Page 23 of Badger
“Is she?Or is she going to be raising this kid on her own?”he demanded.“Or do you think you can keep your ass out of jail long enough to be a parent?”
Well, fuck.He wasn’t holding back, was he?
“I’m working at the garage and staying clean.I haven’t done anything illegal since I got out.I’ve even obeyed every traffic law,” I said.
“That girl has been in love with you for as long as I can remember.You may not know it, but you have her heart, and now you’re having a kid with her.Don’t fuck this up, Badger.”
“I don’t plan to.”
Griz sighed.“Look.I know you’re part of this club, and we aren’t exactly law-abiding citizens.The garage is one hundred percent legit, which is the only reason I’ve let Adalia work there.We’re turning a profit, even after everyone is paid and all the other expenses are covered.I’ll make a deal with you.”
I folded my arms over my chest, not certain I liked where this conversation was going.
“You do right by my daughter and grandkid, and I’ll sign the shop over to you and Adalia.It can be a wedding present, and a way for you to stay legit.You can still live here in the compound, but I don’t want you anywhere near anything that’s not one hundred percent legal.You got me?”he asked.
“You’re bribing me to be with her?”I asked, fury spiking inside me.My blood nearly boiled at the thought.“You think you have to pay me to stay with her?”
“Don’t I?”he asked.“Everyone knows you don’t do commitment.”
“I moved in with her,” I pointed out.“She’s not like the others.She’s had me by the balls since I set eyes on her at that welcome-home party.And you think I’d do anything to hurt her?To fuck up what we have?I fucking love her, asshole.”
He smirked and the front door slowly opened.Adalia peered out at me with wide eyes.
“You love me?”she asked.
I glared at Griz.“You really are an asshole.You knew she was listening, didn’t you?”
“I thought it was likely,” he said, then slapped me on the shoulder.“Welcome to the family, son.I’ll have Magda get started on a property cut.”
“I would have told her when I was ready,” I muttered.
Adalia came down the steps and slowly approached me.“Did you mean it?You love me?”
“Yeah, sweet girl.I love you.I think I fell for you the moment our gazes locked at that party.I was going to tell you when the time was right.”
Her lips pursed.“And you don’t think the time was right when we found out we’re having a kid?”
I shrugged.
“I swear to God, you can be so infuriating, Colton.”
I leaned in closer, my lips brushing her ear.“Want me to kiss it all better?As I recall, you like my kisses… on your pussy.”
She gasped and I chuckled.Throwing her off balance for the next fifty years should be fun.Of course, she hadn’t exactly said she loved me back.I pulled away and looked down at her.
“So?”I asked.
“So what?”She looked flustered.
“Do you love me too?Or are you going to make me look like a jackass for telling a woman I love her when she hates my fucking guts?”
“Like I could ever hate you.”
“Guess you’d better prove it.”
“Or you could save that shit for when I’m not in hearing distance,” Griz said.
Fuck.I’d forgotten he was there.
