Shane

"I like the color pink now." Adrianna says to me for the eighth time in a row. I look up from my coffee and turn to her sitting on the dining room table coloring. Her hair is messy, and she has giant purple pajamas on. She turns to look at me and my heart nearly falls out of my chest.

It's been two days since everything happened at the hospital with Shawna and Max. They were released yesterday, and Lyla and I went by to see them. Max seems a little better, but Shawna still has a lot to deal with. It nearly broke me when I walked past the nursery they had set up in light gray's and yellows that I had to close the door.

I've also thought a lot about what Lyla told me that dreadful day at the hospital. She shook with nerves while telling me and I can only imagine how she thought I was going to react. I kept in all my anger at the fact that this douchebag is now in Adrianna's life. At first, I was angry that Lyla would take a child away from their father, but after hearing her confess that her ex, this Rory asshole, wasn't a good guy, I've been antsy to get some information on him.

"Do you like that color too Shane?" My eyes meet the little Minx's and I smirk but hide it behind my coffee. She has been hinting at getting her nails done, like how her aunt Candy has hers done, for the last two hours. Lyla left a couple of hours ago to work and since then Adrianna has made it clear on what she prefers to do today.

"Don't think your mama would want your nails done darlin'." I state, causing her to turn her head with a frown on her face and tears in her eyes.

"But, I've always wanted to." Shit. I've battled men pointing guns at my head, men twice my size, and arms dealing Russians, but none have had me shaking in my boots like this little girls' lips pointed out.

"Alright, I'll tell you what. How about we get dressed and clean the house, then we can go and get your nails done and go for some lunch?" Adrianna's lip goes back in and her frown is quickly replaced by a smile. She wipes ta her tears and runs to her room to get dressed.

Did I just get played by a three-year-old?

It takes us an hour to get dressed and clean the house, then we head over to a nearby salon that I had called to see if they would do a child's nails. When we arrive, Adrianna suddenly becomes shy and quiet as the nail tech asks her what she would like. She clings to my chest and buries her face in my neck.

"How about we pick out your color and I'll show you where to sit while your daddy goes and takes a seat in the front?" Willow, the nail tech asks. I don't correct her title for me because damn it sounded good for someone to call me this little angel's daddy.

"Okay, but don't leave without me okay?" I nod my head and walk to the front catching the eyes of a few women. I ignore them, never being a fan of men who look when they already have the whole fuckin' package at home.

Twenty minutes later, we walk out of the salon with a very happy Adrianna who has bright pink nails and toes.

"Can we get some lunch please?"

"You hungry darlin'?" She nods her head and we head to a nearby diner. Once we are settled in our booth, I open Adrianna's kid's menu and help her select her food. Lyla's always telling me what a good eater she is, but lately she seems distant and her food choice has gone slim to nothing. I hate to say it, but it seemed like it changed once she met her father.

"I don't know what I want." She says, and I stand up and walk to the other side to sit beside her.

"Let me ask you somethin' darlin'." I wait for her attention and continue. "Do you like your daddy?" Adrianna shrugs and keeps her head down pretending to study the menu. Her resistance lately must be stemming from her meeting with her biological father.

"He's okay, but I don't get why you can't just be my daddy. You do all the things daddies are supposed to do." My heart cracks at this little girls' words and I lean in and pull her close to my chest. I hear a few sniffles that break me to my core. When Lyla comes home tonight we need to have a talk, because if that asshole isn't stepping up for Adrianna, then my boots going to have a meet and greet with his fuckin' face.

"Is he the one that was visiting you at school?" My heart beats rapidly in my chest awaiting the answer. Once Adrianna nods her head, I know what I need to do.

"You know I love ya, right darlin'?" Adrianna nods her head on my chest and when the waitress comes, I have Adrianna order anything she wants.

One hour later and a full Adrianna, I have her down for her nap while I am pacing the living room floor calling Torque. Adrianna had passed out on the way home and so putting her in her room for a nap was an easy one. He answers on the fourth ring.

"Shane."

"Need somethin' here brother. You get anything on Lyla's past like I asked?"

"Sorry man, nothing yet. I'll keep lookin', but with my research on the Rejects MC and gathering intel on Alberts, I've been kinda swamped." I rub my eyes with my thumbs as my pacing slows. I know we have been using Torque's skill a lot lately, but judging by Adrianna's indecision, I would feel better if I knew more about the asshole in question.

"Alright brother, I hear ya. Keep me updated." I hang up the phone then sit on the couch for some rest. I've been helping Lyla out with Adrianna, taking her back and forth to school then heading over to the clubhouse for whatever they needed. Since Max hasn't returned to work yet, I've also been helping at the shop. Today Adrianna didn't have school because of some holiday, so she's been with me all day.

I lay on the couch and settle on a movie, keeping the remote on my stomach. My arms go behind my head and immediately my eyes begin drifting. After a few seconds, I'm fast asleep.

