by K. L. Ramsey
He found Dallas’ apartment and banged on her front door, not really caring what time it was. He had to pound on the door three more times before a very groggy, sexy, and pissed-off Dallas answered the door wearing not much more than a snug t-shirt and a scowl.
“If you wake my kid,” she whispered. Dallas didn’t even have the door fully opened when she seemed to realize who was on the other side, she quickly tried to close it. Savage stuck his boot in the door jam, effectively stopping her from slamming it in his face.
“You can’t just show up at my home and push your way in, Savage,” she shouted.
“I thought we were being quiet, so we don’t wake the kid,” he growled. Dallas stopped trying to fight him and dropped her arms to her side. “I think we need to talk, Dallas,” he said.
Dallas barked out her laugh and he knew from just that sound alone that she was going to give him a fight. “So, now you want to talk to me, Savage? You disappeared from my life and just show up, out of the blue, and I’m supposed to what—put on a pot of tea and invite you into my home to catch up?”
“Well, if we could make it that easy, then sure,” Savage teased.
“You ghosted me,” Dallas accused. A baby started crying and Dallas strung together an impressive strand of curses that made Savage smile. She was always so inventive when it came to cursing. His favorite tonight was her calling him a cuntwaffle, cock-sucking, son of a whore as she stepped to the side and ushered him into her apartment to shut her door behind him.
He watched as she disappeared down the small hallway that he knew led back to two bedrooms. Her place was small but cozy and he had spent a few nights with her there when Chloe slept over at friends’ houses.
Dallas came back a few minutes later, cradling a baby against her chest, trying to rock the screaming newborn back to sleep. “I really didn’t need this tonight,” she grouched. “I have an early morning meeting tomorrow and I just needed a few hours’ sleep.” Savage barely heard a word she was saying, fixated on the tiny person in her arms.
“Boy or girl?” Savage asked, not taking his eyes off the baby.
Dallas sighed. “Girl,” she said. “Her name is Greer.” She kissed the top of the baby’s little head and Savage didn’t hold back. He had a slew of questions he needed answers to and before he left her apartment tonight, Dallas was going to answer every one of them.
“Is she mine?” he asked. Savage didn’t plan on starting with that one, right out of the gate, but he thought it was the most important one. If the baby wasn’t his, he would have no right to ask the other questions that were running through his mind.
“Listen, I have to feed her and now isn’t the time for this discussion,” Dallas challenged.
“Shit,” he said. “Yes or no, Dallas—is she mine?”
“Fine—” she spat. “She’s yours.”
“Well, fuck,” he barked. All the questions that were so important a few seconds ago suddenly felt unnecessary. Only one seemed to stick in his head and he had to know. “You didn’t think I had a right to know that I was going to be a father, Dallas?”
“Sure,” she said. Dallas sat down on her sofa and pulled her shirt up to feed the baby. He watched, fascinated at how his daughter latched on to eat with a fury that made him want to laugh. Greer instantly stopped crying and settled down.
“Why didn’t you tell me about her?” he almost whispered.
“You really didn’t leave me that option, Savage,” she said. He sat down next to her and gently rubbed the baby’s fuzzy little head of dark hair. She was so tiny. When Chloe came to him, she was already six months old and he remembered thinking she was so small, he was afraid he’d break her. Greer was only half of Chloe’s size though and the same thoughts ran through his mind.
“How old is she?” He asked.
“Almost three months,” Dallas said. “I had no way of finding you, Savage. Hell, I don’t even know your last name,” she admitted. He winced at that truth. He hadn’t shared much with her. They usually met out for dinner and then ended up back at her apartment. She didn’t even know about Chloe. He was determined to keep Dallas at arm’s length because the feelings he started having for her scared the fuck out of him. Every time he spent the night with her, he went home the next morning not able to concentrate on anything or anyone else. She was consuming his waking and sleeping thoughts and that’s probably why he just cut her out of his life. It was easier than dealing with his feelings and all that messy relationship stuff he couldn’t stop thinking about.
