Iron/Blades Duet (Print)

Iron/Blades Duet
Harley Wylde
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2024 Harley Wylde
Excerpt from Blades

I eyed the man in front of me. It had been a long ass time since I’d seen the Devil’s Fury cut. “So, one of you finally came to see me. No one’s ever brought a pretty woman with them, though.”

The name Dingo wasn’t one I was familiar with. Then again, he looked young. Probably started prospecting after I’d been locked up. He put his hand on the woman’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“You’re Robert Young?” she asked.

“Don’t go by that name anymore. I’m Blades. Who’s looking for Young?”

She took a breath and seemed to be steeling herself. I should have been the one preparing. Her next words would have knocked me on my ass if I’d been standing.

“I’m Meiling Shan Young. Your daughter, if my birth certificate is correct.”

I fell back against the metal chair. My daughter? “Fucking hell.”

“So you do know who I am?” she asked.

“Yeah. Told your mother not to bring you here. Why did she let you come now?” In all this time, China had stayed away just as I’d demanded. Had something happened to bring my daughter here after all these years?

“She didn’t. I don’t even remember her,” Meiling said.

My gaze shot to Dingo. Who the hell was he? Why had he brought her here? “Are you responsible for her being here? How she’d get mixed up with the club? I told Xi-wang to keep away from the Devil’s Fury.”

“We don’t know yet what happened to Xi-wang. Shortly after you were locked up, your daughter went into foster care and her mother vanished without a trace,” Dingo said. “As to why she’s with me… she’s my wife.”

I shot to my feet. “Like fuck she is!”

After everything I’d been through to keep them safe, this had to happen? I didn’t know how she’d met this bastard, but I’d see to it he was buried six feet under. How dare he touch my precious child?

“Sit down, old man,” Dingo said. “She’s been accepted by the club as my ol’ lady, and we’re legally married. Besides, she could be carrying your grandchild.”

I felt my blood pressure rising and wanted nothing more than to wring his neck. Slowly, I took my seat. Going after him right now wouldn’t do me any good. If my daughter liked him, then it would only hurt my relationship with her -- assuming I ever had the chance to have one.

“Why the fuck are you here?” I asked, focusing on Dingo.

“We need some answers. Mei doesn’t remember her mother, and never knew about you. In fact, her birth certificate was buried and a false one put in its place. You tried to keep her a secret, but it’s time to talk.”

I didn’t like it, but they weren’t the only ones who needed answers. They said my daughter couldn’t remember her mother. Where the hell was China? If I found out someone had hurt her, I was going to slaughter everyone responsible. “Fine. I’ll tell you what I know, then you explain what’s really going on.”

I told them how I met Meiling’s mother, about us falling in love, and me keeping the two of them a secret from the club. Everything up until I went to prison. After that, I lost track of China. I’d thought she was only listening to me and keeping away as I’d told her to do. I should have found a way to check up on her.

Meiling slumped in her seat. “So you don’t know what happened to her, or how I ended up in foster care?”

“Nope. I never even heard she was missing. No one ever came to ask me about you, but you were mine legally. If someone finds out what happened, I sure the fuck want to know,” I said.

“Outlaw is working on it,” Dingo said. “He’s a hacker for the club. Only thing we know for sure is the foster family who had Meiling…” Dingo stopped mid-sentence.

I wanted to ask what the hell a hacker was, but more importantly, what was it he didn’t want to tell me? If it had to do with my daughter, then I deserved to know. He might be married to her, but she was my baby first and foremost.

Meiling met my gaze. I knew whatever they were hiding would gut me. “He doesn’t want to tell you.”

“Did they hurt you?” I asked.

“They made her into a whore by the age of fourteen,” Dingo said. Even I could hear the pain in his voice.

I slammed my fists into the table, and everything went red. I roared out my rage, standing so fast the chair fell over. I ripped the chain free of the table and continued to pound the metal surface, denting it. Guards rushed in, and I knew they were going to put me in solitary if I didn’t calm down, but I couldn’t. I wanted to make them all suffer. Every last person who’d harmed my baby needed to die, and I wanted to be the one to do it.

Dingo held up a hand, cautioning them to stay back. “Give him a minute. We gave him bad news.”

Bad news? I nearly laughed. That was putting it mildly. Finding out my favorite motorcycle had turned to rust would be bad news. Discovering my China had moved on and found someone else would be bad news. Hearing someone turned my daughter into a prostitute while she was still a kid made me want to set the entire world ablaze.

