“What do you mean?” I ask. “Went where?”
She shrugs and continues to play with the doll. Anna senses my unease and she places her hand over Malia’s, stilling her. “Sweety, where did Ziggy go?” she asks.
“I think he went for breakfast,” she says. We both visibly relax, and I smile. “Ziggy didn’t want to go. She carried him and she said he would like the park because in the café they do ice cream.”
I groan and my heart threatens to beat out of my chest at the possibility that Michelle took Ziggy for a walk outside of the clubhouse. “Don’t panic. Maybe someone went with them,” says Anna calmly.
“No,” says Malia. “Ziggy’s mommy told me not to tell you, but I don’t like to tell lies.”
I rush out of the room and take the stairs two at a time. Leia and my mom spin around alarmed when I burst into the kitchen. “Michelle . . . where’s Michelle?” I’m desperate for them to tell me she’s here somewhere, but they both stare at me blank. “She’s got Ziggy,” I add, and Mom drops the bowl she was washing up into the basin. She dries her hands and follows me through the club, both of us shouting Ziggy’s name.
I pull out my cell and call Michelle, but of course, it goes straight to the answer message. I curse and retry. Cree and Tiny are out in the yard. “You saw Michelle and Ziggy?” I ask. Cree shakes his head.
Tiny nods. “Yeah, she was around the back with him playing ball earlier when I was out guarding the gates. He was a little upset, if I’m honest, but she was really trying to make him happy.” I don’t listen to any more. Instead, I run around to the back of the club. Ziggy’s ball lays on the grass, but they’re nowhere to be seen. I call her cell over and over. When it finally rings on her end, I want to cry with relief. “Hello?” she answers.
“Get him back here now,” I yell. “How dare you take him.”
“Christ, Riggs, calm the fuck down,” she hisses. “He’s fine. We’re just having an ice cream. You need to relax.”
“The club is on lockdown for a fucking reason,” I grit out. Mom touches my arm, a silent warning for me to calm down. I take a deep breath. “Where are you? I’ll come and get you both.”
“We’re at the park. Literally around the corner. We’ll head back. Yah know, I discussed this with your little girlfriend yesterday and she seemed fine with me taking Ziggy out.” She disconnects the call.
Anna runs out into the yard just as I pull the cell away from my ear. “Are they okay?” she asks.
“Did you tell her she could take Ziggy?” I ask, moving towards her.
Anna shakes her head. “She mentioned it and I agreed with her that she should spend time with him. I never said that she could.”
“Who do you think you are? You come along and think you can just take over and change the rules. You’ve been here two fuckin’ minutes and you’re making decisions about my kid?”
“No, I just—”
I’m filled with rage. Ziggy is my son and if she knew the shit that Michelle had put us through . . . “You had no right to get involved. We fucked. That doesn’t mean you can involve yourself in shit between me and my ex. Ziggy is my responsibility. Concentrate on screwing your own kid up and leave mine alone.”
Hurt fills Anna’s face. “I didn’t tell her she could take Ziggy out. I agreed she should spend time and get to know him. I told her to talk to you.” Tears fall down her cheeks and she swipes at them angrily. “I would never get involved in your parenting decisions. Interesting that you say now we’re just fucking. Is that all it’s been?”
“Now’s not the time to talk about us!” I growl.
“Oh, don’t worry, I know you hate to talk. I think you’ve made yourself perfectly clear. All the picnics, the lazing around in the sun, the movie nights, all of those things this last week have meant nothing because we’re just fucking, right?!” She turns and runs back inside.
I run my hands over my head. “Fuck,” I groan. My heart aches and I can’t shake the feeling of panic I feel over Ziggy being outside of the club.
“Jesus, Finn,” Mom mutters. “Do you think about the words before they come out of your mouth, or do you just blurt out that bullshit on the spot? You’re just like your dad,” she adds, then follows Anna inside.
I crouch down by the grass and hold my head in my hands. I was so terrified that something had happened to Ziggy that all that crap came rolling outta my mouth. Cree pats me on the shoulder. “Talk to her. Explain.” He sighs.
I shake my head. “Yah know what, Cree, I don’t think it’ll work between us. I love her. How mad is that? I haven’t known her long enough for that. We need to get this done with Reggie. Since those girls came into our lives, we’ve been fucking up all over the place. We’ve waited too long as it is because I’ve had my head full of her. Let’s call church in an hour and put a plan together.”
“Okay, but sort shit with Anna, Pres. I was wrong about her. Seeing you guys together these last few days, I’ve never seen you so happy.”
“I thought you didn’t talk about this sorta crap?” I mutter.
“Sometimes things need to be said. She’s a good woman and you need her. Make it right.” He goes inside. I’ll make it right with Anna later. I have to get Ziggy back here first.
I pace by the gates. It’s been six minutes since my call with Michelle and Ziggy still isn’t back.
