Butch

“I’m going to take care of you.”

He walked into the bathroom, showing her in more ways than one exactly how he wanted to take care of her.

****

Alex sat in his room at the clubhouse. It was a modest room considering he enjoyed living in luxury whenever he went to his Vegas casino. He ran a finger over his lip as he stared at the two pictures he’d refused to look at. Whizz had given them to him. There was a picture of Cheryl and Matthew. The two people he should have helped in the world but refused to.

He’d gone to the church to pray for his niece, Tate. She’d been in danger, and he didn’t have a clue if she’d ever make it out of danger alive. Praying had never helped in the past, but when it came to Tate, he was willing to do everything in his power to keep her safe. Alex hadn’t been able to save his own sister from cancer. Money didn’t buy anything, and it hadn’t brought him a family.

The only family he had was this club and whatever Tiny allowed him. He was part of Tiny’s life even though he didn’t have to be. Eva didn’t need to refer to him as Uncle or even allow her children to associate with him. In his life he’d done a lot of shit he’d not been proud of. He’d killed, sold, and f**ked his way to the top taking out every man and woman who got in his way.

This little boy was his son. He saw himself in the picture. Alex had enough pictures from his childhood to know what he looked like. Fucking Cheryl had made for an amazing weekend. She’d been a virgin, and he’d taken something from her, he never should have been allowed to take.

Picking up his glass of brandy, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the images in front of him. For three years he’d failed both of them. There was no love lost between him and Cheryl. Their moment had come and gone years ago. He didn’t love her. Alex didn’t love any woman.

“It makes it harder to walk away when you know what they look like, doesn’t it?” Tiny asked.

Turning around, he saw Tiny standing in the doorway of his room.

“I thought I shut that door.”

“You’ve been up here all night. I was concerned after everything that happened.” Tiny closed the door, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Looking over the top of the picture, Alex stared at his former brother-in-law.

“I’m not like Kelsey. I’m not going to attempt to off myself. I happen to like my life,” he said.

“What happened?” Tiny asked.

Letting out a breath, Alex stared at the picture of his son.

“I didn’t think about her or what happened. Shit happened. Life happened in the club.” He shook his head. “I’ve got a son.”

“Yeah, and what you’re going to do about it?”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about it. Butch loves Cheryl. I don’t.”

“She’s the mother of your son.”

“I know that.” Alex sighed. “I can’t do this to Cheryl or to Butch.”

“You’re not going to claim her?”

“No. I’ll acknowledge my son, but I will not come between them, Tiny. Matthew is going to have everything that is mine. Cheryl and Butch can make all the decisions in his life. I lost the right to that a long time ago. I don’t deserve to speak up. If they stay in Fort Wills all I’m going to ask is for the right to see my son. I won’t make waves or cause problems.”

“Shit’s about to hit the fan,” Tiny said.

“I know. We can only hope none of them get caught in the crossfire.”

Chapter Thirteen

Cheryl pushed the hair out of her face at the same time as walking toward the door. Matthew was in his high chair as she was making a batch of cookies. Her mother was out today, and Cheryl was off while Butch finished up the deals for the florist shop. She couldn’t believe he wanted to actually buy her a shop of her own.

You’re going to marry him.

Whenever she thought about his marriage proposal, she couldn’t help but smile. Butch was a lot of things, but romance wasn’t his forte.

Opening the door, she paused when she saw who was there.

“Hey, Cheryl,” Alex said.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest.

He glanced down at her folded arms then back up at her face. “We need to talk. Can I come in?”

“I don’t think that’s wise. Butch isn’t here, and I know he’ll want to be here.”

“Butch’s not part of the club anymore, princess.”

“Don’t call me that,” she said. He’d called her princess when they first met.

Alex sighed. “Look, we’ve got business to discuss that has nothing to do with the club and everything to do with the fact I’m your kid’s dad.”

“I don’t want you to come in here.”

He glanced down at the ground. “You’re pissed. I get that. I know I don’t deserve any kind of shit from you. I’m lucky to have gotten this. We need to talk.”

She shook her head, reaching for the door. “You gave up that right three years ago.” Cheryl tried to shut the door, but he wouldn’t let her.

“I can make life difficult for Butch if you don’t let me in.”

Pausing, she stared up at him. “Why would you do that?”

“I’ll do whatever I need to, Cheryl.”

“There’s nothing you can do to him or to me.” She went to shut the door on him. His next words held her in place.

“If you don’t let me in then I’ll sue you for full custody.”

Sick to her stomach, she stared at him, not sure what the hell to do. “There’s no way a lawyer or judge would grant you that. You abandoned us.”

Alex shrugged. “I’ve got money and enough resources to get what I want. You won’t have a leg to stand on. They’ll give Matthew to me, and I’ll make sure you never see him again.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Not only can I do that, I will.”

Cheryl pressed a hand to her stomach, feeling the knots starting to form. Staring into his eyes, she knew he was telling the truth, and there would be no way for her to ever see her son again.

Biting her lip, she took a step back letting the door open.

He passed through the door, buttoning up his suit jacket. “Where is he?” he asked.

“Who?”

“My son.”

Was that emotion she detected in his voice? Closing the door, she pointed down the corridor. “He’s in the kitchen. Please, be gentle with him. He doesn’t know who you are.”