Page 11 of Badger
Dr.Larkin studied me, and I knew he wondered why after all this time I’d chosen to have sex, and not use a condom.We’d talked in the past about birth control, and he knew I hadn’t been seeing anyone.
“I heard Badger came home,” he said after a few minutes.“Be careful, Adalia.He’s not the kind of man to give you a happily ever after.”
I didn’t say anything, not knowing how to respond.Did I want Badger to fall in love with me?Of course.Did I think he actually would?Not really.A man had never loved me, not the romantic kind of love, and I didn’t think anyone ever would.My past had tainted me, and if that wasn’t bad enough, there was my endometriosis and the possibility I would never have children.
“I can’t give you pain medication if there’s a chance you could be pregnant,” Dr.Larkin said.“Ice your cheek for thirty minutes, then remove the ice for an hour.You can ice it again for another half hour after that, if it’s still bothering you.Tylenol would be all right in moderation.”
“Thank you, Dr.Larkin.”
“If the pain worsens over the next few days, you can come back and we’ll check it again.Until then, try to get some rest.”
Dr.Larkin left, and I went back to the front of the office.My dad was sitting in the waiting room and smiled when he saw me.I didn’t know why he was so happy, until I saw him out of the corner of my eye.Badger.He came toward me, slowly, as if he were afraid he’d scare me.When he saw the damage to my face, there was a look of devastation in his eyes.I didn’t move, didn’t speak.Why was he here?How had he known to come to Dr.Larkin’s office?
“If I had known…” He stopped and pulled me into his arms.“I’m so fucking sorry, Adalia.When you told me to stop, I thought you were protecting him.I thought you’d chosen him over me.I never would have left if I thought he would hurt you.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist.“I didn’t know he was capable of hurting me.If I didn’t know it, then how could you?”
“What do you need from me?”he asked.
“She needs you to man the fuck up,” my dad said.“Adalia isn’t a one-night stand.If that’s all you wanted, you should have stuck with the club pussy we offered you last night.”
Badger tightened his arms around me before facing my dad.“I know.I only went to talk to her.I never intended for things to go further.”
“But they did,” my dad said.“Your bike was seen outside her home all night and early this morning.If you tell me you were talking that entire time, I won’t believe you.”
“Daddy, leave it alone,” I said.“I’m a grown woman.”
My dad grumbled and held up his hands, backing off.
“You should ride with your dad,” Badger said.“It’s probably not a good idea for you to be on the back of a bike right now.”
“The doctor said I have a slight concussion.”
He reached out and gently touched my cheek, then tipped my head up so he could see my chin.A low growl rumbled out of him and his jaw tightened.Badger looked at my dad and they did that silent communication thing again.
“I’ll take you home,” Dad said.
“I need to pick up a few things, then I’ll come sit with her,” Badger said.“I need new clothes and the essentials.”
“You won’t be able to carry much on your bike,” my dad said.“Follow us to Adalia’s house.You can write down what you need, and I’ll have a Prospect pick it up for you.”
Badger looked into my eyes, his touch gentle as he caressed the cheek that wasn’t bruised.Slowly, he lowered his head, and kissed me.It was a quick brush of his lips against mine, but it gave me comfort.
“I won’t leave your side,” he promised.“If there’s anything you need, I’ll get it for you.”
“I’m fine, Badger.”
He blamed himself for what happened to me, and I hated that.I didn’t want him to act differently around me.Yes, I’d been hurt, but I was still me.I was still the woman he’d been with all night.I might be banged up now, but nothing else had changed about me.I wanted the man back who had made me his in every way last night, the man who had lost control in the shower this morning.
“I’ll take you home,” my dad said, motioning for me to go out to the car.
“I have one stop to make,” Badger said.“I have an appointment with my parole officer.”
“David Brant?”my dad asked.
“Yeah.”
“I’ll call and talk to him,” Dad said.“Go straight to Adalia’s house.Your appointment will be rescheduled.It’s fucking ridiculous they sentenced you to twenty years to begin with, and they damn well know it.Let me handle it.”
