Page 19 of Cyber
“Hi.”
“Did I just hear Monster say that you have a date?” Maggie's tired eyes glittered as I entered the room, a tray in my hands of her favourite cookies. She had been home two days and it was like she had never left. I enjoyed looking after her, even if she was the world’s worst patient.
“You heard because he raised his voice and made sure you did.” I made a mental note to burn Monster's steak on purpose as payback. “He's a big, fat gossip.”
“But a date? Are you really ready for that?” Maggie's wrinkled hand patted the bed beside her, and I sat at the very edge so I didn't disturb her too much.
“I honestly don't know, but it's just dinner. Monster thought it was a good idea for me to start getting out there. He thinks I'm ready.”
For a second Maggie's eyes clouded. “Monster will have an ulterior motive; you mark my words. He always does. That boy has been ten steps ahead of everyone since I've known him. His brain is a strange thing.”
“I heard that Mad Maggie,” the biker yelled up the stairs.
“You were meant to!” she called back playfully. Turning back to me, she lowered her voice. “You are like my own granddaughter. All I want is for you to be safe and happy. And I am not sure dating someone right now is going to do that. Setting down roots here and building relationships is going to be tough for you with Cyber just around the corner.”
“Cyber doesn't give two shits about me, Maggie. He has made that perfectly clear. He hasn't even said sorry.”
“Sorry? Oh, because you think he's responsible for your father’s death. You know that isn't true, Iris. Deep down you know. But I can't force you to believe it. No one can.”
“If he’s innocent, why didn't he say so to my face?”
Shaking her head softly, Maggie frowned. “Would you have believed him if he had?”
“Probably not,” I admitted.
“There you go. Cyber is a good man, Iris, whether he wants to believe it himself or not. By not telling you, he is letting you go. It's a big sacrifice for him with how much he has thought of you over the years, the end of an era for him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that boy still has a picture of you on his phone. For him, you have always been the one that got away. His biggest accomplishment, and his biggest regret. Now I'm not saying...” she held up a hand to silence me. “...that you just forget everything that has happened and jump the boy. What I am saying is that you getting into a relationship here, with him just down the road, is going to gut him.”
Gut him? I almost laughed. They all had such a warped idea of what kind of man Cyber really was. Maybe he hadn’t killed my dad, maybe he was innocent of that, but he was guilty of so many other hateful things.
Like making out with a club girl before I had even left the premises. Monster had tried to get me out before I had seen, but it had been too late. Cyber was a man slut, and regardless of whatever feelings people thought he still had for me, that hadn’t changed.
“It's just one date. Nothing serious and nothing dangerous. Monster has made arrangements so I am safe.”
“I don't like it, Iris, but I know I can't wrap you in cotton wool and protect you forever.” Maggie sighed sleepily. “I'm an old lady. I just want all of you to be happy. Go on your date, have a few drinks, and let your hair down a little. Have some fun, by God, you deserve it.”
Reaching over, I pressed my lips to her cheek. “Thank you, Maggie, for everything. I’ll let you sleep now.”
I didn’t deserve her kindness. Not one, single bit of it.
10
cyber
“Have you found something out?”Maggie peered at me from over the rim of her glasses. She looked tired, older, but still a hell of a lot better than she had when I had seen her in the hospital. It was good she was home and resting. Iris was obviously taking good care of her.
My eyes scanned the comfortable living room. The bikers in it made it seem cluttered, but we had a habit of doing that wherever we went.
“Not even a hello, Maggie, I’m disappointed.” Bending at the waist, I pressed my lips to her cheek. Fang followed suit, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle like a schoolgirl.
“No, you're not.” She waved her hand towards the sofa, motioning for us to sit. There wasn't much that got past Maggie. She had spent her entire life affiliated with the Savage Sons in one way or another. She played the part of kindly old grandmother well, but she was so much more than that.
She was as kick ass as any man in that room, and twice as dangerous when she put her mind to it. We respected her because of it.
She would have made one hell of a biker.
