Mad Dog (Angel’s Rebellion MC: #2) (Angel's Rebellion MC), стр. 89
“Something you need to tell me, Brother?” Reb inquired.
“For now, Reb, could you not say anything to anyone? I need to talk to my dad.”
He nodded at me, “Sure, Cas. But if you need me for anything, just let me know.”
“Thanks, appreciate it. Do you happen to know his mom's name?”
“Yeah, it's Audrey.”
That completely sealed it. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Slade was my brother.
I coughed, “Do you know how old he is?”
“Yeah, he'll be twenty-nine this year.”
I nodded at him and uttered huskily, “Is there a reason he had to get back to his mom?”
I watched as the same sad look crossed Reb's face when Slade’s mom was mentioned. “Yeah, bro. His mom is dying of cervical cancer. Nothing they can do. She's already outlived the time that the docs gave her. Slade works some days, then goes straight home to take care of her, other days, she's so bad he stays with her.”
“They live close?” I asked, my voice choked with emotion.
“Yeah, in one of the houses on the compound.”
“Thanks, man.”
He nodded to me and walked off. It was a good thing too, not sure if I could get a word out right now.
“Fuck, Casper. You gonna call your old man?” Ghost asked quietly.
“Yeah, Brother. As soon as I'm through here for the night,” I somehow managed to get out, my voice broken and jagged sounding.
For the rest of the evening, I felt shell shocked. I couldn't really tell you what went on. I fucking hoped I hadn’t screwed shit up, but no one said anything or looked at me strangely so maybe luck was on my side.
When demands at the bar slowed down and I could finally leave, I went straight out front. I walked back and forth for ten minutes or so, still trying to wrap my head around what I had learned tonight. Dad had told Zane and me about Audrey and how he had fallen in love with her, but that she had never called him after the week of spring break they shared together. He said it was probably a good thing, because a few weeks after he had gone back to his buddy’s place, my mom had called and informed him that she was pregnant with Zane.
Dad stayed for another year before my mom finally told him to leave. The way Dad talked, he had never touched my mom again after he had gone home. Said after Audrey, he had simply never desired Mom again. I could understand that. My mom was a total bitch and I hated being around her, so did Zane.
Finally, I pulled my phone out and dialed Dad.
“Cas, what's wrong?” Dad asked as soon as he answered the phone.
I groaned. I hadn't even looked at the time. I knew it was late, but fuck, it was after two in the morning eastern time.
“No, nothing’s wrong. But Dad, I, umm, fuck, Dad. I just met my little brother and I'm not sure what to do.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Cas? You're not on anything are you?”
I barked out a laugh, “You know me better than that, Dad.”
“Then explain what you mean.”
With a lump in my throat, I explained what had happened earlier that night. Dead silence met me.
“Dad, you still there?” I asked because I honestly thought the call had dropped.
“She's dying?” he whispered.
“That's what I was told, Dad. Reb said she's already lived longer than they expected.”
“Christ.” I heard him murmur.
“Dad, you okay? What are you going to do? I don't know if I should talk to him or what?”
“No, son. Don't talk to him. This is something I need to do. I'll be there in a couple days,” he said. Then I heard him whisper, “Please, God, let her hang on until I can get there.”
I fucking thought I was going to cry. Here was my tough as nails dad, begging God to keep alive a woman he's been in love with for over half his life, so he could see her and talk to her. It didn't fucking matter that I'm a thirty-year-old man. Dad had taught us that it was okay for a man to cry. Said it didn't make a man less of a man, instead it showed that a man wasn't ashamed to show emotions for those he loved.
“All right, Dad. See you then.”
I heard my dad say, “Fuck,” as he hung up the phone. I knew Dad had been with other women over the years, but he hadn't ever had a steady girlfriend. When Zane and I asked him why he hadn't had someone else in his life, he'd simply said that he didn't feel like he had ever had closure with Audrey. That she still haunted his thoughts and plagued his mind and that the love he felt for her was still there.
I felt devastated for him. To finally find the whereabouts of his true love, then be kicked in the balls with the fact that she was dying and he wouldn't have much time with her. I just prayed that she would see him. I also prayed that Slade would let the three of us into his life. It would be hell being in the same MC as him and not be able to treat him like my little brother. If he wouldn’t let us in, I wasn’t sure if I could stay here and be this close to my brother and not be able to have a relationship with him.
A couple days didn't sound like a lot, until you learned that a couple days could be one too few.
~*~
Ava
As I grabbed the ice cream and strawberries out of the freezer, my mind drifted to the conversation Dog and I had earlier this morning. We both had been hot and sweaty after a round of very satisfying sex. Lately, I couldn't seem to get enough of the man, and I attacked him