Tightness formed around her eyes and her temples. After that what could she say? “I don’t…” Joey shook her head.
“It’s okay. I wasn’t expecting you to say anything right now. I’m sorry I kept this from you.”
“Are there any other skeletons that might jump out of your closet?” Their gazes met and she conveyed a silent message. The time to air dirty laundry was now. One more massive breach of trust and the relationship they’d formed over the years would be severely damaged.
“No, that’s it.”
Joey nodded, ready to take her mother’s word. If her father’s return divided them, he would win. She couldn’t let that happen.
Chapter Eight
Joey hung up her cell. Moose being called away flooded her with relief. She wasn’t ready to share her revelation, and there was no way she could fake being all right.
“Everything okay?” Her mother said over the rim of her mug.
“Yeah, Moose just had to head back to the club to take care of a few things.” She looked over the pictures on the bed. Her mother’ stories had brought them to life. Too upset to drive, she’d decided to stay awhile. They agreed to leave the topic of her father on the back burner. Seeing images of her mother in all her glory, young, happy and svelte, helped ease the sting of betrayal. “Where’s the club located?”
“On the border of the west side, they have a decent-size club off Stone Street. I haven’t been there in years.”
The words lit a fire inside her. “I think I’m ready to be alone now.”
“I understand.” Her mother squeezed her hand.
Joey stood up. She’d bring the fight to her father. A plan began to shape in her head. She’d confront him. Bring the fight to his doorstep. Waiting around for him to show up out of nowhere would drive her crazy. Two can play this game, old man. After a slightly strained goodbye, she got into her car and made the drive out to the west side. Her stomach knotted and she went over the conversation in her mind. What does one say after so many years of secrecy and lies?
While part of her understood why, the other part was mad as fuck. How could anyone abandon his daughter and her mother for this long? The first year or two when he took over the presidency? Okay, she’d give him that. The rest of the time however, was unaccounted for. She clutched the steering wheel tightly as she pulled up in front of a gated building.
A massive man with tan skin and hair as dark as midnight swaggered across the parking lot. The muscles on his arms rippled as they swung. Unsure, she remained in the car and rolled down the window. They didn’t know who she
was yet. There was no telling how they might treat her.
“Sweetheart, I think you’re lost.” He flashed a bright-white grin that softened the harshness of his angular face. The white rectangle under the club’s emblem of a yellow eight ball announced him as Sly.
“Oh no, Sly, I’m exactly where I should be. I’m here to see Wanderer.”
His eyebrows flew up and he tilted his head. “I can’t say you seem his type. He’s not a man one disturbs for the hell of it.”
“You go in there and tell him Joey is out front.”
Sly furrowed his brow.
“You can turn me away, but it’ll be your ass that gets reamed for it.” She shrugged.
He glanced away and patted the roof of her car. “All right, stay here.”
While she watched him stalk away, she released her death grip on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. Would he come out here to see her? Her chest grew tight and her palms began to sweat.
Sly left the clubhouse alone. His face was set in an unreadable expression.
Her heart plummeted. She put on her game face, wiped the moisture from her palms and sat up straight.
Sly opened the gate.
Joey pulled into the parking space he waved her toward. She rolled up her window, cut the engine and stepped out of the car. Careful to stand up and utilize her six feet, she prayed he didn’t notice the tremors descending on her body.
“Apparently you have pull,” Sly noted.
She shrugged.