Unattainable (Undeniable, #3)(93)

“You gonna hit a sick old man?”

When Cage said nothing, Deuce’s grin grew. “Listen up, boy,” he said. “I’m man enough to admit when I f*cked shit up and I sure f*cked up with you. Thought by givin’ you everything I had, I was givin’ you everything I never had.”

Deuce shook his head and laughed softly to himself. “Straight-up bullshit. Shoulda let you figure your shit out on your own, shoulda let you fall the f*ck down and pick yourself back up, shoulda let you make your own goddamn mistakes instead of takin’ care of everything for you behind your back, and I shoulda let you hop on that crazy bus with that crazy little red-haired shit. I know it now and I’m tellin’ you I’m f*ckin’ sorry for f*ckin’ with your life. Thought I was doin’ what was right, thought I was bein’ the way an old man should be, and it turns out I was just doin’ what I do best and f*ckin’ everything up.”

Surprised, Cage blinked at his father. What?

“Listen to me carefully,” Deuce continued. “All my bullshit—my family, my club, my boys—it’s always been yours. You’re my oldest son, my motherf*ckin’ legacy. You’ve got my love, my goddamn name, you got my colors on your back, you’ve got first f*ckin’ dibs on everything I’ve ever had. You want to throw it all way, pass it the f*ck on, live a different sorta life, you do what you gotta do, but it’s always been yours, Cage, whether you wanted it or not, that shit ain’t ever changed.”

Deuce looked away for a second as shame passed over his face, or was that regret? Then he looked back and held Cage’s gaze head on. “Me doin’ what I did, gettin’ between you and Tegen, I was doin’ what I thought was best for you. Didn’t think she could cut it, bein’ the old lady to a club prez. This job of mine, the job I’ll be passin’ down to you soon enough, you can’t be havin’ a woman breathin’ down your neck all damn day, wantin’ out of the life, hatin’ the club. You gotta have your damn head in the game and your woman at home, f*ckin’ waitin’ on you, ready to take that bad f*ckin’ day, bad month, bad f*ckin’ year you’ve had, and let you bury that shit between her damn thighs without giving you shit about it. And all I saw from Tegen was her givin’ you, givin’ the club, nothin’ but shit. I was lookin’ out for you but it f*ckin’ backfired and for that, I’m damn sorry.”

Cage swallowed hard. Now, what the f*ck did he say to that?

“Had a long talk with that woman of yours,” Deuce said, smiling again. “She’s ready. She’s gotta good head on her shoulders, she knows the ins and outs of the club, and she loves the boys. Most importantly, though, she f*ckin’ loves your dumb ass.”

Hearing that, Cage smiled and Deuce snorted.

“Yeah, she’s f*ckin’ ready and I ain’t goin’ to be buttin’ in where I don’t f*ckin’ belong no more.”

Cage raised an eyebrow; he didn’t believe that line of bullshit for a second.

“Listen up,” Deuce said. “I’m about ready to turn the game on, so if you got somethin’ to say, you need to get some shit off your chest and tell me what a f*ckin’ * I am, then you better get to it or I’m kickin’ you the f*ck outta here.”

Grabbing the arms of the chair, Cage pushed himself into a standing position. “I ain’t got shit to say,” he said quietly. He didn’t; his old man had surprised him and for the first time in his life, Cage didn’t have a damn thing to say back.

“I’m proud of you,” Deuce said. “You should know that. You’re a good man and I know once you get your shit straightened out, you’re gonna be just fine runnin’ the club.”

The two men stared at each other until Cage broke the silence. “Yeah,” he said. “Thank you.”

Deuce waved him off. “Get the f*ck outta here.”

Rolling his eyes, Cage turned to leave.

“One last thing.”

Cage turned around.

“Don’t let that one catch you stickin’ your shit where it don’t belong. She’s damn crazy and she’ll f*ckin’ shoot your ass.”

Cage blew out a noisy, amused breath. “Don’t f*ckin’ worry about that. I ain’t you.”

“In that case,” Deuce shot back. “Best stake out that territory right the f*ck now instead of waitin’ like I did. Worst f*ckin’ mistake I ever made.”

? ? ?

Deuce’s loud laughter followed Cage into the hallway where I was waiting for him. I took the silly smile on his face as a good sign. Despite how sick he’d been, he looked better than he had in days.

“Good talk?” I asked.

He didn’t respond, just continued to advance on me until we were nose to nose.

I raised my eyebrows. “Uh, not a good talk?”

“Marry me,” he said quietly.

Two words. Two stupid words and my stomach burst into a thousand butterflies, retarded butterflies who didn’t have a clue where they were going and were bumping into one another like drunken bumper car drivers.

“No!” I shouted, and was about to shove him off me when he caught my wrists and quickly backed me up against the wall.

“Marry me,” he repeated.

“Hell no,” I said firmly, sounding a lot calmer than I felt.