Cutter slipped a plate of pancakes in front of her. She stood up to get silverware, but he pressed her back into her seat. Moving around the kitchen, he collected utensils, napkins, and a bottle of maple syrup. Then he lifted her, sat down, and perched her on his lap. Greta leaned against him as he cut off a piece of pancake, swirled it in a pool of maple syrup, and brought it to her lips. Her stomach growled.
“I knew my girl was hungry.”
Greta opened her mouth and took a bite of pancake. Sweetness burst on her tongue, and her eyes fluttered closed as she savored it. He fed her several more bites before allowing her to continue.
“The brothers pretended to drink beer and watch TV, meanwhile listening for sounds from outside. Pfft, as if they had a chance in hell of stopping him if he’d taken a knife to her.”
Cutter swept a kiss against her temple. “If I were a guessing man, I’d say my brave girl didn’t sit around, letting shit happen around her.”
She flashed him a smile. “I crept out the back of the house, scurried around to the front, and dove underneath a bush. I overheard her saying, ‘As stubborn as I was to love you and fight for you, I’ll be just as stubborn to keep Greta away.’”
Greta fell silent. Scorpion hadn’t come alone. When she’d peeked out from her hidey-hole, she spotted Shadow by his side. She was about to jump out of the bushes when her mother flung out her hand and said scornfully, “Your boy’s solid. You don’t need Greta to keep him by your side, so you best leave her alone.” Raking Shadow up and down with an expression of disgust, she said, “Bet he’s relieved that he doesn’t have to keep up the charade. You know, the one where he pretends to care for my daughter.”
The words thrust a spike into her heart and blood gushed out like water through cracks in a damaged dam. All those times Shadow had shielded and comforted her—were pretend. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she muffled her sobs in the dirt. His love had been a sham. Greta shook her shoulders, as if shaking off the past, and finished, “A year later, I went away to college. The past was dead to me.”
Cutter’s knee jiggled. It was so sweet of him to be upset on her behalf. Stroking her hair, he mused, “He was a controlling motherfucker. He could’ve taken you no matter what your mother said.”
Bile rose from her gut, disgust congealing on the inside of her mouth. “The thing was, you see, I wasn’t a male.”
Shadow was. Perhaps it was a blessing for him, and a curse as well. After all, he would’ve been shackled with a girl he didn’t love.
※※※
Cutter’s powerful presence enveloped her like a warm blanket taken right out of the dryer. Every centimeter of her was safely encased in his aura. In a rumbling, seductive tone, he murmured, “Once a princess, always princess. I bet the bikers hounded you from the day you turned thirteen.”
Greta snort laughed. “Is this your attempt at stopping me from brooding?”
Drawing back, he blinked his eyes in mock innocence. “It’s a straight-up honest statement.”
“Please, I was flat-chested. No ass, no hips, no curves. It would have been easier to pawn me off if I were platinum blonde, but I wasn’t into bringing attention to myself back then.”
“No brother wanting to keep his balls attached would’ve taken you on, except as an old lady. But it doesn’t mean they weren’t panting after you.”
She sat up, a hearty laugh gusting out of her lungs. “My lack of sexy was the least of it. Sha—” Her lips clamped shut. Cutter tightened his hold on her, searching her eyes for more, but she wasn’t about to say his name aloud. The last time she heard his name was the day she learned of his betrayal. The taste, like poison, still lingered on her tongue. “Whatever. Since then, I’ve lived by a few simple rules. The most important one is no bikers. Never.”
“Never is a word meant to be broken. Never ride a bike. Never join an MC. Never go past 120 mph. Never, never, never.”
“As much as I like fucking you, Cutter, that’s a hard ‘never’ for me.” She craved fucking him like his cock was dusted in coke. Hell, she’d dumped her plan to save Sage so fast, she’d gotten whiplash, but that didn’t mean she was idiotic enough to fall for him.
“Anyway, you’re interested in me because I’m a challenge. One you’ve found worthy. I’m flattered, for sure. A man like you doesn’t go out of his way just for anyone.”
Dark blond lashes blinked slowly over steely-blue eyes. He gripped her forearms and brought her so close she could see the dark outline of his irises. “Have I once acted as if I don’t know my own mind? Like a kid who’s wet behind the ears?”
