Her face softened. She looked back at her sister.
“He’s not your type.”
She smirked, thinking once upon a time Tim hadn’t been Meg’s type either. “It seemed that worked for you, so I’m following in your footsteps, sis.”
Finally, Meg smiled.
After saying their goodbyes, Meg and Tim left. Her mother and father had left minutes before Dodge and Cullen took off. They’d rented a car and were headed to Napa for a few days before flying home to Florida.
It’d been a long day, her thirtieth birthday. She’d been dreading it, but she couldn’t be upset about how it turned out. Surprise visit from her mother, father, sister, and Tim, who for all intents and purposes was the brother she never had, on the day she and Dodge were having their first date (sort of), it could’ve been disastrous.
She loved her family, but they shared too many embarrassing stories, too many being five. Throughout the day, her mother pestered her to get Dodge this and that. Luckily, they had lunch at a restaurant, so she had an hour reprieve. Her sister interrogated him, repeatedly. Her mother scolded her sister, thankfully on her side. Her father had been quiet as she expected. She stayed close to Dodge, so she didn’t think her dad had “the talk” with him. Dodge handled it all superbly, and she knew he hadn’t minded. His comment to her right before heading to his house clued her in on that fact. Thinking of it then made her smile.
She took longer than she anticipated and she’d take a little more.
****
Dodge’s phone, tucked in his back pocket, vibrated. Finally. She took her sweet-assed time. He tugged it out and answered it on his way to the front door.
“Hey.”
She sounded good on the phone, but she sounded better in person.
He opened his door. Phone pressed to her ear, a smile on her lips. He then took in the rest of her. She’d changed, her shirt at least, now wearing a white blouse. She shouldn’t have. He didn’t really care what she wore, and it meant she would’ve been there sooner.
He grabbed her hand, hauled her inside, ended the call, and slipped his phone into his back pocket. A second after closing the door, he released her hand, grabbed her hip, circled his other arm around her back, and pressed her against him. Only then, he maneuvered her so her back lay flat against the wall, and he kissed her deep.
Damn, she could kiss. It got him so heated he forgot everything. He couldn’t forget, couldn’t rush this, couldn’t give her a reason to run.
Sliding his hands to her face, he cupped her cheeks and drew away. Her eyes glassy, breaths shallow, hands clutching his shirt. Seemed he got her heated too.
He smiled. “Happy birthday, Lex.”
“You’re not mad I didn’t tell you.”
He dropped his hands, resting them around her waist, and shrugged. “Naw. I get it.”
She grinned.
“Had fun today. Your folks are good people.”
Her brows creased. “You had fun?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“They’re good people. What’re your parents like?”
He shook his head. “Nothing like yours.”
He didn’t know whether he should share so early on what fuck-ups his parents were, but he figured it was only fair since he met her whole family.
“Dad left when I was a kid. Part of me couldn’t blame him, wished he took me ’cause Mom was…”
How to describe what his mother was?
He swallowed. “Difficult.”
Her eyes grew soft. “Like she…”
“She was never happy. Always bitching about this or that. Always nagging Dad. When he left, she started with me. Turned eighteen and got the fuck out. I’d do my son duty and called her every now and then, visited her for her birthday, Mother’s Day. She died a few years ago.”
She bit the side of her lip, leaned in to him, circled her arms tight around his waist, and rested her cheek against his chest. “I’m sorry.”
Fuck, that felt good. He learned something new about her. She was sweet.
Arms around her, he squeezed and shook his head, deciding in that instant he’d tell her the rest too. “Then I met Cul’s mother, knocked her up. Did the right thing and married her. Turned out, she was just like my mom. I’d known that, I wouldn’t’ve married her.”
She drew away. Her eyes wide, she asked, “How long were you dating before—”
“We weren’t.”
“Oh…so it was like a one-night—”
“No, we were fuckin’.”
He left out the fact that he hadn’t known they were fucking exclusively. Lilliam, a tap, fucked his brothers too. Lex should know, but he didn’t know how she’d take that information and thought it was too soon to share then.
