Page 40 of Flirt

“Does Doctor Dickhead harass you often?” he asked.

I gave an unladylike snort at the name Chad would forever be labeled in my head. “No. He just has a problem accepting not all women drop at his feet,” I said as I reached in my pocket and pulled out my keys. I hit the button on the key fob and unlocked the doors as we reached my car. “Thank you for the escort... Uh, I’m sorry. I remember the names from Sami’s introduction, just not which one goes to whom.”

“Romeo,” he answered, smiled, and opened the driver’s side door for me.

“Well, thank you for the escort, Romeo,” I said and returned his smile with one of my own.

“Never need to be thanked for an opportunity to walk a beautiful woman to her car,” he said and winked, then he frowned. “Which has me wondering why my son didn’t walk you out of the hospital. I am assuming you were visiting Sami and Luna, right? I am glad Flirt finally came clean with you, and you didn’t hold his stupidity against him.”

“Yes,” I answered as I eased into the driver’s seat of my car. Then everything he said registered. I pinched the bridge of my nose instead of following through with the initial urge of banging my head on the steering wheel. How distraught I’d been, between the disappointment in Max and then the run-in with Chad, that it hadn’t registered one of the older men was Max’s dad.

Sami had told me after introducing the five older men that they were mostly referred to asthe dads. It was also when I learned there had originally been six of them who started the Black Hawk MC. However, Speed and Carly’s dad had died in a motorcycle accident caused by a man Carly had thought was her real dad at the time. Their whole story had reminded me of a book. Then over my time spent with the women, they each had shared how they had met their other half as we’d gotten to know each other better.

God, they had mentioned Flirt a hundred times. Didn’t anyone use real damn names? If they had called him Max one time, it would have clicked, or I would have maybe questioned the coincidence. Even joked about knowing two Maxes. No, I refused to put any blame on my friends. This whole situation was Max’s fault for not being upfront from the beginning. The women had to have been as shocked as I was, which made me feel a little better. And how could I blame them? It wasn’t as if I’d mentioned Max by name around them. The most they knew was that I was a member of a BDSM club, and I went a couple times a month. I hadn’t even shared the name of the club, even with Carly badgering.

“Are you okay, sugar?” Romeo’s question brought me out of my head. Though it seemed while Max had hidden information from his friends, he had shared it with his dad.

I let go of the bridge of my nose and looked at the man who still held onto my car door. “You really have to look closely, but the resemblance is there. He has your jawline, nose, and the shape of your eyes. Are you an asshole, too?”

His lips twitched, and he rubbed his chin between his thumb and fingers. “Guess it would depend on who you ask, honey.”

There was so much I wanted to say and ask the man, but honestly, I was just done. Max was a grown man, and Romeo wasn’t responsible for his son’s idiocy.

“At least you’re honest. Maybe you can give your son some pointers on that,” I said and reached for the door handle. “Thanks again.” I pulled and hoped he would let go of the door, so I could leave and put an end to the day.

“He should have been honest with you from the beginning. I told him as much when we talked last. But, Brie, Flirt’s—”

“I don’t need or want to hear anything about your son. He had months to explain or come clean, as you said. Instead, he waits until I am in a room full of people I think of as friends. Your son is an asshole. Now, let go of my door. I have a daughter I need to get home to, and I have lost the last of my patience with men today. Doctors and bikers are at the top of the list.” I pulled on the handle again, and Romeo let go and stepped back. With the door shut, I started my car and backed out of the parking spot. I didn’t look in the rearview mirror to see if he stood in the same spot or not.

I drove home. Parked and turned the keys to the off position. Leaned my forehead against my hands that still gripped the wheel, then let the frustration, humiliation, and angry tears flow.

I promised myself as I cried that they would be the only tears shed over Max “Flirt” Browning.

Chapter Fifteen

Flirt

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