His Twisted Heart by Ellie R Hunter
Chapter Five
Luca
It’s been two days since my mom spoke a word to my dad. It’s been the same amount of time since she slammed the bedroom door in his face, and she hasn’t left. Through the door, I can her soft sobs, and I feel her pain. Dad’s got so much shit to deal with, he’s leaving her alone, when in my opinion, he should be focusing on her. Instead, he’s over in the bar, trying to deal with the Black Crows, and trying to get Harper to talk to him.
I couldn’t give a fuck if she’s blood. She didn’t grow up with us, and she isn’t anything to me. But when I think like that, my chest tightens. It feels wrong. What doesn’t feel wrong is the hatred I have for Lily. Dad deals with everything. I don’t feel for him being kept from his daughter. What I feel for is my mom. She’s the one who does everything for us, for him, and now she has to see the product of one of his one-night stands around the club. I couldn’t give a shit that it happened before he got with Mom. Everything she thought she knew has changed, and it’s irreversible.
Twisting the doorknob, I push open the door to find her sitting at the end of the bed. She looks up at me, and quickly wipes her eyes with her sleeves.
No one gets away with hurting my mom. For the time being, Dad can go fuck himself. At least he won’t get anyone pregnant that way.
“I just wanted to check in on you.”
When she offers me a small smile, I step into the room and close the door behind me. Sitting beside her, I take hold of her hand and squeeze it.
“I don’t like hearing you cry, Mom.”
“Stop listening at the door, then,” she retorts.
“Mom—”
“I’m okay. Really, I am. I’m just adjusting, that’s all.”
Like shit she’s okay. She doesn’t hide away from anything, yet this has her holed up in her room.
“What’s it like over there?” she asks, talking about the bar.
“You’d know if you went over.”
Rolling her eyes, she taps my hand, and I release my hold on her.
“Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat.”
Perfect deflection. But if it gets her out of this room, I’ll definitely eat.
“Sure.”
She rises from the bed, but I stay where I am. She looks down at me and purses her lips before she says, “How are you doing?” Trust her to be thinking of me.
“I’m more concerned about you.”
This earns me a genuine smile. and she cups my cheek.
Cupping my cheek, she replies, “Don’t be. This will pass, and before we know it, we’ll find our way again.”
“Does Dad know that?”
Her smile slips.
“He will eventually. But for now, it’s best he deals with club business while I stay over here.”
Dropping my hand, she walks toward the door, opens it, and turns back to me.
“Is Lily still over there?”
When I nod, she looks down at the carpet.
“Say the word, Mom, and I’ll run her out of town,” I vow, meaning it.
She laughs, and her shoulders relax for the first time in two days.
“You’ll do no such thing. Knowing your dad like I do, he’s probably planning that as we speak.”
“What about Harper? Can you deal with her?”
“This isn’t her fault. Your dad wasn’t the only one kept in the dark all these years.”
She leaves it at that and heads downstairs.
A picture on the nightstand catches my eye. It’s of Mom, Dad, Leo, and me. I must’ve been ten when it was taken. I wonder what our family photos would’ve looked like if Dad had known Harper was his daughter? Would she be in our family albums too? Tossing the picture onto the bed, I push it out of my mind and head downstairs. If Mom’s cooking, then she’s distracting herself and not crying.
I hit the bottom step just as the front door opens. Victoria breezes over the threshold and freezes when she sees me.
“Are we being an asshole today or no?” she chirps too fucking brightly.
“Are your panties coming down for me today or no?”
She rolls her eyes. “Asshole day it is, then.”
She struts into the kitchen and I follow her, sliding my ass onto the counter and out of the way of Mom and Bonnie, who are both cooking up a storm.
Pulling my phone out, I hit Sara’s number and press send. Not expecting it to ring, I listen to her voice timidly telling me to leave a message. I listen once and hang up when Victoria laughs like she hasn’t got a care in the world, trying to get a smile from my niece. Everything about her is easy.
“Does my boy want bacon with his eggs?” Mom asks.
