Page 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Summerville Sutton

H annah called to check on Sutton, but it wasn't to see how she was coping with the loss of her father, the newfound knowledge of her real father, or the breakup with her sort-of boyfriend. No, she called to check to make sure the Kingsmen hadn’t bothered her, considering they trashed Dani's house and broke into Rocky's. The only saving grace she has is that the rival club likely doesn't have her anywhere on their radar.

No, instead, Sutton sits in her apartment stewing. Cannon, Nelson, and even Snake called her, but she didn't answer. How can she answer when she's not part of the club anymore? That hurts the worst. The family she grew up with isn't hers anymore, and it's all because her mother committed one of the ultimate betrayals. Sutton lost the best father in the world to learn her real father is a criminal. A deadbeat. Someone she doesn't think she wants to know.

“That's kind of rich, don't you think, Sutton?” she asks herself. “Cannon's not exactly what one would consider to be a law-abiding citizen.”

It also bothers her that she's not talking to Nelson. Not only did she fall for him, she saw him as her best friend. That little voice in the back of her mind saying he couldn't be trusted and to run was right. He's incapable of loving someone, and she just became his most recent victim. The only difference between Daphne and Sutton is the fact that Daphne didn’t love him.

Someone knocks at her door, and she groans. Why do people in this building think it's a good idea to hold the door to perfect strangers? There's a reason the doors are locked and require buzzing a tenant to gain entrance for a reason, people!

Opening the door, her eyes widen. In front of her stands Ryan Hennessey.

“Hello, Sutton.”

“How did you know where I live? How'd you know my name?”

It's a stupid question, but it is what it is. Instead of telling her as such, he smiles his missing-tooth grin. At one point in time, she suspects he was a very handsome man. “I looked at your receipt from the day you came and saw me. Once I had your name from the credit card you used, it wasn't that difficult to find out where you live.”

Stupid! Should've used cash. “What are you doing here?”

“I think you know,” he says, pushing his way into her apartment. He smells like day-old grease, cigarette smoke, and beer. “We need to talk.”

Shutting the door behind him, she turns around with an uncomfortable feeling brewing in her stomach. “About what?”

“You're my kid, kid,” he says and laughs at his own joke. “Grace is your mother, and the nose and teeth are a dead giveaway that you're mine. I have the same teeth. Well, had. The prison system isn't exactly known for its stellar dental benefits. Dentists don't really come to see you every six months.”

“I think you might be mistaken-”

“Let's not lie to each other. Sutton's my grandma's name. Your mother and I talked once about what we'd name our kids, and I said I wanted the name Sutton for a girl. At the time, though, I assumed my daughter would have my last name, not one from a dirty biker.”

Swallowing, she feels her head spin. Her mother never told her where her name came from, but she didn't suspect it would be from her biological father's family. “What did you want if you had a boy?”

“Ryan.”

Obviously. “Mom named me after your grandmother because she knew I was your daughter. That sounds about right.”

“I know it's hard to believe, you know, considering how I reacted when you said your mom's name, but she and I were really hot and heavy for a while. I thought I might marry her one day.”

“Really?” God, I would have been so screwed if that was the case.

Ryan nods and sits on the couch, his greasy hair falling onto his forehead and sticks. It looks like he hasn't showered in a couple of days, and the cologne she hadn't noticed at first seems to be his way to hide his sweat scent. Now, though, it creates a nauseating combination that assaults her nose.

“I knew she was also fucking a biker, but that was only when I was locked up. She never once told me she was pregnant. If she had... well, I think things would have been different.”

“Did you love each other?”

“We did. It was a Romeo and Juliet type of love.”

Sutton can see he's lying. There's nothing but malice in his eyes. “If you were so in love, why was she sleeping with my- with Cannon?” It's taking more time than she expects to use Cannon instead of “Dad” or “my dad” in conversation.

“There was just too much passion between us, and it manifested in the wrong ways,” he says, smiling to himself. She can't help but wonder if he even knows what the longer word means, considering he doesn't come across as overly intelligent. “Fighting, shouting, screwing, and then screwing others. I cheated, and so did she.”

Her mom and Cannon fought, but not like that. At least, she doesn't think Cannon ever cheated. Her mom... yeah, probably. “You cheated, too?”

“I'm not proud of it. How'd you find out about me?”