Greta made a scoffing noise through her nostrils. “Bikers are all the same. You want me for what I symbolize. Besides being a bitch, I’m a challenge, an agitator, which is ironic considering you hold the prize for being the biggest mischief-maker.”
A tick pulsed at his temple. Then, purposely, the corners of his eyes crinkled, and the icy blue melted, leaving his irises as crisp as pools of aquamarine. His growly chuckle vibrated against her, and she felt the grooves of his laugh lines against her throat. In a tone infused with 100-proof alcohol, he spoke, “I’m warning you, don’t talk to me about other men.”
Greta shoved against the hard edges of his ribs, but he cinched her wrists. Pain shot up her forearms and her pulse spiked. “You’re hurting me.”
“If I wanted to hurt you, there’d be no doubt about it, sweetheart. I’m in control of myself. Always.” Pressing in closer, he warned her, “I’m the best tracker there is, and I’m on the hunt for your soul.”
His promise flayed her, but he was a man who wasted his time entertaining himself and his brothers. True, he’d taken on a big job corralling Kingdom and Loki for the future of the Squad, but he was a biker. It was natural for the Squad to be his priority. A woman? Not so much. Renovated bathroom or not, he didn’t have the wherewithal to care for one.
His tongue flicked her bottom lip, then his teeth delivered a sharp nip. The nip turned into a bite, which was followed by a suckle. Euphoria went in through the puncture wound of his bite, like an opiate pulsing through an intravenous needle. Drip, drip, drip. Desire volleyed through her veins, rushed toward her heart, and stunned it.
“Brave girl, I’m not a fool like your father. I know what you’re worth, and I’m gonna take care of you the way you deserve.”
He wants me. Not like Shadow.
Leaning forward until the tips of their noses grazed each other, he begged, “Give us a chance, babe. Yes or no?”
Her vision blurred. Despair was a gray blue, like his eyes, but pour on red-hot sex and her brain floated in a violet-colored subbie heaven. She could almost taste the heartache, but damn her, she would take the chance. “Yes.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The chorus of the Cindy Lauper song “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” rang out.
Greta turned to him with a grin spread across her lips. “You have a Cindy Lauper ringtone?”
“My mom’s favorite song,” Cutter muttered as he reached for his cell. Motioning Greta to be silent, he answered, “Hey Mandy, what’s up? Tommy okay?”
He strode into the living room, away from Greta, although his side of the conversation was still audible to her.
“I’m here with him. I think he hasn’t taken his meds. His door is broken,” said Mandy.
“Got it. I’m getting ready. Be there in two hours.”
“I can stay with him until you arrive.”
“If he’s not hurt, go on home. I’ll come over to your place after I see him.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep. I’ll be there in a bit.”
“Alright. I’ll tell him you’re coming and then go on home.”
“Will do,” Cutter responded, before disconnecting. He propped his forearm on the fireplace mantle and leaned his forehead into his palms. He didn’t want to air his dirty laundry, but he’d have to explain the situation to Greta before sending her off. The scent of pancake, maple syrup, and Gret
a wafted off his fingers. Damn, he didn’t want to leave her, but Tommy was his responsibility. Always would be.
Face set, he strode back into the kitchen. “Princess, sorry to cut our time short, but somethin’ came up and I gotta head out.”
His expression must have tipped her off that he was upset, because she came to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, rubbing her cheek against his chest.
“What’s going on?”
“Remember I told you I have an uncle. I’m his primary caretaker and his neighbor called. I gotta go see him, yeah?”
He pulled on her arms to break her hold, but she clasped him tighter.
“I’m coming with you.”
A humorless laugh burst out of him. “You don’t want to do that.”
The corners of her lips tilted downward as she peered up at him. “Why not?”
“Tommy’s my responsibility. I take care of him, alone.”
“I’m sure you do, but you don’t have to. You’re here for me and I’m here for you. That’s how this relationship thingy works. Remember? The one I agreed to not five minutes ago.”
His chest hollowed out. He’d never brought anyone to visit Tommy. Kept that shit under wraps, because, while it had gotten easier over the years, seeing Tommy pried open old wounds.
