Shield My Heart (Heaven Hill Book 9) (7 page)

He reached over, took a cigarette out of Dalton’s pack, and leaned in, lighting it with the glowing end sticking out of Dalton’s mouth. “I’m never too far away. Doesn’t matter if you’re with her or not, doesn’t matter if she’s alone. Doesn’t really matter if she’s going to the doctor either. Appointments every month at an OBGYN office? That could give someone the idea she’s carrying a bun in the oven. Until I get what I want, I’m gonna keep her in my sights.”

With those words, he walked off, blowing smoke in the air. As Dalton watched Calvert leave, more than ever he knew he had to get this taken care of, and he would do his best to do it himself.

‡
Chapter Seven

D
alton tapped a beat that only he heard against his jean-clad thigh. Nerves caused his stomach to clench and a slight sheen of sweat to pop out on his forehead. He’d been waiting for what felt like a year to get a one-on-one meeting with Liam. While their pres was accommodating, times had been busy, and he hadn’t wanted to press his luck. Especially because of what he wanted to ask. Liam could easily say no, and he hoped being patient would get him some leeway with the man so many of them looked up to. He needed this favor like he needed his next cigarette. If he had any hope at all of helping his uncle, he needed time, and right now, that was a precious commodity.

The shop was busier now than it had ever been, fuck what his dad thought. Their client base was strong, and they’d been getting by legitimately for a long time. They didn’t have to have their hands in everything because they made damn good money doing things their own way.

“Dalton, c’mon in.” Liam walked through the clubhouse holding a file full of papers as he opened the door to their meeting room. Here they had some privacy, and within that privacy Dalton would beg if he had to. He wasn’t beyond that. Things had to change, he had to get some relief from the stress he was feeling. If he didn’t, he was going to go crazy, and that helped no one.

He’d specifically asked they not do this at the garage. This was his business and no one else’s. He’d inadvertently pulled Mandy halfway into it, and he wouldn’t make that mistake again. He didn’t want Drew involved, didn’t want Tyler involved, and didn’t want anyone else to stick their nose where it didn’t belong. Most of all, he didn’t want to bring this to Heaven Hill’s front door.

“You asked to see me privately?” Liam motioned for Dalton to have a seat and then had a seat opposite him. The pres gave his full attention as Dalton struggled with what to say. He’d never been good at asking for favors, and never wanted to disappoint anyone. Right now he felt like a world-class fuck-up.

And Liam was tired. He could tell by the way the other man ran his hands through his hair and blew out a breath. His shoulders sagged ever so slightly, and Dalton hated to add this stress onto him.

Playing with the edges of the long-sleeve shirt he wore, Dalton nodded. “I did. There are some things I need to talk to you about, a favor I need to ask. Some issues going on in my life that I need to take care of.”

Liam frowned. This didn’t have a good feeling; in fact it felt downright bad. That little dip in his gut that told him when something was off; it was positively vibrating. “Is this about what’s going on with you and Mandy? A lot of us have noticed things have seemed off with the two of you lately. Is there anything I can do?”

How could he look at the man who’d been his hero for most of his adult life and ask him these questions—basically lie to his face? How was he going to pull this off? How was he going to live with himself when this was all over? That was the better question.

“This is personal. Some of it has to do with Mandy, but I’d prefer to keep that between me and her, if you don’t mind. There’s a lot she doesn’t know, and I’d like to keep her in the dark, where possible. Not because I’m stepping out on her,” he was quick to assure. That was the very last thing he would do and, from what he heard, the very first thing people were quick to assume. “Just because I don’t want anyone coming to her for answers she can’t provide.”

Dalton could tell Liam did mind, but he bit his tongue, and for that Dalton was grateful. He didn’t have the stomach to get into everything that was going on. The ulcer he’d been nursing since he was a teenager had made a reappearance lately.

“I need to take a leave of absence from the club.” There, he’d said it. No beating around the bush, no pretending like it wasn’t what he’d come here to ask. He’d gotten straight to the point and hoped like hell Liam would too.

