Page 18 of Empower

As I leaned against the wall as Red introduced her, Raine came to my side, I looped my arm around her waist and never realized that throughout the rest of the night, my eyes never strayed from Lena.

What I didn’t know was that my daughter hadn’t missed it.

Not like I had.

Chapter 3

Lena

Four years ago, I never imagined the direction my life would have taken.

And all it took was one phone call from me.

As I sat here in my seat surrounded by other students along with Raine, waiting for our names to be called, I couldn’t help but look up and send out a message to my mother.

‘Thank you for keeping that receipt and not taking your secret with you. You saved my life. In more ways than one.’

Raine reached her hand over and held onto mine tight as the dean of the college said his speech.

Thankfully, ever since Raine had married Tank, her last name went from starting with an L and to a C. And since my last name began with a D. We were able to be side by side for most everything.

She was the best friend a girl could ever ask for.

Even though I would rather have one of us be taller than the other because of short girl problems.

But we made it alright, and nine times out of then, the brothers at the clubhouse laughed their asses off at our antics.

When the man started about the past four years of our schooling, I couldn’t help but recall everything that had happened.

Which was why my fingers moved over the leather cuff that Storm had gifted me last Christmas. It was brown leather that was tied with thin leather straps with the club’s logo and Property of Wrath MC was displayed on it.

I so wanted it to be Property of Storm, but that was just wishful thinking on my part.

After the past four years, needless to say, I had it bad for the man.

And this was why, so allow me to explain how the four years have played out...

A couple of months after I made the move, I had settled into my new life.

And it was that.

A new life.

After we had my birthday dinner, the very following day, Red took me out and bought me everything with new tags, and anytime I looked at something then the price I put it back.

But Red hadn’t.

No, he had grabbed it and put it into the cart.

As we were loading things up in the back of his truck, he placed his massive palm on my cheek and said, “Been thinking on this since I laid eyes on you. You look just like her, and me. I want you to call me Dad, whenever you’re ready. But I also want to get a test done. Not saying your momma was lying or anything. This is about protection. Because god forbid something ever happened to me, I want you to be protected with the club. Okay?”

I got it. I did, therefore, I nodded.

Fourteen days later we had the results, and that was when the very next day, I had called him Dad for the first time.

The way his eyes watered is something I’ll never forget.

He looked into my eyes which were the mirror image of his and whispered, “Never wanted kids. Didn’t want to bring them into this world with all the shit that’s swirling around, but darlin’, fuck me. Had I known what this feeling feels like? I would have read that letter a whole hell of a lot sooner.”