XAVIER'S POV.
It had been years since I last visited my clubhouse off the streets—a place they'd entrusted to my son, Ryder while I served my jail term.
After eighteen long years, the desire to see him overwhelmed me. I decided to drop by the clubhouse early this morning before heading home.
I had my men do some underground searching, confirming he would be there. Arriving at the front of the clubhouse, the blaring music assaulted my ears, but I pushed past it, determined.
"Boss, should I accompany you?" Benson, one of my most trusted men, inquired. I shot him a disapproving look.
"We can't afford anyone knowing what's inside," I replied firmly.
Although everyone wished to witness the reunion, I needed them to stay back. The vehicle carried sensitive supplies, and I couldn't risk anyone meddling with them.
I pressed on, making my way into the clubhouse.
"Boss, should I clear the way?" Scarface,another of my men but deadlier than the rest, suggested.
"No need for that," I countered. I understood his implication— a forceful clearance involving gunfire. I aimed to avoid any unnecessary commotion on this bittersweet reunion.
I hadn't anticipated anything like this. It had been nearly two decades, and I didn't want to disrupt our first meeting after my son's grown up life.
Walking into the club, I scanned the new changes within the clubhouse; so much had transformed. The once white ceilings, a reflection of both my nickname 'SAINT' and my character and personality, now felt like a facade.
The walls, once adorned with portraits, were now plastered with symbols of the Fedele mafia. I couldn't help but scoff at the insignia and their motto: "be your brother's keeper." Mere words—none of them practiced it.
The sight of those symbols tightened my breath, sending it shallow and rapid, as I contemplated how my son had become the opposite of my aspirations for him.
From the moment he was born, I vowed to shield him from the Fedele family and the world of mafias. Yet, seeing these symbols adorning his clubhouse made me realize his unwavering commitment to that life.
Eliot had evidently trained him well, sculpting him into the opposite of what I desired. Standing there, I couldn't help but wonder about my daughter and what path she might have taken.
I moved forward and hesitated at the sight of an open door. A naked stripper emerged, catching my attention. Curiosity got the better of me, and I glanced inside to witness an ongoing orgy.
What? An orgy!
I lingered at the doorway, observing the intense acts—aggressive thrusts of naked men into the naked women, while the queer men engaged in rough backstrokes with the their bottoms pasrtners. The room echoed with raw moans.
Despite the assumption that I might have been drawn to join, the truth was quite the opposite. It was repulsive, the scene was making me cringe. Not a single hair on my body stood on end, let alone any other physical reaction of my cock getting erect.
I felt nothing but disgust!
"Hey, come join in and indulge yourself," one of the strippers beckoned, spreading her legs enticingly. She was undoubtedly alluring, but any allure for such encounters had long vanished from me. My last intimate encounter was five years ago.
Yeah, everyone would think it's been eighteen years since that was the duration of the sentence, but I was involved with the human inmate whose cell was next to mine. I was also involved with one of the warden's daughters.
She was in love with me, but I only needed her to satisfy my sexual desires.
I had shut down my emotions five years ago when my inmate left and the warden's daughter disappeared without a goodbye or any last words to me.
"No, I don't think he loves women. It seems you love bussy tight hole, right?" Another boy chuckled, bending over and exposing his oiled ass to me. I just rolled my eyes in disgust.
The fact that my son now has an orgy room in his club doesn't sit well with me, but I couldn't help but walk past it.
"Where are you going? Come on," the naked woman lunged towards me, but before she could get a glimpse of me, scarface knocked her to the ground and she groaned in pain while others watched in awe.
"Saint, Shakedown?" he fumed, but I disapprovingly shook my head, not wanting any discussions about why I came to see my son and having men and women running around the streets naked.
I pushed forward, swallowing my hurt at the kind of environment Ryder now oversees.
"Do you have an appointment?" one of the muscular bodyguards blocking our way to Ryder's private room asked.
He stood tall with confidence, perhaps taking advantage of his height, but scarface would break his body without even flinching.
"Tell Ryder that the SAINT wants to see him," Scarface ordered, causing every eye to nervously dart towards us. I could sense they had heard varied tales about me, leaving them both awestruck and anxious.
"S-Sai-Saint?" the muscular man stuttered, then turned to instruct the men at the back to inform Ryder.
A few minutes later, one of the men he had sent rushed back, his hands trembling as he conveyed, "He said he doesn't welcome the SAINT."
Scarface's expression twisted into deep fury, bellowing, "What! Clear the way!"
"No," my firm voice interrupted, calming him, but he looked back at me with disappointment.
"Boss," he almost pleaded.
"Let it be. Tell him I'll be at my apartment if he ever needs my help. I won't bother him anymore," I concealed my hurt behind those words, storming out of the clubhouse gracefully but broken inside.
Others might not comprehend the pain I felt, but I bit my lip to suppress the agony. They deprived both me and him of any fatherly moments, and now he blames me for leaving him.
When I left the human cell, I vowed to reclaim my pups, but it seemed impossible now.
My last hope was my daughter. If she rejects me as he has, then I'll let them go. After all, they were now Eliot's pups, raised by him for eighteen years. I couldn't blame them, especially considering their mother had remarried him. They would call him father and treat him as such.
I let out a brief laugh, and Scarface glanced at me silently, while Benson speed up towards the pack house.
I recognized that look—pity.
The irony isn't lost on me, having those you've fought to keep alive reject you even before they see your face.
After a few hours, Benson parked at the back of the house, and we began unloading the weapons I had acquired from my human dealer.
"Boss!" Jade bowed, joining in the unloading.
A few moments passed before she broke the awkward silence. "She stayed over in Addison's room."
My eyes widened as she paused from unloading. Scarlet again! She spent the night at Addison's despite my clear warning to avoid those demons. I've waited eighteen years to meet my mate, and even if she's also their mate, I won't let them take her away from me.
"Where is she?" I demanded.
"I think she's still at Addison's place," Jade replied casually.
"Finish up, Ben, drop the car at the garage," I commanded before heading to Scarlet's room.
Anger pulsed through me as I marched, but why was I so furious? Was it jealousy or because she disregarded my warning and disrespecting my words?
Conflicted, I wasn't sure which path to take. However, the moment I reached her room, my wolf stirred within me. Her scent engulfed my senses as I forcefully pushed the door open. Yet, what lay before me both comforted and reignited everything I had hidden away.