She nodded and looked away. “So you never loved her?”
He shook his head.
Her eyes rounded. “I see.”
He had no idea why, but the way she said it sounded ominous. At that moment, he’d give anything to know what ran through her mind.
“How long has it been since—”
“A year.”
She reared back. “Cullen hasn’t seen his mother for a year?”
“He’s seen her a couple of times. It’s been months since the last time though.”
Looking pensive, she nodded. Again, her gaze fell from his.
Maybe he shouldn’t have told her this. Obviously, she was thinking hard on it and not sharing what she thought.
His life was complicated. She knew he was a single dad, but he didn’t think she’d realized until then how uninvolved Cullen’s mother was. Their relationship became serious, Lex would be the closest thing to a mother Cullen had. She wanted kids, but did she want to raise one who wasn’t hers? Not to mention, a woman with a family like hers, realizing he’d never had one could be a turn off. Maybe he’d overanalyzed.
“You okay?”
Her stare shot to his. “Yeah, why?”
“A lot of info I just handed you. None of it pretty. I can tell you’re thinking about something hard.”
“Yeah, it’s just…I didn’t realize Cullen hadn’t seen his mother for so long. I figured she wasn’t a very good one. You know being absent and all, but I just—” She shrugged. “—Feel awful for him.” She smiled softly. “Thank God he has you.”
He had a feeling that wasn’t all, so he waited for her to go on.
“You said she wanted something from you and got it, and when she got it, she didn’t want it anymore. You were talking about getting married, right?”
Not just married but status within the club. Lilliam wanted to be an old lady. She went about getting that in a fucked-up way, bringing a life into the world she had no intention of caring for, no intention of loving. He wanted to hate her because of that especially but also because when she had what she wanted, she didn’t appreciate it, respect it, fight to keep it. Maybe in her messed-up head, she thought being an old lady meant she could do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. Maybe she thought he’d never dump her. Maybe when she got what she wanted, she didn’t want it anymore.
He didn’t know, didn’t care. He was done with her. He’d moved on. Still, he couldn’t hate her because without her, he’d never have his boy and he loved Cullen more than anything in the world.
He wouldn’t say any of this to Lex though. Too much shit. Too soon to share.
Instead, he nodded. “Yeah.”
“And you feel like she tricked you in to getting married when she got pregnant?”
He nodded again.
“You realize just because she was pregnant, you didn’t have to marry her, right?”
Yeah, he did, but he couldn’t let his kid’s mother sleep with multiple brothers a night. He especially couldn’t let his kid see that, and the only way she’d agreed to stop—if he married her. This, again, he couldn’t say.
“My son deserved to be born having a mom and a dad. Marrying her meant she lived with me, and that meant my kid lived with m
e too.”
This was also true and another reason he married her.
She nodded.
“Heavy talk.”
She smiled, got on the tips of her toes, and slanted her head, reaching for his lips. He obliged. Leaning in to her, he claimed her mouth, kissing her as deep as she’d kissed him.
She felt so fucking good pressed against him, her fingers in his hair, her tongue in his mouth. Lex was hot, only expected, but it’d been so long for him, he was about to lose control. She wanted to take them slow, so he forced himself to tear his lips from hers.
When his lids parted, her brows drew together, looking gorgeous, lips swollen, cheeks flushed, and panting. “You should go, Lex, before I take you.”
She smiled. “I should, but I don’t want to.”
He didn’t want her to either. With the simple admission, his cock jerked, eyes flared.
She laughed. “Cute.”
Lifting a brow, he shot back, “Blue balls are cute and funny to you?”
She laughed harder and slapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, I forgot Cullen’s asleep.”
Shaking his head, he grinned. “It’s okay. He’s a heavy sleeper, and…” He nabbed the sound monitor he’d tucked in his back pocket, showing it to her.