“Mom was in the hospital. I had to go through her mess of paperwork, and I stumbled upon a letter she wrote where she told you about me. I was fifteen when she wrote it, and she never sent it. My thinking is that she kept it as a way to hurt my dad... I mean, Cannon, one day.”

Ryan laughs. “Yeah, that sounds like the Grace I know. Always manipulative. But it was so fun sometimes.”

The look in his eyes this time seems to be of fondness. Probably remembering something gross and not fitting for a daughter to know. “She said you had just gotten locked up for the fourth time or something, and that's why she didn't send it. She never confirmed why she kept it, though.”

“Look at you. You sound so grown up and educated. You'd be the first in my family to graduate high school. You did graduate high school, right?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, I got me a smart daughter. Did you go to college?”

Nodding, she feels a dangerous warning bell in her head. “I got my associate’s degree. I work as a receptionist at a vet clinic.”

An unnerving smirk appears on his face. “I did a lot of bad things, Sutton. I'm not going to deny that, but I don't think you're too surprised, either. I mean, you grew up thinking a sleazy biker was your dad. You're used to trash people, right?”

Against her better judgment, she gets defensive. “I don't know what you think you know about Cannon, but-”

“I stole a lot of things in my life,” he says, cutting her off. “It always felt like something was missing, and I think I kept taking things to fill that void. Until I met you, I never knew what that void was. Now, I know it was because I was missing you. I didn't know about you, but somewhere, I think I felt you. In the universe, you know?”

Now, it all makes sense. Was her mom gullible enough to fall for this bullshit? “Yeah?”

“Yeah, I want to get to know you, Sutton. I want to be a real father to you.”

I have a father. One who is kind enough to let me deal with all this bullshit without pushing me. I don't need you in my life.

“I'm a little old to need a father,” she says, hoping to veer him away from this conversation and leave her apartment. “I'm still dealing with all of this information that was just shoved in my face, and seeing you that day really overwhelmed me. Talking to you gives me a lot to process, but I'll come by your work when I'm ready to talk again.”

Walking to the door, Sutton opens it, smiling to make him believe she's really considering having him in her life. To her surprise, he stands and walks to the door, but he stops before he's in the doorway.

“I don't work at that fucking taco shithole anymore. They have terrible management, and the food gives everyone the runs. I want to spend time with you, but there's one problem, Sutton,” Ryan says.

“What's that?”

“I need money to spend time with you. I think you can help me with that.”

Bomb dropped. She's nothing more than a con to him, and she should have just looked through the peephole and never opened the door. Why don’t I ever think of doing that ?

“How much money do you need?” she asks, playing along.

“Not a lot.”

“I don't have much money, Ryan. If you give me your number, I can see what I can do-”

His large hand shuts the door, and he locks it. Her pulse races, and the alarm bells in her mind ring so loud she can barely hear him. She's in trouble.

“You can either give me the money, or I can take it. It's your choice, Sutton. You have a lot of expensive things in here. Trust me, I'm an expert in casing out a joint. I can spot valuable shit in a nanosecond. Now, you can give me the money I know you have, or I can start taking what I know I can pawn for cash.”

“I have to go to the bank to get money. I don't have cash here at the apartment. We can meet up tomorrow morning-”

“No, we can't. Because you'll immediately run and tell your biker trash daddy, and he'll try and beat my ass. But if he comes anywhere near me, I'm going to fucking kill him. You hear me?”

Sutton swallows, her mind trying to think of the best option. “Ryan, I don't have cash here in the apartment. No one carries cash anymore.”

“Then give me your card.”

She can freeze it from her phone. Yeah, she can do that. “Fine. Here,” she says and hurries to her purse to grab her wallet.

As she finds her wallet, she sees the can of pepper spray she's had for a few years. She's never used it, and it might not even work, but she has to try. Try and get away from him.

Ryan stands in front of the door, so she knows she can't get out that way, even if the spray works. There's only one other option. Taking out her cards, she tosses them at him. He tries to catch them, and as he's distracted, she pulls the small tube out and sprays it directly into his eyes.

“Oh, you bitch!” he cries out, his hands on his face.

Running to the bedroom door, she slams it shut, locks it, and grabs the phone from her nightstand before locking herself in the attached bathroom. All she can do is pray he answers.