by Harley Wylde
“She wanted to use her body to lure Dragon away from his woman,” Demon said. “So now any man who fucks her, will see that she’s been branded. Every club within four hundred miles will be told of her treachery.”
The women in the crowd were whispering to one another and shifting about nervously. I couldn’t blame them. It seemed extreme, even for Demon. What the hell had gotten into him? To all of them! They were supposed to protect women, not hurt them. Tears stung my eyes and I wanted to turn away, or demand answers. Instead, I stood there. Watching. Waiting. Just like everyone else.
Dragon lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers, then led me over to Demon and my father. I didn’t want to go, but I wasn’t about to balk and embarrass him again. My dad gave me a quick hug and Demon even smiled at me.
“For those who think this was too harsh a punishment, it wasn’t,” Demon said. “After Cheri’s stunt, I found Lilian wandering the streets. At night. Alone. What you don’t know is that she’s suffered horribly during her life. She was used by the Colombian cartel, even when she was just a kid. She’s been kidnapped and tortured. But she’s a survivor. Watching what Cheri did nearly break Lilian made me realize that the punishment needed to be severe. If you don’t agree with my methods, you know where the gate is. Get the fuck out and don’t come back. Any whore who lies and steals as a way to separate a brother from his woman will face dire consequences.”
Demon turned and I thought he was going to cut her down, but he unzipped his pants. I jerked my gaze up to Dragon’s and he winked at me before whispering in my ear. “Glad you didn’t try to sneak a peek at Demon’s junk. I’d have paddled your ass later.”
My cheeks heated, but I just kept watching Dragon. I heard Demon zip his pants.
“No,” Demon said, zipping his pants back up. “She’s not even worth pissing on.”
Before I could tear my gaze from my man’s, he released me and walked over to Cheri. Every man in the club walked up there, and Cheri was left sobbing as she hung from the tree. They didn’t pee on, like Demon had threatened, but several spat at her. As much as I’d hated her last night, I felt sorry for her. I didn’t know why she’d done what she had, but this was so wrong. I gazed at my dad and hoped he understood what I was feeling right then. I wasn’t happy with any of them, but I was especially upset with him and Demon.
My dad came closer and bent his head to mine. “Don’t you fucking feel sorry for her. You hear me, Lilian? She’s not worth it. We have enemies outside these gates. When you left here, if Demon hadn’t found you, do you know what could have happened?”
“Dad, I’m fine.”
“Yeah, because my Sergeant-at-Arms hauled your ass back here.” He took a breath, scanned the crowd, then focused on me again. “There was a body found this morning. Three blocks from where Demon picked you up. She was raped, tortured, and then gutted. We don’t know who fucking did it, or why, but it could have been you, Lilian. They’re estimating her time of death within two hours of your little walk. I know you think this was cruel and over the top, but it wasn’t. These bitches need to know their place, and if they can’t accept that they’re only here to spread their legs, they can leave.”
I’d never heard him speak like that before and I realized that he was truly frightened. Not in all the time I’d been here had I ever seen my dad scared. Dragon looped an arm around my waist and pulled me back against chest. I leaned into him.
“Lil, we protect our own,” Dragon said. “You’re mine, and you’re the daughter of our Pres. Whether you like it or not, that makes you special, puts you above other women except Adalia. Even Shella is one step below you. This was harsh, but it needed to be done. I won’t risk your life because some stupid cunt is on a power trip. You hear me?”
I nodded. “I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand.”
Dragon pointed at Cheri, as Demon cut her down. “That woman made a choice. A conscious decision to do something she knew would hurt you. She knew it was fucking wrong when she did it. There are clubs out there who would have done far worse to her. She’d have been beaten. Tortured. And eventually killed.”
My dad cupped my cheek. “Love you, Lilian. Doesn’t matter that you’re not from my loins, you’re my daughter just the same. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. If that means I have to string someone up, or let these streets flow with blood, then I’ll do it.”
