Page 39 of Barron

“I waited in the office for Deacon to read and sign the papers. By then, he’d relaxed some. He invited me to stay the night. Offered me one of the guest rooms in the clubhouse. Hell no. I didn’t want to spend another minute in that clubhouse. The vibes were fucking uncomfortable, as if something bad had happened.”

“Did you know Deacon’s wife had passed away?”

“Not then,” Johnny G replied. “I found out later. Blade told me. Think about this. I spent close to an hour in that man’s office watching him sign documents. He’s so self-absorbed, he didn’t recognize me just now. I shouldn’t bitch. It’s safer for Isolde and me.”

“You have a point, my friend. Anything else?”

“I was in the front yard, getting ready to leave Dalton, when she snuck out the side of the clubhouse. I didn’t notice how young she was in the hallway, but out in the yard…” He sighed. “Her age was fucking obvious, and she was even more beautiful. Isolde was cool, though. She gave me her name again.Fuck, like I could ever forget it, but she didn’t flirt or anything. She only said she was sad I was going home and hoped to see me again, but she knew it would be difficult.” He stood abruptly. “I came this close”—pinching his fingers together, he thrust them at Barron’s face—“to asking her to get on the bike and come home with me.”

“Thank goodness you didn’t.”

“Yeah. Sanity prevailed. Even though I’d do anything for her. Get a new job, leave the MC, go back to school, get my degree.Give her the fucking moon. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted. She’s the half I’m missing.”

“I don’t get you, man. How can you say that when you barely know her?”

“Why would you get it? Took you months to really see Yoanni.”

“Ouch,” Barron said.

“No. Don’t take it the wrong way. We’re friends and MC brothers, but we’re not the same. I don’t need or want months or years of dates and conversation to know her. My soul recognized Isolde from the first moment. Unfortunately, she has a possessive father who refuses to accept the woman she is blocking our way. I won’t make her choose.”

“She strikes me as a pretty smart cookie. Maybe she’ll find a way to convince him she’s not a baby.”

“In ten years.” Johnny Gun gave a short, humorless laugh.

“Is he seeing anybody? I bet you a significant other could loosen up the grip he has on his daughter.”

“Now we’re talking about miracles. Those don’t happen.”

“When you least expect them, my man.” Barron’s phone dinged. Yoanni’s name flashed on the screen. “Hold on a sec. It’s Yoanni.”

Johnny G waved a hand, and Barron turned his attention to the call.

“Hey, baby girl. What’s up?”

“We’re done for the day. It’s still early, and I wanted to stop by my place to pick up a few more things.”

“Stay where you are. I’ll drive over.”

“My place is close to the station. Doesn’t make sense for you to pick me up to go back there. I remember I’m not allowed to ride with anyone but you or the captain. But the captain has an errand to run and wants to know if Officer Billings can drive me over.”

Who the fuck is Officer Billings?

“Officer Billings, you say?”

“Yes, Daddy. Remember when the calculator was left on my car? Officer Billings escorted me home. You probably crossed each other on the road.”

Barron did a quick mental calculation. The agency was close to Yoanni’s place. He’d likely get there before she did.

“Since Officer Billings escorted you once before, I’ll agree this one time. But no more. You hear me?”

“I do.”

“All right. I’ll meet you at your place in a few minutes. Be careful, princess.”

“I will, and Daddy?”

“Yes?”

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