Gwen brightened. “Awesome. I’ll get outfit choices, bring them round to your place and me and the girls can come to the gig. I’ll call Amy.” She made to run out of the room but Cade grabbed her hand. I was impressed, considering she had a pace on and he managed to stop her and keep hold of a sleeping baby at the same time. Was there no end to macho man powers?
“You ain’t going anywhere, baby,” he said firmly.
Gwen glowered at him, but I didn’t get to see the response to that one considering a staunch biker clutched my arm and dragged me off into a corner.
“Lexie is not fuckin’ playing that gig,” he told me in a harsh tone.
My eyes widened. “Um, did we have sex sixteen years ago?” I asked.
Zane didn’t answer, just clenched his jaw.
I carried on. “Yeah, didn’t think I’d forget that. So that means you didn’t sire a child by me, therefore, you are not Lexie’s father, therefore you do not get to dictate what gigs she does or doesn’t do,” I whispered angrily.
The grip on my wrist tightened. “She’s a fuckin’ kid. She isn’t playin’ at a goddamned club,” he bit out, invading my space.
I bristled slightly. “She’s not a kid, she’s a teenager,” I enunciated the last word. “So, not only would forbidding her to go make her shimmy down a drainpipe or commence a year-long rebellious streak, it would also be me saying no to her dream. I’m not doing that,” I told him firmly.
A muscle in his jaw clenched. “It’s a fuckin’ club,” he repeated.
“I’m aware,” I answered.
“Then you’ll be aware it’s not fuckin’ safe for a teenage fuckin’ girl to be going to a club.” He spoke slowly, as if he had to restrain himself from yelling.
“Which is why I’m not sending her off with a bottle of Jack and letting her go on Metallica’s tour bus for a month. I’m chaperoning. Me. An adult. Will be there at all times, making sure her innocent teenage soul isn’t corrupted at the sight of a cocktail,” I told him, having to restrain myself from yelling.
Zane was silent, and I tried to get out of his grip but he held me tightly.
“It’s not safe for you either,” he bit out.
“I’ll be sure to take my rape whistle,” I told him sarcastically. “I think I’ll be fine in a club in a tiny town.” I patted his arm condescendingly. “Now if you’ll excuse me.” I wrenched my arm out of his grasp with extreme effort. “I’ve got a fashion emergency to attend to.”
Zane’s whole body was stiff with fury. I didn’t have time to puzzle over why he was having such a strong reaction. He explicitly said that he didn’t want more than sex, so then why was he worrying his pretty little head over me and Lexie’s safety? I shook my head, glancing over at Gwen and Cade, who looked like they were having a similar conversation. Gwen’s pretty face was scrunched into a frown and Cade was looking at her with a hard stare.
“I’ll see you around, Gwen,” I called to her. “Don’t worry about coming with reinforcements—we’ll be fine. Got sixteen years of practice,” I added, not wanting to be the reason the couple had a domestic quarrel.
Gwen glared at Cade a second and then smiled at me. “No, I’ll be there in fifteen,” she said firmly, ignoring her husband. “And I’ll be there cheering Lexie on,” she added with a tight look at Cade.
I reckoned the grim and scary biker had little to no say when it came to Gwen doing what she wanted. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Okay, see you soon. Bye, Cade,” I said rather sheepishly, feeling like I was going to be cited as a bad influence.
Cade surprised me by giving me a soft look. Well, what such a grim and scary biker could manage as a soft look. “Bye, Mia. Thanks again for your help,” he said.
“Anytime,” I replied, deciding to ignore Zane and the fury emanating off him. I skirted around him and nearly ran to the door.
“Honey, you look amazing. You’ll do great,” I reassured my nervous daughter.
She pulled at her top with uncertainty. “You sure?”
I smiled. “Yes, I’m sure. I’m your mother—do you think I’d let you go out there if you were going to embarrass me?”
We were backstage at the club; it was eleven p.m. and Lexie and her band were just about to go on. I was more than a little excited for my daughter, although I couldn’t help but replay Zane’s judgmental protests in my mind. Was I a bad mother for letting my sixteen year old perform at a club near midnight? I had told her she could be anything she wanted to be. And for as long as I could remember, her life was music and books. To not support her in pursuing a career which involved doing something she loved made me think that was bad parenting. But as a single mother, I was always questioning my choices with Lexie, and worried about what judgment would be thrown my way. I just never thought it would be coming from a six-foot burly biker covered in tattoos. One whom I had complicated feelings for.
“We’re going to rock, Lex, how can we not? We’ve got me as a drummer,” Sam interjected, wrapping his arm around Lexie.
I grinned at him as he gave her a supportive squeeze and winked at me.