...Chapter 3...
"Whoa!" Clay yelled, looking at Tig's face.
"What the hell happened to you?" Bobby asked, with a little laugh.
Tig grabbed a beer from the freezer and put it to his cheek. "Nicole found out about Donna."
"By who?"
"Crys told her... and it's fine, I was gonna tell Nicole tomorrow." he shrugged. "Either if she knew now or then, I'm sure I'd get the same results."
Clay and Bobby laughed, then Clay said "You got that right."
Tig groaned. "I'm gonna lay down." he waved then he went into his room.
A few minutes later, Riley walked out into the main part of the clubhouse, and looked around. "Uncle Kozzy, where are you?"
Opie walked up to her and said "He's outside with your mommy."
Riley grabbed his hand. "Will you come with me?"
"Sure." he nodded, then both of them walked outside.
Riley saw her Uncle Kozik and Uncle Happy talking to her Mommy by the picnic table, and ran up to Kozik, hugging his leg. "Uncle Kozzy!"
He kneeled down to her level and said "What's up, Munchkin?"
She pointed her little finger in his face. "You were supposed to take me to get a new Hot Wheels."
He laughed. "I know, I know... but guess what?"
"What?"
"Close your eyes." she did what she was told, then Kozik reached into his pocket, and pulled out a brand new Hot Wheels car, holding it in front of her face. "Okay, you can open your eyes."
She opened them and she lit up like the 4th of July. She grabbed it from his hand and opened it from the package. "Thank you, Uncle Kozzy, I don't think I have this one."
"You don't." he shook his head. "It's a 1969 Dodge Charger."
"I love it." she gave him a hug. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." he backed up to look at her. "How 'bout you go show everyone inside while I talk with Mommy, okay?"
She nodded, then looked at Nicole. "Look what Uncle Kozzy gave me."
"Yeah, it's cool." she smiled at her and she couldn't help but to smile at them, that was the cutest thing she's ever seen in a long time. "I'll be inside in a little bit."
"Okay, Mommy." Riley nodded, then looked up at Opie. "Will you play cars with me?"
"Of course." he grabbed her hand and walked inside with her.
After Nicole watched her baby girl and Opie go into the clubhouse, she turned her attention to the guys, and noticed the annoyed look on Happy's face. "Well." she started. "We gotta talk... and I've been playing this in my head, what I was gonna say to both of you when I got out."
"About what?" Kozik asked.
Nicole took a swig of her beer, then deeply sighed. "Okay, what happened between the three of us, can't happen again... I mean, you two are best friends and I almost tore you apart." she shook her head. "I can't do that to you again and I won't." Happy nodded, as Kozik just looked at the ground. "I care about the both of you, and you will always be in my life, but I can't be the one to come in between you, it's just not fair." she looked at the ground. "I just want to get my life back on track and make up for lost time with my daughter, those are the main two things I want to focus on doing."
"All right." Happy nodded, but didn't look at her. "If that's what you want." then he walked back into the clubhouse.
"Fucking great, I pissed him off." she thought to herself, then looked at Kozik, who had a sad look on his face. "What?" she asked.
"Nothing, I just.." he paused, trying to think of something to say. "Never mind, I guess, it's not important anymore." he shook his head and walked into the clubhouse, just like Happy did.
"Wow, strike two." she mumbled to herself, then downed the rest of her beer.
It was after midnight by the time the party was dying down, most of them either went home, crashed into their rooms, or they were still drinking. Nicole walked up to Chibs, who had Riley asleep on his lap, and smiled. Chibs looked up at her and nodded. "She's a beautiful little girl, Love... and she's smart."
"Thanks."
"Where are you staying at?"
"I'm not sure... let me check." then she walked up to Jax. "Hey, where am I staying?"
"At your place."
"What?"
"All of us guys and the girls got together and fixed up a place for you and Riley."
"Seriously?"
Yeah." he nodded. "It's all ready with stuff in it... Crystal, Cassie, and Katie's been living in there for a few months with her."
"Oh, cool." she nodded. "Where is it?"
"Across the street from my house."
"Awesome." she gave him a hug. "Thank you."
"No problem." he let go of her. "Are you ready to go or something?"
"Yeah... I gotta get Riley, she's sleeping on top of Chibs."
"Okay... I'll get Happy."
He started to walk away, then she grabbed his arm. "Wait, why do you need to get him?"
"Because." he started. "A while ago, Gemma was going somewhere at night and she had Riley with her... this stupid bitch got Gemma out of the car, hit her over the head, and took off somewhere, leaving Riley alone in the back seat."
"Are you fucking serious?"
"Yeah." he nodded, "Well, Happy was on his way back to Tacoma that night when he spotted the Cadillac. As he got closer, he heard crying, then when he saw Riley sitting in the back seat, scared out of her mind, he took her out, and brought her back to the clubhouse."
"Thank God."
"Yeah, she was lucky he was there, at the right place, and at the right time."
"Um, yeah... I'm glad he was." she paused. "But what happened to Gemma?"
"I'm gonna let her tell you, when she's ready."
"Okay." she slowly nodded, wondering what it was.
"So since that night, Riley can't sleep at night unless Happy is with her." he paused. "He's like her security blanket."
"But she's sleeping fine on Chibs."
"Yeah, because she knows Happy is nearby, and he's not gonna leave her." he paused. "So that means, he'll be at your house, when she goes to sleep."
"That's wonderful, so much for my plan to stay away from him." she rolled her eyes. "But isn't Happy... and Kozik, part of the Tacoma charter?"
"They were, but got transferred to Charming, because they wanted to be closer to Riley." Nicole made an 'O' shape with her lips. "And let me tell you... Riley and Abel are the most protected kids in this town, nobody would be able to come near them."
"That's good." she nodded.
"Nicole." Jax started. "I'm curious."
"About what?"
"Who's Riley's father?"
"I can't tell you." she shook her head.
"Why not?"
"Because, it's just gonna cause problems for all of you."
"Why?"
"It just will, okay?"
Jax started to think. "Is Kozik her father?" he whispered.
"No, he's not... but yes, I was kind of with him at the time, but no, he's not her father... I would have said something if he was."
"Then who is it?"
She groaned. "Jax, it's only gonna piss you off, if I tell you."
"Come on, I won't say anything."
"Yeah, you will and once I do, you'll call a meeting in the chapel, then you'll go out on a rampage."
Jax raised his eyebrow, and noticed Nicole's eyes watering, then he started to worry. "Come on, tell me, Nicky." he grabbed her hand. "I'm your best friend, we used to tell each other everything."
She nodded and took a deep breath, as she now, felt the tears falling down her cheeks, trying not to relive the specific memory. "Riley's biological father is... Kyle Hobart."
Jax's eyes widened. "What!" he yelled, getting everyone's attention in the clubhouse, including Tig, Happy, and Kozik.