“I opened myself up to you about something that Sage doesn’t know about,” she argued. He was officially screwed because he couldn’t cut her off from his past after she’d generously shared her pain with him.
Resting his chin on the top of her head, he nodded. “Yeah, okay. We’ll have to ride over to the clubhouse and get the Jeep. He lives on the side of a goddamn mountain, and the last part of the ride is off-road. Plus, we gotta get supplies.”
“Sounds like he lives far out there.”
“Tommy needs lots of space. He’s done lots of therapy and interventions, but he’s as good as he’s gonna get. Anyways, he’s happiest where he is. Not worth having him live with me to get additional services when he’d be unhappy and run away.”
“Being a caretaker is extremely difficult. I’m certain you’re making the best choices for him.”
He grunted. “Don’t be so sure.”
“Oh, please,” she scoffed, “as much as you like to pretend you don’t care, you don’t back down whatsoever when it’s important.”
※※※
Cutter glanced over the console where Greta had settled in, wrapped in his jacket. They’d returned to her house and stopped by the clubhouse before heading out. The temperature dropped down to a bitter low further upstate. Since he ran hot, he’d stripped off his jacket, and she promptly snagged it and put it on. She looked goddamn gorgeous wrapped in his leather.
He handed her a bag filled with a few pounds of milk chocolate wrapped in tinfoil Christmas motifs. Santas, reindeers, and Christmas trees. Tommy was superstitious as fuck and he only ate children’s chocolates. He tolerated Halloween candy and Easter eggs. Gold-covered chocolate coins would do, in a pinch. Had to have a piece after every meal. Never dark chocolate. Made that mistake once and it took him an hour to coax Tommy to finish his dinner.
“So…Tommy’s your uncle,” she began. Cutter’s fingers flexed around the steering wheel and expelled a sigh. Here goes nothing.
“He’s my mom’s younger brother. Has several diagnoses and learning disabilities. After my grandmother’s death, he came to live with us. Since my moms was a nurse and worked crazy hours, I took care of Tommy. Not that I’m complaining.”
Greta shot him a side-glance of speculation.
“Should warn you that Tommy gets off his meds occasionally. Mandy, who is his closest neighbor, checks up on him once a week. I show up once a month.”
“You’re a good nephew, Cutter.”
“I’m not.”
“What do you mean?! You take care of family.”
“Tommy is as good and as pure as they come, but he can be a handful and I’m not always patient with him.”
“I find that hard to believe. You’re incredibly patient with me, and I can be a handful.”
“Not the same. Listen, I was eight years old when Tommy came to live with us for good. The moment he moved in, her attention and love was for Tommy. Nothing left for me.” He swallowed. “Sounds dumb as fuck to complain, but as a kid, I didn’t understand what was going on. My mom bent over backwards to go to every doctor or therapy appointment, but never showed up for my school events. Before his meds got stabilized, Tommy would disappear. She’d go out looking for him and leave me alone for days. By the time I turned eighteen, I was done. Joined the military the same day.”
Greta’s hand slid over and grabbed his. Her thumb swept over his knuckles. “Where is your mom?”
“Dead. My last promise to her was that I would take care of him, again.”
※※※
Cutter threw his head back, taking in a deep whiff of the brisk mountain air. Feet on the running board, he drummed the roof of the Jeep. His head snapped forward and he looked off toward the door of the cabin, hanging by splinters.
Tommy’s unruly ginger curls and ruddy cheeks peeped out from behind the twisted door. Raising his hand in a salute, Cutter jumped down. He grimaced when his knee popped. Tommy came out from behind the coarse wooden planks he’d fashioned into a door and rushed toward him. A blur of fur whizzed past his uncle and landed on Cutter’s steel-toed boots. Grasping the scruff of a fluffy mongrel, he curled it into the crux of his elbow and arched an eyebrow at his uncle.
“What in the hell is this?”
“A doggie. Duh.” His face broke into a grin as he ruffled the puppy’s fur.
“Snapper’s the name.”
