Page 49 of Wild Ride

“You want me because of who my father is and no other reason.”

I should deny those words. That observation. But I don’t, mainly because she’s mostly correct. I do want her because of her father. It would be stupid of me to deny that, especially since I’ve only actually known her for a few days.

“I do want you because of who your father is. I loved Shade, but it’s not exactly what you think, either.”

“It’s not?” she asks.

Shaking my head, I reach out, extending my index finger as I touch the center of her chest, but don’t drag it down the way I want to. My eyes meet hers, and I focus on them momentarily before I clear my throat and attempt to explain myself.

“I loved Shade. He was like a father to me, and you were brought to me when I felt an unimaginable loss. You don’t have a family anymore, but I can give you that.”

She presses her lips together, rolling them a few times, and tears fill her eyes as they search mine. I watch as she opens her mouth and then closes it, unsure of what to say. I don’t blame her. I’m throwing shit out there that I know surprises her.

“The men of this club are your family. Letmebe your family, baby. None of that you can do from Oregon.”

She looks to the parking lot before she shifts her gaze back to meet mine. “I don’t know,” she whispers. “I just don’t know. I feel like if I just picked up and moved here, it would be very abrupt and maybe not the smartest thing in the world to do. I don’t want to do anything that would cause me to be even more alone.”

As much as I want to force her, hell, if I could force her right now, I fucking would. To be honest, I probably should. Not just because I want to keep her where I am but because I want to protect her, too.

Bloodhouse MC is still in the back of my mind. They’re watching. I know they are. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have chosen now to fuck with us. But seeing how upset she is, I don’t do that.

I also don’t tell her about the Bloodhounds.

The last thing I want to do is terrify her, which could really send her running.

“Let’s take it all day by day, Dakota. How about that? No big decisions today.”

Her lips curve up into a smile, and she bites her bottom lip. “I think I can do that.”

Lowering my head, I touch my lips to hers. “Good girl.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

DAKOTA

I’m prettypositive that what I’m doing here is just delaying the inevitable. But I really like Bullet… Bishop. Really like him. So, I follow the girl from the bakery’s advice. I close my eyes and jump in with both feet, but at the same time, I stay aware of what could be lurking around the corner.

She seemed a little standoffish when I confessed that I was in a relationship dilemma with a member of the Vicious Reapers, though I still don’t really know what any of that means, and she didn’t explain it, either.

I think I’m going to have to do my own research on that because nobody is really saying much other than it’s a club, a business, and they have women they use for sex. A security supply company business. Which… weird.

John’s gaze flicks between me and Bishop, no doubt leery of him being here, especially since I called him yesterday and told him to get ready to sell everything, and today I’m backpedaling. He probably has a right to be concerned, but I’m going forward with this jumping-in-with-both-feet kind of plan.

“You don’t want to sell everything?” he asks, his gaze flicking over to Bishop, then back to meet mine.

“Not yet. I’m putting a pin in it all right now. I think I need to spend some more time at my father’s place. I jumped the gun a bit in a slight panic.”

John doesn’t say anything, but he does hum. That hum is filled with slight judgment. I can feel it. I don’t ask him about it or call him on it, though. Instead, I clear my throat and nod a couple of times.

“I do think that I shouldn’t have a share in his company. That was something he built with his men and has nothing to do with me. I don’t know how it works. I don’t know what I would even do as far as involvement. I think the current owners should stay the current owners.”

“Would you like me to put together a package for a buyout?”

I don’t look over at Bishop, but I can feel his gaze on me. Sinking my teeth into the skin at the inside of my cheek, I nod my head.

“Yes, please,” I whisper. “I want my father’s estate to be in the hands of the people who deserve it. I have no desire to run that kind of business, and my opinions would be useless and pointless.”

“They would never be pointless,” Bishop announces. “You’re Shade’s daughter, and you are not dumb, babe. You already run your own business.”

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