how long for, though. I’ll check in with you when I have more information.” I’d asked him to investigate what Craig was up to that caused him to come home beaten up.

I gripped the phone harder when the guy with Monroe squeezed her closer to him for a moment. “Sounds good.”

With that, I ended the call and gave my full attention to the asshole with Monroe. Committing his face to memory, I vowed to find out who he was. I also vowed to get Monroe on the same page as me. I was done with letting her fight this thing between us.

Her gaze turned to me as I walked towards her. She hit me with a sexy smile. At least she hadn’t given that to the motherfucker.

“Hyde,” Fox greeted me.