Cullen was kind of old for one, considering when Cullen woke, his boy went straight to his room anyway, but he felt better with it on in case he was outside when Cullen woke, or Cullen had a bad dream and woke crying. Being the sole caregiver since Cul had been born made him prepare for any circumstance, always.
Her gaze heated. “Good to know. You know, for future reference.”
Lex naked in his bed. Could she be quiet? Shit. He should not think about that. Pointless now, anyway, she wanted to take it slow. Hopefully, for his sake, a fast kind of slow.
“Lex, you keep saying shit like that, you’re gonna end up in my bed sooner than you’d like.”
She shrugged. “Oh, well.”
He grinned. “You’re asking for it, babe.”
She smiled and pressed her lips to his. When she drew away, he let her.
He slid his hand up her spine. “Tomorrow, the club’s having a cookout. Come with us. Meet the brothers.”
Her smile widened. “Sounds like fun. Should I bring anything?”
“Nope. First time, you’re the guest. Next time, you want to plan it out with the old ladies, you can. Yeah?”
“Okay.”
He grabbed her hand, pulled her away from the wall then walked her across the street. At her front door, he kissed her and wished her a good night. He waited until she closed and locked her door before he strode back to his house.
That night, he fell asleep grinning.
Chapter Fourteen
What a week. It started Sunday, the day after her birthday.
Lex agreed to go with Dodge and Cullen to the club cookout. Honest, she was thrilled he asked her, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous. First, because she’d meet his “brothers.” She’d met a few of them and had been to the garage, but going as his date was different. Second, she didn’t know what to expect at a motorcycle club cookout.
She didn’t know much about motorcycle clubs except what she’d seen portrayed in films and TV shows, and of course, she’d heard of infamous motorcycle gangs. None of it was good. She didn’t think Dodge, a single father to a beautiful three-year-old, was wrapped up in anything illegal, but still, there was a possibility. If she had a kid to support, there wasn’t a single thing she wouldn’t do for him or her. Besides, the bikers she’d met were rough-around-the-edges, men who looked like they could be living on the wrong side of the law. Then again, she’d met the wives of some of these so-called bikers; these women were classy, sweet, and vivacious. Not one of them looked like the type of woman who’d associate with bikers, especially if those bikers happened to involve themselves in criminal activity. Still, Lex knew better than anyone when a woman fell for someone, she blinded herself to certain things. It happened to men too.
Dodge picked her up early that morning. She went with an open mind and comforted herself with the thought that luckily, Dodge and Cullen weren’t the only ones she’d know there. They arrived a little after ten when Dodge pulled up to the back side of the mechanic shop, which sat on a large piece of property. The garage itself was bigger than she imagined, something she realized when Dodge drove around and beside it. The backlot was enormous. Most of it covered in grass, a few trees scattered and a swing set with a slide and monkey bars. Close to the back door, an area covered in concrete. At one end, a series of picnic tables and a large grill. At the other, a basketball court.
Walking with Dodge to her left and Cullen to her right, his hand in hers, they strode past the fence into the lot.
Those scattered around looked toward them and yelled, “Happy birthday!”
She stilled then woodenly snapped her head Dodge’s way.
His stare on her, he winked and grinned. He then looked to the crowd. “Double birthday celebration today. Lex’s was yesterday.”
Oh God. Her face heated. “It’s your birthday?” A whisper, barely.
He hooked his arm around her neck and tugged her so they stood face to face, her chest plastered against his. Such an intimate action and he did it in front of his club and son. It should’ve felt awkward. They’d only been dating a day. Then again, technically, they still hadn’t been on a typical date. But it didn’t feel that way. It made her breath hitch, made warmth spread through her and settle in her gut.
“Yeah, it is, Lex, and you can’t be mad ’cause I didn’t tell you ’cause you didn’t tell me either.”
What were the odds? One in a million?
He had a point. She couldn’t do anything but smile and whisper, “Happy birthday.”
She then slanted her head, gaze seeking Cullen. A wide grin on his face, not in the least looking bothered by her proximity to his father.
