Colton's Salvation: A Demented Sons MC Novel

by Kristine Allen

  “I think it’s time for me to take you back.”

  “Where do we go from here, Colton?”

  “I want to spend time with you and Remi. I want to get to know my daughter. I want us to see where the fuck this goes. Shit, I can’t lie. I want to keep you forever, baby, but there are things you need to know about the life I live before you make a decision.” I hugged her tight, kissing the top of her head before I reached over and grabbed her clothes to hand to her.

  “Do you want to follow me back to my house after you drop me at my SUV? Remi should still be awake. She took a late nap today.” She looked nervous, and I noted her hands shook as she pulled her jeans up over her sexy-ass legs. It was then that I noticed the bruises on her upper arms.

  “I didn’t do that last night, did I?” I felt sick to my stomach that I might have hurt her in my insane, lustful frenzy last night. She looked at me briefly, nervousness flickering in her eyes, before she seemed to focus intently on buttoning her jeans and pulling on her boots.

  I squatted down next to her as she sat on the ground pulling on her last boot. My hand gently tipped up her chin, forcing her to look at me. Hurting my angel was the last thing I ever wanted, and if I had done that to her, I needed to know.

  “Steph?”

  “No, you absolutely did not, but I would rather not talk about it right this minute, okay? So, ummmm, do you want to go see your little girl?” Her eyes filled with anxiety, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. I would get my answers about those bruises later. I wasn’t dropping this. No one treated my angel like that, not as long as there was a breath in my body.

  “I would absolutely love to.”

  The ride back to my car was as stressful as the ride out to the dock, but for different reasons. Remi was going to meet her daddy. Her daddy was finally going to meet her and, hopefully, be in her life. Would he think I had done a good job with her? Would he feel the deep love like I had for her, even though he had missed the first couple of years of her life? The questions ran nonstop through my mind.

  The feel of his warm body as I snuggled up to his back had me wishing we had more time before we went to the house. I stroked his abs as my hands slid slowly toward his pecs… yummmm. His hand stopped the roaming of my hands, and I felt him chuckle.

  Oh my gawd! We were on the way to unite my baby with her daddy! Could my body not behave for just one short ride? Ugh!

  He rolled to a stop next to my SUV, and I carefully slid off his bike and moved to hand his helmet to him. As I did, he grabbed my arm, pulling me closer and capturing my mouth in a deep kiss. The helmet hung suspended loosely from my fingers as he slowly ended the kiss with a smile.

  “How do I get to your place, baby? I need to run by the clubhouse and check in first. Then I’ll head over. I’ll only be a few minutes behind you.” He ran his thumb along my bottom lip, and I wanted to grab it between my teeth.

  There I go, again! Ugh! I was hopeless!

  After I gave him directions, he nodded and winked at me before pressing his bike into gear and roaring off with a burst of the throttle. I stood listening to him work through the gears as he raced off, the rumble of his bike fading as his taillights became specks in the distance. I touched my lips where he had kissed me and squealed like a school girl. I couldn’t believe it! Things were falling into place.

  Was this really my life?

  As I backed out of the parking spot and pulled up to the stop sign, a pair of headlights behind me pulled me out of my musings. Crap, I hoped I hadn’t been sitting long at the stop sign lost in thoughts. They probably thought I was an idiot.

  As I headed out to the edge of town toward home, I called my mom to give her a heads up that Colton would be coming, and she assured me Remi was still wide awake and waiting for me to get home. I thanked her and told her I would see her soon. As I slowed for the turn and rolled up my parent’s driveway, I was surprised to see truck headlights turn in after me. Wonder what Sam was doing here again… I parked and Sam pulled in behind my SUV. When I got out, his headlights blinded me. Dang, Sam, you ass! I held my hand over my eyes, waiting for him to get out so I could tell him I had talked to Colton.

  I heard the truck door open and slam shut.

  “Sam, you don’t have to be pissed anymore. I talked to him.” I lowered my hand in time to be pushed up against the back end of my SUV. My head hit the rear window and bounced off. What the heck? When my vision cleared I saw Michael glaring at me with gritted teeth bared in rage.

