Page 115 of Daddy's Naughty List

“Not really, no.” Connor wasn’t one for playing twenty questions.

“So, you were alone with Bliss for over an hour, and nothing interesting happened? This is the same Bliss you rescued, lost, searched until you found again, and worked your sources to death to keep tabs on, right?” Gage asked.

Connor didn’t appreciate Gage’s tone, so instead of an answer, he gave him his happy middle finger. Gage laughed and gave it right back.

Reid still had business on his mind. “I need you to stop by the garage tomorrow and get caught up on what we discussed at the meeting.”

Connor nodded as he put a few pigs in a blanket on a plate for Bliss, along with some carrot sticks and broccoli with some kind of dip in a bowl close by. “That works. I need to drop off Bliss’s car anyway. It needs four new tires and a spare. You might as well check over the whole thing. She’s driving a piece of shit 1979 Nova.”

Reid scowled. “What do you mean it needs four new tires? She’s been driving around for two months and didn’t say anything? Why the fuck not?”

“That’s a good question.” One of many Connor wanted answers to.

Lucky for one naughty Little girl who kept secrets, he couldn’t ask right then because Zane decided to join the conversation.

Connor still wasn’t sure about the kid. He’d left the Lawless Warriors MC when everything went down with Suzi, but Connor wasn’t sure he was settled yet. Lawson had taken him in, and they seemed to be tight.

He signaled Zane to go ahead with a lift of his chin.

“Is it true that Nova means ‘it won’t go’ in Spanish?”

For a minute, no one spoke. They all stared at Zane, whose face had turned so red it was almost purple.

Then Law slapped him on the back of the head. “Do you think a company the size of Chevrolet would pick a name that stupid for one of its cars?”

“Hey!” Zane rubbed his head. “What happened to there’s no such thing as a dumb question?”

Law glared at him. “I stand corrected.”

The room erupted in laughter. Connor was thankful everyone’s eyes had a new target.

Everyone hung around and chatted. When one of the babies started crying, they took it as their cue to leave. Connor listened to the tiny wails and tried not to break out in hives like a dumbass. He wanted to pick up whichever of the girls was crying, but he’d probably break her.

Once everyone else had gone, Reid motioned him over. “Conn, before you go, I’d like a word.”

Wary, Connor nodded. “What’s on your mind, brother?”

“I think you can guess,” Reid said, his tone serious. “It probably doesn’t need saying.”

“And yet youaresaying it.” Connor didn’t want to end the evening in a fight with one of his brothers. He leaned his hip against the kitchen island and crossed his ankle.

“It’s my job as her big brother. We both know Bliss has been through a hard time. I don’t want her to be confused about any attention you show her.”

“She’s not easy to confuse, brother. Especially since no one is trying to confuse her.”

Reid wasn’t done. “She might misunderstand your attention. I appreciate you helping her out today, but she’s been hurt enough. So, if you’re thinking about filling up more of her free time, make sure you know what you want.”

Connor stiffened. If Reid thought he’d take advantage of Bliss when she was trying to take care of three children and make a new life for all of them, then they were going to have a problem, brother or not. “I’d never do anything to hurt Bliss, and you know it. Besides, it’s not like she’s sitting around twiddling her thumbs with all that free time you’re talking about. She’s running herself ragged. If you’re her brother now, you have to know that. You need to get her some help.”

Reid stared at him and then grinned.

Fuck. He shouldn’t have said anything. Reid was staring at him like he’d just declared his undying love for the woman or something. He hadn’t done that. Not at all. And yet, there had always been something about Bliss that pulled at him. “She’s tough, but she’s fragile.”

“Oh, I know that,” Reid said. “I just wasn’t sure you knew it. Or cared, for that matter.”

Oh, he cared. More than he should. His brain and his emotions were in full-out war. He just needed to make sure his dick stayed out of the discussion. Then his brain would be outnumbered two to one. Fuck.

He needed to leave before he said or did something stupid. “I need to head out. I’ll be at the garage tomorrow with Bliss’s car.”

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