Badger

by Harley Wylde

  Adalia’s fingers played with the hair on the back of my head as she pressed kisses to my chest, shoulders, and neck. All my good intentions, and my sense of self-preservation, went out the window. There was no way I could stay away from her now. I’d never come inside a woman before, not without a condom between us. Maybe it was the fact we were skin on skin that made me feel closer to her, maybe it was because I’d saved her all those years ago. Or maybe it was just because Adalia was the sweetest, most passionate, amazing woman I’d ever met.

  My gaze clashed with hers, and the emotion I saw there, the… love… it staggered me. No one had ever given a shit about me, not really. My brothers had my back, but no one had ever loved me. Not even my parents. No, especially not my parents. She hadn’t said the word, but she didn’t have to. Adalia was an open book, her eyes showing everything she was thinking and feeling. I felt the walls around my heart crack a little, and for the first time in my life, I wanted to let someone in. I wanted to let her in.

  “We need to clean up again,” she said, a soft smile curving her lips.

  “Then I’m taking you for breakfast.”

  “Or I could make something for us here. You’ve only been out one night, and I doubt you stopped to check your bank account.”

  I smiled and kissed her softly, my lips barely brushing against hers. “Worried about the state of my account?”

  “I just don’t think you should spend money if you don’t have to. Besides, you’ll love my omelets.”

  “All right, pretty girl. You make breakfast, and I’ll look into a few things while you cook. I need to do some shopping later. None of my clothes are going to fit right anymore.”

  “Is that why you weren’t wearing underwear?” she asked, her eyebrow arched.

  “Yeah. That and the elastic was shot after rotting for the last ten years.”

  I hesitated, knowing I should mention the fact I’d just come inside her without a condom. She hadn’t stopped me, but that didn’t mean anything. With any other woman, I’d be freaking the hell out right now. For some reason, I liked the idea of my cum being inside Adalia. Hell, just thinking about it was making me hard again, but I didn’t want her to be sore. I hadn’t been gentle any of the times I’d taken her, and I was far from being a small man.

  “I didn’t use a condom,” I said.

  She blinked at me but didn’t seem bothered by the fact. I eased out of her body and braced her with my hands until I knew she was steady on her feet.

  “I’m clean,” I said, in case she was wondering. “Got tested at the prison.”

  “We should talk, but not in the shower. Let’s clean up, get dressed, and we can talk about some stuff after I make breakfast.”

  My breath froze in my lungs at the serious expression on her face. Was going she going to tell me that she had an STD? As tight as she’d been, I didn’t think she had sex all that often, but if she was carrying something, that might explain it. She seemed like the type who would have said something before we had sex the first time, though.

  We quickly washed and dressed, and as she made omelets in the kitchen, I made a few phone calls. It seemed the club had been taking care of me while I was away, and while I wasn’t overly rich, I wouldn’t have to worry about money for a few months at least. Maybe longer. The club accountant had been making deposits into both my account and my commissary over the past ten years. But I was a little confused, because the commissary deposits didn’t match up. Yeah, the first years the amounts deposited and what I’d received were the same, but about seven years ago, I started receiving a few hundred more than what the club had given me. At the time, I just thought the club had upped the amount they were putting in there, but it didn’t look like that’s what happened. So where the hell had that money come from?

  Adalia was humming as she cooked, and when she placed a plate in front of me, my mouth watered. The biggest fucking omelet I’d ever seen took up the entire dish. I could see chunks of ham, onion, green peppers, and it was smothered in shredded cheese and sour cream. She set a container of salsa on the table, and I poured a little over my food.

  “Eat up,” she said as she turned back to the stove.

  A few minutes later, she joined me with a smaller version of the omelet she’d given me. I hadn’t touched mine yet, wanting to do the polite thing and wait for her. Didn’t seem right that she was cooking for us and all I’d done was sit on my ass. The least I could do was not eat until hers was finished.

  “Oh!” She popped up and ran to the fridge, returning a minute later with a carton of orange juice. Then she pulled two glasses out of the cabinet near the sink and poured us each a glass before returning the juice to the fridge.

  “Talked to the bank,” I said between bites.

  “How bad is it?”

  “It’s actually pretty good. The club has been putting money into my account the last ten years. Not a ton, since I wasn’t here to help with any jobs, but enough to keep my account open and buy me a few months to figure things out. Maybe more than a few.”

  She smiled. “Well, that’s good news. But isn’t it part of your parole agreement that you need to find employment?”

  “Yeah. I’ll ask Griz about the open mechanic position and see what he says. Even if I just work part-time, I think my parole officer will be happy. I need to talk to Griz anyway. My commissary numbers don’t match up to what the club was putting into the account.”

  Her cheeks flushed. “That’s not necessary.”

  I paused, my fork halfway to my mouth. “Why?”

  “I put money into your account,” she said. “May knew I wanted to do something for you, so she let me get a job when I was sixteen. I didn’t really need money for anything back then, so I gave it to Mom and asked her to put it into your account.”

  “Jesus, Adalia. Why the hell did you do that?” I asked, putting my fork down.

  “I wanted to do something nice for you,” she said softly. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t still be here. I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me.”

