Bent, Not Broken(35)

“You wouldn’t have come.”

“So, you order. It’s all the same with you. You’re always ordering everyone around to get them to do what you want.”

“You’re my daughter.”

“I’m sure you’ve got a stash of those around as well. I bet every freaking city has a daughter of yours. My mother wasn’t the only one you screwed.” Daniella spat each word, glaring at her father.

Zeke didn’t lose his cool for a moment.

“I don’t have any other children.”

“That you acknowledge.” Daniella folded her arms underneath her breasts. “Where is my mom?”

“Last time I checked she was vacationing in France.”

Daniella shook her head. “I hate you.”

“Unfortunately, Daniella, I’m the only one you’ve got. Your mother doesn’t want anything to do with you. I married her so that I could gain custody of you. Providing she stays out of the picture, she gets paid handsomely for it.”

From the stricken look on Daniella’s face, Joker could tell she’d been aware of the fact her mother didn’t want her. It wasn’t a shock, no; it was pain, pure and simple. Daniella hurt because no one else wanted her and she didn’t want anything to do with the one who did.

“Thank you, Demon, for coming to get me,” Daniella said, smiling at him. She moved past Zeke, who reached out to touch her. “Don’t you dare! I may be your daughter, but I’ve not been paid to kiss your ass.”

She barged out of the door, leaving the club speechless.

“I’ll have to save our business meeting for another time,” Zeke said. “I’m sorry for my daughter. She can be emotional.”

“It doesn’t bother me. Daniella behaved well,” Demon said, clearly rubbing it in.

“Yes, well, I’ve not exactly been the best father to her. I’m sure she blames me for everything that has gone wrong in her life, including her whore of a mother.”

“You’re married?” Joker asked.

Amy tightened her hold on his hand when Zeke turned to look at him.

“Yes, I was married for a very, very short time. Make no mistake, I love my daughter, and I don’t want anything to happen to her. Children, they can be your greatest joy and your greatest pain… I have to go.” Seconds later, Zeke left the clubhouse with his bodyguards trailing behind him.

“Well, I have to say, he kind of goes up in my estimation,” Steel said, standing away from the bar.

“Why is that?” Demon asked.

“Some fathers would have slapped her silly for the way she talked to him. He may be a bastard to us, but he does love his daughter.”

Joker couldn’t argue with that.



Several days later, Amy sat inside her office thinking about Joker. She’d spent the entire weekend with him at the clubhouse. He’d wanted to show off his room, and the place he called home more often than not. She’d loved every second of being in the clubhouse. What she didn’t like was being surrounded by all the sex that went on. She’d gone to the kitchen while Joker was in the shower and there, she found a couple fucking on the kitchen table. She didn’t know what the hell to do, turn away or get the soda she’d been after. Deanna had come down, rolled her eyes, and told her to get what she wanted. “No one stops for anything or anyone here.”

After that, Amy was very nervous about who she approached.

Tapping her lip with a finger, she scrolled through the website to make sure everything was up to date on the company’s property. Frances and Son’s was booming at the moment, but with the recent pitfalls with the recession, everyone was on tenterhooks to see where everything would land.

In her two years with the company, they had seen the ups and downs of the market.

“Hey, stranger, it’s good to see you back with us,” Michael said.

After her last appointment with Gregory, her therapist, she’d taken some leave. Among all the things she had worked through with him, she still needed to deal with the issues surrounding the loss of her mother.

“Thanks, it’s good to be back.”

“I’m really sorry about your mom.”

“Me, too.” She offered him a smile even as tears welled up in her eyes. No matter how much time had passed, the loss of her mother was still hard for her to bear. There were times she’d wake up, sure she heard her.

Joker’s arms around her kept her safe and grounded.

“So, I was wondering, do you think I could buy you a drink after work?” he asked.

Opening her mouth, Amy was shocked. Michael had always been a nice guy, attentive, but friendly.

“Uhm, I don’t think that’s a good idea. My boyfriend is picking me up after work.” Calling Joker her boyfriend still gave her a thrill.