Into the Storm (Signal Bend #3)(56)

He didn’t know if Lilli had said anything to Shannon about the strange end to that evening, but he doubted it. She wasn’t one to nose in on other people’s business without a compelling reason. Isaac hadn’t said anything more to him; nor had Show volunteered to talk about it. He didn’t know why Shannon was— What? Afraid?—of Gia, and she wasn’t saying. He told himself it didn’t matter.

But it mattered if she wouldn’t go to Isaac and Lilli’s house anymore. To him, it mattered a lot. They were the only family he had left. Without them, he might have offed himself in those first months after Daze. And Gia. He loved that girl. He wanted Shannon to love her, too.

Cutting into his thoughts, Shannon said, “The party’s that Saturday. You’re going to miss that?” While Christmas Day was for families; the Horde celebrated together on Christmas Eve, usually. This year, on the day before.

He nodded. “Yeah. I need to see Rosie and Iris. I miss the hell out of ‘em, and this cutting me out shit is f*cked up—for them, too. I was a good father. I am a good father.”

She nodded, but then she asked, “Is she going to let you?”

“Not giving her a choice.” There was a risk that she would be angry enough to cause a scene in front of the girls, but it was a small risk. Holly was a good mother. She wanted what was best for their daughters. He knew that somewhere in her hurt and fury, she knew they were better off having him in their lives.

Especially if he kept them away from the club.

Again, Shannon nodded. “Of course, you should go. They must really miss you.” But she looked sad.

He squeezed her hand. “I’ll be back for Christmas Day, hon. We’ll do whatever you want—go out, stay in, stay naked. Whatever. Okay? I promise.”

She smiled at that. “Okay. It’s fine, anyway—like I told you, I’m used to being alone on the holidays.”

That was a damn chick “fine.” He hated that shit. He had three choices: ignore it, get pissed, or call her on it. He chose the third and grinned. “Oh, no. Don’t play me with ‘it’s fine.’ I know all about ‘it’s fine.’ I made you a promise.”

At that, finally, she laughed. “You’re right. Okay. Be with your girls, come back to me.”

oOo

He pulled up in front of Holly’s apartment on Saturday morning. He’d arrived in town the night before, but it had been late, and he’d taken a room in the same motel he’d stayed in before—it was cheap and convenient. Now, it was pretty early, not yet nine, but Holly and the girls were all early risers, and he wanted as much of the day with his girls as he could get.

He hadn’t called. Too much risk that she’d say no and then, alerted to his intention, take the girls somewhere. Holly was stubborn and hated more than anything else to have her will thwarted. She was going to be pissed. His hope was that she’d keep a lid on it in front of the girls, but he was going to fight her for this, even if it meant doing so in front of them.

He got out of the truck and strode up the long walk into the breezeway. He knocked on the door.

Through it he could hear familiar sounds of his family’s morning—the TV was on, the girls were arguing.

He thought he smelled pancakes. If he was coming in on their breakfast, that was a complication.

The door opened, and Holly was grinning. That grin disappeared immediately upon looking up to meet eyes with Show. “Jesus Christ. What are you doing here?”

“I want to see the girls, Holly. I want to spend the day with them.”

She looked over her shoulder, then stepped into the breezeway and closed the door. She’d lost some weight, and she’d done something to her hair—it was wavier than he’d seen it, and a brighter blonde. She had a dish towel over her shoulder, and she wiped her hands on it, then crossed her arms against the cold.

“You are nuts. Just nuts. Showing up here without a call or anything, on Christmas weekend, expecting me to just hand over my girls to you? The answer, of course, is no. I should call the cops.” She turned and put her hand on the doorknob, as if they were done. They weren’t. He grabbed her arm and turned her back to face him.

“No. The answer is yes. They are my girls, too. No f*cking piece of paper changes that. I want them.

For the day. I’ll bring ‘em back by six. We both know they’re better off having contact with me.”

“No, we do not both know that. What I know is that you put us in danger. You are a threat. I’d be a fool to leave them alone with you.”

“You knew who I was and what I did from the day you met me, Holly. You were a fool to pretend it wasn’t true. You were a fool to refuse to learn to take care of yourself and the girls. If you hadn’t fought me all those damn years, maybe you would’ve been okay. Maybe Daze would still be with us.”

She swung at him, but he caught her wrist in the middle of its path and held it. “No more of that shit.

It’s not all on me. I won’t carry it all. Not anymore. You know I’m good for them. And I am tired of the bullshit. I’m not dropping this. I gave in to your drama all our years together. But no more. I want to see my girls. I will. Fight me, and I will bring to bear everything I have. That’s a promise, Holly.”

She blinked and pulled her arm, trying to get free of his grip. He let her go. For a few seconds, she stared at him, her brow deeply lined. He could see her struggling not to explode. He was glad, at least, that she was making an effort. “It’s Christmas weekend. We have plans.”