I saw two Prospects carry the woman away and Demon joined us. The crowd had dispersed, and I noticed the other women practically ran for their vehicles and took off as fast as they could. I wondered if any of them would be back, or if Demon had just ensured the club was without pussy for the foreseeable future. I could only imagine how well that would go over.
“No one disrespects you in your own house,” Demon said. “Griz adopting you made you club royalty. You may not walk the walk or talk the talk, but you’re a motherfucking badass princess and you need to own that shit. Don’t let Dragon’s name be the thing that sends fear into those bitches, or the Devil’s Fury property cut on your back. You make them scared to even look in your direction, or his. You got me?”
I nodded. “I understand. I thought…”
“You thought that little display last night was good enough,” Dragon said.
“Yeah. I’ve never lost my temper like that before. Never hurt anyone on purpose except for when I tried to escape being hurt myself.”
Dragon rubbed his beard against my neck. “That’s because you’re my sweet girl, but you need to let that darkness out sometimes, babe. And it’s okay to do that, especially here. Consider us your safety net. Bottling up all that anger, pain, fear. It’s not good.”
“Just maybe hold off on the ass kicking until my grandkids are born,” Grizzly said. “You named them yet?”
“No,” Dragon said.
“Actually, I kind of did pick two names.” My man narrowed his eyes at me, but didn’t say anything. I had a feeling I’d pay for it later, in a pleasurable way. “Ronan for our son and Mila for our daughter.”
“I like it,” my dad said, smiling widely. “Can’t wait to hold my grandbabies.”
“Dad, you have Gunner. It’s not like you don’t have a grandkid already.”
He waved a hand. “Badger hogs the boy. I slip over there and hold him when I can, but I know Dragon won’t keep the kids from me.”
“Why are you so sure of that?” Dragon asked.
My dad stared at him a moment. “Because if I hadn’t told you to get off your ass, you never would have gone after Lilian, or prepped that damn nursery. You owe me.”
I snickered. He’d done a nice job getting the room ready for what he’d thought was his one and only baby. Now we needed a second crib and would have to rearrange the room, and get a few extra toys. But since we knew what we were having, we could get whatever colors we wanted. I was looking forward to a little baby shopping, but apparently the last trip had scarred Dragon for life and he wasn’t too anxious to go back.
My dad eyed Dragon, then winked at me. “Ronan and Mila Moore. Has a nice ring to it.”
“Now wait one fucking minute. Why are my kids taking your last name?” Dragon asked.
Griz shrugged. “Because you haven’t married their momma. Grow a pair and ask her already. Do I have to do everything for you?”
Dragon growled and I pushed back against him until he’d taken a step, then another. He obviously needed a little distance from my dad. Shella came around the corner of the clubhouse and I saw Dagger stiffen out of the corner of my eye. She marched up to Dad, then wrinkled her nose.
“Why does it smell like burned meat?” she asked.
I gagged and tried not to think about what I’d seen.
“Little girls should be at home where they belong,” Dagger said. “Not at the clubhouse causing problems.”
Shella rolled her eyes, then looked at our dad. “I have a date. We’re going to a movie, dinner, and possibly dancing at that under twenty-one club a few t
owns over. I’ll be home late.”
As my sister skipped off, I saw a vein pulsing in Dagger’s head. I smiled, turning away only to freeze. I blinked, thinking my eyes were playing tricks on me, but no. One of the Prospects, Jared, was eyeing both Dagger and my sister with longing. Holy shit! I watched another moment, saw the second Dagger felt someone staring at him. He unerringly found Jared nearby, and from the sparks shooting between them, I had to wonder if something wasn’t going on there. I just wasn’t sure what that meant for my sister.
Shella was something of a wild child, but I didn’t see her trying to take on two bikers at once. If she was smart, she’d elope with one of her prissy pretty boys she hung around. Her smart mouth wouldn’t fare too well with men like Dagger. I rubbed at my own ass, remembering my punishment. Shella was far worse than me. I could only imagine what would happen to her if she mouthed off to either of those men.
