Tank POV

Just when I thought Ghost spared me having to watch after this little boy, he makes me bring him to the club likes it's a fucking daycare. Something about him in the first place irked the shit out of me, and it amplified tenfold the second he claimed himself to be Fleur's boyfriend. Her reaction to it was brief, but didn't go unnoticed. I don't think they are actually together. At least not in the way he thinks. Good thing I have the afternoon to scare the truth out of him if I need to. The tug that I felt in my chest was a new sensation after hearing that and I don't like it at all. 

I figure Ghost is taking her around the city to show her important places to him, but I wish it could have been me. Sitting there in her presence brought a bundle of nerves. I felt almost weak, like she held all the power in her hands. I was barely able to maintain a poker face. I couldn't even eat in front of her. What sort of childish bullshit is that? When she offered me some of her food I could have probably kissed her right then and there. You can tell someone is a good person by the little things they do. That was just an example. I can feel she's probably too pure for this world, our world, but goddamn I do not want to see a light like that leave. 

It takes about fifteen minutes for this little asshole to get us to the club since he doesn't know his way around here very well and I'm guessing because he was afraid of driving with a stranger. Although, I'm hoping it's more because he's intimidated with me. I've taken shits bigger than this kid and he gets to call that angel his? The more I think about it, the more I seeth. As much as I want to beat the shit out of this boy and have him run away with his tail between his legs, I can't do that. I'd probably end up scaring her more before she even knows me and I sure as shit am going to make sure we spend some time together. I guess I could use this time to find out about her from this supposed 'boyfriend' of hers. 

"So, how long have you and Ghost's daughter been together?" I ask him while we sit at the bar in the club, watching the prospects clean up the place before it opens. It feels weird saying 'Ghost's daughter' since he's been kid-less as long as I've known him. Would he be pissed at me trying to know her? It's not like she's claiming him as her dad or calling him dad... Hell, she's got a family back in Oregon. 

Shit...

She'll be going back to Oregon eventually. If I knew what heartache was I'm guessing it's close to what I'm feeling. The thought of her leaving even has me upset already. Fuck, I'm done for. I haven't even spoken one full sentence to her and I'm hooked. Is this an obsession? It feels like it is. 

"I've known her since we were Freshmen, but we became more...uh...intimate the past week," he says and I could gag at his choice of words. Even more nauseating is the thought of them being intimate. The jealousy is ripping through me and it's taking everything in me to keep my exterior free of any sort of reaction. Still oblivious he continues, "she's pretty reserved and anxious about change, so it was a surprise when she agreed to give us a try." 

Just when I thought the feeling couldn't get worse. So she agreed to give it a try? Then I guess they really are an item. I'm truly hurt, but I guess someone that perfect wouldn't stay alone very long anyway. I don't know what she sees in this little asshole, though. Maybe she was too nice to say no to him. Maybe she just needs to know there are more options. I don't think I can let her leave without her knowing my intentions. I don't understand the possessiveness I feel over her, but I'm not hating the feeling either.

Justin or 'asshole' as I like to refer to him in my head stays quiet after he notices I don't respond. Instead he just observes everyone else in the club doing their daily duties. I could be getting shit done as well if Ghost didn't put me on babysitting duties.

"What do you do for a living?" he suddenly asks. Shit, I don't know if Ghost wants us telling either of them our real profession. I'm going to assume no, plus I hate this kid for what he has that I don't.

I stick to what my legal occupation would be if I weren't tied up all the time in club duties. "I'm an inventory manager for this place and a couple other businesses in the city," I say with a small shrug. It's enough to keep him from asking anything else about what I do for a living. I decide that I'd rather not learn about Fleur through him and instead have him help the prospects and myself with little things in the club for a bit before I decide to play nice and show him around the pool area of the club. 

