Page 5 of Dagger's Target
It’s just what it is. My life is about to change in so many ways.
Getting in my car, I start the car and put it in gear. I make it to the gate and out onto the road before looking in the rearview mirror, seeing Dagger standing just outside the clubhouse.
I shake off the sight and focus on heading to my studio. It’s time to get on with my day-to-day. My new album won’t record itself. Neither will it get it uploaded to the different platforms. I’d already leaked teasers for the album coming. I’ve set my deadline, and I want my fans to enjoy the songs as I’ve promised them.
I could have gone with a label of my choosing, but I wanted to be in charge of everything that I write and produce. It’s why I bought the warehouse that I work out of. I have it turned into the perfect setup. Even local bands come in to get studio time and record.
The only thing is, my warehouse has others always approaching, trying to get me to sell it, which is something I refuse to do. I refuse to let anyone screw with me and take what’s mine. Just like I won’t let anyone tell me how to handle the other changes in my life. Including the decisions I make regarding this baby.
He or she will have me always, and I won’t treat them they was I was growing up. Regardless, whether Dagger’s in our lives or not.
CHAPTER TWO
Dagger
“What can I do for you, Dagger?” Cy asks before I have both feet in his office. He is planted behind his screen, eyes to it.
“Need you to find Katrina for me,” I tell him, saying her name for the first time in two months. I started to track her down months ago after she ran out on me before I woke up. Now I needed him to get her address for me so I could go after her for other reasons.
“This the woman who just left?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I grunt, wishing I hadn’t let her leave.
Fuck.
I had questions, and before I could find my voice without letting anger swarm around me, she was gone. She shocked the shit out of me with her words.
Telling me she didn’t expect anything from me when it came to her being pregnant. I had a lot of questions regarding all she said. I’m good at spotting a liar.
I grew up in a house full of them. I’d taken the chance to get out of Dodge when I was eighteen and joined the Navy,becoming a corpsman after training and learning everything I needed to know to do my job.
The Navy gave me a sense of purpose. Working as a corpsman more so. Getting out and finding my brothers here at the club helped even more when it came to transitioning to civilian life. I didn’t have family since I refused to speak to mine. I wasn’t like them, and I was okay with it. There was no love loss between us. For all I know, they all got themselves killed by now.
“You want a full workup of this woman or just the address?” Cy asks, turning toward me. “Alanna took Charlotte out for the day shopping with Willow and Gemini. Think Rebel tagged along as well, so I’ve got time.”
“Full workup would be good.” I nod. Knowing exactly what I’m walking into would be a good idea. I’m not one for being blindsided.
Katrina had been lucky I hadn’t snapped at her for her news. I sat there, trying to contain it when each word she spoke took me more off guard.
“You got a last name?” Cy asks, head cocked slightly.
I hand him the card she’d given me. The other slip of paper burned in my pocket. I hadn’t fully looked at it yet.
“Appreciate this.”
“I’ll have something for you in about an hour, two tops,” he states, spinning back to his computers. “I’ll find you when I’m done.”
I nod and leave the room, needing some fresh air and space to think. Heading outside, my mind wanders to Katrina. She’d taken up more space in my head over the past two months. I spent time with her laughing and joking, shooting shots of tequila. Afterward, I got to have a taste of her that still lingers on my tongue. I planned on having more of her after we both rested, but I’d woken to her being gone.
Now, she shows back up here, pregnant, not expecting anything from me. Just wanted me to know. Didn’t want me to think she’d done it to trap me. Was she serious? In one night, I could tell she wasn’t a one-off. Hell, it didn’t take more than ten minutes in the woman’s presence to know this about her. She wasn’t a deceitful person. The way she carried herself showed it plainly.
Moving to one of the picnic tables, I climb up and plant my ass on top, letting out a breath. I dig in my pocket to pull out my phone and the slip of paper, finally taking the time to look at it as I hadn’t earlier.
The sonogram Katrina gave me. It’s dated two weeks ago. The corner of the picture shows the date it was done and how far along she was, which now puts her at ten weeks, almost out of the first trimester.
Fuck.
Taking in the grainy black-and-white image, the proof that I helped create life, it hits me. This tiny blob is proof my kid is growing inside a woman I don’t even know anything about.My throat tightens as I stare at it. I’ve never given much thought to being a father. Never thought I’d have the chance, and honestly wasn’t sure I wanted it. With how much my own childhood was a clusterfuck, I hadn’t planned on having any kids. Didn’t think I had it in me to raise a kid.
