Damaged and the Dragon

by Bijou Hunter

  Chapter Thirty Two ~ Nick

  Autumn break was days away, giving the campus a festive vibe. My life had changed dramatically since the break during my freshman year. Oftentimes, I felt like a completely different person from the kid who showed up in Ellsberg with a vague dream. The one thing I had in common from freshman Nick was that no other girl made me feel like the pretty, yet mouthy babe now holding my hand.

  As Bailey and I walked to my Harley after our final class of the day, she smiled and swung her ponytail back and forth.

  “In my writing class, I took my final exam before the break,” Bailey said. “Now I can skip out tomorrow and go shopping with Maddy and Mom. She’s still figuring out the last touches for the wedding, but it’s mostly set. Redneck chic is pretty cool. Hint.”

  I only smiled. “When our time comes, you can do whatever chic your heart desires.”

  “I know, but I still like hearing you bow to my will.”

  All the good humor left me once I noticed Winnie standing in the parking lot next to my dad and three of his asshole friends.

  “What the hell?” Bailey asked as I walked faster.

  “Take Winnie and go,” I said over my shoulder before we reached the men.

  My dad looked just the way I remembered. Big, rugged, and handsome, he hovered over a clearly rattled Winnie. By the expression on his face, he was flirting with her. His every word caused her face to disappear more behind her hair.

  “There you are,” Dad said when he noticed me.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, standing between the men and Winnie.

  “I looked you up at the address you gave your grandma, but you’d moved out. I asked around and a stoner told me this girl worked for your girlfriend. Is this her?”

  Ignoring his question about Bailey, I turned towards her. “Take Winnie and go,” I said again in a hard voice, hoping she understood.

  Bailey’s temper demanded she ignore the danger of the situation. Even worried about Winnie, she wouldn’t leave me alone with these men.

  “Who are these fucking douches?”

  “Little mouth on her,” Dad said to his friends. “I like the quiet one better.”

  “Who are you?” Bailey growled, now in full redneck bitch mode.

  “I’m Nicky’s dad.”

  Standing between them, I felt a familiar unease. The same feeling I got as a kid when violence was coming. These days, Dad knew he couldn’t take me alone, so he brought back up.

  I glanced at his shirt pocket where his cigarettes and lighter rested. Those were his favorite weapons when I was growing up. He once told me the smell of burning flesh turned him on. I remembered thinking he was evil. I hadn’t been wrong.

  “Why are you here?” I asked calmly, going through the motions until the first punch was thrown.

  “Drove all the way up here to see the great Dragon fight then I find out you’ve pussied out and thrown in the towel. Over a slut too.”

  I glanced at Bailey who took the word “slut” as to be expected.

  “You understand?” I said to her, but she only frowned. “Look after Winnie. She needs you to protect her. Be smart.”

  “I’m packing.”

  “Be smart,” I said again and Bailey’s anger faded.

  “I want to kick his ass.”

  “Not today. Not with so many eyes on us. Think of the family. Don’t hurt them to get revenge. Payback never tastes as good as you think it will.”

  I turned to my dad who only smiled. “Nick.”

  Glancing at his big middle aged friends, I shrugged. “While you’ve never been much of a thinker, you were smart enough to bring muscle.”

  “I didn’t come here to fight you,” Dad said.

  “Too late for that now. You terrorized Winnie and called my woman a slut. No backing down now,” I told him, shoving my hands in my pockets. “You’d have liked watching me fight in the Thunderdome. I was pretty good and know how to hurt a man without causing serious injury. A lesson I won’t need today.”

  Unlike my dad, I never had any swagger. Life taught me true badasses didn’t need it. I doubted the normally silent Judd did much threatening before he broke a man.

  Dad and his friends eyed Bailey standing next to Winnie. I suspected they planned to use the girls to their advantage. Bailey figured the same thing and flashed the gun in her purse.

  Shaking my head at her, I grinned at my dad. “You came a long way to bleed, so let’s get on with it.”

