Page 63 of Biker Daddies

“Hey, Harlow. How are you?”

“I’m okay. What about you?”

“Same shit, different day.” He slaps his hand on the button to allow the gate to open. “I’m kind of lonely,” he adds out of nowhere. He’s always been an oversharer but that’s what I like about him. “I think I want to try a relationship, but…” Dart lets out another dramatic exhale. “I don’t know. Never mind. It isn’t important.”

“Hey,” I bark at him. “Of course it’s important. How about we talk later?”

He grins. “Okay. Sounds good. Thanks, Harlow.”

“Any time, Dart.” I don’t bother to roll up my window as I drive through when the gate opens. The hinges squeak and I grimace from the horrid sound. I’ll have to tell my dad about that. It’s so loud it will wake the roadkill predators poke at.

I park next to Alto’s bike.

Just because.

I try to hide my happiness and excitement by rolling my lips together, not putting a pep in my step, but I can’t. It’s impossible. I had the best night of my life and I can’t tell anyone. I can’t celebrate.

Well, that thought worked.

I slow down, wondering when we’ll be able to just be happy and not hide.

“Sugarplum.” My dad is sitting in the common area, a map open on the coffee table. Grim is sitting next to him.

He stands, much to my dislike, and saunters over to me with a cocky stroll. “Good morning, Harlow.” His hand lifts to push a piece of my hair out of my face and I flinch away, not wanting him to touch me. Grim pauses. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“What?”

“Daddy, it’s fine. It was just an instinct. It isn’t anything serious.” He sits back down onto the couch and grunts, trusting what I say. “Sorry, Grim. I just think it’s too early for you to make assumptions that you can touch me,” I tell him gently and honestly.

Something shifts over his eyes, something dark and feral that I don’t like.

A few members come in and plop down on the couch and I begin to get nervous. Everyone is filling the room now for some reason. Bookie, Bullwhip, Trap, Poet, Halo, Brander, and even Dart comes inside from manning the gate.

I’m sure Lifesaver would be here too if he didn’t have a shift at the hospital.

“Maybe we can talk outside in private?”

Grim looks over his shoulder at my dad and sucks his lip into his mouth, clearly annoyed. I’m thrown off by how he’s acting. A bad feeling twists my gut when I see Daddy giving him a firm nod.

He’s acting as if he has a claim on me or was promised to me. A cold dread settles in my bones. As I step outside, I give one more look at Daddy, wondering if he’d do something like that to me. Would he really promise me to someone without talking to me first?

I mean, he kind of did, but talking to a guy and being declared his are two different things.

We step outside and Grim tucks his hands in his pockets. He leans against one of the rails, staring out to where the desert is.

“I’m not really wanting anything right now,” I lead with. I don’t want to beat around the bush. “I’m not sure what Daddy told you about this or what would happen, but I’d rather just be friends.”

“Does this have anything to do with the guy who made you cry the other night? Grizzly told me about that. I wouldn’t make you cry, Harlow. I’m here for other reasons other than you.” His tone is friendly and gentle, so I don’t feel offended when he says that. “If that’s what you want, I’ll respect that, but I also won’t stop asking you out in hopes you’ll say yes. You’re a beautiful woman, Harlow. I’d like to show you how women like you are supposed to be treated.”

The door bangs open and Bane is standing there, arms crossed, and his lips are so tight the scars are more pronounced. “Everything okay out here?” he asks.

“Everything is fine.” Grim gives me one last look over. “Sometimes the best things in life need to be waited for, is all.” He reaches for my hand and Bane grabs his wrist, stopping Grim from touching me.

“Don’t even think about it,” Bane seethes.

Grim cocks his head and looks from me, to Bane, and smirks. Without saying a word, he walks back into the clubhouse. Flustered, I brush against Bane on purpose when I step inside, wanting him to know I appreciate what he did, but also just needing to feel him against me.

Alto is charging down the hall, then slows when he enters the common room, gaining a few curious glances as he casually stands next to me.

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