Page 32

Danny

The second Dante learned Danika was safe in Diamond Creek, he forgot about everything else. Part of me knew he would. He was singular when it came to our little girl, and I was banking on his need to reconnect to occupy most of his time. He sat next to me, his relief etched so deeply on his face it felt like a physical weight pressing down on me. He listened intently to everything Haizley said, her words confirming Danika’s safety and well-being washing over him. But the hollow ache in my chest remained, a constant, throbbing reminder of my failure.

I missed her first word.

The knowledge gnawed at me, a festering wound. Haizley’s words, meant to reassure, felt like tiny, sharp needles. Melissa, our daughter’s therapist, had taken such good care of our daughter and formed a bond... a bond that now included the usurpation of a title that didn’t belong to her.

When Haizley said Danika was calling Melissa ‘mama,’ a wave of nausea washed over me, threatening to spill my carefully constructed facade of calm I’d maintained. My anger unfurled like a burning ember, but a deeper, more insidious emotion dwarfed me: guilt.

I had chosen this.

I had made the terrible, heart-wrenching decision to send Danika away, to sacrifice her immediate presence for her safety.

Now, the consequence was a bond I couldn’t undo, a bond forged in my absence, fueled by my fear. My rational mind knew Melissa likely meant no harm, that she was a good woman, but a savage, primal part of me wanted to tear her apart, to scream at her, to claw back my stolen moments, the stolen word, the stolen... love? Was it even love I felt? Or was this possessive jealousy a twisted reflection of my inadequacy? The worst part? A chilling voice whispered the dreadful possibility: if I confronted Melissa, if I tried to reclaim what I felt was stolen, I risked jeopardizing Danika’s safety. I had traded one fear for another, a precarious dance on the edge of a precipice. My choice, my terrible, regrettable choice, forced me to swallow my pride, my anger, my heartbreak and pretend everything was alright, even as my soul crumbled under the weight of my hypocrisy.

“How much longer until we get there?” Dante asked, damn near bouncing in his seat as I drove from Albin, Wyoming to Diamond Creek.

“We should be there in about five minutes,” I muttered, gripping the steering wheel.

“I bet she’s gotten so big. I’m gonna have to buy her all new clothes.”

“I’m sure she has plenty. Let’s just get reacquainted with our daughter before you go spending more money.”

“Haizley said she would be there to help with the transition. I can’t wait to see Ellery and Jessica. Do you think they will be there?”

“I hope so.”

“It will be good to see Missy again. We had gotten close before I left.”

“I’m sure she can’t wait to catch up with you, too.” I groaned, slowing the truck and turning into the Silver Shadows’ compound, and parking near the entrance.

“What if she doesn’t remember us?” Dante asked, staring at the clubhouse doors. “We’ve been gone a long time.”

“We will figure it out. Now come on. I’m freezing my ass off and I want to see our daughter.”

Taking Dante’s hand, I ushered him out of the truck and up the two stairs, pushing open the clubhouse doors. I had barely stepped inside before a ball of blonde hair tackled me, damn near knocking me to the ground.

“Oh my God! You’re really here,” Ellery cried, hugging my neck tight as her body shook.

Holding my friend tight, I watched as Dante rushed over to Melissa, pulling her into a hug. Ryder walked over, shaking his head. “You scare my woman like that again, and you and I are gonna have fucking words.”

I smirked at the fucker, tucking Ellery under my arm as I shook his hand. “Deal.”

Together, we all walked over to where Dante and Melissa were talking, and I warmly greeted the doctor. “Dr. Jefferson.”

Her eyes blazed, a stark contrast to her earlier cheerful demeanor. A vein pulsed in her temple. The air crackled with unspoken threats as Ellery shifted nervously under my arm.

“How fucking dare you!”

Her face, usually so composed, was contorted with fury. Ellery visibly flinched. The doctor’s calm demeanor didn’t waver; she seemed unfazed by her rage. Dante stepped forward cautiously. Ellery whimpered, clutching my arm tighter. The tension was palpable.

“You abandoned her. Less than two weeks with your daughter and you up and fucking leave!”

“Missy,” Dante tried to interject, but the woman wasn’t having it. I could clearly see she was angry at me and nothing was going to stop her from getting her say. I braced myself.

“No, Dante. He needs to hear this,” the woman snapped as she got right in my face. She was fucking pissed and was determined to let me know it.

“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 as she reached out, trying to pull Melissa back.

“Less than two weeks, Danny,” the woman seethed. “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.”

And just like that, my anger rose. I didn’t abandon anyone. This woman knew nothing of what I did, what I endured, what I suffered.

