"I'm sorry," I laugh. "Sorry."

He kisses my head. "Mischief, you are going to kill me."

Travis laughs. "That was so cruel."

I grin, chopping the garlic.

"I thought it was kind of funny."

"I was so mad at you, and yet I couldn't yell at you."

"You can punish me now if you like."

"Enough of that." Chief grumbles walking into the kitchen.

"Says the king of random fu..."

"Oi, I will kick your ass if you finish that sentence."

I grin, and Travis winks at me.

"Beer?" He asks.

"Mmmmm, please."

Trav pulls two beers out and opens one for me. I swallow the liquid down and sigh.

"So tell me girl, how is the case going?" Chief asks, lighting a cigarette.

"Not sure, I haven't heard a lot."

"I have gotten a lawyer for her." Trav says, swallowing some beer.

"Good good. If that mongrel so much as steps foot..."

"We have more to worry about daddy." I say, giving him a look.

"Don't you go worrying about the rest of it; you just leave that to me."

"Yes father." I grin.

I am chewing on a piece of garlic bread and laughing with the club members; I love hanging out with them. They just feel like home.

"Stop chewing like an animal Mischief." Chief snaps, staring at me with a fowl look. Boy is he cranky.

"Still mad because I scared off your booty call?"

"Where has this attitude come from?"

"It came right out of my as..."

"Enough, don't you smart mouth me girl."

I roll my eyes and continue munching. I pick up a strand of spaghetti and suck it into my mouth. Travis laughs and shoves me.

"Behave."

"Listen to your booty, Mischief."

I give Chief a glare. "Touche."

When the night has settled, and we have gone to our 'separate' rooms. I try hard to fall asleep, but I can't. I miss my mom; I am worried about Jeremy and I feel guilty for treating Chief so miserably. I get up and plod down the stairs, wondering what Travis is doing. Sleeping I bet. The man can sleep through a bomb. I walk out the front and see Chief sitting on the front porch, smoking. I sit down beside him; I see him glance from the corner of his eye, but he doesn't turn.

"You beat me, I was about to come and check you were in your bed."

I smile. "I might challenge you daddy, but I always listen."

"I know you do."

"Why are you out here all by yourself?"

"Just watching, I can't sleep."

"Because of Momma?"

"I can't get her face outta my mind, seeing her bashed and raped. It killed me Mischief, tore my fuckin heart out."

"Do you love her daddy?"

"Loved her from the day she was sixteen and stumbled into my tattoo shop."

I smile. "Tell me about that."

"I tell you every damned year girl."

"Tell me again anyway."

"She came in, all beautiful and defiant. She wanted to show her family she could be bad, that she could rebel. She was so sick of being pushed around, told what to do. She came in, and she picked this flower off the wall. Told me she wanted that, and not to dare argue. I put it on her hip, and she blushed the whole time. Strong as nails, she never flinched. Her dad found out and beat the crap outta me for tattooing a young girl, but after that we were inseparable."

I smile. "Did you ever wish you had other kid's daddy?"

He flinches. That was weird.

"No, I got my girl. You know you're my number one girl, don't ya?"

"I know daddy, you told me every year." I grin.

"You scare the shit outta me Mischief, you are too much like me."

"What is Demon after daddy, why does he want me so bad?"

"Long story, but I will never let him get you. You know that don't ya?"

"I know."

"You know, the minute you were born you wrapped your finger around mine, and you never let go. I was young and scared as hell when your Momma told me she was knocked up. Then I saw you and my life had a meaning; you are my meaning Mischief and god help anyone who gets in your way."

I take his hand. "I love you daddy, and I know you try so hard to take care of me. I have Travis for that now, and he won't hurt me."

"Think I don't know that? The boy is crazy about you. Always fuckin has been."

I flush. "Huh?"

"You think your old dad didn't know you two were mad about each other, even back then? Course I did, I just hoped it was a fling. When that boy left, it was the best thing at the time. I thought it was anyway until I heard you screaming down the street."

"You heard that?"

"I heard you whimpering and cryin, fucking broke my damned heart. I knew how that felt. He came back, and I knew it would happen again, but I hoped to god you two would be honest so I didn't have to hurt the kid and you weren't."

"I know daddy, and I am sorry."

"He's a good boy, dark but good. I only want you to be careful, that boy has a powerful secret. I can feel it."

"He would tell me if he was hiding something daddy." I whisper, my mind travelling back to the room in his house. The one I can't see.

"Well, I hope so. Now go on and get to sleep, you don't need to be sitting with me all night."

"I miss you daddy, I miss when we all lived together, I miss when we used to laugh and play. I really miss it all."

He wraps his arm around me. "Me too Mischief, every damned fucking day."

CHAPTER 16.

I sneak upstairs and into the room Travis is sleeping in. I crawl into the bed and slide under the sheets, shoving my body against...a hairy fat one. I scream; he screams and suddenly the lights are on, and Chief is running into the room with a gun. Travis isn't far behind. I look down to see biker Bill butt naked and laughing his sorry ass off.

"Well, what a good dream that was. Sleeping like a baby and next minute there is a pair of tits crushed against my back."

Chief looks at me, and I can feel the blood rising to my cheeks. Then, he bursts out laughing. I haven't seen Chief laugh like that for years. Travis falls in close behind until we are all laughing and wiping the tears that fall from our eyes. Bill pats my hand and gives me a wink; I give him a glare.

"I thought you were Trav."

"Why thank you." He grins.

Travis walks over and wraps his arms around my waist.

"Come on Mischief, before you give another man a heart attack."

"I thought he was you!" I cry.

Travis leads me to his room and shuts the door behind him. He is still chuckling. I slap his back and he turns, wrapping me in his arms.

"Would have made his night."

"Lucky I didn't take my clothes off first like I planned."

"Oh," He whispers against my hair. "You planned that did you?"

"Yes, but now I am embarrassed so nobody will be getting a piece of this booty."

"Come on Mischief, climb in with me and let's get some sleep. I don't mind missing out on booty for a night."

"You're a charmer Phoenix."

"I know baby."

"Hey Trav?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you tell me if you had a secret?"

He flinches, and it worries me.

"Course."

"Ok."

He rolls me to my side, and we fall into a deep, quiet sleep. I wake during the night because I can hear Travis talking. I sit up and look down at him; he is mumbling something in his sleep.

"Amber..." He says and my heart thumps.

"Amber, sorry baby..."

Who the fuck is Amber? I stand and rush out of the room, my heart slowly breaking.

"Violet, phone!" Chief calls the next morning.

"Go away!" I mumble.