Read Online Nasty Bastard (Grim Bastards MC Book 4) by Emily Minton, Shelley Springfield - Free Book Online

of his nose, not far under his eye, and runs down the inside of his cheek, all the way down to the corner of his goatee. I can tell by looking at it that’s it’s not a new scar, and my mind comes up with a million different scenarios of how he received such a mark. My hand is aching to reach out and touch it and bring him some sort of comfort, but I hold back, not willing to show the man that broke my heart any compassion.
    When I left for college, he had only a few tattoos. Now, both of his arms are full of colorful ink. There is even one tat circling his neck, but my vision is too blurry to make out what it is. Wanting to get a better view, I attempt to push myself up. The quick motion causes pain to shoot through my body.
    “Son of a bitch,” I call out, fisting my hand.
    The bed slightly shakes as Layton pulls his feet down and leans forward. “Don’t be moving, baby. It’s just gonna make you hurt worse.”
    I want to scream at him, tell him to get the fuck away from me. Before I can say anything, he continues, “Your ribs are bruised up pretty damn bad, but Doc says they’re not broken. He put in five stitches above your eyebrow. There are a few other cuts, too, but they’re not so bad.”
    I let the information make its way through my mind then ask, “Where is Parker? Is my son okay?”
    Something flashes in his eyes, something that looks a hell of a lot like pain. “He’s fine. A few of the old ladies have him downstairs grabbing some lunch.”
    “Lunch?” I ask, wondering how long I’ve been asleep. “I need to see him. He’ll be scared without me.”
    Without waiting for a reply, I try to get up out of the bed again. Of course, it causes my pain to ratchet up a notch. The agony brings on a cold sweat, and I struggle to not pass out. Before I can toss my legs over the side of the bed, his large hands are gently pushing me back in place.
    “The kid is fine. Brew and Boz’s old ladies are watching over him,” he says, as he sits back down in his seat. “I need to talk to you for a second, but then I’ll get him for you.”
    There is no reason to talk to him, but I’m smart enough to know he isn’t gonna let me go until he gets what he wants from me. Right now, I’m willing to give him anything he wants if he’ll take me to my son. Laying my head back down on the pillow and taking a few calming breaths to clear the dizziness, I turn to look at him.
    Blowing a breath out, my eyes focus on his. “I’ll give you five minutes, then I’m getting my son and getting the hell out of here.”
    He blinks, as if shocked by my words, and says, “Fine. What were you doing at your dad’s house?”
    “Didn’t Lettie tell you?” For some reason, I assumed she would tell the club Parker and I were moving in to Dad’s place, but I guess not.
    He shakes his head. “She said she told you about Stone’s old lady leaving town, and that the house was empty if you wanted it, but she didn’t say anything about you coming back.”
    “She called and told me Dad and Crank have been gone awhile, then again when Dad’s old lady left town. She said the house was just sitting empty. When my husband and I divorced, she said Parker and I should move in.”
    He leans back in the chair and crosses his arms. “You finally kicked that dickhead to the curb? About damn time.”
    “Layton,” I warn, anger filling my voice. “My life is none of your business.”
    “My name is Smoke now. No one calls me Layton anymore,” he says, completely ignoring my anger.
    I study his face, a face I haven’t seen in thirteen years, and realize that more than just his looks have changed. He doesn’t look or act like my Layton anymore. Smoke fits him to a tee.
    My eyes lock onto his scar again, and I have to fight myself again to keep from reaching out and touching it. “What happened to you?”
    He gets a hard look on his face, turning to hide his scar. “This is about you, not me. Now, tell me, what the fuck happened to you?