I spent the afternoon going over the current Black Deeds problems with Griff, J and Dad.  Griff had sent Nash and Stoney to do some of the recon we’d discussed.  Bullet’s club was involved in drugs and porn.  We needed to get a better idea on those operations and this type of thing was Nash’s specialty.  If there was something to be found out, Nash was the man.

At seven o’clock Mum turned up.  She was here for Dad but I took her aside while Dad was still talking with Griff.  “How are you?”  I jerked my chin at Dad, “He treating you alright?”

She sighed.  “You and Madison need to back off him.  He’s changing.  For the better.”  She emphasised that last sentence.

“Men like that don’t fucking change and you of all women should know that.  You’ve seen enough shit go down in the club, seen enough men who beat their women and cheat on them to know they don’t fucking change.  When are you going to open your eyes?”  I remembered the conversation with Harlow from this morning; she just needed to open her eyes and see what was in front of her.

Flinty eyes hit mine.  “Your father has given you everything, Scott, and you need to remember that.”

“The way I look at it, he’s given me nothing but lies,” I fumed.

She flinched at that.  “Well you need to look at it a different way.”

I shook my head.  “Not going to happen,” I said, and then added, “Any respect I had is gone, simple as that.”

“Kind of makes it hard to work together.”

“No, Mum, it doesn’t.  He’s my President, that’s it.  I get the shit done that needs doing, just like I always have.  Any relationship outside of that doesn’t exist.”

Her voice lowered into a hard, angry tone.  “You can be a cold hearted bastard sometimes, Scott.  Perhaps it’s time for you to learn how to forgive.”

She was upset and making a move to leave but I had one more thing to say, “Call me cold hearted, call me whatever you want.  I make no fucking apologies for the way I live my life.  I do however expect shit from those I love and when it’s not delivered or when my trust is broken like that, I will never, I repeat never, fucking forgive or forget.  Are we clear?”

Her eyes widened.  Then a look of resignation came over her and she walked away.

Fuck.  I hadn’t meant to be so forceful with her, but the way she was carrying on, like we could all just forgive and play happy fucking families, was not on and it had pissed me off.

I watched her go to Dad.  She said something to him and he landed a filthy glare on me before taking her outside.  Griff caught this too and whistled once they’d left.  “You think you guys will ever sort that out?” he asked as we locked the office.

“No.”

“Figured as much.”

I checked my watch.  “Fuck, Griff, I’ve gotta go.  I want to check on Lisa before I head over to Indigo.”

He raised his eyebrows.  “Didn’t think you were needed there tonight?”

“Not a word, Griff.  Not a fucking word.”

He held his hands up in mock surrender; huge grin fucking plastered on his face.  Griff hardly ever smiled.  And whatever he was thinking was probably right.  I was screwed.

***

I finally arrived at Indigo just after nine that night.  The place was packed.  Scanning the crowd and the bar area, I caught sight of Harlow, and desire slammed into me.

She saw me and her face lit up.  I nodded and kept going; I had to get out of there because watching the assholes ogle her was sending my blood pressure through the fucking roof.  I ended up in the office, alone with my thoughts.  What the fuck was I doing with Harlow?  I was looking at breaking two of my rules with her now; never chase a woman, and never fuck an employee.  Shit just got messy when you did either of those two things.  Problem was though, my dick was committed to making this happen; there was no backing out now.

I looked up as Nash wandered into the office and settled himself in the couch.  “Saw you come in, and then saw you dismiss Harlow and come out here.  Thought you were into her?  Cause I’ve gotta say, if you’re not gonna have a crack at that, I’m into it.”

“Leave her the fuck alone, Nash,” I snarled, fighting not to jump the desk and deck the motherfucker.

“Yeah, I figured but just had to check.”  The asshole was fucking grinning at me.

I threw the pen down that I was holding and ran my hands through my hair.  “Christ, I’ve never had a hard on for a woman like I do for her.  You ever had that?”

Something crossed his face; a darkness I’d never seen there before but it was gone as fast as it came.  “Had it once, brother.  Never again.”

I nodded slowly.  “I hear you.”

Then he shocked me by leaning forward in his seat and saying, “Might be right for you though.  Never seen a chick get to you like this one.”

There was a knock at the door; it was Harlow.

Nash stood up to leave.  “Speak of the devil,” he muttered, grinning at her as he left.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her.

“Amy said to let you know that we need some change for the till.  Fives and tens,” she replied, not sounding happy.

“What’s wrong with you?”