A giggle wakes me, and I open my eyes to see Adrianna's smiling face looking down at me. Once she notices my eyes are now open, she ducks quickly under the couch and proceeds to erupt in a mass of giggles. I smile then close my eyes once more and wait for her to lift her little head back up. When she does I grab her quickly, managing to scare her and create another abundance of giggles to come out.

"You scared me Shane." She says crossing her arms and poking her bottom lip out.

"Sorry darlin'. Had to teach you not to mess with a sleeping bear. You've been up long?" She shakes her head and I pat her noggin and lean in to kiss her forehead.

"You're not a bear Shane. You're more like a lion." She growls out and places her hands up to make them look like paws.

"Then let me get up to feed my lioness and cub for dinner." Adrianna hops off and heads towards the kitchen with me. Before I could take anything out of the fridge, a knock on the door sounds. "Adrianna, do me a favor darlin', go and hang out in your room for a bit yeah?"

"How come?"

"Need you to draw me a picture for your mama."

"Okay." She yells out then runs to her room.

I pull out my forty-five and head to the front door. Lyla and Lisa never installed a peephole, so when they were threatened by that Reject, Austin and I had one installed. I look through it, noticing some shmuck in a suit and roll my eyes when I realize it's her fuckin' ex. Placing my gun back in my pants, I open the door and glare at him.

Rory looks no different than the last time I laid my eyes on him.

"Oh my God." Lyla calls out with her hand on her mouth. She looks almost terrified.

"Babe, what's the matter?" I look around but can't see what could possibly be making her look like she has seen a ghost.

"That's my." She begins but stops when the man across the street begins stalking towards us. I've seen his type before, suit that talks with a stack of money in one hand and a cigar in the other. Politician, I'm guessing.

"Well now, looks like I've figured out why you chose New York to turn and hide in. You know it took me forever to locate you after speaking with your mother." I listen to this clown speak to her as we sit at Lyla's favorite coffee shop. The aroma of caffeine and chocolate is carried along with the late afternoon breeze.

"Who the fuck is this?" I say standing up and placing my large body between Lyla and whoever this douche is.

"I'm her ex fianc¨¦ friend, and trust me, if you knew any better, you'd run away and stay away from this lying conniving bitch." Before he could close his mouth, my hands are around his shirt as I push him against the side wall. A few people gasp, and I can hear Lyla calling my name but it's too late. This fucker has just insulted my girl, and no one gets away with that shit without some damn repercussions.

"Shane, let him go, please. I don't want someone calling the cops on you. Let him go." Lyla says pulling on my cut, but my eyes remained focus on the asshole in front of me. Lyla was engaged to him? Why the fuck am I just now finding out about this?

"So, you're fucking him too huh? Are you going to have his child and never tell him as well, or was I just a special case for you?" He growls out keeping his eyes focused on Lyla. I slowly release my hold on him and back away turning to face Lyla.

No, this can't be right. This man? He is Adrianna's biological father? Lyla's told me that she had no choice but to be a single mother, we never got into details, but I figured whoever the father was wasn't interested.

Lyla's face is morphed with pain as she covers his mouth with her hand and tears flow down her cheeks.

It's true. She really didn't tell him.

"Tell me he ain't tellin' the fuckin' truth Ly." I shout causing her to jump. "Tell me."

"I'm so sorry Shane. I'm so sorry, but just give me a minute to explain and" I don't let her finish before I am already headed for my bike. "Shane wait, please." I turn around and pin her with a death glare.

"You're just like all the other fuckin' women in my life. You use people to get what you need and break them when they're at their fuckin' weakest." Tears align Lyla's eyes, but I ignore the sting I feel in my chest as I see them run down her cheeks. "You stay the fuck away from me, you're a fuckin bitch that stole away someone's ability to see everything special about that little girl. You're a fuckin' terrible mother and I hope one day she sees just who the fuck you really are."

"The fuck are you doing here?" I shout. Rory sways a little then looks up at me and smirks. I can hear Adrianna shuffle behind me, no doubt checking to see who is at her door.

"Came to see that bitch of an ex fianc¨¦."

"She ain't fuckin' here."

"You her attack dog now?" He chuckles and sways a little more. He's drunk, that much is clear, and I know if he tries to see Adrianna this way, I will lay his ass out on his fancy fuckin' car.

"Look man, don't know you, don't fuckin' care to. But if you cared anything about your daughter, you'd leave right now."

"Kept her from me. Fucking bitch kept her from me and it's messing everything up. They found out I had a kid. Now they want to see her and Lyla's being a stupid bitch about the whole thing. But when I saw her. When I saw her, she looked so" I narrow my eyes trying to make sense out of his babble.

"Get out of here now, won't ask again." I cross my arms at my chest and he eventually walks away and heads into his expensive penis compensating car. As soon as he drives off, my eyes find a lone stranger on a bike across the street. "Adrianna, stay here I'll be right back."

I shut the door behind me and begin walking over to the other side of the street, but the stranger drives off. I glare at his back as he rides away and notice him wearing a cut. Not just any cut, that fucker had on a Road Kings cut.