“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!” I stepped forward. How dare she judge me? She knew nothing of my life. She ran away from hers. I stayed, protecting those I cared about, those who mattered the most to me. Everything I did, I did to protect my husband and daughter.

“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—” I growled, trying to rein in my temper.

“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 before she turned back on me 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!”

Balling my fist tight, I seethed, “Don’t tell me I don’t fucking care. I was trying to save the whole goddamn world.”

“It’s not your job to save the world. Dante and Dani are your fucking world. They should come first!”

“IT WAS ALL FOR THEM!” I roared, my anger now set free. Fuck this bitch! Who the hell did she think she was? She was nothing but a therapist. A fucking babysitter. If someone didn’t get this bitch away from me fast, I was going to lose my shit.

“That’s always the excuse, isn’t it? I did it for them. I left them to keep them safe.”

“That’s exactly why I fucking left. You don’t know what I went through for them. You don’t know what I had to sacrifice,” I snarled.

“Sacrifice?” Melissa scoffed. “Sacrifice means putting them first. It means giving up your own dreams, your own life, to make sure theirs is everything it can be. You don’t walk away from them in the name of sacrifice.”

“Missy, please, let Danny explain,” Haizley pleaded, trying to calm the irate woman.

“Explain what? What could he possibly say other than, oh wait, Fucking. Club. Business.” She pulled away from Haizley. “Isn’t that the standard line?” she asked, looking around the room as no one said shit while she continued her tirade. “Where were you, Danny? ‘ Club business .’ What were you doing, Danny? ‘ Club business .’ When are you coming home, Danny? ‘ Club fucking business .’ Fuck your club. And fuck you for putting the club before your family. It’s always the same fucking line, isn’t it, Gunner?”

Gunner’s head snapped up as she added, “Isn’t that what you told me? You had to walk away to keep me safe? Had to abandon the only family you had because of the club?”

“Mellie, that’s not—”

“That is what you said. That’s exactly what you said!”

“I didn’t want you involved in the club shit.”

“Well, you fucking failed! Because here I am in the middle of the fucking club shit!”

Gunner walked over, standing in front of his sister. Tears streamed down her face as he took her face in his hands and said, “I was trying to protect you. Like I did when you were seven.”

“You didn’t protect me from shit!”

“I protected you from that asshole standing over your bed.”

“You didn’t. You stopped it from happening again.”

Gunner stepped back at Melissa’s revelation.

I didn’t know what the fuck they were talking about, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. I just wanted to see my daughter, but listening to the woman, I couldn’t stop my mind from going to that dark place I knew too well, and I prayed to God I was fucking wrong.

“Princess,” Ghost whispered, trying to pull her into his arms.

“No!” She stood there, panting, watching Gunner as his face paled.

“You’re fucking lying. I stopped that asshole from touching you.”

“Again. You stopped him from doing it again,” she repeated.

Gunner snapped his mouth closed; the room silent but for the heavy breaths coming from Gunner as he wrestled with the truth his sister delivered before he stormed out the front door.

“See that?” She pointed at me, yelling again. “That’s what bikers do. You’re all fucking cowards when it comes to feelings and emotions. Dani needs parents that will be there for her. People who won’t run when things get hard.”

“You don’t know what you’re fucking talking about. I didn’t run from my fucking daughter. I DID IT FOR HER!” I roared, pulling at my hair in frustration. I got the woman was trying to protect my daughter, but so was I. She was all I cared about, save Dante. They were all that mattered to me. Not the clubs, not my job, nothing. Only them. If that meant I had to burn the entire fucking world to ashes, then so be it. As long as my husband and daughter were safe and fuck everyone else. And I would be damned to hell and back before I stood here one more fucking second and let this bitch judge me on matters she knew nothing about. “Where is my fucking daughter?”

“She’s sleeping. And you aren’t waking her up. She’s been waiting three fucking months for you to come home. You can wait however long she needs to wake up.”

Think again, bitch .

Taking a step toward her, I narrowed my eyes and grinned. “Do not test me, Dr. Jefferson. I can take everything you’ve worked for away with a few keystrokes.”

“Danny,” Dante gasped.

“There is nothing to take!” Melissa threw her hands out wide at her sides. She counted off on her fingers the things she’d already lost. “I sold my practice. I sold my home. I walked away from my entire fucking life for that little girl! And I would do it again with a smile on my face because she is worth the fucking sacrifice! I just wish you could see that.”

Pounding my chest, I added, “I do fucking see that. I sacrificed my fucking life for her.”

“Danny, don’t,” Dante said, but I wasn’t listening. I was about to put this bitch in her place.

“You want to know what I sacrificed for my daughter? For my husband? I’ll fucking tell you—”

“Mama.”

