by Erin Osborne
“Nope. Want to make sure nothin’ happens to you,” he says, leaning back against the vanity.
“Nothing is gonna happen to me. I’m not dizzy, I haven’t taken a pain pill since yesterday, and I’ll call out if anything happens,” I say, indignation filling my voice.
Renegade remains leaning against the counter. The only movement is him crossing his arms over his chest. I lick my lips as his muscles bulge out and I want to lick every single tattoo on his body.
“You keep lookin’ at me like that, and I’m gonna join you in that shower before takin’ your ass back to bed,” Renegade says, staring at my mouth.
I hastily pull the shower curtain back in place as Renegade laughs. Grabbing his body wash, I lather a washcloth before washing my body. My hair is already done thankfully. Once I’m done rising off, I slide my hand through the curtain and ask him for a towel. He opens the curtain again, shuts off the water, and wraps the towel around my dripping body.
Renegade helps me from the tub and begins to slowly dry me off. He starts at my head and slowly works his way down. A trail of fire goes down my body and ignites a fire in my belly. I want this man like no one else. I’m not a virgin by any stretch of the imagination, but Renegade makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. I feel like a virgin being led to sin when he’s around.
When he’s ready to release me from the spell being cast on me, Renegade leaves the bathroom abruptly. I’ve seen his eyes darken in lust when he’s looking at me, I’m not sure what’s holding him back. He doesn’t strike me as a man who waits for what he wants. He’s a man who takes what he wants and makes sure any woman sharing his bed is begging for his cock before he ever gets undressed. I may have heard a story or two from the babes and other women he’s fucked.
Taking a few minutes to compose myself, I wrap the towel around me before searching his bathroom for a spare toothbrush. Pulling out a drawer, I find several new toothbrushes and a large number of condoms. Well, at least I know he practices safe sex.
Once I’m done in the bathroom, I walk into his room to find it empty. There’s a stack of clothes lying at the end of the bed. I grab them and put them on before trying to find something to take care of the mess of my hair. Finding a comb on the dresser at the end of the bed, I begin to untangle the mess my hair has become in the last four days.
Ready to face the world, I leave Renegade’s room. Walking to the common room, I find the place deserted. So, I make my way into the equally deserted kitchen. Looking around, I need something to do. So, I open the fridge and see what they have to eat here. There’s nothing inspiring so I turn my attention toward the freezer. They have several large packages of chicken which means I can make a big batch of Chicken a la King for the men of the club.
Before I do anything else, I pull my phone from my pocket and put on Ride by Chase Rice. Searching for the rest of the ingredients I need, I get to work. I’ve always loved to bake and cook. Especially when I’m stressed or uncomfortable. It relaxes me and I’m happy to do something for the club when they’re taking on my problems. I know Renegade isn’t going to let this shit rest. He’s going to go after anyone who’s attacked me because I’m friends with Hadliegh and he won’t do anything to put his sister-in-law in danger. Neither will Psycho.
Once I have the chicken on to boil, I search the rest of the kitchen to find something to bake for dessert. I’ve found chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and the ingredients I need to make several batches of cookies. Hell, I make even make a cake or two.
As I start to make the cookie dough, I feel eyes on me. Turning toward the doorway of the kitchen, I see Kora standing there. She’s looking at me with amusement in her eyes. I may be dancing along to the music.
“You want to help?” I ask her, beckoning her into the kitchen farther.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“I’m starting dinner for everyone and baking some desserts,” I answer, keeping my eyes on her while I set up everything on the counter before me.
“I’d like to help,” she says shyly. “I’ve never cooked or baked before.”
“That’s okay. I’ll teach you. It’s fun,” I answer, pain at the knowledge this little girl has been treated poorly fills me.
Kora comes next to me and I read off the directions and help her measure all the ingredients for cookie dough. She’s doing amazing and doesn’t really need my help. She just needs someone to tell her she’s doing a good job. The smile lighting up her face as she continues to mix the cookie dough opens my closed-off heart.