We play for a few rounds as club members start rolling in and questioning who the kid is, although most probably recognize him being around Fleur last night. Even if they only saw them briefly in the front last night, they know him being here a second day is something newsworthy and a lot of the old members live to gossip. It's irritating as shit, but I try to keep my cool around them so they don't go tattling to Ghost. 

Around five  in the evening I'm relieved to get a text from Ghost that he and Fleur are almost there from visiting some of his family. I was getting antsy and wanted to see that little angel and I know her little temporary boyfriend or whatever started to feel the same. Every time I imagine them being even remotely intimate I want to flip, but I can't. I won't let her see the worst side of me before she can see the good. 

I let him know they are on their way and see the relief in his eyes as we make our way to the front to wait for them. 

God, I hope I can get a moment alone with her. Just one tiny second to see if she is feeling whatever connection I am feeling. 

Fleur POV

It's been a few hours of Max driving around all over the county and I didn't imagine he was much of a talker. Maybe all he needed was to get a bit more comfortable with me, but something tells me I might have a hard time shutting him up now. I've seen everything from businesses he owns to places he frequented when growing up. He tends to get lost in thought at some of those places and I'm guessing he's stuck in a memory so I let him stew in it as long as he wants and observe. The more I do observe him, the more I see some similar characteristics we share. I see him internally battling which is a constant for me and I see his emotions trying to escape through his eyes which I share with him. Overall, it has been feeling quite a bit better about everything compared to last night and I'm relieved that I didn't leave right away in a huff last night. 

After a few minutes of driving out of the city and into a more rural area, we turn into a gravel road. Not more than a few minutes later do we stop in front of a beautiful two-story country house that's surrounded by white corral fencing and the forest in the back. Is this his home? Is his wife here? What if they have kids? They've been together forever, they are bound to have a kid or two, right? 

"I can see your mind going a mile a minute, relax," Max says, with a chuckle at the end. I look up to him to see that he's unbuckling and stepping out of the truck making me mimic his actions. As we make our way to the front door of the house, I slow down behind him and make sure to stay hidden. When I see him push the doorbell, I relax slightly. At least he didn't drag me to his own home to meet his wife and new kids right away or something. A moment later the door opens and a short, older woman opens the door. Her pixie haircut is adorable with her almost all white hair and her green eyes are full of happiness to see Max. Wait...is this his mom!? Oh my flipping GOD, I wasn't ready to meet grandparents. 

Okay, Fleur...just breathe...they are just people.

"Hey, son. What brings you here? Who's this?" the woman says. She's now looking behind his shoulder at me and although she can't get the best view of me I know she can tell it's a young girl. I'm hoping he will just rip off the band-aid and tell her right away because I'm in the middle of a mental war here and her curious gaze is making me uncomfortable without her knowing who I am. 

"Ma..I'd..uh.. like you to meet Fleur. She's my- well, she's your granddaughter. Fleur, this is my mother, Allena," Max says while rubbing the back of his neck. I slowly take a step over to the side, away from Max so I can make myself more visible to Allena, also known as my biological grandmother. Her shocked eyes trail over to me and slowly turn into soft, warm ones. I see tears forming in her eyes before she blinks them away and then shifts her attention back to her son. 

"Maxwell David Ledoux...." she says in a clipped tone. It's universally known that when a full name is used, one is in big trouble, and right now Max is up shit's creek without a paddle. "You have a lot of explaining to do, young man." I like her already. I can tell we're opposites in nature and energy but I still feel a connection to her. 

Once she scolds Max she makes her way to me and puts her hands to each side of my face. "You are one enchanting young woman," she says while staring me up and down. "Call me Ally...or Nana." I try my best to not burn up, but fail miserably, earning a small laugh from her and a smirk from Max. She drags me inside her home with Max following along, dragging his feet. 

The interior of her home is very clean and has a very welcoming feel. It smells like she was baking bread and that reminds me that we haven't eaten since breakfast and my stomach starts to complain that it's empty as well. She beckons me to sit down on one of the couches in the living room and places herself right next to me while Max sits on a reclining chair across from us. She's a very touchy woman. She keeps my hand in hers and I can feel her eyes burning into my face, but I'm too nervous to look at her right now. 