Bobbing my head, I catch Victoria staring at me, but she quickly looks away when our eyes meet.
“Before you eat, take this over to JJ,” Bonnie orders, thrusting a plate of sausage and bacon at me, and then a set of silverware. Turning to Kristen, she adds, “He’s been sitting outside Harper’s door for two days. He won’t leave her.”
Mom stiffens, but she rights herself.
Slipping off the counter, I take the meal over to JJ, forgetting about my own food.
I use the side door so I don’t have to run into dad and plod up the stairs. JJ’s right where Bonnie said he’s been.
He looks like shit. He needs at least a day’s sleep and a long shower.
“Courtesy of your mom, momma’s boy,” I grunt, holding out the plate for him.
Snatching it from my hand, I drop the silverware onto his lap.
“Thanks, baby Jackson.”
Without another word, I turn my back to him and head for the stairs.
“Are you not going to ask how she is?”
Stopping in my tracks, I turn around and face him, his plate on the floor beside him.
“I’m guessing you don’t know yourself if you’re not allowed in the room?”
I hear everything around the club. I don’t need to ask.
“Do you have a problem with her being your sister?”
“Why do you care, Carter?”
His mouth opens, and like his usual dick self, he can’t speak the truth.
“She’s a good girl. You should take the time to get to know her.”
“Yeah? How nice for you.”
Dragging himself up to his feet, his legs wobble—no doubt on pins and needles—before he rights himself.
“One day soon, I’ll make her mine, and she’ll be going nowhere. Get right with it, because you’re going to see her around a lot.”
Barking out a humourless laugh, I tell him, “I grew up here, and if I don’t want to see someone, I don’t. The club’s bigger than one person.”
I have no fucking idea how I feel about Harper, but I won’t have JJ ordering me on what I should or shouldn’t do.
Down in the bar, I follow Leo as he walks into the kitchen and closes the door behind me. It’s bad enough every brother in the club knows Dad’s business now, but they don’t need to know mine.
“What are we going to do about Lily?”
Turning around, he stops fiddling with the coffee machine and frowns.
“What are you talking about?”
“You got baby brain or something? I asked, what are we going to do about Lily?”
“We’re going to do nothing. It’s Dad’s business. He’ll deal with her.”
Snorting, I dig out my smokes and light one up before tossing the pack to Leo. From what I’ve heard, he’s been trying to cut down since Rayna was born.
“She’s hurting Mom by being around, or don’t you care now that you have your own little family?”
He looks at me like he wants to slap the shit out of me.
“Mom’s stronger than you give her credit for. And besides, she and Dad are tight. Lily won’t come between them.”
“Have you been over to the house recently? I was just there, listening to her cry in her room. Even the strongest break, Leo. She’s always there for us, and we both know we’ve put her through the shit from time to time. As her sons, we should be protecting her.”
Falling onto the nearest chair, he takes a long drag from his cigarette.
“What do you propose we do? Dad’s all about wanting to get to know Harper, and he’s not going to let her leave so easily.”
It doesn’t feel good to hear that.
“I suggest driving Lily out to the middle of nowhere and make it real clear she’s not welcome here.”
Pointing to the door, he says, “Have you not seen how everyone but Slade has been treating her? We don’t need to make it clear she’s not welcome. Hell, they’re doing it for us.”
“All I’m hearing are excuses. If you don’t care enough about Mom anymore, that’s cool. At least I know who has her back in the future.”
He lurches across the kitchen and fists my hoodie, pushing me back until I hit the wall.
“Tread carefully, little brother. Neither Mom nor Dad would appreciate us getting involved. Don’t you dare tell me I don’t care enough!”
“You’re a fucking joke. Let me go or I’ll fight back.”
His dark eyes burn. “I think you’re looking for a reason to hurt someone.”
“You’re damn right I am. She’s our fucking mom!” I roar.
The door opens, and Dad steps into the kitchen, taking in the scene before him.
“What the fuck is going on here?” he barks at us.
Leo uncurls his fist and steps back. Tugging on the crumpled fabric, I straighten myself out and push away from the wall.
