Page 26 of Savior

“Yet, here you are, bringing strays back to the clubhouse,” the man in question stated flatly as he appeared in the doorway. “Why is that?”

I stepped forward. “Bear, I’ve come to pledge my support to the club. I want to patch in—to find my father. I have skills. Good ones. I think that I could be a huge asset for Silent Phoenix.” My words came out rushed and incoherent, nothing like what I’d rehearsed in front of the bathroom mirror.

Bear’s eyebrows lowered into a look of disinterest, the muscles in his neck straining against the bandana around his throat. “Goblin,” he said, using Little Ricky’s biker name. “Thought I made myself clear.”

“You did, butCaparina, she was like, ‘Nah, Little Ricky, I gotta do this for my family’s honor,’ and who am I to stand in the way of vengeance?”

Bear covered his eyes and shook his head. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, was there a flashin’ neon sign at the top of the canyon welcoming you? Or maybe you saw the help wanted ad in the newspaper?”

We both stayed quiet, standing shoulder to shoulder, awaiting our lecture.

“No?” Bear asked. “Oh, that’s right. We don’t fuckin’ advertise what we are, and the day we open this club up to women is the day I stop bein’ a biker. We clear?”

Two deep set lines ran vertically between his brows, and I got lost in thought, debating whether or not Botox would correct it. His skin was in need of a good Microderm treatment… or maybe a chemical peel. I glanced up at Little Ricky’s face, pleased with how well his skin was responding to the regimen I had him on.

“Dakota!” Bear snapped. “I asked you a fuckin’ question.”

“Have you ever considered having laser treatments done for the sun damage on your face?” I blurted out.

Little Ricky went stock-still beside me, his face a blank mask as he whispered, “Fuck.”

“Is this a joke?” Bear growled. “You came down here to talk about skincare?”

His voice rose, and I flinched. “I didn’t mean—”

“Look around you, sweetheart. This look like the fuckin’Cliniquecounter to you? Now, I don’t know if Goblin put you up to this, or if you’re always this stupid, but there’s only one type of facial being offered around here, and your daddy would have my balls if I let you step one foot inside to see it.” He leaned back against the side of the clubhouse and crossed his arms over his massive chest, clearly waiting for a response.

I knew that the facials he’d mentioned had nothing to do with beauty, but instead of letting my mind venture down that rabbit hole, I pushed the unwanted images away and tried again. “You need me. I know my dad’s alive, and I want to help find him.”

What kind of a man would deny a daughter such a simple request?

“Go home, Dakota,” Bear ground out, the muscle in his jaw popping. “Goblin, she shows up again, and your ass’ll be on the line. We clear?”

Little Ricky nodded, and wrapped his hand around my bicep, leading me back toward his truck.

“Wait!” My throat clogged with tears as I freed myself from his grip. I had one shot. “How can you do this? How can you just pretend like everything’s fine? Why aren’t you looking for him?”

Bear’s eyes narrowed, but he just shook his head before disappearing back inside.

I’d failed.

With Silent Phoenix went my last chance to find my father. Bear hadn’t seen me as an ally, but a nuisance, a pesky bug to be squished under the heel of his boot.

I lowered my head, glancing around the gravel lot to see if anyone else had witnessed my downfall.

It reminded me of my first day of sixth grade, standing in a crowded cafeteria with my tray gripped tightly in my sweaty fists. A few kids had looked up, quickly scanning me from head to toe before going back to their conversations, smirks playing on their lips.

As if I was a joke.

I’d spent my entire life fighting to break away from the chubby girl who just wanted to be included, only to end up right back where I’d started.

I might not have been holding a tray, but I was very much still on the outside looking in. My skin vibrated with humiliation as I imagined the bikers laughing at the idea that I could be useful in finding Grey.

“Don’t waste your breath,” a soft voice said, and we both turned. Lauren sat on the tailgate of a truck, swinging her legs idly.

“Have you been here this whole time?”

She nodded and flipped off the empty doorway with a glare. “Yep. Outshot every single one of the bastards, and he still refused to let me patch in. Told me to go home and get ready for the babies as if that’s all I’m capable of doing.”

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