“Grim?”
Victor did not answer.
His thumb brushed across the lettering.
Noah stood.
“Give it back.”
Victor looked up.
The boy’s fear had returned instantly.
Not fear of Victor’s size.
Fear of losing something.
Victor held the patch carefully.
“Where did you get this?”
“It’s mine.”
“I know.”
“Give it back.”
Victor stood.
Noah stepped between him and Lily.
“Kid.”
“Give it back.”
Victor immediately lowered himself.
Not kneeling completely.
Enough to bring his face closer to Noah’s height.
He held the patch out.
Noah snatched it.
Victor did not resist.
Then he asked:
“Where did you get your father’s patch?”
Noah went still.
Lily stopped eating.
Every biker at the table turned.
Noah clutched the patch against his chest.
“You know my dad?”
Victor looked at the leather.
Then at Noah’s face.
For the first time he saw it.
Not clearly.
But enough.
The eyes.
Gray-green.
The shape of the nose.
The stubborn way the boy lifted his chin when frightened.
Victor’s past walked into the diner and stood twelve years old in front of him.
“What’s your father’s name?”
Noah hesitated.
“Daniel Carter.”
Victor closed his eyes.
One second.
That was all.
The biker with the red beard whispered:
“No way.”
Another man at the table said:
“Raven?”
Victor opened his eyes.
“Daniel Carter.”
Noah looked around.
“You know him.”
It was not a question now.
Victor pulled out the chair beside him.
“Sit down.”
“No.”
“Noah.”
The boy backed up.
“What did he do?”
Victor stared.
“What?”
“People always look like that when they talk about him.”
“Like what?”
“Like he did something.”
Victor shook his head.
“Your father saved my life.”
Noah stopped.
Lily looked between them.
Victor continued:
“Twice.”
The diner remained quiet around them.
Noah held the patch tighter.
“You’re lying.”
“No.”
“Dad never talked about bikers.”
Victor almost smiled.
“Your dad barely talked about anything.”
That sounded true enough to hurt.
Noah looked down.
Victor returned slowly to his chair.
“Sit.”
This time Noah did.
Lily moved closer.
Victor looked toward his club brothers.
“Give us some room.”
Nobody questioned him.
Four bikers left the table.
Two moved to the counter.
One stepped outside.
The red-bearded man remained.
Victor glanced at him.
“Sam stays.”
Noah looked at Sam.
Sam lifted his hands.
“I knew your dad too.”
Noah’s breathing became uneven.
Victor saw the panic forming.
He slowed everything.
“When did you last see him?”
Noah looked at Lily.
Then the floor.
“Three months ago.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Where?”
“Tucson.”
“What happened?”
“He left.”
Lily whispered:
“He said he was coming back.”