Dodge introduced her to his brothers. Early on, he stuck by her until a brother, Hash, called him away. She didn’t mind. Allie neared, grabbed her hand, and led her toward a picnic table. She sat with her, Mia, Em, and Lynn. They introduced her to Tiffany, who had a beautiful baby boy in her arms. Lex, sipping wine out of a red plastic cup, watched Cullen play with Bree and Della on the swing set and talked with the ladies.
A while later, Dodge, a beer and a fresh cup of wine in hand, sat beside her. He handed her the wine and told her he was going to play basketball. She and the old ladies watched them play a very brutal version of it.
At lunchtime, she grabbed a plate and served Cullen a burger, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. As she reached for a spoon, she felt the heat of a body behind her, an arm wrapping around her middle, and a face in her neck.
Not a moment later, his deep voice. “Lex.”
She stilled. Heart racing, her breaths grew shallow. Stupidly, she couldn’t say anything but, “Hmm…”
“Don’t be shy. Get all the food you want. There’s plenty.”
She smiled. “I see. This isn’t for me though. It’s for Cullen.”
His arm around her waist spasmed, squeezing her almost too tight. Then he released her, gripped one hip, and spun her. The white shirt he’d changed into after the game slightly sweaty. Perspiration beaded on his brow, his hair moist and slicked back in a messy way like he’d run his hand through it. Even so, he looked good, handsome. In the sea of bikers, of whom most were attractive despite the tattoos and piercings, Dodge stood out.
Brows drawing together, his voice thick when he asked, “You get my boy food before you get yourself something?”
She’d just said that. She bit back the urge to tease him with a sarcastic comment. “Yes.”
His gaze softened. Then something flashed across his face, an emotion. She didn’t know what it was but knew it wasn’t bad. He swallowed and nodded. “Burger?”
She couldn’t believe he asked. Having dated a myriad of men, never had one gone through the trouble of serving her
food even though she’d done it for them countless times.
She nodded.
“Sit by Cul. I’ll be there in a few.” He placed a peck on her lips, surprising her more.
While they spent the day together yesterday, he hadn’t been affectionate. She thought it was because of Cullen, but now, it seemed he’d done it as a consideration to her since they’d been with her family.
She released a breath and headed toward one of the picnic tables. As promised, Dodge joined her and Cullen a few minutes later with two plates of food, one for her and one for himself.
After lunch, Dodge gave her a tour of the inside of what he called the compound. In actuality, it was connected to the garage. He explained the club spent most of their time there. Each of the brothers had his own room. Some lived there permanently.
A few hours later, they headed home. Cullen fell asleep in his car seat, so she kissed his forehead goodbye, and per Dodge’s request, she waited for him to put Cullen in bed. Then he walked her home. At her front door, he kissed her deep.
Throughout the day, while he’d been affectionate in small ways, he hadn’t kissed her like that, so she’d waited for that kiss the whole day. She’d thought after waiting for it so long, it wouldn’t have lived up to the hype, but it surpassed, making her wonder if he was that skilled with his mouth what else he could do.
Naturally, she hadn’t wanted to let him go. She’d wanted to invite him in, let him have his way with her. Not like her at all. She’d never been one to sleep with a guy on the first, second, or even third date, but not her fault. It was him. He made her that way.
She didn’t know how she did it. But when he drew away, her breaths heavy, heart racing, mind a jumbled mess, she wished him goodnight, went inside, and closed and locked the door behind her. Despite her wobbly legs, she didn’t trip. Not the perfect ending to the great day she had, the perfect ending would’ve been letting him in and having her way with him but still a great end.
Lex woke Monday intent on finishing her day at school and heading to the mall. She had to get Dodge something for his birthday. She still didn’t know what but figured browsing the stores, she’d get an idea. Dodge hadn’t gotten her anything, but he had put up with her family, and for that, in itself, he deserved a medal. She decided spur of the moment, she’d get Cullen something too.
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