Page 41 of His Flawed Ride (Sons of Lost Souls MC #16)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Shane

M y son.

Fuck.

JJ wasn’t wrong when he said everything would change the moment I saw him.

It did. At five pounds and thirteen ounces, he’s still a strong little fucker.

He’s a fighter. He’s like me. I had to drag myself away and leave him to sleep.

Annie is back in her private room, which I noticed she never once asked me to help pay for.

Every move she makes I’m watching. Every time a doctor or nurse comes into the room, she tenses.

It’s only obvious because I’m watching her so closely, but I’m not wrong.

“I’m going out for a smoke.”

“Don’t be long,” she pleads.

What the fuck is her game? It’s infuriating that I can’t figure her out. The walk from maternity to the front entrance doesn’t help. I light a cigarette and call Zach.

“How’s Annie and the baby?”

“He’s great. He’s gotta stay in for a while but they’re positive he’s going to be fine.”

He doesn’t comment that I don’t mention how Annie’s doing and I’m grateful I haven’t got to get into it. Whatever is going on with her, I hate that I can’t figure it out.

“Anything I need to know going on at the club?” I inquire.

“Not as such. Leo and JJ have left town. Leo’s called the presidents and VP’s to meet at some backward town in the middle of nowhere. When I hear something, I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks.”

The call ends. While I finish my cigarette, I scroll through names on my phone. It’s one thing we haven’t discussed yet. I guess we thought we’d have more time.

My son needs a name fitting to who he already is. I go through the usual names and sigh. They’re all boring until I come across a name that makes me smile.

Wolf.

And just like that, my son has a name and an identity to grow into. I take one last draw on the cigarette and grind it out under my boot. I’m about to head back inside when three Hog fuckers stroll through the main entrance. I keep my distance and follow them.

I take a picture of them on my phone and send it Zach. His message comes through ten seconds later. On our way.

They walk into the cafeteria and two sit a table and the other goes up to join the line at the counter.

I hang back out of sight and clench my hand into a fist. I want to be with my son, but I can’t let these motherfuckers out of my sight.

It’s going to take the brothers at least half an hour to get here and that’s if the roads are clear and they can push the speed limit.

The need to protect my boy is overwhelming, much more than I’ve ever felt toward the club.

It’s too long to wait for the club. The Hog fuckers, if here for me, need to see the error of their ways.

I can’t count on them not starting trouble just because of where we are.

They’re unpredictable and don’t have the same morals as Lost Souls.

Making sure my blade is still tucked in my back pocket, I undo my zip-up and shrug out of it. It’s lifetimes ago that I fought Iron to try and save Lily from Hopper. But today is today and Lily is gone. I’m doing this for my family now.

I walk across the cafeteria and boldly stand at the end of their table as the third motherfucker sits with their coffees.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I ask, leaving no friendliness in my tone.

“None of your fuckin’ business,” one grunts as another says, “Visting.”

I smirk. Glancing around the table, I point out, “No fruit? Usually visitors bring grapes.”

“Fuck off,” one named Bass snaps.

“You’re the asshole who fought with Iron, ain’t ya,” one of them says and laughs.

“Wasn’t much of a fight. I kicked his ass, just like I’ll do now if you don’t leave,” I warn.

Their laughter catches the attention of doctors and other visitors around us. I lean on their table and warn, “If you don’t, I’ll give the doctors three more patients to take down to the morgue.”

“You wouldn’t dare in front of all these witnesses, you fuckin’ pussy,” one threatens.

“You don’t know me and if you did, you wouldn’t doubt me.”

Before he sees it coming, I have my knife out and pressed against his neck.

“If you want to see how far I’ll go, stick around.”

I grin and they finally take me seriously.

“Put the knife away, we’re leavin’.”

I wait until the other two are up on their feet and backing off before I pull the knife away and hide it back in its sleeve.

“This ain’t over,” one threatens.

“Like I expect it would be.”

I follow them out and light another cigarette until I’ve watched them ride out of sight.

I stick around outside, smoking through half my pack when Cas, Sparky, the twins, and Zach ride toward me.

“You took on the three of them?” Cas asks, his brow arched.

“It didn’t come to a fight, but yeah, I made sure they left and haven’t seen them since.”

“If they’re creeping around the hospital, nowhere is off limits. The twins and Zach will stick around. If they return, don’t kick off in the hospital unless you have no choice.”

“Got it.”

No sooner have Cas and Sparky arrived, they’re riding off and like the Hog fuckers, they ride out of sight.

“How many entrances to this hospital?” Mason asks.

I shrug. “Fuck knows.”

“Until we hear otherwise, we’ll split up and dot ourselves around. If they show up again, let each other know and we’ll deal with them accordingly,” Zach instructs much to Myles amusement.

“Who put you in charge?”

“Is that not what you would order if you spoke up first?”

Myles keeps his mouth shut and I laugh. Myles isn’t interested in calling the shots, but he does like to be a fucker.

“I’ve got to get back to my kid. Call if anything goes down.”

I leave them to work out the finer details and head toward the maternity ward. I could walk this route with my eyes closed at this point.

I open the door to Annie’s room, and she’s sat up in bed. I wait for her to tell me she’s spoken with a doctor about treatment but it’s looking like I’ll be waiting a lifetime.

“How many cigarettes did you smoke? You’ve been gone ages.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Something came up.”

“Something more important than me and our son?”

To stop this from turning into a shit show, I ask, “Has the doctor been in yet to talk about your treatment?”

Just as I suspected, her anger vanishes, and she swallows hard. “I have to arrange an appointment with the doctor in Oncology. They did say I can go home tomorrow but I don’t know how I’m going to leave our son.”

I go to see how she would react if I keep pushing but a part of me wants to see how far she takes this if I don’t mention it again.

Instead, I say, “I thought of his name.”

Her smile grows. “Yeah?”

“Wolf.”

“Wolf? Like, a wolf?”

I nod. “Wolf,” I repeat. “It’s a strong name for a strong kid.”

“I like it.”

I couldn’t care less if she didn’t. I’ll be the one to name my son and I’ll be damned if I give a shit what anyone else, even his mother, thinks.

“Can we go see him?”

Pushing out the building anger, I nod and help her out of bed and into a wheelchair. She smiles up at me.

“We’re going to be the perfect family.”

Playing the oblivious part, I say, “I’m glad you’ve changed your mind about hanging around.”

“I was crazy to think I could ever walk away from you.”

Sweeping her hair out of her face, lie after lie rolls from the tip of my tongue, “You don’t need to think about that again. We’re together now.”

Now would be the perfect time for her to mention her plan moving forward with her cancer but still, nothing. Not a fucking word. There’s not even a hint of fear on her face.

Before I give myself away unable to keep my face straight, I wheel her out of her private room. She’s quiet as we make our way through the corridors and into NICU.

I wheel her in front of his cot and again, there’s no fear of her dying and leaving him behind. She’s excited and happy. I watch her while the nurse helps her hold him and the way she strokes his head and cheeks and kisses him so softly her lips barely make contact with him.

It dawns on me that there was no way she ever planned on leaving him in my custody and now I’m left replaying the last seven months with her.

“Can you take another picture of him?” she asks.

I take out my phone and snap a few photos. It riles me that she’s in them. I still haven’t got her figured out but I know she’s playing me in some way.

“Your turn.”

I sit in the chair, the nurse helping him into my arms and I hold him to my chest, careful not to disturb the wires taped into his little nose.

Annie watches on with a huge smile and peace in her soul.

Meanwhile, all I’m feeling is rage from being lied to.

I swore to protect my son from the world, and that includes his mother.