No one knows my past and I’d like to keep it that way. My heart has been dead in my chest for a long time and this little girl has the magic to heal anyone she comes into contact with. I’ve already noticed a change in Renegade. He’s happier and more open to a point. Kora is the bond that’s going to bring this club closer together. I’m lucky enough I get to witness it for a little while until I go home.
Roar by Katy Perry comes on and I watch Kora transform. She begins singing along to the song and dancing around the kitchen as I watch on for a minute. I soon join in as we take a small break from mixing cookie dough.
The two of us are laughing and dancing around the kitchen without a care in the world. I feel eyes on us, but I don’t want to break the spell. So, I ignore whoever’s watching us and don’t take my attention from the little girl. Kora laughs and my breath freezes in my chest. Her laugh is so light and free— a laugh I wish I had. Slightly turning my attention, I see Renegade frozen just inside the doorway. The look on his face is weird and I can’t decipher the emotions he must be feeling right now. It’s not my business anyway.
For now, Kora and I will continue to cook dinner and bake our treats for the men and women of the club. Renegade can do as he likes because he needs to focus on his daughter and make sure whatever has happened to her doesn’t continue to happen. If not, I have no problem taking out any threat against this beautiful little girl. She won’t suffer the way I did.
Chapter Eleven
Renegade
THIS MORNING WAS something I’ll think about for a long time to come. When I walked into my room and saw the bed empty, panic filled me. Natasha still needs to rest and make sure she’s healing before she tries to overdo things.
It only took a matter of seconds for me to hear the shower running and I knew she was behind the door. I debated for all of two seconds before pushing my way into the small room. When I ripped the flimsy as hell shower curtain open, I got the shock of my life. I’ve dreamed about Natasha naked and getting her body under mine. Reality is so much better than any fucking thing I can dream up.
Her strawberry blonde hair looks dark as water from the shower cascades down her head before sliding down her body. My gaze travels further down to her tits. They’re perky and just enough to fill my hands, and they’re perfectly topped with rose-colored nipples that are begging for my mouth. Natasha’s stomach is flat as my gaze travels even further south. There’s not a single hair on her pussy. It’s on full display and my mouth waters at the thought of getting my mouth on her.
Normally, I wouldn’t get close to a woman’s pussy. Being around the babes constantly has taught me not to go down on a woman. I’m not going to taste another man’s cum. Natasha. I want her in my mouth more than I want my next breath of air. Which is why I can’t help but reach out and run my finger down her chest. I watch as goosebumps break out on her skin, knowing I affect her just as much as she affects me.
After letting her know I’m not leaving the room, I take another opportunity to touch her. Drying Natasha off almost breaks my tight hold on any restraint I have when it comes to her. She smells like my body wash, and I want to smell me on her every fucking day. Her skin is smooth as silk as I run my hands up her body. I wish I didn’t have the towel in my hand and I could lift her up and wrap her long legs around my hips before plunging my hard cock deep in her pussy.
As soon as she’s dried off, I make my escape. If I don’t get out of th
e room, I’m going to fuck her and I don’t think that’s the best decision. One taste of her will never be enough.
I head to my office after making sure there’s clothes left for Natasha and try to concentrate on the never-ending paperwork. We really need to get someone in here to help with this shit. Instead, I get to work and block out every thought of Natasha so I can work.
After working for almost an hour, I decide to go get a drink and check on Kora. I haven’t seen her since breakfast and I want to make sure she’s okay. She’s been coming out of her room more and more and I don’t want the babes to try to play mama to her. They’ll never hold that position in her life. But I know it won’t stop them from trying. They think the way to my bed permanently is through my daughter. I’ve already had to put one or two of the girls in their place. Next time, they’re gonna find themselves out on their ass.