  I closed my eyes and slowly opened them again. She looked nervous, but as I held her gaze, it told me she didn’t regret it even a little. I had no doubt if she could do it all over again, she’d do the same damn thing.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  The tension eased from her shoulders and the smile she gave me was damn near blinding. I’d never been good at accepting handouts, but I knew she’d been trying to help. And the funds had come in handy. Little did she realize that the things I’d purchased with most of that money had allowed me to make a few bargains inside, the kind that kept me alive. If she’d wanted to repay me, her account was paid in full. Not that she’d ever owed me shit.

  She toyed with her food, and I watched as the joy slipped from her face. “We still need to talk. About what happened in the shower.”

  “Whatever it is, just lay it on me.”

  “When I was raped, I suffered for months afterward from pain in my pelvis. The doctors had said that was common for someone in my situation and dismissed it. But it continued for over a year. I didn’t get to live with May and Griz until almost exactly a year after the… incident. Mom took me to the doctor and demanded that they check me thoroughly. It turns out, I have endometriosis.”

  “I have no idea what that is,” I said, my hands clenching under the table at the thought of her hurting for so long after what that asshole had done. It made me wish I could bring him back to life and kill him all over again. Slower this time. And her foster family was next on my list, for letting her suffer all that time.

  “I could give you the version with medical jargon that I don’t understand, but simply put, when I have a period, it’s more painful and heavier than it should be. And it can cause infertility. I’m not saying that I can never get pregnant, because there is a chance, but it’s harder for me to conceive than the average woman.” She fidgeted in her seat. “So, if you’re worried about me getting pregnant because o
f what happened in the shower, it isn’t likely to happen.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I hated that she might never get to have a baby, but at the same time, I knew I wasn’t ready for fatherhood. Part of me was grateful that it wasn’t likely my slip-up in the shower would result in pregnancy. And yet… I couldn’t deny a small part was disappointed. How fucked-up was that? If anyone should never be a dad, it was me. I was a longtime offender and more than likely would end up back in prison before my parole was up. That was the last thing Adalia needed to deal with.

  “You know this thing between us can’t go anywhere,” I said. “I’m not the kind of man you need in your life. You deserve better. For whatever reason, you want me, and I’m having a hard time walking away.”

  “Then don’t,” she said. “Stay with me. Unless you think I can’t give you what you need.”

  “What I need?” I gave a humorless laugh.

  “I know you’re used to more experienced women.” Her cheeks flushed. “There’s something else you should know. I --”

  There was a pounding on the front door and I stood quickly, nearly knocking over my chair. Either Papa Bear was angry and was going to rip me a new one for being in his daughter’s house, or someone else wasn’t too pleased that I was here. Had that been what she was about to confess? Had Adalia been seeing someone? I’d fucked women who belonged to someone before, but never a brother’s girl. And I didn’t like the thought I might have done that now.

  Adalia stood and went to the front door. I followed, hanging back a little. I casually leaned against the doorframe a few feet away from the front door. Adalia swung it open, and a young guy I didn’t recognize stood on the other side. He wore a Devil’s Fury cut, and judging by his age, he’d likely been voted in while I was in prison. His cut said he was called Twister.

  “What the fuck is a bike doing in your driveway?” Twister demanded, pushing his way inside Adalia’s home. He froze when he saw me.

  “Twister, you shouldn’t be here,” Adalia said, shutting the door and facing him with her arms folded. “I’m not twelve. If I want to have someone over, I’m allowed.”

  Twister looked from me to Adalia. “What the fuck, Adalia? You won’t go out with me unless your parents make you, but this guy gets out of prison and you immediately spread your legs for him?”

  I took two steps toward the little prick, pulled back my fist, and knocked his ass to the floor. He rubbed his jaw, which was already turning red and would probably bruise. Fury flashed in his eyes, but I didn’t give a shit. No one was going to talk to Adalia like that, not when I was around. Yeah, I’d fucked her, but that wasn’t his business.

  “Watch your mouth, boy,” I warned. “You treat her with respect.”

  “Is that what you did? Treat her with respect? Or did you fuck her like she was a common whore?”

  I growled and advanced on the little asshole, lifting him up by the front of his shirt. I plowed my fist into his face a few more times. A small hand landed on my arm and looked over my shoulder at Adalia.

  “He’s one of your brothers. You can’t fight him over me,” she said.

  “I’m not going to stand here and listen to him insult you. He called you a fucking whore. I’m supposed to let that go?”

  “I might be Griz’s adopted daughter, but I’m not an old lady. I don’t belong to anyone, Badger. If anyone is going to defend me, it should be Griz.”

  I released the ass who had insulted her and gave her my full attention. My knuckles were smeared with blood, so I didn’t reach for her. I didn’t know what had made her say such a thing. Being the Pres’s daughter held more weight than being an old lady. Or was it just that she didn’t want me defending her? Knowing I wasn’t worthy of her, and her thinking that were two different things. It hurt like fuck that she might feel that way.

