Page 54 of Biker Daddy

“I have questions too,” she said softly. “About what I found.” She gestured to the paintings of her. “And about things between us.”

“And I’ll answer them all, Addi, but first I gotta get rid of these paintings.”

She didn’t understand any of it. Why would he hide his talent and why would Uncle Ray take credit? “Why? Why can’t anyone know you’re the artist?”

“Babe, I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”

“Yes.”

He gathered a breath and looked around again. “This problem isn’t going anywhere.” Rubbing the back of his neck, he bit his lip. “The damage is done. She probably took pictures.” He reached for Addi, pulling her close enough to hear his heartbeat pound steadily in her ear.

“She did. She sent them to Rebecca.”

“Dammit. I should have just given her some fluff, but Ray was private and as you now know, we had shit to hide.”

“But why?”

“Babe, I warned you I’m not a good guy.”

“I don’t believe that for a second, Drew.”

He kissed the top of her head and she traced one of the pained figure tattoos on his bicep. “I know you don’t, baby girl, and that’s the biggest problem of all.”

“Uncle Ray didn’t either.” She pulled back and glared at him—steady, sure, and determined. “He wouldn’t have asked you to take care of me if he didn’t trust you. And he wouldn’t trust you if you weren’t good.” She ran her palms from his arms to take his hands.

His head hung a moment and even with his hair falling in his face, she saw both pain and hope twisting his features.

“I promise I’ll tell you everything, Addi. You deserve the truth. I just need to digest and settle some shit first. Can you give me time for that?”

“Of course.”

He pulled her against his warm chest and she wished they could stay like that for at least a few more days. She knew things were about to get complicated and with Uncle Ray’s funeral tomorrow, she didn’t think either of them deserved complicated.

“I’m going to town to get some new locks, and ask a friend to watch over the place while we’re gone tomorrow. How about you relax and I’ll bring back some pizza for lunch.” His mouth quirked to the side as he pulled her back from his embrace to look at her face. “That’s an order, baby girl.”

“That sounds unbelievably good, especially that it’s an order.”

He leaned down to her ear and whispered, “You know we still have the old projector and white screen in the mess hall. We can pull the blinds down and put on one of the old movies like Ray did during rainy days at camp. Throw some gym mats, sleeping bags, and pillows down. I just put a brand-new air conditioner in last year.” His brows wiggled and his raspy voice took on a sexy lilt. “We can cuddle up and watch Homeward Bound or Free Willy.”

“You are so turning me on right now,” she said sarcastically, knowing the only options for movies would be the kid-friendly kind. “But you had me at air conditioner.” She laughed and he joined in with his deep chuckle. He kissed her head and then tipped her chin so he could do the same to her lips.

“Do you want to stay here or go back to your cabin?”

“Well, it feels a little weird staring at myself and all my adolescent angst in these paintings, so yeah, I think I’ll go back.”

“I like them.” He looked around at the paintings. “They remind me you were always a determined little brat.”

“It was all the time I spent with bossy, overbearing boys.”

“That so?” He swatted her ass. “Well, now you have a bossy, overbearing Daddy.” He took her hand and they walked in silence back to the main camp.

Concern was hidden in his expression and her own churned in her gut, but for now they’d let sleeping beasts lie.

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