As soon as I leave my office, I hear laughter and music coming from the kitchen. There’s never anyone in there this time of day, so I’m surprised. Wanting to inspect what’s going on, I stealthily walk toward the room and stop in the doorway.
There’s a huge pot on the stove with smoke billowing from the top. A mixing bowl and several different items litter the counter as I take in the kitchen. Flour is on the countertop and floor. That’s not what has me stopping in my tracks, struggling to take my next breath.
Kora is dancing around the kitchen with Natasha. After quickly glancing at Tash, I can’t keep my eyes from my daughter. She looks so happy, carefree, and like the spirited young girl we’ve only caught glimpses of. There’s no shyness or guarding herself as she spins and twirls to the beat of the music filling the room.
This is how I imagine her life being. Not the loner, pained existence she’s known so far in her short time alive.
Catching my breath, it gets stuck again when I hear her begin to laugh. Natasha stops dancing and looks at my daughter. There’s a look on her face as she watches Kora and I know she understands where my daughter is coming from. It’s also a look promising retribution for anyone daring to hurt my daughter again. This is personal for Natasha and it makes me want to know her story, to learn what she’s been through in her life before moving to Shadowville.
For a minute, Kora is the only one dance as the song comes to an end. She stops and sees me standing in the doorway. Instead of reverting back to the shy, pained girl I’ve seen, my daughter flashes me a smile and walks back to the counter to continue working on what they’re making.
Instead of going back to my office to work, I stay in the kitchen. Kora begins talking about going to school here in the fall and what she wants to do. She wants to dance or join cheerleading, but she’s not sure if she’s good enough to make the team.
“Are you crazy, Kora?” Natasha asks her. “From what I just saw, you’d be moving circles around those other girls. They’d be lucky to have you on their team. If it’s what you want to do, then I say go for it.”
“Natasha’s right. If you want to do somethin’, don’t let fear hold you back. You’ll never get anywhere in life if you do,” I tell her, sticking my finger in the cookie dough.
“Has it ever stopped you, Dad?” Kora asks, turning her attention toward me.
“One time,” I answer vaguely.
“When?” she asks innocently.
I really don’t want to get into this right now. The one and only time I’ve ever wanted something, and I’ve done nothing about it is regarding Natasha. I’ve wanted her since first seeing her standing in Anarchy Ink talking to Hadliegh when my brother and she were going through their shit. Since then, I’ve stayed away until she got beat. Now, I find myself wanting to keep her.
“I’m not sure your dad’s ready to share that story with you just yet. Why don’t you let him off the hook while we continue what we’re doing?” Natasha says, pulling Kora’s attention from me.
I nod in her direction as Kora looks back down at the recipe in front of her. This is when I should take my leave, but I don’t want to. Maybe if I find the words to explain to Kora what happened with her mom and me, I’ll be able to let her know why I haven’t been in her life and let Natasha know where I’m at. Though, Natasha is probably ready to run for the hills by now.
“Kora, I’ll tell you,” I say, sitting down on one of the stools lining the counter. “When I was nineteen, I met your mom. She and her parents came here for summer vacation. We spent the entire summer together and I fell in love with her. I was ready to make her my ol’ lady, buy us a house, and have her finish high school here. At the time, I was a Prospect for the club and I worked full time for a construction company. Before I could talk to Saralyn about my plans, they disappeared. There wasn’t a trace of them left at the home they rented. It’s like they just vanished into thin air.
“I spent some time searching for her. I wanted to know what happened. There just wasn’t enough information to find her though. So, I eventually realized I’d never see her again and went on with my life. But, I hardened my heart against ever falling in love again.”
“My mom just left you? For no reason at all?” Kora asks, looking at me with tears in her eyes.
“Yes. You’ll never know how much I regret not lookin’ harder for her now. If I had known about you, she wouldn’t have been able to hide at all. I would have brought you home, baby girl,” I tell my daughter as she rounds the counter and wraps her arms around me.