Mother fucker.

ùùù

"So, he was drunk?" Lyla asks for the seventh time since walking in the door half an hour ago.

After dealing with Rory and watching that Road Kings fucker drive off, I had called Miles and told him to come and stay with both Adrianna and Lyla.

"Told you that already babe. Not really concerned about him like I am with the fucker watchin' your house across the street." Lyla stops her pacing and focuses on me.

Adrianna is in the living room making Miles watch some Disney movie beside her. If the situation wasn't so dire, I would laugh at how ridiculous he looks looking so intent while sitting on the floor cross-legged, watching some three-year old's favorite movie about a mermaid singing.

"What should we do Shane?" Lyla asks walking over to me with concern in her eyes.

"Gonna figure that out babe. Miles will stay here with you and Adrianna. I'll be at the clubhouse speaking with Austin."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I stand up and place my hands on her face gently pulling her face up to look at me.

"Miles will keep you two safe babe. Wouldn't leave unless I knew you'd be alright. Call me if you need me yeah?"

"Okay." She nods putting on a brave face for me. Fuck I love this woman. "And don't think I didn't notice Adrianna's nails."

Shit. I had forgotten about that.

"She's a princess babe. Princesses need pink nails and shit." Lyla laughs and shakes her head with humor.

"Please be careful Shane."

"Always." I lean in and kiss her lips, wishing I had more time to devour them, but I need to get over to the compound.

I head out of the door and straight to my bike. I had called Austin already and told him to meet me so that we could figure things out. If that was one of Snake's men, then we need to have a serious fuckin' chat with him. Don't know what angle that fucker is playing, but he won't endanger my family.

Austin is sitting at his main chair in the room for church when I walk in. He looks tired and weary and I take that as a hint that we still have no lead on Alberts. This shit is wearing him down.

"Thanks for meeting me brother." I say causing him to stand and give me a nod.

"You sure it was a Road King you saw?"

"Saw him right in front of me brother. Don't get why he was right in front of Lyla's house, but I know what I saw."

"Could be one of the Rejects tryin' to fuck with us."

"Thought about that. Saw the cut, was pretty accurate."

"Fuck. Then we need to pay a visit to Snake. Find out what the hell is going on."

"Think he might be in on this?"

"No brother. I don't think Snake wants anything to do with the bullshit going on." He looks up at me then places his hands on his hips. "But we need to make sure." I nod my head and we head out to our bikes and right over to the Road Kings compound.

Pulling up, I immediately notice Snake sitting on one of the benches outside their compound. I hop off my bike at the same time as Austin and we walk up to Snake.

"Took longer than I thought boy." Snake calls out as we stop right in front of him.

"What the fuck was your man doing outside my old ladies place?" I yell out. I know this fucker ain't alone, only a fool would assume that, but I don't care. I'm sick of this old man's shit.

"Needed your attention. Knew the Rejects would be watchin'. Knew that I couldn't just come and visit you all. Not with the news I have on Alberts."

"What news?" Austin asks calmly. I don't understand how the bastard could be so calm when on the inside I want to rip this fucker in half.

"Maybe you should ask Chance." Snake says, and I lose my shit. I shove this fucker so hard he nearly falls over the bench behind him. I feel Austin's arms pulling me back, but my anger knows no boundaries.

"Shane, fuckin' stop." Austin grumbles behind me as I attempt to break free of his hold to get to Snake. He holds his hands up, most likely signaling one of his snipers from taking me out.

"I'm sick of his shit. This is twice now you've accused our men of being traitors."

"I was right the first-time boy." Snake smirks. Shit, he's right about that, but I don't fuckin' care. He thinks he can disrespect our club? Hell no.

"Fuck you." I shout throwing Austin off me. "We don't want your fuckin' information. Not from somebody that killed my father."

"Not your call brother." Austin says behind me.

"No, it's not. And you're right Shane. I killed your daddy, shot him in the fuckin' head, but had no damn choice. Your father was a goddamn traitor, he was going to kill his president and take control of the MC. Thomas and I had our differences, but he was my friend, couldn't let your daddy do it boy."

"You're a fuckin' liar." I shout. No way is this fucker telling the truth. My father was no traitor. He had known Thomas majority of his life.

"No, I ain't boy." I stare into the stern look on Snake's face. He's fuckin' lying. Has to be. "Gunner wanted majority of the drug trade, but Crusher knew it would only create a world of storm for the Warriors. Between pissing me off, you also had feds that were on top of the trade. Crusher came to me, asked me to do some following. Gunner was going to fuckin' kill him. I stopped him before he could."

I walk right over to Snake and punch him right in the fuckin' face. He doesn't flinch, but I see blood trickle down his lips. He wipes it away with his thumb and looks from it to me.

"That's twice now. Won't give you a third one."

I look back at Austin who looks genuinely ashamed and walk right over to my bike. I can't fuckin' deal with this right now. I start my bike up and peel out of there. Intent on getting to the bottom of things.