  Oh God, oh God! I tried to scream, but he grabbed tight around my neck with one hand and shook me hard. My head whacked against the window again.

  “I cannot believe you! You would barely let me touch you, but you are all over some nasty-ass biker? I saw how you looked at him when you watched him ride off. You fucking slut! You’re fucking him, I know you are. Don’t even try to deny it! How could you do this to me? To us? I was good to you! But you ran off to this little shitty town to hook up with a dirty-ass biker!” He looked like a crazed maniac with spittle flying out of his mouth and his eyes wild and angry. I was terrified. Where was Colton? Please, God, let him get here soon and please don’t let anyone bring Remi out to meet me.

  “Michael! What are you doing here? How did you know where I was? I just needed to get away for the weekend. That’s all. I wasn’t running off, honest!” My words were raspy as he continued to hold my throat. I desperately clawed at his fingers as I tried to placate him and get him to calm down. I was afraid he was going to really hurt me before anyone even knew I was out here struggling. I had no idea how he had found me. That, in itself, was terrifying. How long had he been following me?

  “I was worried about you walking home late at night after work, so I installed an app on your phone. I just wanted to keep you safe, Steph. You and Remi are so special; I just needed to protect you and watch out for you.” Holy Jesus, he was insane! How could he think something like that was okay? I wondered what else he had done besides stealing my key and tracking my phone.

  Just then, I heard the rumble of a motorcycle and saw a headlight come around the curve of the driveway before suddenly skidding to a stop. The bike was still running as I suddenly felt Michael’s hands ripped from my neck as he flew backward.

  I was shaking and felt nauseous as I dropped my hands to my knees, breathing ragged breaths. Looking up through the curtain of my hair and the dust billowing from the bike’s sudden stop on the gravel, I saw a fist connect with Michael’s jaw. He staggered back before catching himself and charging toward my rescuer.

  “You sonofabitch! Don’t you ever touch her again!” I heard Colton rage before he grappled with Michael again. They were evenly matched in height, but Michael had insanity behind him, while Colton had sheer power and a fighter’s instinct. I watched them struggle before they fell to the ground, Colton straddling Michael, beating him over and over with his fists. As I ran to stop Colton before he killed him, I heard the front door bang open and my father yell out to me. He scrambled down the front steps and wrapped his strong arms around me before I could get to Colton.

  “No, Dad! I can’t let Colton kill him. He’ll go to jail! I need him! I love him! He’s her daddy!” I was frantic and thrashing in my dad’s arms to get loose.

  My dad sat me on the steps, telling me he would take care of it and not to move as he ran to grab Colton.

  “Son! Stop! My girls need you! Don’t do this!” My dad tackled Colton in a bear hug. I watched Colton fight my dad’s hold, and I prayed he wouldn’t hurt my dad in his blind fury. Something seemed to finally click in his mind, and he stopped struggling, but he was still panting in great heaving breaths. He held his bloodied hands up to my dad to signal he was calm and wouldn’t continue to fight.

  As my dad and I walked Colton toward the steps and into the house, blood dripped from his hands. It was also splattered across his face and chest. I noted Michael rolling around on the ground, groaning. I pulled out my phone to call the sheriff once we got
Colton inside and cleaned up. Jesus, I prayed my mom had Remi distracted somewhere.

  I was about to call the sheriff when I heard a truck roar to life and gravel spraying as it spun out of the driveway and down the road. Thank God. I debated having the sheriff take him in and put the fear of God in him, but I was pretty sure he would think twice before messing with me after the beating Colton just gave him. I was surprised he could still drive.

  Asshole.

  “Son, let Steph get you cleaned up and put some ice on those hands.” My dad looked up at me, giving me a nod to take him inside. I wrapped my arm around Colton’s waist and walked him into the kitchen.

  “Baby, I’m fine. I just need to wash my hands. Really. Honestly, I’m okay.” Colton closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he placed his hands under the cold water I had started. I saw him suck in a sharp breath when the water hit the small nicks and cuts on his knuckles. He used some dish soap to scrub the blood from his hands and arms until the water ran clear.

