Page 143 of 12 Months of Mayhem

“Why didn’t you?” Her vulnerability seeping through the cracks in her armor.

I sigh, running a hand over my face. “I thought I could handle Meredith on my own.”

“We’re a team. We face things together. You can’t keep things from me, especially when it comes to our children’s safety.”

“You’re right,” I admit. “I fucked up, Rem. I should have told you everything.”

She nods, her hand absently stroking her belly. “What exactly did Meredith say to you?”

I take a deep breath. “She showed up at the construction site, demanding to talk to me, which is when Coffey called. When I got there, she started demanding to see Birdie, and that she needed my help and the club’s protection. That I owed it to her as Birdie’s mom.”

“Protection from what? Please tell me I didn’t agree to putting you in danger.”

“That’s the thing. She didn’t tell me a fucking thing. As soon as she figured out that you and I were together again, she said some shit about you, I lost my cool, threatened her, and then I left. The last time I saw her, I was riding away while Coffey got rid of her.”

“So, how did she find us at the parade?”

“I have no clue.”

“What do we do then? We have the kids and a signed letter saying she’s relinquishing her parental rights. She has nothing to use against us or you.”

“You’re right. She doesn’t have any legal standing. But Meredith...she’s not thinking rationally. She’s desperate, and that makes her dangerous. Whatever she’s gotten herself mixed up in is bad enough that she came running back to me.”

“We need to increase security. For the kids, for the club, for everything.”

I nod, already mentally cataloging what needs to be done. “I’ll have Coffey and the boys set up round-the-clock surveillance on the house and the club. We’ll need to be careful about the kids’ schedules, maybe change up their routines.”

“And what about me? I can’t exactly defend myself if I’m stuck in this bed.”

The thought of her being vulnerable sends a chill down my spine. “I’ll have someone with you at all times.”

Rem nods, but I can see the annoyance in her eyes. She’s not used to feeling helpless, to relying on others for protection. “Maybe we should help her. It’s the easiest solution.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am serious, Rex. Think about it. If we help her, maybe she’ll leave us alone. It could be the quickest way to end this threat to our family.”

I shake my head, incredulous. “Rem, you can’t be thinking straight. This is Meredith we’re talking about. She’s unstable and unpredictable. You can’t tell me you didn’t notice how bloodshot her eyes were at the shop. She’s still using.”

“Considering I was in labor, the only thing I saw was a desperate woman holding our kids hostage.”

“I get it, Rem. I do. But helping Meredith...it’s not that simple. We don’t even know what kind of trouble she’s in. For all we know, it could be something that puts us all at risk.”

“And having her running around desperate doesn’t put us at risk? She already took the kids once, Rex. What’s to stop her from trying again?”

I feel my temper flaring, but I force it down. Getting angry won’t help anyone right now. “Look, I understand where you’re coming from. But we can’t just jump into this blindly. We need more information.”

“Then get it. Call Maya. She would have never let her leave the shop without a way to track her.”

I nod, mentally running through who I could trust with this task. “Alright. I’ll do it. But Rem, you have to promise me something.”

She raises an eyebrow, waiting.

“Promise me you’ll focus on taking care of yourself and our baby. Let me handle this Meredith situation. You need to rest and stay calm. Doctor’s orders, remember?”

For a moment, I think she’s going to argue. But then her shoulders sag slightly and she nods. “Okay,” she says softly. “I’ll try. But Rex, you have to keep me in the loop. No more secrets, no matter how much you think you’re protecting me.”

I lean in, pressing my forehead against hers. “I promise, baby. No more secrets.”

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