"You're scarin' her, Ma. Calm down...we're gonna talk," Max says, coming to my defense. He leans forward in his chair with his arms on his knees and lets out a long sigh. There's a long pause before Max starts telling his mother about me stopping by  out of the blue at his place of work last night. He then tells her about how I told him I was his and Crystal's child and was in foster care since birth and adopted around three. I see the pain in his eyes building and how hard it was for him to even mention my biological mother's name. It piques my interest with what may have happened between them, although I know now would be the worst time to ask. I go back and forth between both of them and see the sorrow in her eyes and the anguish in his. At the end of him telling her everything he takes another long sigh and rests his face in his hands. Not two seconds later do I see him shaking uncontrollably and I realize he's crying. 

It was one of the most painful things to see a grown man breaking down. I know that I know nothing about this man, other than he's half of my DNA, but I saw the pain in his eyes. I think he would have been a great father had he known about me, I just don't know if that is something I could offer him now. I mean, I have my own at home. Is it okay to have more than one? That's a stupid question, of course it is. I think I have room in my heart for more than one, and he looks like he could use all the love he can get. After that small battle in my head I let go of my grandmother's hand and walk over to him and lean down to where I reach his height before I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders, no doubt surprising the hell out of him.  

It felt like minutes, but was probably only seconds before he shifts himself and embraces me back, wrapping his arms around me and cocooning me into a fatherly hold. It feels rather nice and warm. There are plenty of scents about him, but the strongest is the leather and I strangely find it comforting. I turn to look back at his mother to see her trying her best to hold her own tears in before she takes a deep breath and takes off towards the kitchen, no doubt allowing us to have this moment to ourselves. It hasn't been 24 hours since I crashed into his life, I guess he was due for a breakdown. I know I already had mine. 

A few minutes of silence pass before I feel him pulling away and I mimic his movements and stand up straight. As I look down at him I see the relief behind the redness of his eyes and can barely hold back the smile. This was kind of the first reaction I was hoping we'd have, I'm glad it came eventually. Before I turn back to sit on the couch Max grabs my hand and clears his throat.

"I just want to apologize, Fleur. For everything. Had I known about you I would have done everything I could to get you back," he says with the utmost sincerity. "I'm so sorry, Fleur." 

"It's not your fault," I said to him. It really isn't from what he's told me. He wasn't aware that this Crystal person was pregnant when they were separated for whatever reason. Again, as much as I want to pry, I know right now isn't the best time. I give a little squeeze to his hand before letting go and going to the couch before Ally comes back in with a tray full of treats. 

"All these emotions are making me hungry, how about y'all?" she says, trying to shift the mood. I'm grateful for that. There are still some questions I need to ask him, but today has been emotional enough for him and I think I should let him relax. We spend the rest of the time at his mother's home going through old album's and her sharing some stories of him and his sister, Katie. Unfortunately their dad, Victor, passed away three years ago from cancer, but he went peacefully and they were able to say their goodbyes and mourn properly. Apparently he made it clear that they had one month to mourn the loss of him before they started to live their lives again and that every time they thought of him it better be a pleasant or funny memory. I think it would have been nice to meet someone so positive even about his passing. 

We were supposed to meet the illustrious Katie at her home, but apparently had a change of plans and had to meet her at Saints & Sinners an hour earlier than we anticipated due to a 'meeting' that came up for Max. I wasn't going to question anything, as I didn't know fully what his role at the club or any other businesses around the city was. Before I knew it, we were walking side by side into the club. 

Once we entered, plenty of heads turned our way. A lot of people probably remembering me from the commotion I stirred up last night and because of the arrival of Max I assume. He tends to turn heads a lot of places he goes in a commanding way. I guess that's why he's in charge of so many businesses? 