  My dad walked in and handed him a clean white T-shirt and reached out his hand to shake Colton’s.

  “Son, I owe you a debt of gratitude. I don’t know how to thank you. If my intuition is correct, I would say that was the young man who has been giving my daughter a hard time.” He turned to me with a questioning look to confirm of his statement. I nodded yes. “I was in the shower and Stephanie’s mother had Remi watching a movie, so I didn’t even hear anything until your bike pulled up.” My dad looked slightly defeated, and I knew he felt he had failed me.

  “Dad! It’s not your fault! I had no idea he was here either. I actually thought it was Sam pulling in behind me, or I would have gone straight into the house. Do not blame yourself.”

  I filled plastic zipper bags with ice and wrapped them in a towel as Colton changed out of his leather cut and bloody shirt into the shirt my dad had handed him. I saw my dad’s eyebrows raise when he took in Colton’s tattoos, and I gave him a silencing glare just as Colton’s head was popping through the tee. My dad just smiled and raised his hand in acquiescence to me.

  I felt Colton’s eye boring into mine as I placed the ice on his hands while he rested them on our kitchen table. I knew we were in for a long, uncomfortable discussion after tonight was wrapped up. Great. Nothing ever went as planned with this man and me. This was not exactly how I intended on telling him about Michael.

  “Do you still feel up to seeing Remi or do you want to wait until tomorrow?” I was worried after everything that had happened tonight. What if he hated me for having his daughter around a man like Michael?

  “I don’t want to wait, baby. I think I’ve waited long enough.” He pulled a hand from under one of the ice bags to tuck my hair behind my ear. His cold fingertips caressed my cheek as he slowly pulled his hand away. Stepping back, I grabbed his dirty shirt from the floor and gave him a small smile before I turned to place it in the washing machine off the kitchen.

  “I’ll go get her… if you’re sure.” He raised his eyebrow and his expression said What do you think?

  I went through the hall and up the stairs to my parents’ room where Remi was contentedly watching an animated movie with my mom. I stood soaking in my precious baby girl for a quiet moment. Her silky dark hair hung in fat ringlets against her rosy round cheeks. Her blue eyes, so like her father’s, reflected the flashing colors of the movie that held her attention. They seemed wise beyond her young years. It wasn’t long before she realized I stood in the doorway.

  “Mommy!” She jumped up to her knees, jumping up and down on the bed when she saw me. My mother chuckled and paused the movie. Remi stood and walked across the bed with my mother prepared to catch her if she fell. She jumped in my arms and wrapped her little arms around my neck. “Wemi miss you, Mommy!” She gave me a big kiss.

  “Mommy has a big surprise for you, my bugga-boo,” I said to her as I smiled at my mom over her shoulder, waving her to follow, and turned to head back downstairs. Lordy, I felt as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs right about now.

  Here goes everything….

  I MADE SMALL TALK with Stephanie’s dad while she went upstairs. I liked him. He really cared about his daughter and struck me as loving, but very protective. I imagined I would be the same as I thought of the little raven-haired baby girl I would officially meet soon. I started to get nervous. Fuck. Was I doing the right thing? Should I even corrupt that precious baby and my angel with the fucking ugly blackness that consumed my body and soul?

  Would she even want anything to do with me? She had blithely jumped up into the booth with me earlier today, but what about when she found out I was her daddy? Her daddy. It sounded strange, but I fucking loved it already. Would I be worth a shit as a father? It’s not like I had an example to follow. My dad had never been around while I was growing up, having shit-canned my mom when I was a baby. He never contacted us again.

  Just as the silence in the kitchen began to border on uncomfortable, I heard footsteps on the stairs and the small giggles of what I assumed was my daughter. My daughter. Ready or fucking not…

  I couldn’t stand. My legs felt like leaden weights as I watched them close in on me. A woman there was no denying was Stephanie’s mother, entered the room behind them and I barely registered the brief look of censor she gave me before standing next to Stephanie’s father. My ink and scruffy appearance probably weren’t winning me any favors. Her father whispered in her mother’s ear and I watched her expression relax.