“Savage is my last name,” he admitted. “My name is Logan Savage.” Dallas nodded and pulled Greer free from her breast to burp her. His daughter let out a massive burp and then Dallas switched sides, to continue feeding the baby.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“The time for sorry has passed, Savage. I’ve had to deal with all this alone and you know what—I’ve done a damn good job of it. You came here to find out if the baby is yours? Well, now you know.” Savage knew she was dismissing him, but he didn’t give a shit. He’d never be able to leave and pretend he didn’t have a kid out there. Greer was his daughter and he wanted to be a part of her life, even if that meant groveling to Dallas for forgiveness, he’d do it.
“I get that you’re pissed and you have every right to be, Honey. But, I want to be a part of her life,” he said. Savage thought it best to leave out the part where he wanted to be a part of Dallas’ life too.
“No,” she said. “Not happening. What happens when you get bored with her and just ghost your own daughter. I’m betting you have no desire to be a dad, Savage and that’s fine. I can be enough for our kid and she’ll never have to live with the disappointment of you not showing up.”
“Now you’re just pissing me off, Dallas,” he growled. “I know I didn’t share much of who I am with you but I’m a damn good father. I have a six-year-old daughter and I’d never abandon my kid.”
“You have a daughter?” Dallas asked as if she didn’t believe a word he was telling her.
Savage nodded, “Yeah. She’s my whole world and the reason why I never took you back to my house. I adopted her when she was six months old. She was my sister Cherry’s kid. My sister was in an accident with her husband and they both died. Chloe was in the back seat and slept through the whole ordeal and came out completely unscathed. Well, unless you count being orphaned. Cherry named me as Chloe’s next of kin, even though we hadn’t spoken for years and well, I adopted her.”
“Wow,” Dallas said. “I think you just told me more about yourself in the last five minutes than you did in the month we were together,” she said.
“I’d like the chance to know my daughter, Dallas,” he said. “Please,” he begged.
Dallas finished feeding Greer and burped her again. The baby settled down and fell back to sleep on Dallas’ shoulder and Savage smiled at the way a little milk drool escaped her open mouth. She was beautiful.
“Why did you do it?” Dallas whispered. “Why didn’t you face me to tell me we were done? Do you know what it did to me to be ghosted? It felt like I didn’t matter as a person, Savage.”
Hearing that made him feel like shit but he couldn’t take back the past. “I’m an ass,” he said, knowing that explanation wasn’t enough. Savage brushed the sleeping infant’s little cheek and smiled.
“What happened between us scared me,” he admitted. Savage hated talking about his fucking feelings. He avoided it at all costs but knowing that he hurt Dallas made him feel like shit and he owed her an honest answer. “I never really dated before.”
“I hardly call what we did dating,” she said. “I mean, sure you took me to dinner most of the time but we ended up back here and well.” Dallas looked down at the sleeping baby on her shoulder as if proving her point.
Savage smiled. “Yeah,” he breathed. “Well, being with you was as close to dating as I’ve ever gotten.” Dallas giggled and he feigned hurt. “Why are you laughing?”
“I me
an, you’re what in your forties, right?”
“I’m forty-five. Why?” he asked.
“You honestly expect me to believe that you have never dated anyone seriously before me? Come on, Savage.” Dallas did have a point but he really didn’t want to get into his issues with being bi. Savage always felt torn between two worlds, as if he didn’t really belong in either. There would be no way around telling Dallas that he was into guys too—not now. It was the only way to explain why he took off on her the way he did.
“I’m bi,” he said.
“As in bisexual?” Dallas asked.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “I like guys too.”
“I’m clear on what being bi means, Savage,” she said. Dallas stood and put Greer in her bassinet and stood back to watch her squirming daughter. Savage remembered doing the same with Chloe when he first adopted her, holding his breath and praying she didn’t wake back up. When Greer settled, Dallas let out her pent-up breath and Savage chuckled.
