Blackjack

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Hayley’s POV

I walk into the house to see Miranda and Addie playing Monopoly.

“Hi mama!” Addie says smiling at me

“Hi princess, can you go to your room for a bit please. I need to talk to Aunt Mandy before she goes. You guys can finish your game later tonight while I’m at work.” I say smiling back. I watch her walk off to her room, waiting for her to close the door. As soon as I’m certain Addie can’t hear, I begin telling Mandy about my morning.

“I can’t believe Mary would keep that from Alex. How do you keep that secret for all these years.” Mandy says shocked

“I know it’s crazy, I keep thinking about how Addie could have had him in her life all this time and the reason he wasn’t was because of her!” I say tears in my eyes. My heart hurts for my daughter. She has always wished her father was there for her and to know he could have been breaks my heart.

Alex’s POV

After talking with Hayley I decide to go to the clubhouse and talk to my father. Did he know about Addie all these years to? Has he betrayed my trust like my mother has? So many questions are running through my mind. Before I know it I’m pulling up to the gate of the clubhouse. I nod at Tito and Harry who are guarding the gate. They nod back opening the gate for me. I grab Liam and head into the cludhouse.

“Hey Alex how’s it going?” Shane asks

“Hey Shane, doing alright man you?”

“Good brother” he replies smiling

I head down the hall to my father’s office and knock on the door.

“Come in”

“Hey dad”

“Son, how’s it going?” He asks looking up from the stack of papers in front of him.

“I’ve had better morning’s dad. Do you have a minute? I need to ask you about something”

“Sure son sit down and give me that baby, I haven’t seen him since you brought him home the other day” He says smiling as he takes Liam from me

“Dad…did you know about Addie?”

He looks up at me puzzled. “Who’s Addie?’

“My daughter…”

The look of shock tells me that my mother kept the secret from his also.

“Geez Alex, you have only just had this kid how could you have another already?” He says surprised

“Addie is 9 dad, she is mine and Hayley’s” I say the sad tone noticeable in my voice

“Alex if I had known anything about this I would not have kept that from you. Did Hayley not want you to know about her?” He asks

“No she did, she made many attempts to call the house leaving messages and wrote letters. Mom hid it from me” I say with tears in my eye. I’m not much of a crier and I haven’t dried in front of my father since I was a boy. Embarrassed, I try and hid the tears from him. Once I feel like I have composed myself I look up to see rage in my father’s eyes.

“I’m sorry that your mother did that son but I did not know” he says the anger evident in his voice

“It’s alright dad, I’m glad to know that you hadn’t also betrayed my trust. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to forgive mom. I have missed 9 years of her life.”

“I can understand that son, trust is a valuable thing, it takes time to earn it. Hopefully some day you will be able to forgive her and then maybe she can start earning your trust back.”

“Maybe”

We talk for a bit longer before I ask if there is anything pressing that he needs from me today. I’d like to just take Liam home and process the event of this morning.

“Dad, do you think I could have Laura take over caring for Liam when I’m not home?” Laura is a trusted friend of the MC and my fathers former vice presidents wife. She helped my parents with raising me and my little brother Kyle. Her husband Trey was my fathers VP for years until I turned 18. The position was granted to me on my 18th birthday as is my birth right. Trey was killed 3 years ago by a rival club.

“If your certain that is what you want son, I’m sure Laura would love to take care of Liam”

“I am sure dad, mom broke my trust and unfortunately for her and for Liam that means I don’t want her around right now. I don’t want her to watch Liam and I don’t want her in my house. I would appreciate it if you could let her know. I’m to angry right now to talk calmly to her.”

“I understand Alex, I’ll let her know she is to steer clear until further notice.”