  Stephanie walked right up to me holding Remi in her arms. I took in her raven ringlets, her clear blue eyes, and her solemn expression as she held several fingers in her mouth. Then she pulled her fingers out, covered in drool, as she cracked the biggest grin, revealing two dimples which were the miniature of my own. Fuck if that didn’t melt my heart. I knew mine were in full affect as she leaned over quickly, reaching for me.

  I pulled her in a tight hug, but I loosened it quickly for fear of scaring her.

  “Remi, baby?” Stephanie knelt in front of me and spoke softly to her. “This is your very own daddy.” I heard her voice waver as she said “daddy.” I damn near started crying as her bright blue eyes turned to me and her hands grasped either side of my face. She still had slobber on her hand, but I just didn’t give a shit. She stared deep in my eyes in such a solemn manner it was nearly unnerving. I swear that little girl saw straight to my soul, and I prayed she wouldn’t find it lacking.

  “Wemi daddy!” she suddenly exclaimed. I had no fucking clue if this little girl understood what hearing her say “daddy” did to my galloping heart. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. It felt like my face might actually crack in fucking two, my smile was so big. My heart swelled with love for a child I had never held before this moment. I was a motherfucking father. I actually helped create this beautiful, precious, little princess. Fucking hell. I was a goner already.

  “Thank you, Stephanie. Thank you for this gift. You have no idea… Thank you for taking such good care of my princess when I wasn’t there to do it. She’s beautiful.” Stephanie continued to kneel at my feet with tears silently streaming down her face. I had no idea when her father had soundlessly left the room, but I was thankful for the minimal audience as I felt tears break free from my eyes. I swiped at them quickly. Fuck, I was getting soft.

  We spent the next hour sitting in the living room surrounded by the soft glow of a floor lamp while Remi showed me all her toys and treasures. I felt my face fucking flame when she stuck a small silver plastic tiara on my head, looking so proud of herself. Stephanie burst out laughing, quickly covering her humorous outburst with a hand, but she couldn’t hide the laughing twinkle in her eyes. Little shit. I’ll get her for this later, I thought with a smirk.

  “Daddy princess!” Holy shit. Who the fuck would have thought Colton Alcott, former sniper, current big bad biker, would be sitting there with a plastic tiara on his head while a gorgeous blonde giggled and a raven-haired princess glowed?


  And he was fucking loving it.

  Colton had been so sweet and tolerant with Remi. It was amazing to watch him with her. It was bittersweet seeing how well they connected despite the time they had missed. There was little I could think of that was better than knowing they were finally able to be together. I wondered what the future held, and I prayed he didn’t break her heart… or mine. I had yet to tell him, but I had admitted it to my father. I wasn’t just falling for this man, I loved him. Absolutely and irrevocably. We didn’t even really know each other, so maybe it was a little crazy, but looking at him, my heart felt warm and full. When I looked at him with our baby girl, I thought it might burst.

  When Remi climbed in his lap and began petting his short beard, I saw him smile. I noticed Remi’s eyes appeared heavy and she snuggled closer to his chest as if listening to his heartbeat. While she was curled into his chest, his shirt fisted in her chubby little hand, she began to drift off to sleep. As he held her close, he slowly ran his fingers through her dark curls and across her little cheek. Closing his eyes, he rested his scarred cheek on top of her head.

  “Do you want to help me put her to bed?” I whispered. His gorgeous blue eyes met mine and his dimples flashed, causing my stomach to flutter. He stood slowly, careful not to wake his precious bundle. I turned and led the way to the stairs, climbing the old wooden stairs, listening to the familiar creak of the steps from his weight as he followed me to the top. I turned into my room and motioned to the pack-and-play set up in the corner.

  After he laid her, ever so gently, in her bed and covered her with her fuzzy pink striped blanket, he turned to me, gathering me in his arms. I laid my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his waist. He placed one hand on my head, cradling it to him as he rested the other on my hip. The domestic quality of the moment was not lost on me, and I fought the silly tears that struggled to escape my eyes. If only I could stay like this forever. If I died tomorrow, I would die a happy woman.