Page 9 of Cyber
“That's what she told Darcie, that you used her to…I don't know, kill her dad?” Havoc ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up on end even more.
I frowned, thrusting my hands deep into my pockets. “What the hell? Why would she think that?” l looked at each of my club brothers in turn. “I didn't even know who her dad was until I got the call. I had already…” I paused, and the sigh that escaped my lips was loud. I had been about to say that I had already had my fingers in her pussy. It was something I wouldn't have thought twice about saying about someone else. But something stopped me when it came to Iris. “We had already said our hellos by then,” I finished lamely. “And anyway my orders weren’t to take the man out. It was to watch and offer a way out if need be. I was too late.” The leather of my cut suddenly felt uncomfortably warm, like it was suffocating me. “I came home because you ordered me too. If…” I shook my head. There was no point playing the blame game now.
Iris thought I had killed her dad. She thought I had shot him and who could blame her? She had suspected even then what sort of man I was and had wanted to rough it a little. She had put me leaving before dawn and her father being shot together and had come to some warped conclusion that I had bedded her in some twisted game.
No wonder she hated me.
“We know that,” Fang muttered. “My question is who put that thought in her head?” Cocking his head to the side, he studied me. I could almost hear the cogs turning. “How did she get taken by The Family?”
The more I thought about it, the more I didn't like where this was heading. The pieces were all there, we just had to put them together.
“Exactly. Everyone knew her father was doing the books for several organisations. Ours included now and then, and we all knew he couldn't keep his mouth shut. It could have been any number of people who had him taken out, but what if it was The Family? What if you were just a convenient scapegoat? Iris was young and impressionable. She would have needed someone to blame…”
“You think they told her it was me?”
Fang nodded. “I think it makes perfect sense. The girl has some serious hate for you. She blames you for everything. But there's something else…”
In my pockets, my fists clenched. Something else? Surely that was more than enough for one day.
“Isn't it quite the coincidence that she just happens to be rescued by Havoc? A member of this club. Out of all the places in the world, Iris ended up here?”
“You think she's a rat?” I couldn't even believe I was saying the words. It was the most preposterous thing in the world. Anyone with eyes could see she had been through hell and back.
“I'm not saying that, Cyber. I actually like the girl. She’s got a strength in her even when she thinks she's being weak. I respect her for getting up each day and trying. All I am saying is that it is suspicious.”
Yeah, it was. I agreed with him, but I kept my lips tightly sealed.
“Fang, I think you're wrong about her. I've spent time with Iris. She isn't some mob spy. The things they did to her…” Havoc shook his head, a haunted look crossing his face.
Was he thinking about how close his old lady had come to suffering the same fate?
“She isn’t working for them.”
The leather of Fang's vest didn’t make a sound as he shrugged. “Maybe not, but if they had her daughter, Iris would do just about anything for that little girl. If that meant risking her life by spying on us, I don't think she would even hesitate. Maybe they told her they would hurt her daughter. Maybe promised her freedom.” His dark eyebrows came down over his equally dark eyes, giving him a hooded appearance. “Maybe they just gave her an opportunity to get revenge on you.”
How had I forgotten that everyone had been mentioning a child? Iris was a mother. I couldn't even begin to imagine her with a child.
“How old is this child?”
Havoc turned away. “Her name is Violet, and from what I have been told she’s four.”
Four.
Iris had a daughter called Violet, who wasfour.
I had been with her for one single night five years ago.
“Who is the kid’s father?” I sucked at math. “When's the kid’s...birthday?”
Shit. Math might not be my forte but even I could work out forty weeks.
“No idea, but you will have plenty of time to find out, Cyber. You want to make up for today’s fuck up?” Fang chuckled, his eyes glinting. “You are on Iris babysitting duty from now on. You will watch her every fucking move. I don’t care how you do it.” He held up a hand when I opened my mouth to complain. “I know both of you think I'm overreacting, and I hope to God I am. But I want that little girl found and then I want them as far away from us as possible.”
5
Iris
It feltgood to be clean, especially once I knew Maggie was going to be ok. She would be in the hospital for a while, but as long as there were no complications, she would be allowed home in a week or two.
