Page 112 of Shine: Sins of the Father
“I hear congratulations are in order, Papa.”
My face lights up. “Thanks, man. Daytona in his office?”
“Yeah. He and Trick are waiting for you.”
“Thanks.” I stride to the double doors and tap.
“Come in,” Daytona calls out, and I enter.
Approaching his desk, I stop.
“Have a seat.”
Last thing I feel like doing right now is sitting. I shift on my feet. “I’ll stand if you don’t mind.”
Daytona leans back in his chair and studies me. “Love’s a powerful thing, isn’t it? It can make a man do some crazy brave shit.”
I nod, trying to feel out where he’s going.
“I’ve already lost Reckless to San Jose. Now you?”
“I don’t want to drag Fiona from her family.”
“That’s the same thing Reckless said.” He sighs. “I get where you’re coming from, but you transferring leaves us two men down.” He points toward the bar. “And those fucking prospects have potential, but they’re not there yet. Not by a long shot.”
I nod, my mind already visualizing taking my cut off for the last time. Goddamn, it’s going to rip a piece of my soul away. But fucking hell, I’ll do it if it comes to that.
Daytona shakes a silent finger at me. “I see it in your eyes, brother. In your mind, you’re already gone.”
I nod, because it’s the truth, and I can’t hide it.
Daytona strokes his hand over his jaw. “Son-of-a-bitch. This sucks, Shine. You’ve been a part of this for so long.”
“I know. None of this is easy.”
He tilts his chair forward, leather creaking. “I can’t imagine having to choose between Cherry and this club. All right. I’ll talk to Cole. We’ll work something out. He’ll be lucky to have a good man like you, Shine. I mean that.”
Trick rises and gives me a backslap. “Gonna miss you around here, brother.”
“Hey, come visit. We’re not that far.”
Daytona comes to his feet and moves around the desk, clasping my hand in an arm wrestler’s grip, then pulling me in. “Take care of that new family. When are you leaving?”
“I’m trying to make plans to move my mother and sister with us. That’ll take some time, but right now, Fiona and the baby and I will head back tomorrow.”
“Anything we can do to help, you got it,” Daytona says.
“I know a moving company,” Trick offers. “I can line something up. Just give me the word.”
I nod. “Thanks, man. Hopefully, I can find them a place within the week. I think they’re both excited for the move.”
I say goodbye to all my brothers, then head to the safe house. Everything inside me relaxes, and it feels so good to have it allsettled. Of course, it’s still got to be worked out with Cole, but I have no doubt Daytona will come through for me.
***
The next morning, Reckless gets a call from Cole as we’re getting ready to pull out, asking if we can swing by and check on the cabin for him.
It’s a longer route, but we decide to do it. I can use all the help I can get to find my way into Cole’s good graces. I need him to accept my transfer, and I know right now Wolf isn’t going to make that easy.
