“Ziggy’s cute,” she compliments, and this seems to ease the annoyance that surrounds Riggs’ eyes. “I only met him a couple of times. Malia adores him.”
A realization passes over Rock’s face. “You two are together?” he asks, running his finger between me and Eva. “Like in a relationship?”
“No.” Eva laughs. “We’re not lesbians.”
“Rock, this one’s Reggie Miller’s woman,” says Riggs. My face instantly goes a deep shade of red with embarrassment. Eva feels the anxiety radiating from me at the mere mention of my ex.
“I’m not his woman,” I utter.
“Oh yeah,” Rock says with a grin. “And he knows you’re drinking in these parts, does he?”
“I’m not his woman,” I repeat.
“Maybe we should go,” says Eva, grabbing hold of my hand.
“Better still, let me call him. I’m sure he’d love to hear from me,” says Rock, pulling out his cell. My hand dashes towards it, snatching it away from him. I’m shaking from fear and panic. Rock’s mouth falls open, not quite believing what I just did, which makes two of us.
“He doesn’t know I’m here,” I mutter. “You can’t tell him that you saw me.”
Rock moves closer and my fear deepens. “I’ll tell him whatever I like. He ain’t shit around here.”
I glance at Riggs, who’s smirking at the interactions unfolding before him. “Do you let all your gang members talk to women like shit?” I snap.
“It’s not a gang, sweetheart. What your boyfriend has is a gang. What I have is a club,” says Riggs with ease.
“The only difference I see is this gang wears leather jackets and his gang wears suits,” I say boldly.
Riggs grins. “I can name a million differences between my club and Reggie’s gang. The first being we don’t beat on our old ladies. We treat them like the queens they are.”
I scoff and fold my arms across my chest. “Well, clearly you don’t respect women because you’ve spoken to me like shit tonight.”
“I said we treat OUR old ladies like queens. You’re not an old lady. You’re Reggie’s woman. I don’t need to respect you.” He pops a cigarette in his mouth. “The last I heard, he beat you so badly, you spent a week in the hospital.” He saunters past me and heads for the exit, lighting his cigarette.
“It was a bad idea to come here,” mutters Eva. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter Two
Riggs
I don’t know what just came over me. Something about Malia’s mom riles every cell in my body. Who the fuck does she think she is turning up in my bar and lecturing me about my kid? Looking down her nose at us? I shake my head and take a long drag on my cigarette.
“She’s a firecracker,” smirks Lake.
“She’s got nerve turning up here like that, thinking I didn’t know who her old man is.”
“I thought she got an order out on Reggie. He can’t go near her these days,” says Lake.
“She didn’t like being called his woman,” I say. “You think she’s in this part of town because he can’t get to her here?”
The door opens and the two women step out. I stare straight ahead. I know it’s her as she passes because I feel her under my skin. “Ass,” she mutters under her breath. Lake grins at me and I shake my head again, laughing to myself.
“‘Scuse me?” Despite me telling her to get out of my bar, I’ve actually enjoyed our banter and I’m not quite ready for it to end.
“I said,” she grits out, spinning to face me, “that you’re an ass.”
“I heard,” I nod. “Why?”
Her mouth falls open and her eyes widen. “Are you kidding me? I’ve never met anyone so rude and . . . ” She pauses, trying to find the right word. “Rude,” she repeats.
“Go home. You’ve drunk too much and you turned up here to discuss your kid. Come back when you’re sober and maybe I’ll listen to what you have to say.”
“Fuck you,” she hisses.
“Do you kiss Reggie with that mouth?” Lake smirks.
“Let’s just go,” says her friend on a sigh. “They’d never understand.”
“Understand that a mob princess had the nerve to come here? I understand perfectly.” I move towards them, and if I’m not mistaken, Anna has a heated look in her eyes. “Maybe I’ll rock up to your place, see what you’re like without that alcohol running through your blood.” I run my finger down her bare arm. Goosebumps break out on her skin and she sucks in a breath. I smirk.
“I’m not telling you where I live,” she mutters.
“I don’t need you to. See ya around, sweetheart.” I turn back to the guys, grinning with satisfaction. This woman will regret putting herself on my radar.
I take Ziggy’s backpack from the kitchen counter. “You’re taking him to school?” asks my mom. I note the shock in her voice.
“Yep,” I say, not wanting to get into it.
“Yay!” Ziggy grins. “Can we go on the bike?” he asks. I nod and he fist pumps the air.
“No,” says my mom firmly. “Finn, you know the school will call and question whether the bike is safe. It isn’t worth the bother. Just take my car.” She throws the keys and I catch them.
We get into the car and I fasten Ziggy in. “Daddy, why does Granny call you Finn?”
“Because that’s my real name,” I say. “And because she’s my mommy, she’s allowed to use that name.”
“I like Riggs better,” he says.
“You’re lucky because you get to call me by a name that nobody else can call me,” I say. “Daddy.” This satisfies him and he smiles. “Now let’s get you to school.”
I stand uncomfortably in the playground. I hate the school run because I stand out. All the other adults here are mainly moms and they stare at me cautiously. They pull their kids closer to