“No. Fuck that shit.” I looked from my daughter to Dingo. “I didn’t fucking kill those people. You find out who did, get me out of here, and I’ll handle the men who hurt my daughter.”

“I didn’t hear that,” one of the guards muttered. “Did. Not. Fucking. Hear. It.” He walked out, dragging the other one with him. At least they had some sense.

“Are you trying to say you’re innocent?” Meiling asked.

I gave a bark of laughter. Innocent? Me? Not hardly. “No, daughter. I’m far from innocent, but I didn’t commit the murders I was accused of. If Outlaw can find out what happened with your situation, then maybe he can help with mine. When I got locked up, there wasn’t anyone capable of digging up that kind of dirt, not within the club, and certainly no one who gave a shit about me. You get me out of here, and I’ll make sure they all fucking pay.”

“On one condition,” Dingo said.

He had some nerve adding a stipulation. Was he trying to keep me away from my daughter?

“What’s that, boy?” I asked.

“You give your blessing for me and Mei to be together.” He cleared his throat. “I love her, and I will love and protect any children we have together. If we’re ever blessed with any.”

“You’re an idiot,” Mei told him, but I saw the affection in her gaze. “But I love you too.”

The way he smiled at the words told me enough. The bastard was head over heels for my little girl, and since they were already married, I might as well learn to live with it.

“Fine. You have my blessing, as long as you make her happy. Fuck up, and I’ll Goddamn bury you where they’ll never find your body,” I said.

The look he gave me assured me we were on the same page. I hoped like fuck the club was a better place than it had been when I got locked up. If it wasn’t, I’d need to find a way to get Meiling away from there. It didn’t matter if she was married to this little shit or not. I’d do whatever it took to keep her safe. I’d failed her until now. Never again.

“I know I’m a stranger to you, girl, but I’m your dad. I get out of here, and I’ll make things right for you. I don’t expect you to call me anything other than Blades, until I’ve earned the right to be called anything else.”

“We’ll have to agree to disagree,” Meiling said. “Daddy.”

I felt my throat grow tight and my eyes stung. I flashed her a smile, hoping she knew how much it meant for me to hear her call me Daddy. I’d missed out on everything. Her first steps. First words. And because I hadn’t been there to keep them safe, someone had tried to destroy my family. Once I was free of this place, I’d seek retribution. I only hoped it didn’t take them too long.

My daughter came closer and put her arms around me. I knew we weren’t supposed to touch but fuck all of them. I hugged her tight, wanting to remember this moment forever.

“Love you, Meiling. Always have,” I said, my voice a littler gruffer than usual. “Even if I can’t get out of here, remember that. You were wanted, and you were loved. Never doubt it for a moment.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

* * *

I hadn’t realized they would have me freed within twenty-four hours. I’d spent eighteen years in prison for something I didn’t do. All this time, I’d thought my woman was safe. Off living her life, providing for our child. How could I have been so wrong? I knew about the evil in the world. Faced it every fucking day, even before I’d gotten locked up. It never once crossed my mind that darkness would touch my two girls, especially since I’d made sure to keep them away from the club.

It had taken a month to handle all the people who’d hurt my daughter and to find my precious China. She’d been dumped in a brothel not too far over the state line. From what the hackers had found, it looked like she was still there. If she wasn’t, I’d beat the hell out of everyone until I got some answers. One way or another, I was bringing her home.

Pulling into the parking lot of the Silk Purse, my heart hammered in my chest. It would be my first time seeing her in so damn long. Did she even remember me? Had they completely broken her?

I got off the bike and headed inside. The moment I saw her my fucking heart broke. My beautiful girl was just as stunning now as she’d been before, even with the scars clearly visible on her face and arms, and a few silver threads in her hair. She gave me a slight bow as I drew closer, but her eyes never met mine.

“Welcome to the Silk Purse. What will be your pleasure tonight?” she asked, her voice still holding the accent I’d so loved all those years ago.

“My pleasure?” I asked. She still didn’t look up. “I came to take my woman home. Our daughter needs her.”

She went still, completely frozen. Slowly, she lifted her head and her gaze locked with mine. The Xi-wang I’d known was there, but just barely. I could see her, but I could also see the road of pain she’d traveled while we’d been apart.

“Xi-wang.”

“Robert?” she asked softly. “You went to prison for murder.”

“Didn’t do it.” I reached for her, tugging her against me. “But I did kill a few people since then. They all deserved it.”

I stroked her cheek and wished I could turn back the clock. She’d had my heart the moment we locked eyes that first time.