Page 19 of Link's Property
“Why don’t you have a seat?”
She crosses her arms. “I’d rather stand so I can walk out whenever you’re done with whatever this is.”
“I’m gonna be heading out on a run with King.” She sinks into the chair and I see the panic hit her eyes. The last time I went out on a “run,” Rubble came back in a casket and Skully came back without his legs or his soul. I can understand why she’s afraid.
“Why? What’s going on?”
“You know I can’t talk club business with you, babe, but we’re gonna be safe. I promise you there will be more of us than them.” Don’t know the details yet of what’s going on, but we’ll be with Axle and the East crew which means we’ll have an entire army of men.
“For how long will you be gone?”
“Not sure yet, but when I get back, I’ll be looking for a place.”
Her head tilts to the side and those pretty eyes lift with a question. Man, she really is breathtaking. It’s torturous how pretty she is.
“I think it will be better for us if we have some space.”
“Better for us? As in us having some space away from the club?”
Shit, she thinks I’m asking her to move in with me. What I wouldn’t give to have this pretty girl wrapped in my arms every night, but that’s not what I’m gettin’ at.
“It can’t happen again, Shay. Last night… I shouldn’t have crossed a line.”
And now those dark eyes are hard again, narrowing in, reminding me of that angry teenager I had to deal with a time or two back in the day. The few times I demanded she face her consequences for her actions, she gave me the royal bitch treatment. And by the steam I see coming out of her ears, I’d say I’m about to feel her verbal wrath.
“Tell me why.” Her tone is cut with that stone-cold anger.
Because it’s fucking wrong. “Because I’m too old for you, Shay. You have your whole damn life ahead of you and don’t need to be tied down right now.” Because Melinda Williams and the rest of the world will think I’m some kind of pervert preying on a pretty young girl. “And because I’m the only father figure you have in your life.” I’m supposed to be a mentor and protect the girl, someone she can look up to and set an example. I’m not supposed to be spanking her pussy in a damn closet.
“Will you quit with that?” She huffs. “You’re not my dad. And you’re never going to be.”
The urge to bend her over my knee and teach her not to use that tone with me is weighing heavy, but I need to control myself.
“Like I said…” I ignore her outburst. “It’s never going to happen again, and we need to forget it ever did. My time away will be good for us. But while I’m gone, the same rules apply. No prancing around in skimpy little clothes and you better keepthose legs closed. I’ll be checking in with the guys to make sure you’re behaving.”
“Fuck you and your rules, Lincoln.” She stands from the table, making her chair screech against the floor. “You’re not my dad, my boss, or my man, so you can take your rules and shove them up your ass.”
She storms out of the room, and it takes all the strength I didn’t know I had not to go after her. But I can’t. I don’t trust myself. I’ll shove her down on her knees and make her apologize for the disrespect. Show her exactly who’s boss. Fuck, I need to go for a drive and get this shit cleared. I can’t handle being under the same roof as her anymore. She’s too much of a fucking temptation. Maybe I should go into town and start looking for a place now. In fact, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
9
Shayna
“Fuck him and his stupid fucking rules.”
If he thinks he’s going to tell me what to do, he’s wrong. From now on, I’m going to wear whatever the hell I want and flirt with anyone I damn well please and he can go kiss my ass.
I don’t understand what happened. Last night, he was burning hot, and now, he’s ice fucking cold, acting like he made the biggest mistake of his life. For a moment, I actually thought he was about to tell me he wanted to get a place for us to live in together. “God, I’m such an idiot.”
“No, you’re not,” comes a sweet voice as I break through the clearing. I should’ve figured Rory would be down here. She comes to have her coffee out here every morning. “Are you okay?”
No, I’m not okay. I feel like my emotions have just been pulverized in a food processor.
“I don’t understand men.”
“Welcome to the club.” She laughs, pulling out a cigarette and offering me one too, but I know nicotine isn’t going to solve my problems. Nothing will. I’m in love with a man who still sees me as a troubled teen. Who in some fucked-up way thinks he should be my dad. He wasn’t acting like a father last night when he was thrusting his fingers between my legs.
“So, what happened?” she asks, looking to make sure the coast is clear as she lights her cigarette. It’s like she an inmate sneaking a smoke when the guards aren’t watching.