I should still be angry with her, but I wasn’t. At least, not entirely. If she hadn’t run her mouth, then I wouldn’t have run off. I still couldn’t lay everything at her feet, though. She was younger than me, and hadn’t seen nearly as much. Shella might be a little imp, but I knew she’d truly believed she was doing the right thing at the time. I just wasn’t ready to completely forgive her.
“You got tense,” Dragon murmured in my ear.
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“Wondering if Shella knows both Dagger and Jared have a thing for her.”
Dragon made a humming sound, then put his lips near my ear and whispered, “What you should be wondering is how long before they both try to make her submit. Those two wouldn’t mind sharing.”
Well, that was more than I ever wanted to know about the men in this club. And I certainly didn’t want to think about them with my little sister. Honestly, Shella was a brat. They would be better off with someone else. Someone sweeter. Innocent. I didn’t doubt they thought she was innocent, but I’d heard her talking on the phone with her friends. My sister was braver than me when it came to guys, and she’d taken charge of her sex life. Instead of hiding from it like I had -- until Dragon. “So they’re bisexual?” I asked.
He nodded. “Club doesn’t care as long as they aren’t flaunting it, I guess. Doesn’t bother me either way, but some wouldn’t handle it well.”
“I’ll find them someone,” I said. “Shella’s not right for them. She likes boys who let her be in charge. If those two tried to take control, she’d probably flip out.”
“Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.” My stomach rumbled and I felt Dragon’s hold tighten on me. “But it looks like what I need to do right now is get my woman and kids some food. You want to eat out?”
“I’d like that. Maybe somewhere that has a lot of options?” I asked. My cravings had been insane lately.
“I’ll get the keys to a club truck and we’ll head out.”
He threaded our fingers together and led me around the front of the clubhouse. I stood next to one of the trucks while I waited for him. When he returned, Dragon opened my door and lifted me into the truck. He pressed a kiss to my cheek before buckling me in, then going around to the driver’s side. Ever since he’d come for me, he was always taking care of me. To some it might seem overbearing, but I loved it. Mostly.
As he drove past the main part of town, and all my favorite restaurants, I cast a glance his way. Dragon didn’t so much as look at me, just kept driving. It wasn’t until we’d left town that I realized where we were going. Three towns over, and a good hour drive, was a place I’d always wanted to try, but I’d never been. There was a courtyard with plenty of seating, which was surrounded on all sides by different restaurants. Not the type where you ordered and ate there, but spots where you could walk up, order, and then take your food to a table in the courtyard. They weren’t fast food, which is why they only offered certain dishes on particular days.
I practically bounced in my seat as he parked, then helped me out of the truck. We stopped at the Mexican place and I ordered three different types of tacos. Then I got a bowl of shrimp fried rice from the Chinese place. The Greek restaurant had my nose twitching and my mouth watering. I ordered two lamb gyros with peppers and onions. And I topped it all off with a decadent piece of pecan pie from the southern style café on the corner.
Dragon helped me carry everything to a table, then he went to get something for himself while I dug in. I was so intent on my food, I didn’t notice the whispers at first. Until the voices got louder.
Wonder why he’s with a fatty like her.
Oh my God. Is all that food for her? No wonder her ass is so wide.
I nearly choked as I tried to swallow my bite of chicken taco. My eyes watered, and I sucked down some sweet tea, and pretended I didn’t hear the catty bitches. But the more they mocked me, the worse I felt. It only took Dragon a second when he returned to tell something was wrong.
“Babe, why aren’t you eating? Is it not good? Want something else?”
Like she needs anything else.
I hoped he hadn’t heard the remark, but the way his brows lowered and his jaw tensed, I knew he had. He scanned the area and found the women a few tables over. Before I could stop him, he’d stood and stomped over there. The giggling stopped as he glowered at them. “Do you have a problem?” he demanded.