“They are a little nerve-wracking,” he said. “I used to hold my breath and pray Chloe would go back to sleep too.”
Dallas shook her head and smiled. “Greer isn’t the best sleeper and I find myself doing a hell of a lot more praying than I ever have in my life. Usually, it’s more like bargaining with God that if he lets me get some sleep, I’ll be a better person. It’s not a stretch, really. I am a nicer person when I’m rested.” Savage chuckled and Dallas sat down next to him on the sofa and for the first time that night, she looked him in the eyes and all he could think about doing was pulling her onto his lap and kissing her the way he used to, but he didn’t.
“That guy you were with tonight?” Dallas whispered.
“Yeah,” he said, not letting her finish her question.
“Do you like guys better? Was that the issue with us not working out?” she asked.
“No—no preference,” he lied. He had a preference but that would involve something Dallas might not be ready for. He wasn’t sure she’d be up for a threesome and there was no way he’d chance ruining not just one person’s life but two.
“Are you two together then?” She asked.
“That’s not a yes or no question, really,” he stalled. “Tonight was our first date,” he admitted.
“God, that’s awful,” she said. “You’re out on your first date with the guy and you run into me?” She started to giggle and by the time she finished, she was practically on top of him. When she realized how close they were, she sobered and cleared her throat.
“I’m not sure what to do about all of this,” Savage whispered. “I mean—seeing you again and then finding out about Greer.” A part of him wished he could go back to earlier that afternoon when all he had to worry about was a failed rocket test. But, taking it all back wasn’t the answer. Meeting Bowie was something he wouldn’t want to take back and finding out about his daughter was definitely not something he’d want to forget about. It just felt like life was moving at warp speed around him and he just needed the ride to slow down a little.
“What do we do now?” Dallas asked. “I don’t suppose you can go back to forgetting about me and the fact that you have a daughter?”
“No,” Savage breathed. “I can’t. How about we take this one step at a time. I’d like to get to know Greer and introduce her to Chloe. She’s always wanted a little brother or sister.”
Dallas smiled. “I’d like for Greer to meet Chloe, but what about us? Can we call a truce and get along?” Savage wanted to tell her that he wanted to do more than call a fucking truce between the two of them, but he’d give her the words she needed—for now. Seeing her tonight just drove home those same damn feelings he felt for her a year ago when he acted like a fucking coward. But this time, instead of being afraid of all the emotions and feelings, he decided to try something new. This time, he was going to take some of his own advice and face his fears.
“How about this Friday night?” Dallas asked. “I’m working both jobs until then but that’s my next night off.”
“You work two jobs?” Savage asked.
“Yeah well, being an administrative assistant doesn’t pay enough to cover the bills and with Greer,” she paused to look over to where their daughter slept. “Well, babies aren’t cheap. If you can do Friday, I think we can arrange for the girls to meet and then you and I can work a few things out.”
Savage hated that he was going to have to cancel on Bowie but what choice did he have? He wouldn’t walk away from his daughter and Dallas was right—they needed to work a few things out. Namely—the fact that he was going to help pay for his daughter and she was going to have to accept his help. But that would be a fight for another day.
“Friday works,” he lied.
DALLAS
Dallas wasn’t sure why she was such a nervous wreck. It was probably due to the fact that she was about to see the sexiest man she had ever known, who also happened to be her baby’s father. She also had four very long days to play through all the scenarios and worry about having to see him again, which didn’t help her already worn nerves.
Savage had given her his cell number before leaving earlier that week when he showed up at her apartment demanding to know if Greer was his. Friday morning, she texted him to ask if they were still on for their meeting that evening, and he texted back that they were and sent her an address. Dallas pulled up her map app on her cell and when she realized the place he wanted her to meet him was a bar, she almost called him back and told him to forget it. But, this wasn’t about her. It was about her daughter and if dealing with Savage meant that Greer would have her dad in her life, it would be worth it.