  “You always were a drama queen,” he said, tossing aside his cigarette. “Just like your fucking mom.”

  In my mind, I played out how his friends would kick my ass. I’d never fought more than two guys at a time, so I wasn’t beating all four of them. I couldn’t win the war, but I planned to make sure my dad bled.

  Like in the cage, I built up my rage. This man came to my new home, insulted my woman, and threatened my happiness. He frightened an already traumatized girl like he’d harmed so many women before. He was foul, stinking of the trailer. He brought with him the evil of my past. My father was the enemy and only his pain would free me.

  I threw the first punch, hitting him square in the mouth. For whatever reason, the fucker looked shocked. His life really was too easy if he thought today wouldn’t end badly for him.

  His friends moved on me, but I shifted to my right and took my startled father with me. This move gave me a few extra seconds to pound the asshole in the ribs. His bones shattering under my punches, I didn’t hold back or worry about the damage I might do to him. I needed him to suffer.

  Even as his friends jumped me, I only had eyes for my gasping father. I heard screaming nearby and figured students were running around in panic. The police would arrive soon. The Reapers too, but I didn’t care. With Bailey ready to use her gun, my only concern was making this vile man beg.

  Everything moved so quickly as one of the guys wrapped his arm around my throat. Air cut off, I still kicked at Dad, nailing him in the knee. He toppled to the ground as the others ganged up on me.

  “Nick!” Bailey cried.

  Hearing the panic in her voice returned me to a world outside my vengeance. I would pass out soon, leaving only Bailey’s gun to protect her from these fucks. No doubt she would use it, but I hated to think of the mess my past might create for her future.

  I heard a grunt from behind me then the pressure around my throat ended. Turning quickly, I noticed Dylan pounding on the guy who’d been throttling me. No time to thank him, I shoved the nearest guy into his buddy. They landed hard under me as I punched at any open spot. Kidney shots made them both howl then someone yanked me off them.

  “I liked you better in the closet,” Dad said, shoving a blade against my throat.

  “Fucker,” Bailey growled as the muzzle of her gun smacked him in the temple. “I’ll kill you and walk away from it. Back the fuck off.”

  My dad stepped back, but I knew he was going for the gun. It never occurred to a man like him to fear a woman. Before he could grab her, I barreled into his midsection and flipped him over my back. He came crashing onto the asphalt and the knife skidded towards Winnie. Even freaked out, she grabbed the blade and held it at the ready.

  Sirens finally broke up the commotion and I patted Dylan on the back. We stepped away from the bloodied men while nursing our own wounds.

  “Thanks, man.”

  “We might be newbies to the crew, but that don’t mean we can’t back each other up.”

  Grinning, I hugged Bailey to me. “You’re so sexy when you wave that gun around.”

  “Motherfucker,” was all she could say.

  “It’s okay.”

  We backed away from the scene as the police arrived. Looking at the man who gave me life, I saw him for the loser he was. I also saw too much of him in me. I knew the other students saw the similarities too. This guy was poor white trash and so was I.

  Nearby, a cop attempted to coax the knife from Winnie, but she ignored him. Dylan stepped clo
ser and spoke softly. Winnie never lifted her head or peeked out from behind her hair, yet she handed him the knife.

  Bailey left me and hugged Winnie. “Did the fuckers hurt you?” she asked softly. “Did they touch you?”

  Winnie shook her head and whispered something. Dylan glanced at me and I sensed he wanted to pound on the guys again. I did too, but the authorities were fully in charge.

  The deputy Bailey dated for like five minutes over the summer came strolling towards me and Dylan. I knew he was going to be an asshole. Bailey likely knew too because she quickly returned to my side.

  “Dylan, can you take Winnie home?” Bailey asked.

  “Sure.”

  The deputy frowned. “He needs to stay and give his statement.”

  Bailey ignored Darling and gestured for Dylan to go. Winnie followed him without looking up, still hiding behind her curtain of dark hair.

  “You aren’t the law here, Bailey,” Darling said.