The rough rasp of a wet tongue lapped the base of his thumb. Nothing snappish about this dog. He attempted to give Tommy a stern look, but his lips twitched. “Snapper. Seriously, he looks like a fucking poodle.”
“It’s a she, and she’s vicious. She’ll protect me from invaders.”
“Tommy, we’ve been through this. There are no invaders. Even if there were, this little thing is a poodle. It’s not savin’ nobody.”
Tommy’s face fell. His uncle maneuvered the wriggling dog into his arms. His head snapped up as Greta moved toward them. A grin spread over his uncle’s face. Turning toward him, Tommy asked, “Who’s this?”
Cutter motioned to her, “This is Greta. She’s a friend.”
“You’ve never brought a friend before.” Tommy looked her over curiously. “Hi, friend.”
“Hey, Tommy. Glad to meet you.”
He wrapped one arm around Greta in a side-hug, the puppy squirming between them. She hugged him back and he nestled into her for a moment before stepping back and saying, “Nice hug.”
Nodding a thanks to Greta, Cutter swung his arm around Tommy’s shoulders and walked him toward the cabin. At the entrance, he paused and nodded toward the broken door. “What happened?”
His uncle looked back at him sheepishly. “Invaders.”
“Were they trying to come in again?”
“Nah. This time they wouldn’t leave. Damned troublemakers. ‘Hurry, hurry, hurry,’ they shouted.” Shrugging his broad shoulders, he continued, “I had to let them out and I pulled on the door too hard.”
More like ripped the damn thing off.
“That’s why Snapper found me. She knows about them and runs them off when they come visiting.”
Yeah, there was a story behind how Tommy got the dog, but it would have to be pried out of him another time. Although his uncle was tolerated in these parts, where people kept to themselves, Cutter sussed out any interactions he had with others. He couldn’t afford to have Tommy taken advantage of or gotten rid of. Not everyone saw a six-foot-three behemoth as harmless.
Greta followed them in, holding the bags. He took them off her hands and dropped them on the table, which swayed on rickety legs. Handing a kettle to Tommy, he ordered, “Go on and get fresh water from the pump. I’ll make coffee.”
He scurri
ed out the door with Snapper at his heels. Caressing Greta’s jaw, Cutter asked, “You okay?”
“Really Cutter, being here isn’t a big deal. Your uncle obviously adores you. His face lit up when he saw you.”
Rummaging through a cabinet filled to capacity with canned goods, he pulled out a recently opened can of coffee. He breathed in the scent of dark roast. Then he found a can of evaporated milk and punctured a hole in it with a knife that was on the counter.
“Tommy built everything, but he hasn’t gotten around to making drawers, so it’s cluttered.”
Ten minutes later, he poured the brewed coffee into three mugs and slid one over to Tommy, another to Greta. Settling down in a wobbly chair, he sipped the rich coffee as Snapper circled around before laying her head on Cutter’s boot with a wuffling sound. He’d have to purchase dog food from here on out. Listening to the cracking and popping sounds of the lit fireplace, he chastised Tommy mildly, “You gotta be careful with the door. You’ll freeze your ass off. Don’t matter how big you make the fire, it’s still cold at night in the Adirondacks.”
“Sorry, Nephew. It happened last night, and I hadn’t gotten around to fixing it. I didn’t know you’d be coming today.”
An old ache bubbled in his chest, but he stuffed it down. One day, he’d be able to return Tommy’s open, honest love in kind. Greta turned her attention to Tommy and asked him questions, getting him to laugh in a way Cutter didn’t try.
“Tommy, seems to me that the invaders come when you forget to take your meds,” she explained in a gentle tone.
Forget my ass.
Greta shined an easy smile at his uncle. “If I forget to take my medication, I start feeling sad. And I don’t like to feel sad.”
“You take meds, too?” Tommy inquired in surprise.
“For sure. Otherwise, I don’t feel my best.”
“I don’t like them because they make me tired.”
“Do you like the invaders?”
“I hate the invaders.”
“The invaders are worse than being tired,” Cutter interrupted. They’d been through this time and time again. Greta kicked him under the table and resumed her conversation.
Cutter's Claim: A Bad Boy Biker Romance (The Demon Squad MC Book 2) Page 12