So, instead of calling to cancel, she decided to call to double-check the address that he sent her was correct. Of course, Savage answered on the very first ring, throwing her completely off her game.
“Hey,” his sexy, gravelly voice answered.
“Um, hi,” she squeaked.
“You good?” He asked.
“Of course,” she lied. “I just wanted to make sure you sent me the correct address. The place you have me meeting you is a bar,” she said.
Savage chuckled into the phone and her girl parts did a little happy dance. Savage was the last man she was with and Dallas was starting to realize that maybe that was a mistake. She needed to get laid—preferably soon.
“Yeah, it’s my bar. I own it,” he admitted.
“You own a bar called Savage Hell?” She questioned.
“Um-hm,” he hummed into the other end. “It’s an MC bar and my club meets here.” Dallas didn’t understand most of that sentence and she let out a little frustrated growl.
“I don’t have time for code talk and games, Savage. Want to tell me all of that in English?” He laughed again into the other end and she was pretty sure he was enjoying whatever game that was playing out between the two of them.
“Sure, Honey,” he said. Dallas always liked the way he called her ‘Honey’ or ‘Baby’, but that wasn’t who she was to him anymore. She made a mental note to set boundaries with him at their meeting, later that night and tried to pay attention to their conversation.
“I own a bar and I also let my motorcycle club meet here,” he said.
“And, you want me to bring my daughter to a dive bar where big hairy men who ride motorcycles hang out?” Dallas wasn’t a snob by any means but the idea of taking Greer to a bar seemed wrong to her.
“Well, I live in the house behind the bar,” he said. “My daughter lives with me, as you now know, and she calls most of the guys in the club her uncles. I can vouch for each and every one of them,” he said.
“You know each and every motorcycle riding club member, Savage?” she challenged.
“Yep,” he said. “I’m the president of the club and I’ve known these guys most of my adult life. You and our daughter will be perfectly safe here, Dallas,” he said. She weighed her pros and cons quickly.
“Fine,” she agreed. “But if anything happens and Greer is put in da
nger—” she warned.
“She won’t be,” he promised. “I know it’s not worth much to you right now, but I give you my word, Dallas. Just give me a little trust here, Honey,” he asked.
“We’ll be there at five,” she said.
“Thank you, Dallas,” he said and ended the call. She looked across the small apartment she shared with her infant daughter, to find her sleeping in her bassinet and smiled.
“Looks like you are going to officially meet your Daddy, Baby Girl,” Dallas whispered. “Let’s just hope he’s worth all the trouble he’s giving your mama.”
_______
By the time Dallas got Greer fed and settled into her car seat and drove over to the address Savage texted her, she was almost an hour late. Savage stood on the covered deck, by the front door, wearing his trademark scowl and Dallas thought about turning her car around to head home. When he looked at her like that she was a combination of scared to death and completely turned on.
He walked out to her car and opened the back door to get her diaper bag and car seat out. “I can do that,” she protested and he smiled down at their sleeping daughter.
“I know you can, but I want to help. That’s what today is, right? Us discussing ways that I can be a part of her life and help you in the process.” Dallas nodded and locked up her car.
“You sure this place is okay for the baby?” she asked looking around the small parking lot. It was packed with mostly motorcycles and she worried about taking Greer into a bar full of bikers.
Savage laughed and looked back over his shoulder at her. “I’m one hundred percent positive you and our daughter are safe here, Honey. I’ll just tell the guys you are my Ol’lady and they will leave you alone.”
“Ol’lady?” she growled. “Who the fuck are you calling an Ol’lady?” Savage put Greer’s car seat down on the porch and pulled her into his arms. Dallas wanted to protest, she really did, but being held by Savage again felt so right, she didn’t say a word.
