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“Princess, come, sit down.”

“I can’t. They’ll be here any minute.”

I wrapped my arms around her. “They won’t just take her and run. I won’t let them.”

She turned in my arms, but she didn’t step back. Her hands grabbed onto my biceps, clinging to me.

“You can’t stop them. They’re her fathers,” she cried.

“Missy.” We both turned at Haizley’s voice. “It will be ok. I promise.”

“You can’t promise that.” Melissa shook her head.

Before Haizley could say anymore, the front doors opened and the two men stepped inside. Ellie slammed into Danny, happy her friend was here. Ryder had been concerned the stress of not knowing where he was or if he was ok would affect her pregnancy. But both Bane and Patch assured him everything was fine.

Dante rushed over to Melissa and pulled her in for a hug. Unlike Ryder when Danny showed up the first time, I didn’t get jealous. I didn’t try to pull her away.

She needed this.

Melissa squeezed Dante as she cried, “You’re ok.”

Dante pulled back. “We’re ok. Where’s Danika?”

“She’s sleeping upstairs.”

“Dr. Jefferson.”

Melissa turned to Danny, and the transition from joy to rage was instant.

“How fucking dare you!” she snarled. Danny pulled back at her voice, and she continued, “You abandoned her. Less than two weeks with your daughter and you up and fucking leave.”

“Missy.”

“No, Dante. He needs to hear this.”

She marched over to Danny and got in his face. She was fucking pissed and was determined to let him know.

“How could you do that? What was so fucking important that you left your daughter? What was so goddamn urgent that the club needed you more than your family did?”

“Missy,” Haizley hissed. She reached out, trying to pull Melissa back. She looked over at me for help, but fuck that. My woman was hurt, and she needed to work through it.

“Less than two weeks, Danny,” Melissa began again. “Less than two fucking weeks and you left. Then Dante left. You both abandoned the one person who was supposed to mean the world to you, and you left her with a fucking stranger.”

“You weren’t a stranger! You were her therapist. You had been working with her every fucking day.”

“I wasn’t her parent!” she yelled back.

“No, you aren’t!” Danny stepped forward, and so did I. I didn’t really know him, mostly by reputation. Ellie trusted both him and Dante, but fuck if I did. I stepped up behind my woman. I didn’t touch her. I didn’t need to. I knew she could feel me there.

“I left for her!”

“Bullshit! She needed you to be present. She needed her father. Did Dante tell you how she cried for days?”

“Dr. Jefferson—”

“Fuck you, Danny!” Melissa stepped forward. “Fuck all of you! Goddamn bikers. You don’t think of anyone but yourself.” She spun around, pointing at everyone.

She stood in front of Danny again. “I told you how important you were to her therapy. I explained how integral you and Dante were to her healing. You didn’t fucking care!”