“When I was little, I used to ask about you. Mom wouldn’t talk about you and she wouldn’t let grandma and grandpa either. They were upset with her about her choices. Not to keep me, but to keep me from you.
“The only time I was okay was when my grandparents were alive. All mom’s ever cared about is partying and finding her next man when she gets left. Men don’t want a kid in tow. So, I grew up alone after they died. I’ve never had many friends, couldn’t do anything in school because I had to come right home and make sure we still had a home and the utilities were on. There were times I didn’t even have food to eat,” Kora says, tears flowing down her face.
I want to let my rage loose, but I tamp it down and wrap my arms around my baby girl. Natasha is standing across from us and I can see her own anger boiling to the surface as she looks on at us. At the same time, she’s lost in her own thoughts and I know she’s remembering whatever has happened in her past.
“Kora, you’ll never have to worry about that again. I’ll make sure of it,” I vow to my daughter.
“Kora, can I tell you something?” Natasha asks.
My daughter nods her head and turns her attention toward Natasha. There’s not a care in the world for the tears careening down her face unchecked. From either female surrounding me.
“When I was young, younger than you, my dad left. He said my mom was sick and he couldn’t deal with her anymore. I could never figure out what he meant because he left me with her. I know what you’ve gone through. From the time I was ten, I was stealing food just to eat, going to school to get away from my mom, and worrying if there was going to somewhere to come home to,” Natasha begins. “By then, I was beginning to understand what my dad was talking about. My mom did things no mother should do in front of her daughter. And she brought people around me I should never have known. As soon as I could, I got away from her and I’ve never looked back.”
“Did you finish school?” Kora asks.
“I did. And that’s where my life changed again. Like your dad, I was left heartbroken and I’ve decided I don’t want to risk it again. Now, I’m here and I got to meet you and the rest of your family. We’re the lucky ones, Kora. The ones who got out and we’re going to live a better life because of what we’ve been through. You’re a very brave, strong girl and you can do anything you want to do.”
I’m completely flabbergasted at what these two have been through, how their pasts are so similar. It’s eerie to know Natasha understands my daughter more than anyone else I know. And the members of my family haven’t all come from the greatest backgrounds. The
se two are kindred spirits and I’d be crazy to ruin what they have. It’s a bond that will last a lifetime.
There’s no way I can fuck with Natasha now. I won’t have her push my daughter away because things go south between us. No matter how much I want to fuck her, I won’t.
The rest of the day, I spend in the kitchen with the girls. They talk, laugh, joke around, and make some of the best smelling food I’ve ever been around. Other than my mom’s, of course. I have fun with them, and I wonder if this is what it would be like if I could take a chance with Natasha.
Longing fills me as I realize this is what I want. I want Natasha in our home and lives until the day we take our last breath. Maybe we can all get what we want. I’ll have to test the waters when we go to bed tonight.
Natasha and I put Kora to bed tonight. She wanted us both in there. Hell, the two haven’t been apart since I found them in the kitchen. They’ve talked all day long and into the night as we joined the club at dinner.
The men and women of the club praised Natasha’s food and ate so much I don’t know how anyone is standing and not in a food coma right now. Psycho, Hadliegh, Bear, and Callie even showed up for dinner with the kids. Hadliegh couldn’t take her eyes off Kora and the subtle changes today has brought out in her.
Now, it’s time to see if Natasha is willing to put her heart on the line and take a chance on Kora and me. I’m going to seduce her tonight and see how she reacts.
Once we have my daughter tucked away for the night, I follow Tash into my room and close the door behind us. She looks at me as she takes a seat on my bed. Her eyes are wary of my intentions and I do nothing to put her at ease. Instead, I make my way into the bathroom and turn the shower on.
As soon as the water is up to temperature, I walk back into the room and stop in front of Natasha. She looks up at me from under her lashes and I see a faint blush spreading across her skin.
“Come take a shower with me,” I tell her, lowering my voice.