I also notice Justin and Tank are waiting for us in the front. I'm really happy to see Justin isn't in a foul mood. We'll get to share stories of our day later as well as discuss him mentioning the 'b' word. Tank is looking as intriguing as ever and I try my best to give a small, polite smile and then look away. I don't want tension between Justin and me. I mean, come on...above all else, he's my best friend. I can't have any tension. He's going to be the one that I go back home with and keep in touch with. 

That last thought makes me a little more sad than I care to admit. What's going to happen after all this? 

"Hey pr-boss. You're here earlier than expected," Tank says to Max. I can't help but want to hear him speak more. Something about his voice is appetizing. I could imagine him being the best at reading bedtime stories for some strange reason. 

Okay, Flo. Focus.

"Yeah, Blaze says we got a meeting with some...clients. I've got to head to the back. Can you, uh, take Fleur to meet Katie. She should be in her office," Max says to Tank while Justin and I just stand awkwardly like two kids listening to the adults doing their adult things. Tank nods his head before Max looks to me and gives a quick farewell with a promise to be back shortly before Tank tells Justin and I to follow him behind the bar. Justin is quick to reach for my hand, and to prevent further tension I allow him to take it. 

Avoiding the few whispers and stares we make our way back and through a hallway before we reach a door and Tank knocks twice before entering. 

"What's the damn point of knockin' if you're gonna barge in anyway, Tank?!" the woman I've been stalking says. Here she is live and in all her glory. 

"Sorry Kate, just wanted to introduce you to someone," Tank says. Suddenly his large hand reaches out and gently grabs my forearm and ushers me forward to fully enter the office. Katie looks at me in surprise and happiness. The work she was very much focused on, a thing of the past. 

"When mama called me not twenty minutes ago, she said I was due for a surprise," she said with excitement lacing her voice. "You must be Fleur. I'm so happy to meet you." She walks around her desk quickly and pulls me into a hug so fast that I make a weird noise from the air leaving my lungs. "I can't wait to get to know every single thing about you." She hugs me for what feels like forever only because I can't breathe before she let's go and looks behind me. "And who is this handsome young man?" she asks looking back at Justin. 

"Uh, hello ma'am, my name is Justin. I came with Fleur," he says, shocked he doesn't tell her he's my boyfriend since he was so quick to tell Max. He quickly shares a handshake with Katie who decides to ask him a few questions and I make the mistake of turning to glance towards Tank whose gaze seems to be fixed on me. I feel the heat rising to my cheeks yet again as his mouth lifts into a smirk. 

This jerk must know how he makes me feel with his staring. Ugh... 

"Fleur?" Katie says and it snaps me out of the small daze this beautiful, giant man has put me in. Damn it, I hope Justin didn't notice. 

"Hm?" I ask nonchalantly, pretending I just absentmindently drifted off into nowhere, hoping they'd take the bait. Justin chuckles, and to my relief that means he did at least, but Katie is looking between Tank and I in a somewhat amused manner. Shoot! Something tells me she saw my blushing. I hope she doesn't look into it too much. I'm just a child that doesn't know how to react in front of attractive people. Yeah, that's it. I just gotta keep telling myself that. 

"Say, Justin, I could use your young and agile self for just a second with some stock. Would you be a doll and help a damsel in distress? Katie says in dramatic flair. What the heck is she doing? 

"Uh, sure? I'm sure this guy could be of more assistance. He's huge!" Justin says, pointing towards Tank. I'm sure if Katie wasn't up to something she would be asking Tank, but something tells me she is a calculating woman. 

"I need someone young and limber. Come on, Sugar, it'll only be a sec," she says and starts to lead him out of her office. "You two hang on, don't go anywhere, I'll be right back!" As she leaves she sends me a wink and closes the door, leaving Tank and myself in her office...alone. 

Oh, God. Why? 

⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️

😬I like leaving chapters at the worst possible place, lol.

Thanks for reading!