Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Yeah. I was fucked. Took every ounce of control I had not to outright guffaw. And my cock wanted this woman. Hard.
Redwood growled, and I tugged Calista’s hand. “Come on, little hellcat. Let’s go see your daddy.”
I led her through the gate. The fence marking our territory boundary wasn’t obvious and I’d watched her from the security station just inside the gate. She hadn’t noticed the chain-link fence topped with razor wire until Redwood approached her. Not surprising, since Redwood had been prepared for her before she got to the gate and moved out to meet her. Also, even with her flashlight it was dead night and the place was camouflaged with trees and foliage. It was the time of night/very early morning when the moon sets and the sun hasn’t started over the horizon. With us being in the woods, it was exceptionally dark. Even with the flashlight she brandished before Redwood had taken it from her, she’d had a hard time cutting through the dark.
The compound was dark. The only lights coming from inside houses were muted by blackout curtains. We didn’t always use them, but Dom tried to keep us all aware that, you know, light carried. There were lots of trees and such to blanket us from prying eyes, but Dom was the SAA. It was his job to keep everyone safe.
We entered the main clubhouse. It was more sedate than usual. Probably because of the recent close call with Bear’s woman, Liv. Olivia had been forced to spy on Grim Road. Or they’d tried to force her. Fortunately, the woman had a good head on her shoulders and refused to do anything until she had the facts. And the fact was, Bear is as solid as they come.
I led her to Dom’s office and knocked on the door. It was open, as usual. He rarely closed his door unless the officers were having a meeting with him. He was working on scouting out a location in town for a clubhouse. We’d never leave our territory here, but Rocket had decided that it would be good to have a place in town for us to crash or party so we could interact with the community. Also, if the authorities thought the new place was our clubhouse, they’d leave this place alone.
“What?” he snapped. “Better be fuckin’… good…” He trailed off as he stared at Calista. Then at me.
Then our joined hands.
I knew it was a bad idea. I knew it was. But I grinned at Dom. “Hey man. Brought home a little stray.”
Instantly Dom was on his feet, his face a mask of fury. “My daughter is not a fuckin’ stray, you son of a bitch.” He reached for Calista, pulling the young woman into his arms and away from my hold on her hand. “Don’t hold her fuckin’ hand either, Ringo. Off fuckin’ limits!”
I grinned. “Only if she says so.” I winked at Calista when she peeked up from Dom’s chest. For a girl who’d never actually met her father, she was surprisingly at ease.
“She ain’t gotta say so ‘cause I’m sayin’ so.” Dom pulled back from Calista, framing her face in his hands as he looked down at her, stroking her cheek tenderly with his thumb “What happened, sweetheart? You hurt?”
She shook her head. “Just tired. And dirty.” She sighed. “And my ass might hurt where Peckerwood shoved me down.”
Dom stilled, stiffening as he gave me a thunderous look. “Peckerwood? Who the fuck’s Peckerwood?”
I shrugged. “Redwood. Not sure what happened to start it, but she finished it.”
Dom looked down at Calista. “He put his hands on you, baby?”
She looked from Dom to me and back. Then back to me. “I… I don’t want to cause any trouble.”
“You ain’t.” I grinned at her. “Better tell ‘em, baby girl. He hears it from me, it won’t be the good version.”
She winced. “Look. It was nothing. I tried to get past him into you guys’ territory and he stopped me. I’m sure it was his job. I fell on my ass. Then I kicked him in the balls.”
“He shoved you because you almost dislocated his little finger when he tried to strangle you.” I’d probably just signed Redwood’s death warrant, but honestly, he deserved it for putting his hands on Calista. I leveled a gaze at her. “Don’t gloss over what happened because you’re unsure of us right now. We’re not automatically going to take the side of one of our members over you.” I nodded to Dom. “Your dad never forgot you. He always protected you and your mother from afar as best he could. At least, he has as long as I’ve known him.”
“Ringo, take Calista to my room. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.” Dom brushed past me on his way out the door. “Need to have a chat with… Peckerwood.”