Scratch that—born to ride as my backpack. Forever if I get my choice.
As we pull into the compound, I smile when a few of the brothers take notice that I’ve got a girl at my back. They might not recognize her right away, but they know when to appreciate a beautiful body with curves. I’m not even mad when I hear a few whistles. I just grin with pride.
“Get off first, Troublemaker.”
I almost groan out loud at the feel of her sliding off me, as it brings up memories of us in the tub. That last kiss had her sweet cunt sliding on my dick, but it only lasted a few seconds before I had to end it. No need to embarrass myself and give her ammo to poke fun about our age difference. Which I think might be her biggest hang-up, considering how often she comments on it.
I dismount, take my helmet off her, put it on the back of my bike, and then take her hand and walk her into the club. I hold on tight, half afraid she’ll pull away because she wants to deny what this is between us and half because a brother might try to steal her away. I already know Flint and Jules aren’t here, and I’m happy as fuck that I don’t have to share Bailey with my friends. Might sound like shit, but this is the first time I’ve brought her here asmyguest, and it means something. At least to me.
Doesn’t take me long to find my dad. Few are in the club on a Sunday night, and he’s sitting alone at the bar. I walk right up and make note that he’s drinking water. General must have given him the all clear to get up and move around or else my dad is just doing whatever the hell he wants. Wouldn’t surprise me.
“Told them not to call you.”
“Pretty sure I told you to take it easy. Seems no one listens around here,” I say with a sigh.
Stubborn bastard. At least I know where I get it from. Probably a good idea for Bailey to finally meet my dad, see if she can deal with him and all. God knows he’s no worse than me. He just does a crappier job of hiding it than me. But I’m young—give me enough years on this earth, and I doubt I’d hide the shit going on in my head either.
I’ve got PTSD just like the rest of the soldiers who came home. Even got the night terrors to prove it. Half the reason I don’t own a place is because that first year after I got out, I wasn’t sure if I would be another suicide victim or not. You never know what a low moment might do to you. I stick close to my brothers so when I have low moments, I usually don’t have them alone. Brothers at my back 24/7 is what got me through most of my shit.
“Dad, this is Bailey. Bailey, this grump is my father, retired General Mike Stalone.”
It’s not often that I surprise my dad. Hell, I think this might be the first time. He usually knows everything. And yeah, he knows about Bailey, but he didn’t know where I was tonight. Just said I was going out. Doubt he thought I was going to her place, and he sure as hell wasn’t expecting to meet her. Not from the way he sputters a bit as he turns around and looks over my girl.
My dad’s old, not dead, so I let it slide that he checks her out. But only this once. I know he loved my mom, but unlike Law, he moved on a few years after her passing. Never faulted him for that. Life is hard, and it never gets easier, but it becomes a little less dull when you have someone to share a few moments with. At least, that’s how I always saw it before I met Bailey. But now she’s like the fucking sun to my universe, shining bright, and I just want to bask in her glory.
Fucking hell. One finger popping and I’m speaking poetry. The guys are going to give me shit if they ever learn how to read minds. Some are pretty damn close, based on the sick way they can read people. It’s creepy as hell. I make a mental note to stay away from Casper. He’s scary perceptive when he wants to be. And no way am I hanging out with Fairy. She’s a walking lie detector, always knows if a person is lying or not telling the whole truth. She might not know what the truth is, but she’ll call you out on a lie, and her man won’t let it go till he gets the answers his girl wants.
“About damn time,” my dad says with a smirk my way, and I don’t miss his wink at my girl. “Call me Mike, dear. It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard alotabout you.”
“Dad,” I groan as Bailey’s soft laughter filters through the club.
“I’m honored, I think.” She’s looking at me with humor and a bit of unease. She still isn’t on board with the wholeuspart yet, but that’s fine. I’ve got enough belief in it for the both of us for now.
“Come on, girl. Let’s get the whole ‘meeting the dad’ out of the way so we can get you feeling comfortable enough to tell me how my son acted like an idiot around you, and then I can share a few stories of my own. Get the drinks, son.”
Before I can protest, Dad has Bailey’s hand out of mine and wrapped around his arm as he gets slowly off the stool and moves them to a table a few feet away. I hope to God no one else sits with us. This is going to be embarrassing enough as it is, and I want to keep some of my street cred with my brothers. I’ve never heard of a brother getting kicked out for stupid shit they did as a kid, but there’s always a first time. Don’t want them to think they made a mistake by patching me in a few months back and that I ain’t as cool as I try to be.
“Prospect, did General put any restrictions on my old man?” I haven’t seen the good doc yet, and I ain’t about to go against his orders. The fucker is mean on his good days. The way Kitten describes it, he’s a pain enthusiast. I was in and out of it when he patched up my gunshot wound, but I clearly remember the smile on his face as I sweated in pain. Don’t want to get on his bad side if I can help it.
“Water and some coffee. Guy already bitched that he ain’t into tea. I got a pot going for him. Want me to bring you a few cups when it’s done?”
“Is it the shit Mama Bear likes?”
The prospect nods.
Thank God. Kid’s smart and already picked up that Law is the only one who does shitty coffee. I don’t know what Bailey drinks—well, not her preference if given a choice, anyway. “Yeah, but give me a couple beers and a water for now, would you?”
He nods as he gets me what I want. I ain’t a dick to make him carry it over when I’m standing right there. I know a few brothers got no problem playing that card, and maybe one day I will too. But it wasn’t so long ago that I was in his place, and the memory’s still too fresh for me to do that to him.
Now, ordering him to wash my bike ain’t below me, but not tonight.
“What did I miss?” I hand the extra beer to Bailey and the water to my dad, giving him a look that dares him to argue with me. He purses his lips together, but at least he takes the damn thing.
“Not much. Just that you suck at riding a bike and hate him enough that you chose the Army over the Marines.”
“That ain’t what I said.” Dad glares.
I think he’s trying to stick up for me, but he also told her about the time I crashed my bike. He wants her to like me, but he also enjoys teasing me.