  “Tell that to my dad, dingus,” she grunted then turned to me. “You got banged up. Let’s go while the cops take these fuckers to jail.”

  “What…?” Darling started to say until his voice was drowned out by the roar of arriving Harleys.

  “Whatever you have to say, tell it to my brother,” Bailey told the cop as she tugged me to my bike. She climbed on the back then waited for me. Watching my dad hauled off the ground and walked to a cruiser, Bailey caressed my cheek. “Tucker’s here. He’s got his guys too. It’ll be fine. Let’s go.”

  I looked at her and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

  “For having a shitty dad? Last I checked, it wasn’t your choice who you ended up with.”

  Even nodding, I felt like the filth of my past had officially tainted my new life and there was no washing it off.

  Chapter Thirty Three ~ Bailey

  Before we even reached the apartment, I knew Nick needed a shower. Still edgy, he kept his shoulders tight even when I nuzzled his back.

  “Get cleaned up while I check to make sure Winnie got home okay,” I said, climbing off the Harley.

  Nick just stared at the woods. Watching him disappear into himself, I wanted to say the right words to make him happy. Instead, I left him to clean up while I walked to the house.

  With Mom picking up Sawyer from school and Pop fishing, the house sat empty. I rested on the couch and called Winnie’s cell. When she didn’t answer, I called Dylan who said he dropped her off a few minutes earlier. Finally, I got hold of Harlow.

  “Is she okay?” I asked.

  “No, but she wasn’t really okay before those fuckers showed up. She hasn’t been okay since the last fuckers came here.”

  Hearing the anger in Harlow’s voice, I imagined Winnie hiding in her room and disappearing from the world like Nick.

  “I’m sorry this happened. They only bothered her because she works for me.”

  Harlow sighed. “No, they only bothered her because they’re assholes.”

  “She said they didn’t hurt her, but I think she might lie to me.”

  “She wouldn’t lie to me. She said they made gross comments, but they were more interested in finding Nick. I think the dad wanted to make money off his fighting. That’s what I got from Winnie before she took her shower.”

  Thinking about Nick scrubbing himself, I didn’t speak for a moment.

  “Is the shower thing normal? I mean growing up bad like you did before the Todds and the way Winnie did. Do you need to take showers after something bad happens?”

  “It helps, yeah,” Harlow muttered, sounding irritated, but I sensed she was mostly pissed about anyone scaring her sister. Her voice softened when she asked, “How is Nick?”

  “He’s showering.”

  “We can’t pick our families. Not the birth ones anyway.”

  “Will you tell Winnie I’m really sorry?”

  “I will,” Harlow said then added, “It’ll be okay. Winnie is stronger than she seems. I’ll take care of her while you take care of Nick. We’ll meet for the weekly bowling game on Saturday. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  Hanging up, I found a text from Mom saying she heard about the smack down, knew I was okay, and would be home after a quick trip to the store. I wished she was already back, so I might get a hug. With no babying in sight, I returned to my apartment.

  Nick was still in the shower and I sensed joining him was a very bad idea. He hadn’t really looked at me since first catching sight of his dad.

  After trying to watch TV, I walked outside and played with the dogs. They were thrilled for the attention since their beloved Cooper spent his time petting Farah’s bump instead of them.

  When I returned, Nick was scrubbing the kitchen counter. Sometimes, his behavior seemed a little weird. It wasn’t like his dad polluted the apartment.

  “Are you okay?” I asked when he ignored me.

  “No.”

  “Do you want to talk?”

  Nick dropped the sponge and turned to look at me. “This isn’t going to work.”

  “What? Me being nice? I’ll get better at it.”

  Nick didn’t even smile. He just stared with his beautiful eyes that held no love for me.

  “I was fooling myself to think I could be with you. All of it was a fucking lie I told myself and I told you the lie too.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” I asked as panic rose up in my gut.

  “My name is still on the apartment lease, so I’m going to move back into my place.”