And just like that, all my anger fled as my eyes averted. Amber stood in the doorway, holding my beautiful little girl, but my joy was short-lived as Melissa rushed over, taking Danika into her arms. Dante and I moved to get closer to our daughter, but Ghost put his arm up, blocking our path.

“Wait,” he growled.

“She spoke,” Dante whispered.

My God, she had grown so much. She was beautiful, safe and right there in front of me. I couldn’t believe it. I wanted so much to rush over to her as I watched my daughter cup Melissa’s face.

“Mama, tears.”

“Yes, baby, Mama has tears.”

“Sad.” My little girl frowned as she looked at the woman.

“No, baby. Happy tears.” Melissa nodded. “Guess what, Dani? Guess who’s home? Papa’s home.”

“Papa?”

Dante gasped beside me, reaching for my hand.

“Yes, Papa. Look!” Melissa turned so Danika could see us, and when I saw my little girl smile at me, my heart burst. I knew no matter how old she got, where she went in life, I would always remember this moment until the day I died.

Setting Danika on the floor, Melissa stepped back as my little girl ran over to us.

“Papa,” Dani cried out.

Dropping to my knees, I engulfed my little girl in my arms.

Dante crying as he held us both.

I don’t think I would ever forget the sight of my little girl running toward me, crying out, “Papa.” Just seeing her in Amber’s arms brought tears to my eyes. But holding her in my arms after everything that had happened... the relief was a fragile thing, easily shattered.

It was worth it, wasn’t it? The price I’d paid... was it too high?

Seeing Amber standing near King, safe, a hollow ache settled in my chest. Everything was okay for now. But what about me?

“You could have handled that better,” Haizley whispered, her words a cold slap to my already bruised ego.

“She pushed my buttons,” I muttered, crossing my arms, the familiar defensiveness a shield against the guilt gnawing at me. The truth was, I’d left them to fend for themselves and now I was reaping the consequences.

“Yeah.” She frowned, looking at the door Melissa disappeared behind. “I’m gonna have to have a talk with her.”

“You do that. In the meantime, she can stay away from my daughter.” Jealousy, raw and ugly, burned in my throat. It wasn’t just about Danika’s safety; it was about my pride, my wounded sense of ownership.

Grabbing my arm, Haizley jerked me around. Her brows furrowed. “We talked about this, Danny. That woman has been there for your daughter for weeks, when you haven’t. I get why you did what you did and I understand, but she doesn’t. All she knows is that you were there one minute and gone the next. That’s not even considering what your daughter feels. All I’m asking is for a little patience and sympathy for the woman who’s loved and cared for your daughter as her own. This isn’t easy for Missy either. She’s grown very attached to Danika.” Her words were condemnation, and I knew she was right. But admitting it felt like admitting defeat, like admitting I wasn’t the hero I pretended to be.

Sighing, I nodded. “You’re right. I’ll try to be nicer.” My words felt hollow, a lie even to my own ears.

“You do that,” she clipped, her finger a jab in my chest, before she walked outside, I presumed to look for Gunner. Her dismissal stung more than any accusation.

Seeing King tilt his head toward his office, I nodded, the gesture lacking its usual confidence. Walking over to Dante, I leaned down and kissed Danika’s cheek. The small act felt inadequate, a pathetic attempt to make amends for my absence. “Babe, I need to go talk with King for a second.”

Dante, engrossed with Danika, didn’t hear me. The indifference was a sharp pang of regret. My daughter deserved better than this fractured, unreliable father.

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Ryder said, smiling at Ellery as she tickled Danika and Dante laughed. Their easy camaraderie was a stark contrast to the turmoil within me.

Slapping the man on the shoulder, I headed for King’s office, the weight of my failures pressed down on me.

“Take a seat, Sypher,” King said, sitting himself. Doing as he asked, he leaned back in his chair and stared at me. “I don’t know whether to be happy you are alive or beat the shit out of you for bringing your mess to my house. You wanna tell me what the fuck you were thinking, taking on that bitch by yourself? You know what... never mind. I will let Reaper handle your ass. Just tell me one thing. Is Amber still safe here?”

“For the time being, yes.”

“Your head on straight?”

“For now.” I smirked.

“Good,” King groaned. “Because tomorrow you will bring me up to speed. Got it?”

“Yeah, King. I understand.”

“Good. I told Amber to put you in one of the rooms upstairs. She went to get Danika’s crib from Mellie’s room.”

I nodded, getting up from my seat.

“Sypher?”

Looking at the President of the Nebraska Chapter, he said, “Happy to see you alive, kid.”

“Thanks.”