Page 89 of Scar

Heading back to José’s attic, he found Tally still asleep. He wrapped himself around her, his mind whirling with the information Keys had just laid on him. Scar knew in his soul that it wasn’t over. Alpha would keep coming for him, and Scar knew it had absolutely nothing to do with his feelings for the man’s daughter.

Tally didn’t wake until mid-morning, a testament to how little sleep she’d gotten over the past week.

Wanting to give her a proper breakfast, as well as a proper bathroom, Scar lowered the hatch, no longer caring about stealth.

They exited the attic to find a shocked José staring at them, a naked, wet Caleb in his arms. No doubt he’d been giving his son a bath when he heard his attic door spontaneously descend and had grabbed the toddler out of the water to come investigate.

“Really? Are you fucking kidding me?” Then gentler, he added, “Good morning, Tally.”

Smiling at Scar’s brother, she said, “It will be if I can use your bathroom. And then I have plans of taking over your kitchen. Have you guys eaten breakfast yet?”

“If you’re cooking, I’ll happily eat a second breakfast,” José replied with eager anticipation. As soon as Tally closed the bathroom door, clicking as she walked, José punched Scar in the arm. Hard. “You asshole! I knew you were living in my attic like that fucking raccoon!”

* * *

“You’re leaving again,aren’t you?”

The fork partway to her mouth, Tally paused at Bulldog’s question. It had been a very interesting morning, observing Bulldog and Scar interact while she prepared breakfast. She didn’t have siblings, but she knew enough people with them to have picked up some of the nuances. She loved how Bulldog called Scar out on some of his more eccentric idiosyncrasies. Like his namesake, Bulldog was more brash and tenacious. Whereas Scar was like a hunter, all precision and patience while he waited for the opportune moment to strike.

Bulldog and Abby’s two youngest kids were in the house, both toddlers in a playpen in the other room. Tally learned that Bulldog’s oldest, Cassie, had agoraphobia and rarely left her house. While the walk to her best friend’s house was a struggle, Cassie was occasionally feeling up to being adventurous. In Tally’s opinion, it was a good thing her best friend lived next door. Tally was going to need a list to keep all of Scar’s brothers and their families straight.

Other than when she’d been in the bathroom, Scar was always right there next to her. He wasn’t in her way as she learned the layout of Bulldog’s kitchen before starting to cook their breakfast. He moved with her, mimicking her like a shadow. His hand was always on her in one way or another. Whenever she was standing still, he’d crowd around her and bury his face into her thick hair.

She didn’t mind. She could only imagine what it must be like for him. She didn’t know the details of his captivity, and she didn’t want to know, but to have lived the last decade of his life recoiling against human interaction hinted at the horror he’d endured. As far as she was concerned, he’d earned the right to touch her however and whenever he wanted. Additionally, she loved being touched by him because it was a testament of their unconventional romance.

It was so easy to forget their audience and Bulldog had had to clear his throat several times to remind them of his presence.

Scar didn’t eat much. The Eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce she was craving that morning would be too heavy for him. He’d eaten less than his half of the MRE they’d shared the night before and he’d only eaten that much because she’d encouraged him to. Rather than the rich breakfast she prepared for Bulldog and herself, she made Scar oatmeal with vanilla and cinnamon. She needed to build his appetite back up before offering him rich foods. Thankfully, Bulldog had Greek yogurt when she asked and was able to add that to the oatmeal for a creamy texture as well as protein.

Tally practically preened when Scar ate the whole bowl, and fairly quickly, too.

Once he was done eating, Scar crowded himself behind her, his head on her shoulder as he silently listened as Bulldog told her the story of how he and Scar had met at basic training when they’d both been eighteen. By extension, she also learned that both Bulldog and Scar were thirty-six years old.

Of course, that gave Tally the opening to joke about how astonished she was that Scar had human parents and wasn’t a robot-human cyborg that had been built by a mad scientist.

He’d nipped her shoulder in retaliation.

Bulldog had already finished eating and was now sipping his coffee as Tally finished her own plate. His question about Scar leaving, while a little out of the blue, was also one that Tally herself wanted to know. She wasn’t sure what was next—other than finding her luggage and begging Bulldog to let her use a shower.

Tally felt Scar’s heartbeat against her back waver slightly. “Yes,” she answered for him. Then added, “Once we’re packed up, we’ll be heading out.”

Scar’s nose nuzzled her ear in approval.

Bulldog made a sound like a disappointed grunt. “I can’t stop you, but I wish you’d stay, brother. We only just got you back.”

“We’ll be back,” Tally promised him, knowing it was true. “But we need some time alone to figure out what our future holds and I think all of this attention is starting to get to him.”

Under the table, Scar’s hand crept lower from where it had lazily been resting on her hip to slip between her thighs. Tally leaned back against him, wishing they were alone. He didn’t move his hand, didn’t rub or try to excite her, but his message was no less clear. He was staking his claim. Hewantedher, and fuck if the arousal she’d been fighting for weeks towards this man didn’t nearly ignite within her at the idea of being able to claimhim.

To distract herself, Tally continued her explanation. “Sissy told me the basics of what happened yesterday. There’s a lot that I don’t know, but I know my dad’s still out there. Scar’s going to want to deal with him and I certainly want to give him a piece of my mind.”

This time, when he nipped at her, she sensed his disapproval.

“Tough shit, Scar. He’s my father. I deserve to be there and hear whatever fucked up excuse he has to justify what he did to you. I have a right to learn just how much of my life was a lie.”

Her voice broke on the last word, and Scar’s grip on her increased. She felt the way his face scrunched. He didn’t like it, but he wasn’t going to fight her on it.

Tally lowered her left hand to his thigh. “Thank you.”

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