Meant To Be - Heaven Hill Series #1

Chapter Seven

"You better go after her."

Liam glared at his sister as she walked over to stand beside him. Nothing about any of this was easy, and he didn't want to hear other people's opinions.

"She obviously wants nothing to do with me or us." He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his dark hair.

"That's not her decision anymore, and you know it. You've claimed her, and she's been seen with you. Our enemies will be after her and her family now. I feel horrible about this," she whispered. She had always been the worrier of the two of them. Above all, Roni tried to be a good person, and he knew hurting Denise would be tearing her up.

He slung his arm over her shoulder and brought her close to his body. "You didn't mean for this to happen any more than I did. It was our bastard of a father. Unfortunately, we can't say no to him."

Truer words had never been spoken, and it wasn't the first time that Roni wished their mother was around. She would never speak those words to anyone, but at times like these they needed an ally.

"No, but we should have looked out for her and her kids. What's gonna happen now? What kinda danger is she going to be in because of us?"

Squaring his shoulders, he turned her to face him. "Nothin' is going to happen to that family again. I've promised my protection and that's what they will have."

"What if she doesn't want it?"

"I think it's pretty goddamn obvious she doesn't want it, but she doesn't have a choice. What I want, I get."

Roni knew he spoke the truth. He always got what he wanted, but he did it in a much better way than their father.

"Anybody ever tell you what an asshole you are?"

William turned sharply to face the voice of his estranged wife, Lauren. Neither Liam nor Roni knew she still came to the club, but the two of them couldn't seem to stay away from each other. There was absolutely love there, but they couldn't deal with one another on a day to day basis. Liam didn't trust her, so they kept most of their meetings private.

"You, on more than one occasion."

Damn, he missed her being here all the time. When he had started this club, it had been for her, it had been for his family. When they got too deep in the illegal activities, she ran. Abandoning her children, but not abandoning her feelings for him.

"I think right now I have to be honest with you. You're driving him away, and you need to watch it before you push him so far he doesn't come back. Just like I did."

"I'm trying to teach him to be a leader," he explained gruffly.

Lauren put her hand on her husband's shoulder. "What's more important? Him being a good leader or being your son? The two of you are in a very dangerous situation, and you are walking a tightrope. He only has one father, and you only have one son." She was careful with the words she used; it wouldn't serve any purpose to get William mad at her. "Don't let a sense of loyalty to the club disrupt that. Liam is a damn good man. These younger guys follow him first and ask questions later because of his heart and his loyalty. Don't perceive it as a threat, allow him to grow. Don't break him the way I did. I know what I did was wrong, but it's too late to go back and change that now."

William could see the decisions she had made were weighing on her. If he had been a better man, he would have offered her his shoulder and told her that no matter what Liam was still her son and would love her unconditionally. But he wasn't that man.