  “Wait, are you dumping me?” I nearly screamed. “No fucking way are you dumping me! You tattooed my name on your wrist. You said you would marry me one day. If you dump me now, I’ll shoot you in the ass! I’m not kidding either, Nick!”

  Pacing around the apartment, I wanted to slug him. He was mine and the fucker wanted to end things. My heart felt so bad that only cussing and threatening would keep me from puking in pain.

  When I looked at Nick, he was staring hard at the floor. His fists dug into his hips as he struggled to avoid freaking out. With anyone else, I might have worried he was going to hit me. Not Nick though.

  Instead of lashing out, I really listened to what Nick had said. I didn’t react to the words, but imagined what he truly meant. He was on the verge of losing control and only I could help him.

  I thought about his father bringing trouble to Ellsberg. How the fight might have gotten Nick arrested and ruined his future as a teacher. He’d opened up to me over the last month then his past showed up to shit on him again. Now, he wanted to hide.

  “It’s okay,” I said softly, taking a few steps closer.

  Frowning at me, Nick stepped back. “Bailey, don’t.”

  “You won’t hurt me. I know you.”

  “I can’t be with you.”

  Moving quickly, I took his face in my hands before he could retreat. “You need space and I’ll give it to you because I know you’ll return to me. You belong with me, just like I do with you. We’ll never be happy without each other. You know that, but you’re scared. That’s okay. I’ll wait.”

  “Bailey,” he said in a rough voice.

  “The fucker came here and you think that changes things. You think he ruined what you’ve made here, but you’re wrong. Soon, you’ll realize that, but you need time and I’ll wait.”

  “Bailey, please don’t cry.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do,” I mumbled. “I’m helping you and I’m wise and shit.”

  Nick pulled me against him. “Nothing ever changes. I thought I could change, but I’m still the loser from the trailer.”

  “No, you’re not,” I soothed. “You were never a loser. You were a kid who lived with a loser. He’s the same fuck you grew up with and you’re the same good kid who deserved better. Now you can have it all, but you need space. I’m being understanding about that.”

  “I love you.”

  Gazing into his eyes, I saw exhaustion more than steely certainty.

  “I don’t want yo
u to go back to that apartment,” I whispered. “You didn’t feel safe there. I think you should stay here and I’ll sleep at the house. This place makes you feel safe.”

  Nick stared at me for what felt like forever before speaking. “I didn’t think when I saw him. I reacted in a stupid way and it would have gone really bad if not for Dylan and you. All the stuff I worked for since moving to Ellsberg would have been pissed away because I’m my father’s son. He’s an idiot and so am I.”

  “You want to be away from me for five seconds, so yeah, you’re a little stupid,” I teased and Nick tried to smile. “You’re not stupid like him. He came here and called me a slut. The guy is lucky he’s only in jail.”

  “He’ll get out. I threw the first punch.”

  “That’s not what I’ll tell the sheriff. Winnie either. I don’t care about lying.”

  “You shouldn’t have to lie.”

  Studying his face, I suddenly saw the world the way Nick did. “You’re not alone anymore. You don’t know what being part of something means or you’d know that I lie for my family and friends all the time. The other day, Raven asked me if I thought she’d be hot pregnant. I told her no, even though she probably will. I just thought her ego was getting too big and I wanted to help her remain grounded. See, lying for those you love is okay. It’s what we do.”

  Nick glanced around like he didn’t know if he ought to remain in my arms or make a run for it.

  “Dylan helped you because you’re not alone. My family and the club will make sure your dad doesn’t hassle you again because you’re their responsibility. That’s how life is now, Nick. You’re part of a family and everything that comes with.”

  Nick nuzzled his lips against my head. “I don’t want to leave you, but I feel toxic while you feel so clean and perfect.”

  “I really am perfect, so trust that I know what’s best. Staying with me is the answer to all your problems.”

  Nick finally smiled a little. “I know the men in your family are badasses, but I feel like a scared kid since I saw that piece of shit today. The feeling started as a small lump in my gut. Now I can’t feel anything else.”