“Yeah. Her fat ass is making me lose my appetite. I can’t believe you’d fuck that.”
I closed my eyes, not wanting to see if he took a swing at her. When a hand gripped my arm, I jolted, but saw it was only Dragon. He hauled me over to their table. Putting me in front of him, he wrapped his arms around me, placing his hands on my belly.
“I not only fuck her, as often as I can, but I planted two babies in her. She’s sexy, passionate, and she’s mine. If you have a problem with her, you can get the hell out of here.” I could feel Dragon practically vibrating in anger.
A security guard ambled over, looking like he was just this side of sixty but still fit. He was nearly as tall as Dragon, even if he wasn’t as bulky. His gaze took in the scene as he approached. “What’s the problem here? You scaring these women?”
Dragon snarled. “Am I scaring them? I sure the fuck hope so after they insulted my pregnant girlfriend. They called her fat and said she was disgusting.”
The guard frowned and looked at the two women. They tried batting their eyes at him and acting all innocent. The man didn’t seem fooled. “Perhaps the two of you should take your meal to go. Nothing wrong with a woman having a healthy appetite.”
The two flounced off, leaving their trash behind. The guard shook his head.
“Thank you,” I said. “They were making me uncomfortable.”
The guard smiled. “Just doing my job, ma’am. You’ve got a good one there, looking out for you. Don’t let catty women like those two get you down. Congratulations to you both.”
Dragon led me back to our table, and I managed to finish my food, including the pie. Then wished I hadn’t. It was a good thing I was pregnant. If I didn’t already have a baby bump, my tummy would have been sticking out for sure just from the sheer amount of food I’d consumed. Sadly, I knew I’d be hungry again in about an hour. I had a feeling these kids were going to be huge.
“All right. I’ve fed my baby-momma. Now what do you want to do?” he asked.
“Whatever it takes for you to never call me that again?”
He smiled and winked, which told me I’d be hearing it even more now. Sometimes, I would swear that Dragon was still a kid. He reminded me of those boys in movies that teased and tormented the girls they liked. I’d told Griz they were immature and asked when boys grew up. He’d said never, and I hadn’t believed him. Until Dragon.
We walked out of the courtyard and he led me down the strip of shops that lined the street. Stopping in front of a jewelry store, he wrapped an arm around my waist. “You want a different title than baby-momma? I’m afraid you’ll have to make an honest man of me.”
I looked up at him. “I don’t think anyone could ever make you honest. You must have mistaken me for a genie in a bottle.”
He swatted my ass. “Smartass. You’ll pay for that later.”
“Are you being serious right now?” I asked, gesturing to the shop.
He nodded. “Yeah. Your dad is right. I love you, Lilian. You’re mine, in every other way. I want to make it legal too. Get you a ring, let you plan a wedding.”
I held up a hand. “Stop right there. I’m preparing to have two babies at one time. I’m not planning a wedding. You want to marry me? Fine. We can go to the Justice of the Peace, or just ask Outlaw to handle it.”
Dragon rocked back on his heels. “You don’t want an actual wedding?”
“Don’t need one.”
“Okay, so you don’t need one, but do you want one? Don’t all women want that kind of thing when they settle down? Flowers, dresses, and all that shit?”
I tipped my head back and looked up at him. “Do I look like the type of woman who cares about any of that? After everything I’ve been through, I don’t need all that silly stuff. It sounds like a headache.”
He pulled out his phone, then hesitated. “You’re sure? Like, one hundred fifty percent certain that you don’t want an actual wedding of any sort?”
I reached out and snatched his phone, pulling up a message to Outlaw. Marry us already.
I tossed the phone back to him, watched as he read what I’d sent, then a big grin spread across his lips. He held me close and kissed the hell out of me, not seeming to care that we were in the middle of a sidewalk or that we were surrounded by strangers. And I let him because despite the hell he’d put me through, I loved him. Maybe some would see me as weak, but I deserved some happiness, and Dragon gave that to me, and so much more.