“Nothing. Absolutely fuck all is happening,” I huff, stepping on the butt I dropped when Leo came at me.
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
“What would you know? You aren’t seeing us at the moment,” I bite out.
My words sting him for all of five seconds before his anger turns his cheeks red.
“Who the fuck are you talking to, you little shit?”
I can’t stop the rage consuming me. It needs to be released; I can’t keep it in any longer.
“Everyone keeps telling me you’ll deal with Lily, but you aren’t doing shit. She’s still here. Why?”
“You’re questioning me now?”
“Fuck yeah. Especially when my Mom’s hurting.”
His anger simmers and his shoulders sag at the mention of Mom’s pain. Dropping onto the chair Leo was just on, he slams his hand down on the table.
“I have more important shit to deal with right now than Lily McCarthy, son, but she’ll get hers soon enough. As for your mother, she’s my business, you hear me?”
This is bullshit. Heading for the door, his hand shoots out and grabs onto my wrist.
“I understand this is fucked up, but if you ever speak to me like that again, you better be prepared to face the consequences.”
Yanking my arm away, I stare at the man I’ve looked up to my whole life and nod.
“If you do what’s right, I won’t have to.”
His laugh is unexpected. “What are you expecting me to do, son?”
“She wouldn’t be the first person you’ve made disappear, and no doubt, she wouldn’t be the last.”
Raising his brows, he leans back in his seat. “You want me to put her in the ground?”
“I couldn’t give a fuck where you put her, so long as Mom doesn’t have to see her every day.”
The fucker smiles.
“I’ll keep that in mind. But what would I say to Slade when he can’t find his sister?”
“I don’t give a shit. It’s not my problem.”
“He’s a brother,” Leo chimes in. “Brothers’ families are off-limits, and in rare cases, they would be dealt with based on a club vote. You think you’re above that? Even Mom understands it.”
Glaring at him, my lip curls in disgust. They think I’m bothered about that detail?
“He should’ve kept a tighter leash on his sister, then,” I snap, looking at Dad. “I couldn’t care less if ten more of your kids showed up, as long as my mom doesn’t have to have the mothers rubbed in her face on a daily basis.”
“I admire your loyalty to your mom, Luca. It makes me proud. But you’ve got to trust me when I say this will sort itself out. Your mom will be fine.”
This is going nowhere. Dad professes to love the shit out of her, yet he’s leaving her to hurt not a hundred yards away from him.
“Now, if you’ve finished spitting out your pacifier, I want to talk to you about when you’re planning to slap a prospect patch on a cut? You haven’t mentioned anything to me or anyone else.”
“I can’t think about that now.”
The truth is, I don’t plan on ever wearing the patch. I’m not my dad or my brother. Leo has always known he’d join the club, but not me. I had plans of my own, and they didn’t involve being shot at every other month, or having to live by club rules. Albeit, there aren’t many, but today has shown that the brothers have their own leashes they’re strung up by. Because Lily is Slade’s sister, it makes her untouchable. It’s bullshit.
I hear dad sigh as I swing open the door and head out into the bar. Taking a seat on one of the stools, I keep my front to the crowd and lean back, resting my arms on the bar top, finding the lying bitch sitting with Slade and Kristen.
Narrowing my eyes, I choose to forget everything Dad and Leo had to say. They don’t seem to be looking out for Mom, so I will. I don’t need to be asked or told, and I certainly don’t fucking need to have a leash squeezing around my neck because I wear the club patch. Her gaze roams around the bar and lands on me.
I give her a murderous look, making it real fucking clear I can’t stand the sight of her, and she cringes. Good. I want her uncomfortable.
I don’t need Leo’s help. I just thought it would be the right thing for him to do for his own mother.
Lily quickly looks away from me, but I continue to glare at her, watching her squirm. I can make her life unbearable, and I plan to. If she had kept her fucking mouth shut, she could’ve lived in town for the rest of her life for all I would’ve cared, but she didn’t, and now she has to pay the consequences for her actions.