Page 28 of Amy's Santa

His hand curls around the back of her neck, pulling her to him and laying a fraternal kiss against her forehead. “You’re still a pest,” he comments, while I’m noticing she doesn’t seem as nervous about him as she does the other men. If anyone else had touched her, she’d have flinched.

Hmm. I had noticed she’d seemed happier since we’d returned from the morning’s ride, maybe she feels easier after whatever Xander’s said or done to her. Or is it something about the new prez himself? Something to ponder.

“Prez,” I greet him though it still seems odd giving him that title. “What can I do for you?”

He gives me a chin lift, then turns around to where Amy’s retreating, watching her until she’s opened the door and has disappeared from sight. Then, without rushing, he takes out the makings of a joint and starts rolling up. A habit he caught from his brother-in-law. I swear when they’re working together, weaving spells on the dark web, you can barely see through the fog in the office.

It’s only when he’s lit the tip that he allows his eyes to meet mine. “You get to the bottom of why she’s like a cat on a hot tin roof, and who that fucker with her is?”

I answer in the affirmative on both counts. “Don’t like letting people into her business, so long story short, she ran into a sadistic motherfucker at a club she frequents. Xander has given her the support she’s needed ever since.”

“Club?”

I shake my head, but his eyes narrow, and then he casually says, “Will take me about zero point four seconds to find out the clubs she has a membership at once I sit down at my tablet.”

Knowing he’s right, I grit my teeth. Hating I’m giving Amy’s secret away, but seeing no other option, I spit out, “A BDSM club.”

His eyes widen, and his mouth curves. “Well, fuck. Innocent little Amy into kinky shit. Wouldn’t have pegged her for that.” Again he swings around and looks back toward the clubhouse, gives a shake of his head then turns back, his face now serious. “I’ll keep it to myself, Heart. Don’t worry about that. Her secret to tell if she wants it to come out.”

I shouldn’t have doubted him, but it will take some time before I give him the trust I’d not hesitate to afford Drummer.

“And Xander? He her Dom?”

He certainly knows the terminology. “He’saDom, and I think he wants to beherDom.” Maybe he already is, something’s altered since we rode out this morning.

“What did the fucker do? Hurt her?” When I nod, he asks lazily, “He still breathing?”

“For now,” I tell him, then my own eyes narrow. “I’ve got this handled, Wiz.”

“Like that is it?”

“She’s my daughter.”

“She’s club.” Wizard sighs heavily. “Never easy handing over to a new guard, Heart. But at some point, you’ve got to let Drum off the hook. May not have his experience, but my shoulders are as broad as his.”

“I’m not questioning that, Wiz. Drummer’s got a soft spot for Amy, she stayed with him while I was away.”

“Before my time,” he amicably agrees, before slamming his palms on the table between us. “Amy was five when I arrived at the compound, I was fifteen. She was the oldest of the kids after Jayden left to go to Colorado. It was Amy who stepped up to help with the babies and toddlers. You remember the things I did?”

“Took time to play with her.”

He raises his chin. “Soon as I could drive and take a passenger, I took her out on trips. We went to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum numerous times, fuck she loved that place. Took her to Old Tucson, down to Tombstone and watched the shootout at the OK Corral. Took her to the caves and other shit too. Got Mouse to let her ride one of the ponies at the riding stables he and Mariana took over.”

He did. He reminds me that I’d felt guilty he was giving her the one-on-one time that with my other three kids and the club, I couldn’t. “Marc and I did stuff with her—”

“Not saying you didn’t. But wherever you went you had the twins and Alexis.”

I feel my own temper rise. “You saying I neglected her?”

“No,” he says, “but I saw she needed someone who would give her his full attention. I, too, was little more than a kid. Did me good to do kid stuff with her. Never had that before.” His head moves side to side. “You know this, Heart. You know how close we were. Fuck knows why you don’t think I’d want to know if there was something wrong in her life.”

“Well, now you do. And you can rest easy, I got it handled.”

He gives me a stare which comes close to rivalling one of Drummer’s.

“Sure you do, Heart. Sure you do.”

Chapter Eight

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