Shepard

20 - An old friend

Shepard

I scrub harder at the handles of my bike. It’s clean already, but I can’t stop rubbing. I’m currently straddling my motorcycle, having just cleaned every inch of it.

My mind is racing with thoughts. I can’t seem to calm things inside my head, and I’m slowly driving myself crazy!

There is so much for me to deal with right now that I don’t know how to cope with it. The club is now mine, and even though I was VP and knew club business was complex, I only knew how hard it was once I became President. There’s always something going on, something that needs my attention. I never realized how exhausting it could be. Maybe I’m just too deep in mourning my father to appreciate what I have been given.

“You’ll scrub the chrome off those bars if you’re not careful.”

“What are you doing here, Coral?”

I’d recognize that voice anywhere. She may sound older, but I know it’s her. But I don’t look at her. I can’t right now. The shi.t this beautiful woman has been through because of that no-good half-brother of mine.

Yeah, as I said in the beginning, I have a half-brother who is more dead to me than anyone ever could be. One who wasn’t invited to my old man’s funeral. My father was nothing but ashamed of that fucke.d up cunt. Didn’t even mumble his name before he died.

My parents split when I was a kid. Dad had a child with someone else, thanks to him trying to move on from the woman he loved. My half-brother’s mother died, and my parents got back together.

My parents tried to raise Ronnie to be a good man. They failed as many parents do. The bastard killed for no reason and raped women and young girls, including Coral, when she was twelve.

It was me she ran to when Ronnie hurt her, me who found out who had raped her, me who beat the ever living fuc.k out of him, me who let him live when I should’ve killed him.

It was me who convinced her parents it would be best to have the baby she carried adopted so my brother wouldn't find out. I convinced her parents to move her away from here for a while so she could recover.

I haven’t seen Coral in years. I didn’t even know she was back.

Why come back here after all this time?

What the hell is left here for her?

“I missed you.”

I close my eyes for a second before turning to look at her. Coral has changed so much in the time she’s been gone. She’s tall, curvy, beautiful. Her blonde hair is all loose, slightly curled, hanging down her back and over her shoulders. She’s wearing tight jeans and a tank top that shows just how big her t**s have gotten over the last eight years. She’s twenty-one already. So fuckin’ beautiful.

Where does the time go?

“I’m sorry to hear about Apollo. I’ll miss him.” We all will.

“How long you here for?”

I don’t mean to be sharp with her, but I’m not myself right now. It makes me wonder how Lynette has been putting up with me.

“Depends. Mom and Dad stayed in Cali with Cindy, but I wanted to come home for a while. I’m staying with an old school friend while I’m here.”

I nod slightly. It’s good to know she’s got something sorted.

“So, I heard you married Lynette. I always knew you were destined to be together.” She giggles to herself. I don’t say anything; it’s not like it’s a secret in this town that Lynette’s my wife. “Haven’t you missed me at all, Number Two?”

I chuckle and climb off my bike. It has been eight years, and Coral is still calling me Number Two. Number Two because she always said that I was like a father to her. She told me that if there was ever anyone who could love her as much as her own father, it would be me.

She was right, I’ve always loved her as my own. She left around the time I lost my Nova. It honestly felt like I lost two daughters that day, and I’ve mourned them both since.

Coral grew up in the house across the street with her parents and little sister. She was best friends with Jett and Tank, and they loved her as much as I did. They missed Coral when she went away. She's Tank’s age; both are a few months older than Jett.

“I’ve missed you as much as I’ve missed Nova all these years, Sunflower.”

She smiles at the name. I used to call her Sunflower because she was always smiling, always brightening up a bad day or any room she entered.

“I’m sorry you haven't been able to find her. I heard how you’d had no joy.”

“I’ll find her one day, Sunflower, don’t you worry about that.” She nods slightly. “How have you been since...?” I tip my head. She knows what I mean, and from the look on her face, it still hurts her.

But I did what I thought was right for her. She gave birth at thirteen years of age. Her parents didn’t want the child in their lives because all it did was remind them of the horrors their little girl suffered, and she really did suffer. My half-brother did unspeakable things to that little girl.

I will never believe what I did for Coral, and the little girl; I forced her to give up was wrong. They both needed taking care of, and I made damn sure that baby went to a good family, one who would give her everything she needed in life. Until she’s of age to find her birth mother, that is. It doesn’t stop me feeling guilty, in any case.

BlackJack and I were there the day Coral’s mother forced her to hand the baby over. She’d been so happy to tell me all about the little girl she adored. It broke my heart to watch Coral hand that child over to me. There were tears, but she knew it was for the best, even at that tender age.

I have sworn to make sure she is safe for the rest of her life. I will kill any man who dares hurt her, and that includes my men. I will rip them limb from limb if they come near her, just as I would if it were Nova or Willow.

“Since I handed my little girl over to strangers?” I lean my ass back against my bike, one foot over the other, arms crossed over my chest. “I’ve been doing okay.” Coral tucks her hands into the pockets of her jeans, shrugging her shoulders. “I miss her every day, but I know she’s better off with them.

“I did well in school. Passed every exam I ever took. I graduated from the top of my class and got into a good university. It seems I have a knack for numbers. I graduated early with my master’s degree.”

I’m stunned. I always knew Coral was brilliant, but damn... “I’m proud of you, Sunflower. You didn’t let it break you.”

“Nothing could break me, Shepard. I’m strong.”

“That you are. Now get the hell over here and hug me.” She laughs and runs at me. I catch her and hug her tightly, and it feels like I’m embracing my daughter somehow.

“Daddy, who is this?”

I let go of Coral and lift VJ in my arms. Coral’s eyes are shining with laughter. I haven’t seen that look in her eyes since she was a little girl. The little girl who once sat astride my bike and refused to get down while telling me not to be such a grump. It’s nice to see.

“Who’s this handsome young man?” She asks.

“I’m VJ. I just had my sixth birthday. This is my daddy.” With his arms around my neck, he presses his cheek against mine. You might be able to tell that VJ is a daddy’s boy. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Coral. It’s so very nice to meet you, VJ.” He giggles. “I had no idea you had another son.”

“I’ve got two. Max is inside somewhere.”

“VJ and Max.” She mumbles more to herself than anything. “He looks just like you.”

“That’s what my mommy says. Jett and Maxy look like daddy too, huh, Daddy?”

I smile and kiss his cheek. “That’s right,” The truth is, all three of my boys do look just like me. Max even got confused for Jett’s kid last week. It had us all laughing. Apart from Max, who promptly told everyone that Jett was his brother, Shepard was his daddy.

“She’s sex.y, Daddy,”

Yeah, my boy loves the ladies. God help us when he’s older. He’ll be leaving broken hearts all over the damn place.

“Oh, my God! He’s such a charmer. He is so Jett's brother!” Coral is laughing so hard I can't help laughing with her.

“Someone mention my name?”

Coral spins on the spot, eyes wide and a smile on her face as she watches Jett jog toward us. She runs toward him, jumping into his arms, kissing his cheek, and talking a mile a minute. Then she spots Tank, and its chaos between them.

I chuckle to myself. It’s nice to see the three of them together again after all these years. Just as long as they keep their hands off of Coral, I won’t have to cut them off!