  Without a word, I pulled open the door and stepped out onto the porch. I left her standing there, left the kid bleeding, and I got on my bike. The engine road to life and without sparing either of them a glance, my tires spit gravel as I tore out of the driveway and down the road. I didn’t stop until I got to the gates, and once they were opened, I hit the main road that led into town. If I didn’t have to report to my parole officer in a few hours, I might have kept going. The open road called to me. Despite the blue sky above me, I was still in chains. The air was just fresher in my current prison.

  Chapter Four

  Adalia

  Twister was furious. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and was smeared across his teeth. His jaw and cheek were already bruising, but it was the fury in his eyes that made me keep my distance. I’d never been afraid of the Devil’s Fury members, not once. Not until now. I could tell that he hated me, blamed me for the beating he’d just received. My heart pounded in my chest, and I wished like hell that Badger was still here. I didn’t understand why he’d left me.

  “I’ve asked you repeatedly over the years to give me a chance,” Twister said. “Every single time you shot me down, claiming you weren’t ready to be in a relationship, but it was all bullshit. You just didn’t want to be with me.”

  “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” I said softly, taking a step back. “I like you, Twister, just not like that.”

  “But you like him like that? You like him enough to spread your legs for him?” Twister sneered and advanced on me. “Well enough to be his little whore?”

  “You don’t mean that,” I said, backing up another step. “We’ve been friends for years. I like being your friend, Twister. You’re like a brother to me.”

  He laughed, the sound cold and brittle, and I knew in that moment I was in trouble. No one knew he was here, except Badger. I didn’t feel very safe, and the crazy look in Twister’s eyes told me I had reason to worry. He was a biker, an outlaw, and I didn’t know what he was capable of. I never would have thought anyone in Devil’s Fury would hurt me, but I wasn’t so certain right now.

  “Brother?” He sneered at me. “A brother doesn’t want to fuck his sister.”

  The door still stood open. Would I make it if I ran? How far would I get before he caught me, and would I be even worse off then? I’d fought that night in the alley, and I knew I’d fight now if he attacked me. He was so much bigger than me, I doubted I would win, but I had to try. I darted to the right and ran for the front yard, leaping off the porch steps. Our homes were spaced enough that even if I screamed, there was no guarantee someone would come for me.

  I heard his roar of fury behind me, then the pounding of his boots. I pushed myself harder and screamed for Scorpion, hoping he was home. I was close to his house, nearly to his yard, when Twister slammed into me from behind. I hit the ground, my chin slamming into the pavement of the road that ran through the compound. Twister flipped me over, then backhanded me, pain exploding through my cheek and eye. I cried out and beat against Twister with both fists. Then suddenly, he was gone, and I heard a roar of fury.

  Tears blurred my vision as I struggled to sit up. Scorpion was trying to finish the job Badger started, his fists landing on Twister blow after blow. When there was no fight left in Twister, Scorpion staggered back, his breath sawing in and out of his lungs. He took a step back, then lurched forward and nailed Twister in the ribs with his booted foot. I winced, swearing I heard them crack.

  Two more Devil’s Fury men came to see what was happening. There was a buzzing in my ears and I couldn’t make out what anyone was saying. Someone lifted me into their arms and I tried to focus. Everything started spinning and I knew I was about to be sick. Struggling, whoever held me finally set me on my feet, and I dropped to my knees, losing what little of my breakfast I’d managed to eat. I felt a hand rubbing my back, and that small bit of kindness was enough to make me break. I admit it, I ugly cried.

  “Come on, honey,” Scorpion said, lifting me into his arms again. As his woodsy scent surrounded me, I started to calm a little. He was like an uncle to me, had always been there when I needed someone, and this tim
e wasn’t any different.

  He carried me into his house and eased me down onto his battered leather couch. His flavor of the month, Gina, handed me an ice pack. I pressed it to my cheek and wondered what would happen to Twister. He’d attacked me, and I knew he’d pay the price. The beating he’d received was nothing compared to what my dad would do to him once he found out.

  It didn’t take long for Griz to arrive, and he looked beyond pissed once he saw my face. The biggest badass I’d ever met knelt at my feet, and gently checked my injuries, before cursing so long and loud I wondered if he was inventing some of those words. When he stopped, he sat beside me, taking my hand in his.

  “Twister will be dealt with,” my dad promised. “What I want to know is where is Badger? I thought he was with you.”

  “You knew?” I asked.

  He smiled a little. “Yeah, I knew. Anyone who passed your house last night or early this morning knew he was there. Did he leave before or after Twister got there?”

  “After,” I said. “Twister said some things, some horrible things. And then Badger started beating him.”

  My dad frowned, his brow furrowing. “And he just left you there with Twister?”

  “I made him stop,” I said softly. “I told him to stop hitting Twister. I didn’t realize what would happen, that Twister wasn’t the man I thought he was. I didn’t understand when he ran off, but I think… I think Badger believed I was choosing Twister over him. He took off without saying a word.”

  My dad and Scorpion shared a look. Scorpion nodded and headed for the front door. A moment later, I heard his bike start up. It always amazed me when my dad could do that, talk to someone without using his voice. When I’d first witnessed him doing that, I’d asked Mom if he and the Devil’s Fury could read minds. She’d been amused.