The pres recoiled almost as if he’d been hit in the chest. There was more to this request, much more than Dalton had let on to anyone. With everything, Liam wanted to fix it. He wanted his boy to be good, but that boy had to be honest with him first. “My man, what’s going on? Are you in some kind of trouble? We can help you.”

Dalton wanted badly to ask for the help that the older man was trying to give, but at the same time, Dalton was reluctant to bring the club into this. Maybe if he couldn’t handle it on his own, he’d fess up, but it was too embarrassing—the fact that his uncle couldn’t stop the gambling, the fact that Dalton couldn’t fix the problem.

Add onto the mix that Mandy was pregnant.

What kind of a fuck up had he turned out to be?

“This is something I have to do on my own. I appreciate the offer, but it’s family related.” He was careful not to go into specifics, because Liam could pick up on something quicker than anyone he knew except Tyler.

“This doesn’t feel right to me,” Liam argued. “If you need help, you come to us. That’s what we’re here for. We’re a family so that you don’t have to handle shit on your own.”

“This is
my
shit.” Dalton raised his voice, punctuating his point by slamming his hand down on the table. “I don’t want to bring anyone else into this. Samuel is my family, and I’ll take care of it.”

Realization flashed on Liam’s face. He understood the situation much better now. “So it’s your uncle?”

Dalton was losing his patience, and he was pissed at himself that he’d let the small tidbit slip. “I’ve said too much already. Do I have my leave of absence or not?”

“I’m gonna cut you a break because I can tell you’re going through some shit right now, but you need to lose the motherfuckin’ attitude with me. You have two weeks. Figure your shit out, and whatever you do, don’t drag my daughter down with you. I find out you have, and you’ll deal with me. Got that?”

Exactly what he’d been afraid of the entire time. “Loud and clear.”

As he turned away from the table, Liam yelled after him, “Next time you talk to me like this, you’ll leave the cut at the door.”

He didn’t even glance back as he walked out. A clean break was the best way to do it, and he didn’t want to think about what he could possibly be leaving behind.

*

Liam waited until Dalton had left, he’d made sure the bike was gone, before he invaded Travis Steele’s cave. Their intelligence guy was one of the best and could find out almost anything on anyone.

“Whatever you’ve got goin’ on in here, I want you to put it on the back burner. I have something else I want you to do.”

Travis gave Liam his full attention, popping a piece of candy in his mouth. “What do you have for me?”

“Dalton’s uncle has gotten himself in some trouble. Dalton was just in here asking for a leave of absence, so you know it’s bad. I want to know what we’re facing and if this could blow back on the club. Not to mention, it’ll more than likely involve Mandy. Just do some poking around and see what you can find out.”

“Got it, boss.” Travis was already letting his fingers fly across the keys of his computer, the clackity-clack a welcome sound.

“Let me know when you have something you think I should know.” He pressed his hands against the door frame. “Might as well check on Deacon too.”

Leaving Travis’ office, Liam did his best to tell himself Mandy was a grown woman and could take care of things on her own. If she needed him, she’d let him know.

‡
Chapter Eight

T
here were few times in her life when her dad had sent her a text that said…

Dinner tonight. Don’t miss it.

Usually it was when he or someone else had an announcement, or it was because he was missing his nuclear familial unit. As far as she knew, nobody had an announcement, so it had to be that he was missing everybody. The older he got, the more sentimental he got. Mandy had to admit, she was missing her family too.

In order to keep her secret, she’d withdrawn herself from everyone, because she was so scared of someone finding out or slipping up and telling them. Doc Jones had told her it was a self-preservation technique. If she didn’t want to answer questions, the easiest thing to do was avoid the people who would ask them. It was a shitty way to be, and she knew it, but right now peace of mind was the most important thing to her.

There hadn’t been any other time she could remember when she kept this kind of information from her family, but she wasn’t yet sure how she and Dalton were going to deal with the pregnancy. How could she answer questions about their future? She knew that would be the first question, and she had no answers to give them. How did she keep her family from going after Dalton? How did she keep herself from breaking down and spilling all of her secrets? Easy. She had no answers and no desire to lie—so she’d stayed away.